Capitol Records

In 1942, lyricist Johnny Mercer, music executive Buddy DeSylva, and record store owner Glenn Wallichs pooled their talents to create Capitol Records. It was a bold move: nearly every major label operated out of New York, and they believed Los Angeles could be a new hub for the music business. Their hunch paid off when Mercer's own Strip Polka became the label's first hit, proving a West Coast operation could compete.

The turning point came in 1955, when British giant EMI bought Capitol for $8.5 million. Nine years later, EMI's U.S. arm became the American home for The Beatles. That move transformed Capitol into a global powerhouse. The label's iconic circular tower at 1750 North Vine Street, designed by Welton Becket and completed in 1956, was built to resemble a stack of 45 RPM records. It became a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument and remains one of the most photographed buildings in Hollywood.

Today, Capitol operates as part of Universal Music Group's Capitol Music Group, chaired and CEO'd by Michelle Jubelirer since 2021. The label's roster spans from Frank Sinatra and The Beach Boys to Katy Perry, Halsey, and Ice Spice. In 2022, Capitol reopened its own vinyl pressing plant in Los Angeles, betting on the format's resurgence. The label also launched a country music division in 2023 and partnered with AI music company Soundful in 2024, sparking industry debate about artificial intelligence in music creation.[edit]