History Creator / MGMRecords

In the era immediately following UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, society started to change in ways that didn't favor the film industry, thanks to the MediaNotes/FallOfTheStudioSystem and audiences turning to the new medium of UsefulNotes/{{television}}. One of the companies that suffered the most from this was Creator/MetroGoldwynMayer, but at least it had a successful division to fall back on; in 1946, it became the first movie studio to launch a record label -- an example all its competitors would follow in the years ahead. By the mid-50s, MGM Records had become one of "Big Six" labels that dominated the American music industry and were successful enough to own their own pressing plants.[[note]]The others were Creator/{{Capitol|Records}}, Creator/{{Columbia|Records}}, [[Creator/DeccaRecords US Decca]], Creator/{{Mercury|Records}} and [[Creator/RCARecords RCA Victor]].[[/note]]

In the era immediately following UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, society started to change in ways that didn't favor the film industry, thanks to the UsefulNotes/FallOfTheStudioSystem and audiences turning to the new medium of UsefulNotes/{{television}}. One of the companies that suffered the most from this was Creator/MetroGoldwynMayer, but at least it had a successful division to fall back on; in 1946, it became the first movie studio to launch a record label -- an example all its competitors would follow in the years ahead. By the mid-50s, MGM Records had become one of "Big Six" labels that dominated the American music industry and were successful enough to own their own pressing plants.[[note]]The others were Creator/{{Capitol|Records}}, Creator/{{Columbia|Records}}, [[Creator/DeccaRecords US Decca]], Creator/{{Mercury|Records}} and [[Creator/RCARecords RCA Victor]].[[/note]]

Not surprisingly, MGM Records started by releasing soundtracks of the parent company's movies, but it also diversified into popular music. The label became a force in CountryMusic, where its roster included Marvin Rainwater, Music/ConwayTwitty, and one of the genre's icons, Music/HankWilliams. (Music/HankWilliamsJr also began his recording career there.) MGM dabbled in {{Jazz}} with Billy Eckstine, then added to its portfolio by acquiring a label devoted to the genre, Creator/VerveRecords. TeenIdol Connie Francis enjoyed numerous hits, while Mark Dinning made [[{{Pun}} his mark]] with the TeenageDeathSong "Teen Angel". When UsefulNotes/TheBritishInvasion began, MGM got American rights to Music/TheAnimals (who eventually signed with the label worldwide) and Music/HermansHermits, as well as some of Music/TheBeatles' early recordings with Tony Sheridan. Music/RoyOrbison came to the label hoping to use its Hollywood connections to become a movie star, a la Music/ElvisPresley. (It didn't work out, as his acting career fizzled after only one film.)

Speaking of Hollywood connections, MGM put out several records by actors throughout its history. Most of them were ordinary {{Pop}} music, but some of them... weren't. Want to hear Creator/AlecGuinness reading from the works of Creator/JonathanSwift? Sebastian Cabot reciting Music/BobDylan lyrics as if they're [[Creator/WilliamShakespeare Shakespearian]] sonnets? Voice actor Creator/PaulFrees doing impressions of actors from UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHollywood performing contemporary pop hits (for example, "[[Music/TheBeatles Hey Jude]]" as interpreted by Creator/PeterLorre)? MGM released it all.

In 1972, the struggling MGM studio sold its record company to the Dutch music conglomerate [=PolyGram=], which retained the rights to use the name and trademarks. Mike Curb left to start his own label in 1974. The most notable signings of the post-Curb era included veteran {{Soul}} singer Lou Rawls, {{Disco}} diva Gloria Gaynor ("Never Can Say Goodbye"), country star Music/CWMcCall ("Convoy") and Elf, a HardRock band featuring a pre-stardom Music/RonnieJamesDio. However, the hits started to dwindle, and in 1976 MGM Records and its acts were absorbed into another [=PolyGram=] label, Creator/{{Polydor|Records}}. In 1982 the imprint was briefly revived for the soundtracks of two MGM films, ''Film/{{Poltergeist}}'' and ''Film/VictorVictoria'', and that was it for new releases. In 1997, the film studio took the MGM Records name back because [=PolyGram=] hadn't used it in years, but they never did anything with it. Today, the MGM catalog is split between Creator/WarnerBros' [=WaterTower=] Music (which owns the film soundtracks) and various labels of Creator/UniversalMusicGroup (which own everything else).

In 1972, the struggling MGM studio sold its record company to the Dutch music conglomerate [=PolyGram=], which retained the rights to use the name and trademarks. Mike Curb left to start his own label in 1974. The most notable signings of the post-Curb era included veteran {{Soul}} singer Lou Rawls, {{Disco}} diva Gloria Gaynor ("Never Can Say Goodbye"), country star C.W. [=McCall=] ("Convoy") and Elf, a HardRock band featuring a pre-stardom Music/RonnieJamesDio. However, the hits started to dwindle, and in 1976 MGM Records and its acts were absorbed into another [=PolyGram=] label, Creator/{{Polydor|Records}}. In 1982 the imprint was briefly revived for the soundtracks of two MGM films, ''Film/{{Poltergeist}}'' and ''Film/VictorVictoria'', and that was it for new releases. In 1997, the film studio took the MGM Records name back because [=PolyGram=] hadn't used it in years, but they never did anything with it. Today, the MGM catalog is split between Creator/WarnerBros' [=WaterTower=] Music (which owns the film soundtracks) and various labels of Creator/UniversalMusicGroup (which own everything else).