CAPITOL

Capitol Records (legal name: Capitol Records, LLC, until 2007 Capitol Records Inc.) is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first west coast-based record label of note in the United States in 1942 by Johnny Mercer, Buddy DeSylva, and Glenn E. Wallichs. Capitol was acquired by British music conglomerate EMI as its North American subsidiary in 1955.

EMI was acquired by Universal Music Group in 2012 and was merged with the company a year later, making Capitol and the Capitol Music Group both a part of UMG. The label’s iconic circular headquarters building is a recognized landmark of Hollywood, California. Capitol is well known as the U.S. record label of the Beatles, especially during the years of Beatlemania in America from 1964 to 1967.