Or accurately, The Gramophone Company trading as His Master’s Voice:
This is how HMV pictured itself:
Brahs Symphony No 2: Arturo Toscanini, HMV LP ALP 1013 1952 … red for classical
Paint Your Wagon: New York Production, HMV LP CLP 1005 1952… plum for popular
The HMV trademark, Nipper, comes from an 1899 painting by Francis Barraud, entitled ‘His Master’s Voice’. (SEE: HMV and Nipper) The Gramophone Company bought the picture in 1900, The American rights to the image were bought by the Victor Talking Machine Company. In Germany, Deutsche Grammophon distributed HMV, and adopted the same trademark. After World War II, the Japanese branch of Victor, Japan Victor Company (JVC) became independent, but retained Nipper. So four major labels used Nipper. This caused copyright problems, so that when RCA released the Elvis Golden Records LP, they had pictures of US RCA 45s. They had to black out all the Nipper images for British release.
The Gramophone Company was a hardware manufacturer:
The “No 4” tone arm dates from 1913 to 1917
The first records are Gramophone Concert Record and have the angel logo which preceded Nipper.
La Bohéme: McCormack & Sammarco, 1910, still Gramophone Monarch Record, only labelled on one side. Nipper has arrived on the A side, but the angel persists on the reverse.
Asthore John McCormack, 1912. The His Master’s Voice name is on the front, still angel on the rear.
The Gramophone Company built its first pressing plant in 1907. The retail store in Oxford Street, opened by Edward Elgar, opened in 1921. It was the beginnings of what became EMI.
The Mikado: Pts 1 & 2, HMV 78 rpm 10″, 1926. Various other artists were showcased on the rear of the sleeve. They were still trying to sell gramophones.
In 1929, the company bought 3 Abbey Road, and spent two years converting it into three recording studios.
In March 1931 the Gramophone Company merged with the Columbia Graphophone Company to form Electrical and Musical Industries, or EMI. Abbey Road Studios opened in November 1931. The Gramophone Company name persisted, especially in small print on copyright notices until 1973, when it switched to EMI Records.
Ebony Rhapsody: Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra, Swing Music 1946 series, B9461, HMV 1946
A 1939 US recording
The sleeve looks like a reissue. The angel logo is at the bottom as well as the Nipper logo
This has no trace of the centre being knocked out so is a very early ‘doughnut disc’
HMV first issued 45 rpm singles in 1953, and because of its RCA connection originally opted for the RCA large hole ‘doughnut disc’. It made more sense to the British to have LPs, EPs and singles with the same size spindle hole, and EMI soon switched to the US Columbia small (or LP) hole with a push-out centre. This seems the simplest solution and EMI and Decca both went for it.
Early American popular releases were all from RCA up to 1956, and included Eddie Fisher, Perry Como, Marilyn Monroe and Spike Jones.
Home grown acts were Max Bygraves, Alma Cogan and Frankie Vaughan.
The May 1956 catalogue extract shows 45s and 78s together:
Early 45 designs
black lettering. Made in Gt Britain at the top
My Very Good Friend The Milkman: Fats Waller 1953, HMV with explanations about centre holes. Thin, waxy paper, front side HMV 7M 128
Shortnin’ Bread: Fats Waller 1953 release, other side. 45 rpm only for this reissue of 1940s track. Lettering very dark blue HMV 7M 128
Nuns’ Chorus from Casanova: Anni Frind plum, gold letters 1955. Numbered sleeve.
Blue Danube: Strauss by Stokowski, other side of sleeve design, dated January 1958
Alone (Why Must I Be Alone): The Shepard Sisters 1957. Lettering silver + black #411 front
Sugartime: Alma Cogan 1958. Sleeve very dark brown / black. “Made in England” #450 rear
Dark blue lettered sleeves pre-date red lettered sleeves with early titles, but it’s not possible to discern any pop / classical / jazz divide in sleeves – that comes with centres. Mace for popular, plum and red for classical. Then there’s a black / very dark brown lettered sleeve, which turns up on some (but not all) 1957 / 58 popular releases. It has less writing than the earlier one, and adds “Made in England.”
Base EP designs
In HMV’s 1955 catalogue there are twice as many EPs as LPs or singles (78/45). In common with other early EP labels, they used base printed designs.
Tina-Lina, Mario Lanza, 7EB 6004, front EP design, 1952 reissue of 1951 78 shellac record
The Mansell Concerto + 3 (EP): Semprini 7EG 8013, rear EP design, 1952
Columbia, Parlophone and MGM had similar unlabelled card sleeves for EPs. Columbia also issued classical discs.
Next they used a base printed design and overprinted specific information:
Rigoletto, Excerpts from Act 2, Leonard Warren, Erna Bergner, generic sleeve with print over, HMV 1952, later reissue
A Night on Bare Mountain, Stokowski HMV 7ER 5060 – centre panel changes on base design
The next series added photos to the green and pink base:
Count John McCormack (EP): John McCormack. HMV 7ER 5054 1955
Cole Porter’s Greatest (EP): David Rose Orchestra. HMV 7EG 8155 January 1956
Classical replaced green and pink with red and beige.
Gluck: Minuet / Bach Air on A G String: Fritz Reiner / RCA Victor Orchestra, 7 ER 5052, US license
To my surprise, the Fritz Reiner EP is on Discogs at £16.81 (without a sleeve!) to £30 (with). I paid 50p in 2023 because I wanted a scan here, and mine is near mint with the original poly inner sleeve. Unusually he’s with the RCA Victor Orchestra rather than the Chicago Symphony.
The same design was used for popular. Roy Rogers was an RCA Victor American artist, re-released on HMV. He was a staple of kids Saturday Matinees and we would shoot our cap pistols at the screen. Trigger doesn’t sing on the records.
Bernard Miles was a British comedy rural ‘yokel’ narrator.
King of The Cowboys: Roy Rogers, HMV 7EG 8145 EP 1955
Over The Gate (EP): Bernard Miles 1956 HMV.
The Bernard Miles is on a further template design, which came with three different colours:
I’d guess these are different pressing runs rather than an attempt to add variety.
I may be wrong. The subsequent release, Highlights from Carmen Jones, has a new design, but also appears in various colours. Two for the UK, but Scandinavian pressings are pink.
Carmen Jones- Highlights, HMV EP 7EG 8177, 1956
Como Sings: Perry Como HMV EP 7EG 8192 1956
Classical also got releases in two colours, with a switch from a vertical division to a horizontal division.:
Elgar: Pomp & Circumstance: Sir Adrian Boult 7EB 6026. home grown HMV
The Jazz EP series (gallery – click to enlarge)
They used a base design, but an excellent one, and shifted colours. The design was introduced in late 1955 and a sleeve was a ‘pochette.’ Tony Matin (licensed from RCA) wasn’t really jazz.
Later, as other base EP designs did, they overprinted photographs. This was all older American material reissued. EMI put the newer British material on the Columbia Lansdowne imprint. I love the sleeve designs, and when you see them, they tend to be really cheap.
Farewell to “James P.”: Jimmy P. Johnson
Fats Plays Fats EP: Fats Waller 1957 HMV Jazz. A Letraset font comes in
Django’s Guitar (EP): Django Reinhardt. Change of font. Letraset again.
The Giants in Charlie’s Tavern (EP): Shorty Rogers & Al Cohn. More Letraset.
The Famous Quartet (EP): Benny Goodman Quartet 1958. adds photo
The Blues They Sang (EP): Lizzie Miles & Billy Young, with Jelly Roll Morton. Deep archive recordings, with photo
Prices and designs
In the early to mid 50s, HMV centre labels were colour coded. Red was classical, mauve was popular and jazz, and plum was used for anything in between such as popular classical, and show tunes. Then there was a grey / green and light blue for POP series 78s (like Elvis on 78).
In 1955 a classical 45 was 8/11 1/2d (45p) while popular were 5/6 1/d (27.5p). Later, classical still cost more than half as much again as popular, nine shillings and eightpence ha’penny (48.5p) rather than 6/- (30p). That was the way the world was seen.
Eclectic HMV
HMV was used for military bands, religious music, classical, foreign and the main EMI output of folk and folk dance. .
Folk EPs
It’s the place for Morris Dancers, reels and the odd academic folk song of Peter Pears and Benjamin Britten, then Cyril Tawney. This is folk as known to Cecil Sharp House in London, home of the English Folk Song and Dance Society
Folk Songs (EP): Peter Pears, Benjamin Britten 1958 (from 1947 transcriptions)
Baby Lie Easy: Songs From the West Country (EP) Cyril Tawney 1962
English Morris & Sword Dances (EP): 1964\
By eclectic EPs we mean …
Core ‘ngrato (EP): Gigli 1957
A Good Idea, Son (EP): Max Bygraves 1956
Ici Paris: Songs & Stars of Paris EP 1956
The Band of H.M. Royal Marines (Portsmouth) EP
Fun in Hi Fi (EP): Spike Jones 1957 Verve series
Music from The Finest Hours (EP): Ron Grainer 1964
Black & White Minstrel Show (EP): 1960
Twisting Party (EP): Joe Loss 1963
Parlophone always resented the pre-Beatles comedy / novelty / specialist tag. Looking at the three main EMI labels, HMV carried more eclectic stuff than Columbia too. It’s where you’ll find more of the military bands, the recordings of bird song, the holiday specials. Not to put too fine a point on it, there’s more oddball stuff lurking at the edges on HMV than the others in the EMI triumvirate.
It’s here you’ll find Plainsong: The People’s Part in The Liturgy (Vols 1 & 2) by The Society of St Gregory on a 1961 EP, or The Folk Dance Series: Three Country Dances and A “Mixer” (Specially Suitable For Parties At Home). Yes, that is the full title. Or The Band of The Coldstream Guards. The EP by The Band of H.M. Royal Marines is one of the commonest HMV EPs in second hand shops, implying they shifted loads of them.
HMV distributed RCA until 1957, later giving the label Elvis Presley and Harry Belafonte.
Elvis on HMV
Discogs median price £58. Discogs Highest £2500
Good Rockin’ Tonight (EP): Elvis Presley 1956 (£21 median £60 highest / RRG 2024 £200 mint)
Love Me Tender (EP): Elvis Presley, on HMV 1957 (£10 median / £65 highest/ RRG 2024 £100 mint)
Heartbreak Hotel: Elvis Presley 1956
All Shook Up: Elvis Presley 1957
The Elvis releases on HMV are his early-RCA sides beginning with Heartbreak Hotel, not as some sources continue to say erroneously, Sun recordings. For collectors, gold lettered singles are worth more than later silver labelled pressings. Both the Decca group and EMI group switched from gold to silver around the same time, for legibility.
Blue Moon: Elvis Presley November 1956, gold lettering £200 mint
Lawdy Miss Clawdy: Elvis Presley, October 1957 silver lettering £100 mint
While the high prices persist in Rare Record Guide 2024, I have seen Presley HMV singles drop rapidly in actual price asked over twenty years. I have picked up Elvis HMV 45s at around £10, not in mint condition obviously. At the time of writing, Heartbreak Hotel (£300 mint) is on eBay at £174 to £40.
HMV rocks?
Don Lang & His Frantic Five were like Bill Haley in that they looked rather too old to rock, but at least they were British. HMV had a new sleeve, the “dancing sleeve,” along with Columbia and Parlophone at the same time.
At The Hop by Danny & The Juniors is a genuine classic American rock and roll song. The front sleeve fits the image, though the list of artists on the back instantly undermines the front design. Some of the early releases in the new sleeve were anything but rock.
I May Never Pass This Way Again: Ronnie Hilton. April 1958. Purple centre, pink, #POP 468 dancing sleeve, address side
I Know Where I’m Goin’: George Hamilton IV July 1958 blue centre, pink, logo side, #POP 505
The loss of RCA to Decca in 1957 was a major blow. They remained with other American labels like ABC-Paramount and Am-Par, the latter yielding a couple of C&W hits from George Hamilton IV.
Someday: Jodie Sands, issued July 1958, charted October. Numbered red sleeve #533
Only Sixteen: Sam Cooke. July 1959 Blue centre, dancing sleeve, redder #642
The dancing sleeve has a pinky version and a redder version, and pinky is earlier rather than faded. HMV had its own demo sleeves, while other EMI labels shared a generic EMI demo sleeve.
Mainly because of its American licenses, HMV was an increasingly credible rock / R&B /pop label. For starters they had Ray Charles from ABC-Paramount:
Ray Charles on EP
Hit The Road Jack (EP): Ray Charles 1961
Take These Chains From My Heart (EP): Ray Charles 1962
Ray Charles HMV LPs
Ray Charles formed his own Tangerine Records in 1966 and the logo is on Crying Time. By 1967 a sure sign of EMI’s intentions with the HMV label is shown on Invites You To Listen. EMI replaces HMV as the front logo, though the album itself has an HMV label.
HMV’s pop years
POP 836 demo in HMV demo sleeve (replica)
The Hits of Danny Williams (EP): 1962
Sealed With A Kiss (EP): Brian Hyland HMV 1962
Swing Along With Dion: Dion HMV 1962
The Brian Hyland / Tommy Roe ABC-Paramount connection is strong in my memory. Sealed With A Kiss was the first full-price record I bought. Sheila dominated the same year. The first pop package tour I saw, at Bournemouth Winter Gardens, was Tommy Roe, Brian Hyland and Little Eva. (Little Eva was the best of the three).
Tommy Roe LPs:
Sheila: Tommy Roe, HMV LP 1963
Everybody Likes Tommy Roe: Tommy Roe HMV LP 1964
Sings Ballads and Beat: Tommy Roe HMV LP 1964
1961-1962, just BB (before Beatles),was a period of good poppy stuff for HMV, with Americans The Shirelles, Brian Hyland and Tommy Roe, plus Britons John Leyton (shifted from Top Rank), Kenny Lynch, crooner Danny Williams and the chirpy Carol Deene for her covers of American hits. They also had Johnny Kidd and The Pirates for rock.
Shakin’ All Over: Johnny Kidd and The Pirates (EP), HMV 7EG 8628, 1960
Johnny Kidd: Johnny Kidd and The Pirates (EP), HMV 7EG 8834, 1963
The Pirates were a training ground for musicians: Mick Green, Clem Cattini, John Weider, John Gustafson, Alan Caddy. I saw them in 1963 live. The EPs are collectible. They fortunately changed their name from Freddie Heath & The Nutters in 1959. They were one of the most credible British rock bands, mainly because they did not imitate American singers. Shakin’ All Over was `a UK #1 hit. Joe Moretti plated the great guitar intro.
Some of it, like John Leyton, was due to the closing of Top Rank. EMI had bought Top Rank, ran it for about a year, then killed the label. The American licenses became the Stateside label, while the remaining British artists were moved onto HMV and Columbia.
John Leyton on LP.
When EMI had its three main labels, they were set up to encompass everything and to be competitive with each other. For example, Columbia had the best-selling guitar instrumental group, The Shadows. HMV inherited Bert Weedon from Top Rank, then signed Joe Meek’s house band, The Outlaws, who were much taken by The Shadows success with Apache and Peace-Pipe. So they did Ambush, Indian Brave, Valley of The Sioux, Sioux Serenade, Last Stage West and Fort Knox. They were also assigned to Mike Berry as his road and recording band.
Parlophone entered the guitar contest late, with The Dakotas and The Cruel Sea. (Dakota being the English version of what The Sioux call themselves, Lakota). Joe Meek used HMV for John Leyton (who transferred from Top Rank when it was closed down).
It’s Time for Mike Berry (EP): Mike Berry HMV 1962 7EG 8793
A Tribute to Buddy Holly (EP): Mike Berry HMV 1963 7EG 8808
HMV had Danny Williams and Kenny Lynch as popular singers in the early 60s, and Kenny Lynch was the first artist to release a Beatles song with Misery in 1963. It had been written on the tour bus when The Beatles were on the Helen Shapiro tour in the hope that the deep-voiced young lady would make it her next single. Her producer, Norrie Paramour, declined it. Kenny, who had been on the bus, grabbed it. Unaccountably it was a flop.
diamond sleeve
EMI’s geometric era.
Son This Is She: John Leyton July 1961 #956 Diamond design 1960-61, front
The Wanderer: Dion February 1962 #971 Reverse of sleeve. Colour variation not fading
The transition from red sleeve to diamond sleeve was around #820. I have a diamond sleeve and a red sleeve both numbered 820. Both were on the wrong records. HMV POP-820 was Dean Shannon’s Blinded By Love / Jezebel in July 1960, an obscure record, which I’ve never seen. You can plus or minus the change by a few numbers as these switches were not usually dramatic.
star sleeve
I Can’t Stop Loving You: Ray Charles June 1962 #1034 quartered sleeve.
Lone Rider: John Leyton March 1962 #992 RGM (Joe Meek) production. Ads on reverse
Johnny Get Angry: Carol Deene #1027 July 1962
Sheila: Tommy Roe September 1962. #1060 In box since new, not faded
Plain red sleeves
HMV had some good American deals such as ABC-Paramount / ABC with Ray Charles, Tommy Roe, Brian Hyland, and The Impressions.
Then Columbia had Cameo-Parkway with Chubby Checker. HMV did novelty too; why was Bernard Bresslaw assigned to HMV rather than Parlophone? HMV had Joe Loss, but Columbia had Victor Sylvester.
The Never Ending Impressions: The Impressions, HMV LP 1964
HMV had Chicago soul with The Impressions, but Columbia had Chicago soul with Major Lance (both written by Curtis Mayfield).
It is discernible after about 1964 that more of the newly-signed British acts are going to Columbia and Parlophone. The Swinging Blue Jeans were an excellent American covers band, and their hit version of You’re No Good unusually stands up next to the original version.
You’re No Good: The Swinging Blue Jeans 45
Shake (EP): The Swinging Blue Jeans EP 1964
HMV had the Swinging Blue Jeans as its Mersey representatives; Columbia had Gerry & The Pacemakers.
It’s Alright: The Impressions June 1963 #1226
Hubble Bubble (Toil & Trouble): Manfred Mann 1964 rear of one logo sleeve #1282
When EMI moved from the ‘colourful’ sleeves to the plain colours with black centres, sometime over December 1962 –January 1963, HMV’s transition was ragged. Big sellers at the time of changeover like I Can’t Stop Loving You by Ray Charles were produced in both the quartered sleeve / blue centre design, and the red sleeve / black centre design. Red sleeves were definitely in place by January 1963. HMV is the only EMI example we’ve found of a coloured 62 centre label in an original dealer numbered 63 plain sleeve. They must have used the supply of quartered sleeves up before they’d encased all the blue label singles.
The two logo sleeve:
Two logos, late 1964 to 1966
If You Gotta Go, Go Now: Manfred Mann Sept 1965. POP 1466.
Where Have All The Flowers Gone? Marlene Dietrich 1965 rear of two logos POP 1378
demos:
All of My Life: Elkie Brooks demo, POP 1440 8 October 1965
Can’t Stop Thinking of You: Elkie Brooks, B-side of demo POP 1440
The red sleeves, like EMI’s other plain sleeves can be dated closely due to changing prices on the rear sleeve adverts, then the pictorial adverts.
Adverts on the rear 1966:
1966 saw more text on the sleeve front, Joe Loss got white goods on the back. People who liked Joe Loss bought kitchen equipment. Spin driers. These are the only Joe Loss records (of vast numbers) listed in Rare Record Guide. You may be surprised there are any, but the Thunderbirds connection values it at £10. The 1966 World Cup connection lifts it to £15. Other EMI advertising rear sleeves stuck to make-up. HMV was the white goods label.
Thunderbirds / The Avengers: Joe Loss 1966. POP 1500
World Cup March / Auld Lang Syne March: Joe Loss Orchestra 1966 POP 1517
Miners make up
Paul Jones’ fan base in contrast were younger and into make-up rather than drying nappies. My grandmother would have said that drying nappies was connected to wearing too much make-up.
High Time: Paul Jones 1966, white bar on sleeve, POP 1554
I Can’t Hold On Much Longer: Paul Jones B-side of POP 1554 Miners ad
I’ve Been A Bad, Bad Boy: Paul Jones January 1967 POP 1576. No white bar after “points to remember”.
Sonny Boy Williamson: Paul Jones 1967 B-side of POP 1576 with ad.
HMV had Manfred Mann for British R&B; Columbia had Zoot Money. HMV had Lloyd Price; Columbia had Dr Feelgood and The Interns (Piano Red). HMV had Sam Cooke, Parlophone (briefly) had James Brown.
Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann were HMV’s top rock act. The Five Faces of Mann remains a seminal British R&B record, and at the time they had a late night show on Southern TV where Paul Jones would talk about a song like Smokestack Lightning and then they’d play it. I saw them live around that time.
The Five Faces of Manfred Mann: Manfred Mann, HMV LP CLP 1731, 1964
Mann Made: Manfred Mann, HMV LP CLP 1911, 1965
Manfred Mann EPs (gallery – click to enlarge)
Manfred Mann are still touring (without Manfred Mann himself) as The Manfreds, and they still choose “EP only” tracks to play on stage. HMV had persisted with the EP format. 5-4-3-2-1 became the theme tune to Ready, Steady, Go!
When Paul Jones decided to embark on a film career, HMV had the choice of Paul Jones, or Manfred Mann or both. They chose Paul Jones. Manfred Mann simply recruited Mike d’Abo (I saw one of the first shows with d’Abo), switched to Fontana and sailed on to more hits. Nowadays they tour with both Paul Jones and Mike d’Abo on stage. When d’Abo isn’t with them, Jones simply sings those hits too.
Paul Jones LPs:
My Way: Paul Jones, HMV LP 1966 CLP 3586
Privilige (OST): Paul Jones / George Bean Group, HMV LP CSD 3623 1967
Love Me Love My Friends: Paul Jones HMV LP CSD 3602 1967
Gerald Scarfe rear sleeve illustation
1967
There is no significant rhyme or reason to it, and so it made sense in 1967 to put all the popular British artists on Columbia; shift all the Americans to Stateside, and to maintain HMV as the classical one. Paul Jones had had a series of solo singles on HMV, and noticeably when he switched to Columbia, his singles were put in the red sleeves. At a glance they don’t look that different.
What makes it easier than the other EMI labels is its limited span as a popular label. In 1967, HMV became a classical only label (again) and the popular artists went to Columbia. Later EMI Classics replaced the HMV name on CDs. What is surprising is the retention of the HMV name for EMI’s retail stores after 1967, rather than (say) straight EMI. But bigger HMV’s used to have good classical departments. The retail chain separated from EMI in 2003, taking theHMV trademark with it.
By 1967, there wasn’t popular much left on HMV. Manfred Mann / Paul Jones solo were still doing well, Joe Loss had a market niche, Ray Charles was in decline, and The Swinging Blue Jeans and Tommy Roe were still getting records issued without selling many. The odd gems … The Impressions, B.B. King, Jimmy Reed … were not selling either. Louis Armstrong’s Wonderful World was the last major hit. Then the subsequent LP was on Stateside.
Dreamboat: Alma Cogan 1955. Reissue 1980 in HMV Golden Greats series 1980-1982
Do Wah Diddy-Diddy: Manfred Mann. 1988 reissue. Past Masters series with Columbia, Parlophone
HMV did a Golden Greats reissue series from 1980 to 1982 (with shiny gold sleeves), and used a replica mid-60s centre label, which for some matched, but it hardly matched Alma Cogan’s mauve 1950s hits. The series embraced other EMI artists, such as Laurie London, who had originally been on Parlophone.
Pie Jesu: Sarah Brightman & Paul Miles-Kingston 1985 revived Nipper centre p/s
Blackbird: The Kings Singers 1986
There are a handful of later HMV labels on popular records, but they’re of the nod to nostalgia variety. Pie Jesu by Sarah Brightman and Paul Miles-Kingston (#WEBBER 1) deliberately evokes the past by re-using the Nipper label. The King Singers get the same treatment (#KINGS 1), and both are listed in catalogues as “EMI” so the HMV label is decoration.
Suedehead: Morrissey 1988. Tries to emulate 1958-62 light blue centre and 45 logo p/s
Piccadilly Palare: Morrisey 1990. Same design, but more singles are pink
Morrissey obviously liked the HMV name and was selling enough records to be granted its use long after it had otherwise gone. He went for early 60s light blue (then shifted to a matching pink). Around the same time, some reissued hits had the same design as Morrissey, but in a deeper blue even less like the original. This colour was shared with Columbia reissues at the same time. The 45 logo on these discs is taken from black-label (post 1963) designs. Authentically, His Master’s Voice should be in quotation marks. Morrissey got that. The Kings Singers and the hit reissues didn’t.
The old design was used again in 2007 for Brinkman’s I Wish, an unusually thick disc, one-sided with an embossed HMV logo taking up the back.
Back to classical
HMV remained a premier classical label and proud of it. The inner sleeves are from The Gondoliers by Gilbert & Sullivan, conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent, a 2 LP set released in 1959.
Certain soloists and conductors are valued, and early stereo is valued because they were so carefully processed and pressed. Examples from eBay regularly show prices of £100 or more for rare items. The collectable labels in the UK are British: HMV, dark blue EMI Columbia, Decca.
For HMV, white / gold labels double the price over later pressings (which are red). Early stereo is important. Some of the most expensive of all are by French composers on the HMV label, pressed in France. Like rock collectors, first pressings are more valued.
The Planets: Sir Malcolm Sargent / BBC Symphony Orchestra, HMV 1958
Even popular sellers like Sir Malcolm Sargent’s The Planets with the BBC Symphony Orchestra from 1958, long available on CD, have some value. It’s a disc I’ve seen many times and EMI probably kept pressing copies for decades, judging by the colour variation on the sleeves. (I had one, I picked up another for my son).
The Planets, Sir Malcolm Sargent, 1958 HMV ASD 269, original white label
The Planets, Sir Malcolm Sargent, 1958 HMV ASD 269. Later red label, stereo, excellent
The illustrated LP below ticks the right boxes: early stereo (1963), collectable label (HMV), major conductor and orchestra (Colin Davis / Philharmonia), star soloist (Yehudi Menuhin), major composer but lesser known so rarer work (Berlioz, Harold in Italy). It even has a good cover picture. Discogs doesn’t list sales history, but it has 15 on sale ranging from £5 to £46. They’re virtually all “near mint.” The highest UK sellers price it at £40, and £36. (August 2020).
Berlioz, Harold in Italy. Colin Davis, Yehudi Menuhin, HMV 1963
HMV Greensleeve
A mid-price classical label utilising back catalogue material during the 1970s and 1980s.
The Grand Canyon Suite is a 1978 American recording from EMI’s Capitol label, reissued as Greensleeve. Discogs lists 244 albums. Other American issues were from the EMI Angel American imprint. British ons proclaimed ‘Heritage series.’ I see them often because the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra were regulars and they turn up in local charity shops.
In the later years of the HMV record stores, they stocked a large number of HMV / EMI Classics CDs at a budget £5.99. Virtually all were famous recordings too. Earlier ones seem to be EMI CLASSICS but as the stores were sold off they were HMV CLASSICS as only HMV stores sold them.
Move on to 2023 and the rack is still there, they’re still £5.99, but the HMV CLASSICS label has changed to ESSENTIAL CLASSICS, still with the Nipper picture.
The convoluted break up of the EMI empire is in the small print on the back of a CD of Smetana:
The 1965 LP is here:
It was HMV. It’s now WARNER CLASSICS, and produced 1965 by Parlophone Records, remastered 1989 by Parlophone Records and copyright 2017 by ‘Parlophone Records. A Warner Music Group Company.’ It was never on the UK Parlophone label, but Parlophone is the division of Warner Music that includes it.
HMV was also the main EMI children’s label, and that has its own section.
Singles chart
| Mario Lanza | Because You’re Mine | 1952 | 3 |
| Perry Como | Don’t Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes | 1953 | 1 |
| Alma Cogan | Bell Bottom Blues | 1954 | 4 |
| Alma Cogan | Dreamboat | 1955 | 1 |
| Eartha Kitt | Under The Bridges of Paris | 1955 | 7 |
| Perez Prado & His Orchestra | Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White | 1956 | 1 |
| The Ames Brothers | The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane | 1955 | 6 |
| Alma Cogan | Never Do A Tango With An Eskimo | 1956 | 6 |
| Ronnie Hilton | No Other Love | 1956 | 1 |
| Elvis Presley | Heartbreak Hotel | 1956 | 2 |
| Elvis Presley | Blue Suede Shoes | 1956 | 9 |
| Perry Como | Hot Diggity (Dog Diggity Boom) | 1956 | 3 |
| Elvis Presley | I Want You, I Need You, I Love You | 1956 | 14 |
| Elvis Presley | Hound Dog | 1956 | 2 |
| Elvis Presley | Love Me Tender | 1956 | 11 |
| Harry Belafonte | Banana Boat Song | 1957 | 2 |
| Elvis Presley | Too Much | 1957 | 6 |
| Ronnie Hilton | Around The World | 1957 | 4 |
| Elvis Presley | All Shook Up | 1957 | 1 |
| The Shepherd Sisters | Alone (Why Must I Be Alone) | 1957 | 14 |
| Alma Cogan | Sugartime | 1958 | 16 |
| Danny & The Juniors | At The Hop | 1958 | 3 |
| George Hamilton IV | Why Don’t They Understand? | 1958 | 22 |
| Don Lang | Witch Doctor | 1958 | 5 |
| Michael Medwin, Bernard Bresslaw, Alfie Bass etc | The Signature Tune of The Army Game | 1958 | 5 |
| George Hamilton IV | I Know Where I’m Goin’ | 1958 | 23 |
| The Poni-Tails | Born Too Late | 1958 | 5 |
| Jodie Sands | Someday | 1958 | 14 |
| Bernard Bresslaw | Mad Passionate Love | 1958 | 6 |
| Don Lang | Witch Doctor | 1958 | 5 |
| Sam Cooke | Only Sixteen | 1959 | 23 |
| Lloyd Price | Stagger Lee | 1959 | 7 |
| Sam Cooke | Wonderful World | 1960 | 27 |
| Ray Charles | Georgia On My Mind | 1960 | 24 |
| Johnny Kidd & The Pirates | Shakin’ All Over | 1960 | 1 |
| John Leyton | Son This Is She | 1961 | 15 |
| Joe Loss | Wheels Cha Cha | 1961 | 21 |
| The Highwaymen | Michael | 1961 | 1 |
| Ray Charles | Hit the Road Jack | 1961 | 6 |
| Mike Berry & The Outlaws | Tribute to Buddy Holly | 1961 | 24 |
| Danny Williams | Moon River | 1961 | 1 |
| The Impressions | Gypsy Woman | 1961 | – |
| Brian Hyland | Ginny Come Lately | 1962 | 5 |
| Dion | The Wanderer | 1962 | 10 |
| Gene Pitney | Town Without Pity | 1962 | 32 |
| The Shirelles | Soldier Boy | 1962 | 23 |
| Ray Charles | I Can’t Stop Loving You | 1962 | 1 |
| Brian Hyland | Sealed with A Kiss | 1962 | 3 |
| Tommy Roe | Sheila | 1962 | 3 |
| Ray Charles | You Don’t Know Me | 1962 | 9 |
| Kenny Lynch | Up On The Roof | 1962 | 10 |
| Joe Loss Orchestra | Must Be Madison | 1962 | 20 |
| Ray Charles | Your Cheating Heart | 1962 | 13 |
| Johnny Kidd & The Pirates | I’ll Never Get Over You | 1963 | 4 |
| Mike Berry & The Outlaws | Don’t You Think It’s Time | 1963 | 6 |
| Ray Charles | Take These Chains From My Heart | 1963 | 5 |
| Kyu Sakamoto | Sukiyaki | 1963 | 6 |
| Ken Thorne | The Legion’s Last Patrol | 1963 | 4 |
| Tommy Roe | The Folk Singer | 1963 | 4 |
| Ray Charles | Busted | 1963 | 21 |
| Tommy Roe | Everybody | 1963 | 9 |
| Swinging Blue Jeans | Hippy Hippy Shake | 1963 | 2 |
| Manfred Mann | 5-4-3-2-1 | 1964 | 5 |
| Swinging Blue Jeans | Good Golly Miss Molly | 1964 | 11 |
| The Impressions | You Must Believe Me | 1964 | – |
| Royal Waterford Show Band | Huckle Buck (#1 in Ireland) | 1964 | – |
| Manfred Mann | Sha La La | 1964 | 3 |
| Swinging Blue Jeans | You’re No Good | 1964 | 3 |
| Manfred Mann | Do Wah Diddy Diddy | 1964 | 1 |
| The Impressions | Amen | 1965 | – |
| Manfred Mann | Come Tomorrow | 1965 | 4 |
| Manfred Mann | If You Gotta Go | 1965 | 2 |
| Manfred Mann | Pretty Flamingo | 1966 | 1 |
| Paul Jones | High Time | 1966 | 4 |
| Paul Jones | I’ve Been A Bad Bad Boy | 1967 | 5 |
| Louis Armstrong | What A Wonderful World | 1968 | 1 |
| Morrissey | Suedehead | 1988 | 5 |
| Morrissey | Last of The Famous Interntional Playboys | 1989 | 6 |
The shops soldier on.
Around and Around 
Very interesting read and it brought back lots of memories of playing my brother’s 45s and listening to records on the radio.
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Thank you Mr Viney for sharing your enormous project with us.
A few words about MANFRED MANN.
It is not only The Manfreds who are still active. The man(n) himself is now living here on the northwestern coast of Scania (with permanent residence permit). When playing on the local stage he played “Do Wah Diddy” and “Quinn The Eskimo” as encore.
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