Parlophone is a
record label which was founded in
Germany prior to
World War I. During the war, the
Transoceanic Trading Company[?] was set up in the Netherlands to look after its overseas assets. In 1927,
Columbia Graphophone[?] of the U.K. acquired a controlling interest in its successor and thereby in Parlophone. In 1931, Columbia merged with The Gramophone Company to form
EMI. Under EMI, Parlophone was mainly a novelty/comedy label until the rock-and-roll era.
The Beatles are probably the most famous act to have appeared on the label. Others have included
Coldplay,
Queen,
Blur,
Pet Shop Boys,
Radiohead, and
The Hollies[?].
See also: List of record labels