RCA Records

RCA Records was established in 1929 as RCA Victor, after the Radio Corporation of America purchased the Victor Talking Machine Company. It was a subsidiary of the RCA Corporation from 1929-1986, operating as a record label, music production company, music distributor and manufacturer of record players. The name RCA Records was adopted in 1968, following the modernisation of the parent company’s brand image.

In 1983, RCA Records bought Arista Records from Bertelsmann. Two years later, RCA Records and Bertelsmann formed RCA/Ariola International. In 1986, General Electric bought the RCA Corporation, dissolving most of its divisions and selling its interest in RCA Records to Bertelsmann. Bertelsmann was renamed BMG Music, with RCA Records continuing under its existing name as a subsidiary of the new company. RCA Records had varying fortunes during the 1980s and 1990s, enduring a number of restructures and cuts to its artist roster.

In 2002, RCA Records became part of the RCA Music Group within BMG, alongside J Records and Arista Records. Sony and BMG merged their music divisions in 2004, rebranding as Sony BMG. Three years later, the RCA Music Group became the BMG Music Group, with RCA Records continuing to operate under its own name.

Sony took full ownership of Bertelsmann’s share of the combined organisation in 2008. In October 2011, RCA Records became a stand alone label under the Sony Music umbrella.