Island Records research

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Welcome to the Island Records research area for Discogs. If you have information about Island Records, put it here, and hopefully we can sort out the true history of this label.

Incorporation

According to the Companies House WebCHeck database, Island Records Limited incorporated on May 8, 1962. On March 29, 1999, its name changed to Universal-Island Records Limited and its current address is 364-366 Kensington High Street, London W14 8NS.

Also according to Companies House, Island Records & Music Holdings Limited, Island Records Manufacturing Limited, and Island Records Finance Limited were previously incorporated in England/Wales. The former two dissolved on June 14, 1991, and the latter dissolved one day earlier. Further information on them is in archives that can only be accessed by calling Companies House at 0870 3333636.

According to the New York Secretary of State web site, Island Records, Inc. incorporated in New York on March 2, 1970. At some point, the company name changed to Island Entertainment Group, Inc. Also, Island Records, Inc. incorporated in New York on August 12, 1982. Both companies are now listed as inactive. The current contact address is PolyGram Holding, Inc., 825 Eighth Ave, New York NY 10019.

Additional New York "Island" incorporations:

  • Island Music Company, Inc. - April 27, 1966; inactive
  • Island Music, Inc. - April 11, 1985; inactive
  • Island Entertainment Corp. - April 2, 1987 and February 3, 1994; inactive

According to the California Secretary of State web site, Island Records, Inc. incorporated in California on June 10, 1974, at 7720 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90046. The company ceased to exist when it merged with another company. Details of the merger are not available on the web site. Also, New York-based Island Records, Inc. incorporated in California on September 17, 1982. It voluntarily surrendered its right to do business in California at some later date. Details of the surrender are not available on the web site. The current contact address is 800 Third Ave, New York NY 10022.

Logos

1989 to present: palm tree silhouette on round moon, over the word "ISLAND". The moon is sometimes yellow.

Timeline

  • 1959 - Island Records founded as reggae label in Jamaica by Chris Blackwell and Graeme Goodall
  • 1959 - Laurel Aiken's "Boogie In My Bones" tops Jamaican chart for 11 weeks
  • 1960 - Lance Heywood at the Half Moon Hotel, the first LP on Island, released w/catalogue # CB 22 (22 being Blackwell's age)
  • 8 May 1962 - Island Records Ltd. incorporates in the UK
  • Mar 1964 - Island's first million-seller, "My Boy Lollipop", is recorded by Millie Small and released in the UK via Fontana
  • 1964 - Blackwell & Guy Stevens launch Sue sublabel to promote US r'n'b in the UK
  • 1965? - Blackwell signs Spencer Davis Group but licenses all material to Fontana
  • Jan 1966 - Spencer Davis Group bumps Beatles from #1 spot on UK chart
  • 1967 - Trojan Records label launched; most reggae artists are moved to it as Island moves toward progressive rock, signing Art and Traffic
  • 2 Mar 1970 - Island Records, Inc. incorporates in New York state
  • 1972 - Jimmy Cliff leaves Island in frustration at declining support for reggae artists
  • late 1972 - The Wailers are signed to Island; Blackwell helps them record their first album for £4000
  • 10 Jun 1974 - Island Records, Inc. incorporates in California, operating from Warner Bros. Records address
  • 1975 - "No Woman, No Cry" becomes Bob Marley's first UK hit
  • 17 Sep 1982 - Island Records, Inc. (New York) incorporates in California
  • Jul 1989 - Island Records and Island Music acquired by PolyGram UK Group for £272 million
  • Mar 1980 - U2 signs to Island
  • Nov 1997 - Chris Blackwell resigns as CEO of Island Entertainment
  • Jan 1999 - Universal announces a merger with Island and that Mercury (UK) will market Island's US repertoire
  • 29 Mar 1999 - Island Records Ltd. (UK) changes its name to Universal-Island Records Ltd.

Some good sources of info:

Packaging artifacts

This section is a dumping ground for information that helps us get a better picture of the relationship between Island and other record companies by looking at aspects of the packaging. Hopefully we can spot trends and deduce facts about Island by transcribing, describing, and examining the catalogue numbers, countries, dates, logos, and fine print. At this point, copyright notices don't seem particularly relevant, but it can be included if you want.

19?? UK LP
ILPS 9116
 Island Records Ltd.
 Manufactured and distributed by EMI Records Ltd.
 (Island logo: "i" outline only)
 (This is a reissue of a 1970 LP)
1974 US LP
ILPS 9224 and ILPS 9251
 Manufactured and distributed by Island Records, Inc.
 7720 Sunset Blvd
 Los Angeles CA 90046
 (Island logo: "i" outline only)
 (ILPS 9224 has a Warner Bros sticker on the front, and blue center labels)
1980 CA LP
XILP 9616
 Manufactured and distributed by WEA Music of Canada Ltd.
 (blue center labels)
1980 US LP
IL 9630
 Manufactured and distributed by Warner Bros. Records, Inc.
 3300 Warner Blvd
 Burbank CA
 and
 3 E 54th St
 New York NY
 (blue labels)
1980 UK LP
12 WIP 6598
 Manufactured and distributed by EMI Records Ltd.
 (same album as IL 9630 above)
198? US LP
90091-1-B
 Distributed by Atco Records
 division of Atlantic Recording Corporation
 A Warner Communications Company
 75 Rockefeller Plaza, NY NY 10019
 (same album as IL 9630 above; copyrights say 1980)
 (purple labels w/rainbow sky behind skyscraper, green script "Island")
1983 US EP
0-96974
 Distributed by Atco Records
 division of Atlantic Recording Corporation
 A Warner Communications Company
 75 Rockefeller Plaza, NY NY 10019
 (labels have white-yellow-aqua pseudo-script "Island") 
 (sleeve has hybrid "i" logo) TM owned by Antilles Communications Ltd.
1984 US LP
90179-1 (7 90179-1)
 Island Records Inc.
 Distributed by Atlantic Recording Corp.
 75 Rockefeller Plaza, NY NY 10019
 A Warner Communications Company
 (original red label w/black and yellow geometric shapes;
 gold-stamp promos have WEA sticker that says "Warner/Elektra/Atlantic Special Project Album - For Instore Play Only")
1984 US 12"
0-96931
1984 US 2xLP
90232-1-H
1985 US 12"
7 90288-1
 Island Records, Inc.
 Distributed by ATCO Records
 division of Atlantic Recording Corporation
 A Warner Communications Company
 75 Rockefeller Plaza, NY NY 10019
 (custom ZTT labels)
 (Island logo: palm/moon silhouette in "i" frame over "ISLAND") TM owned by Antilles Communications Ltd.
1985 US 12"
0-96889
 Island Records, Inc.
 Distributed by ATCO Records
 division of Atlantic Recording Corporation
 A Warner Communications Company
 75 Rockefeller Plaza, NY NY 10019
 (purple labels w/rainbow sky behind skyscraper, green script "Island")
 (Island logo: palm/moon silhouette in "i" frame over "ISLAND") TM owned by Antilles Communications Ltd.
1985 US CD
7 90232-2
 Manufactured by Island Records
 Island Records, Inc.
 distributed by ATCO Records
 division of Atlantic Recording Corporation
 A Warner Communications Company
 75 Rockefeller Plaza, NY NY 10019
 (Island logo: palm/moon silhouette in "i" frame over "ISLAND") TM owned by Antilles Communications Ltd.
 (disc) made in USA by WEA Manufacturing Inc.
 (disc logo is diagonal blue "Island" script)
1985 US 12"
ST-53021
 Manhattan Island Records
 Distributed by Manhattan Records, a division of Capitol Records
 (Island logo: palm/moon silhouette in "i" frame over "ISLAND") TM owned by Antilles Communications Ltd.
 (Manhattan logo) Manhattan is a registered trademark of Capitol Records, Inc.
 Unfortunately, in Discogs we've been filing Manhattan Island under EMI-Manhattan Records.
 I recently rejected user henkieee's submission of this LP (which I own)
 for trying to file it under Manhattan Island Records. Sigh.
1985 US 12"
PR 794
 Distributed by Atlantic Recording Corp.
 75 Rockefeller Plaza, NY NY 10019
 A Warner Communications Company
 (blue script "Island" on generic sleeve; black script on center label (it's a white label promo))
1985 US 12"
0-96859
 Island Records, Inc.
 Distributed by Atlantic Recording Corp.
 75 Rockefeller Plaza, NY NY 10019
 A Warner Communications Company
 (reissue single with plain yellow label; silhouette/"i" frame logo)
1985 US 12"
0-96835
1986 US 12"
0-96839
1986 US 12"
0-98604
 Island Records, Inc.
 Distributed by Atco Records
 division of Atlantic Recording Corporation
 A Warner Communications Company
 75 Rockefeller Plaza, NY NY 10019
 (black label w/blue ring)
 (Island logo is palm/moon silhouette in "i" frame over "ISLAND") TM owned by Island Entertainment Group, Inc.
1989 UK CD5"
BRCD 136
 (p) 1989 Island Records Ltd.
 no further legal credits, no INT cat#
 4th & Broadway circular logo given greater prominence on sleeve and disc
 circular palm-tree-in-an-"i" Island logos also both on sleeve and disc
1989 US CD
7 91318-2 and 7 90179-2
 Island Records, Inc.
 14 E 4th St., NY, NY 10012
 (Island logo) TM owned by Island Entertainment Group, Inc.
 (disc) made in USA by WEA Manufacturing Inc.
 (disc logo is black palm silhouette on yellow moon over "ISLAND")
1990 UK Cassingle
SIGH 4-3 / INT. 875789-4
 (p) & © 1990 Owned by Island Records Ltd.
 "An idea available through Sense (of Island) to be continued"
 (Sense logo, which is a derivative of the black palm silhouette on white moon)
1990 UK CD
IMCD 88 / 842 546-2
 (p) 1990 This compilation owned by Island Records Ltd.
 (disc) made in France by PMDC
 (logo) Island Masters logo given prominence)  
 (secondary logo is black palm silhouette on white moon over "ISLAND")
 (spine) text over "rainbow" reads ISLAND
1990 US CD
CCD 452 / 162-440 452-2
 4th & B'way™, an Island Records, Inc. company
 400 Lafayette St., NY, NY 10003
 (mini logo is black palm silhouette on white moon)
1991 (maybe 1992) US CD
422-866 189-2
 Island Records, Inc.
 14 E 4th St., NY, NY 10012
 (disc) made in USA by WEA Manufacturing Inc.
 (logo is black palm silhouette on white moon over "ISLAND")
1992 US 12"
422-866 977-1
 Island Records, Inc.
 400 Lafayette St., NY, NY 10003
 (logo is black palm silhouette on white moon over "ISLAND")
1992 US CD
422-866 533-2
 Island Records, Inc.
 400 Lafayette St., NY, NY 10003
 (disc) made in USA by WEA Manufacturing Inc.
 (logo is black palm silhouette on white moon over "ISLAND")
1993 US CD
162-440 590-2
 4th & B'way™, an Island Records, Inc. company
 400 Lafayette St., NY, NY 10003
 (mini logo is white palm silhouette on black moon)
1995 US CD
162-444 073-2
 QUANGO
 Manufactured and marketed by Island Records, Inc.
 825 Eighth Ave., NY, NY 10019
 Distributed by I.L.S.
 (logo is black palm silhouette on white moon over "ISLAND")
1996 US CD
162-531 046-2
 Axiom™
 Manufactured and marketed by Island Records, Inc., a PolyGram Company
 825 Eighth Ave., NY, NY 10019
 Distributed by I.L.S.
 (logo is black palm silhouette on white moon over "ISLAND")
2002 US CD
 The Island Def Jam Music Group, a Universal Music company.
 Worldwide Plaza, 825 8th Ave, New York, NY 10019
2002 UK CD
### ###-2
 Island Records, a division of UMG Recordings Inc.
2002 EU CD
### ###-2
 The Island Def Jam Music Group, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
2002 DE CD
 Island Mercury, a division of Universal Music GmbH
 Strafauer Alice 1, 10245 Berlin
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