About
The legendary Motown label was founded on January 12, 1959 and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960 by [url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/229467-Berry-Gordy]Berry Gordy, Jr.[/url], who merged his two successful imprints, Tamla (whose first release was Marv Johnson's "Come to Me" on January 21, 1959) and Motown (first release was the Miracles' "Bad Girl" on September 6, 1959). It was one of the most successful independent record companies in history. Its stable of hit-making artists such as The Miracles, The Supremes, The Temptations and many, many others, along with a talented staff of musicians and songwriters, collectively created the "Motown Sound," a world famous hybrid of soul, doo-wop, rhythm & blues and pop. Its motto was "The Sound of Young America". For any counterfeit, bootleg, or unofficial releases of this label please use [l274524] In July 1983 it was announced that Motown would begin distribution with MCA Distribution, with "the transferring of the Motown line from independent distribution expected to begin July 15". After a court case decided in their favor in mid-August, they began immediately distributing Motown product in the last week of August. Motown releases that list MCA Distribution are from 1983 through 1990. Motown remained independent until 1988, when MCA Records and private equity firm Boston Ventures teamed up to buy the label from Gordy for $61 million. It was bought again by PolyGram in 1993, becoming a part of the Universal Music Group after it purchased PolyGram in 1999. Within Universal, Motown was incorporated into various other subsidiaries, the first being the Universal Motown Records Group from 2000 to 2011, when it was moved to the Island Def Jam Music Group, until 2014 once UMG disbanded both label groups. Motown became a label in its own right again, transitioning under Universal's Capitol Music Group arm. In January 2023, Motown has been divested from the Capitol Music Group while remaining under the Universal Music Group, before returning to Capitol a year later in early 2024. That same year, Capitol and Motown became consolidated into the new Interscope Capitol Labels Group, which also consists of other UMG labels belonging to Interscope Records. A year later, Motown was again moved to Republic Corps, another label group also formed in 2024 by UMG, consisting of labels belonging to Republic Records. Over the course of its history, the Motown Corporation has owned or distributed more than 45 labels in varying genres. Label code: LC 0881 or LC 00881 45 RPM catalog number, date and label Identification: 1000 through 1010 (1960–1961): pink label. 1011 and higher (1961 forward): blue label.
Sub-labels
Motown in Mono
Motown’s 60th Anniversary reissue series of five classic albums as special limited edition ‘Motown In Mono’ vinyl releases. Each LP has been newly remastered from the original analog master tapes ...
Hard-To-Find Motown Classics
Compilation series with 3 volumes.
Motown Records UK
Limited Shades of Purple Vinyl Series
Motown vinyl reissue series of albums in various purple vinyl colors, started 2022
SUPERVALUE
Series from Motown related material that was released around the time of the "Big Chill" soundtrack. Stickers on jackets or sealed copies state "As Originally Recorded From The Motown Vaults"
EZMNY Records, LLC
American record company founded by [a1825654] and [a5235704] in 2022.
Gordy
Also appears as "Gordy Records". For any unofficial / bootleg releases of this label please use [l569615] A primary subsidiary of [url=http://www.discogs.com/label/Motown]Motown Records[/url] for...
MoWest
[l=Motown]'s west coast label that was active from 1971 to 1973. MoWest closed after the parent label moved permanently to California. Some MoWest artists, most notably the , switch...
Rare Earth
Rare Earth was a Motown sub-label started by [a397285] and active from 1969 until 1976 which actively recruited rock bands to what had always been primarily a R&B label.. The best sellers for the l...
Soul
Sublabel of the [l136683]. Label Code: LC 0348 / LC 00348 For all Unofficial / bootleg copies of this label please use [l146135] Soul Records was formed in Detroit, Michigan in early 1964 by Ber...
MoJazz
A jazz label by [l=Motown] that was active in the 1990s, similar to the [l449986] label from the 1960s. Was Motown's most successful jazz imprint. Also reissued previous jazz-based albums from th...
Miracle Records (5)
1960s soul label from Detroit, Michigan. An early subsidiary of Motown Records intended to release mainstream R&B Soul records. The slogan for Miracle Records was [i]"If it's a Hit, It's a Mirac...
Prodigal
Detroit, Michigan based label founded and owned by [a687445]. The label was active from 1974 to 1978. Motown purchased the record company in mid-1976 and used the label essentially as a continuatio...
Morocco Records
USA Label Code: LC 8928 Morocco was the third rock label ran by Motown Records. It was launched in 1983. Its most successful act was .
Universal Motown
Founded in 2005 after the merger of [l=Motown] and [l=Universal Records] and the reinstatement of the [l=Universal Motown Records Group]. In 2011, with the Universal Motown Republic Group disban...
Black Forum
Black Forum was an album oriented Motown subsidiary label, owned by Berry Gordy. Only one single was released.
Motown Yesteryear Series
[b]Please note: This is a Series - not a Record Label[/b] Please include the correct label as on release. The Yesteryear series was a "double A side" hits series that recoupled two hit A sides o...
Biv 10 Records
US label, founded in 1990's by .
Natural Resources
A sublabel of Motown. Used as label for white artists between 1972 - 1976. Between 1978 and 1979 Natural Resources was used for reissues of Motown, Gordy and Tamla records and for compilations.
Gaiee
This label started life as an independent, owned by out of New York City, and appears to have had only one release. The Valentino release was picked up for pressing and distribu...
Contact
Motown Records, 2220 Colorado Avenue Santa Monica, CA 90404 Motown Records, 1750 N. Vine St., Hollywood, CA 90028 (obsolete) Motown Records, c/o UMG Recordings, Inc., 1755 Broadway, New York, NY 10019 (obsolete) Motown Record Corp. 2648 W. Grand Blvd. Detroit 8, MI USA (Contact info now obsolete)