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Decca (Record Label)

Decca Records is a British record label founded in 1929 by Edward Lewis. The American label was founded on 4 August 1934 by Jack Kapp, E.F. Stevens Jr and Milton R. Rackmil, with the help of Edward Lewis.[1]In the run-up to World War II, the link with the British company was severed and Lewis sold the American Decca at the outbreak of World War II, but the American holding company retained the rights to the brand name in North and South America and in parts of Asia.

British Decca became famous for its recording methods, particularly in classical music, and for its development into hi-fi; American Decca developed the concept of the cast album, in which the original cast of Broadway musicals collaborated on record albums.

The British Decca label was released on London Records in the US after World War II. Conversely, American Decca later released its records in the UK on Brunswick Records. In 1973 the American Decca disappeared and became part of MCA Records, which merged into the Universal Music Group; the British Decca was bought by PolyGram in 1980 and then became part of the Universal Music Group, but it continued to exist as a record label.