British record label established 1929 by Edward Lewis; bought Brunswick records in 1932; US label established 1934 (sold off during second world war); major record publisher; developed FFRR (full frequency range recording) as spin of work on Decca Navigator during second world war; developed Decca tree stereo microphone in 1954;developed in-house digitial recording system in late 1970s; bought by PolyGram in 1980, Decca's pop catalogue taken over by Polygram Records, who in turn were taken over in 1998 by Universal Studios, whose origins are in the American branch of Decca, consolidating the Decca trademark under the Universal Music Group; 1999 absorbed Philips Records to create the Decca Music Group.