ATCO Records
ATCO Records started life as a sub-label of Atlantic Records. In the early 1990s, the label was folded into the start-up East West Records America under the aegis of label president Sylvia Rhone. However, when Rhone was named the head of Elektra Records in 1995, she took East West America with her to the new label and ATCO was a temporary subsidiary of that label, although it released no new titles.
In 2004, Elektra Records was shut down shortly after Warner Music was sold to a consortium of private investors led by billionaire Edgar Bronfman Jr. In 2008, however, a new ATCO Records emerged, this time a subsidiary of Rhino Records, Warner Music’s reissue label, and new titles were released. These titles are often 'reproductions' using the original label as a 'touch of authenticity' - a Scorpio Music, Inc. sticker often present.
From January 1967, Atlantic Labels - inc ATCO - had their pressing plant codes added to the Master numbers on Labels. The various pressing plants also had their labels printed up at different sources. So, invariably, the Label radius print (or press ref) can vary from one issue to another. This scenario lasted until the end of 1968, at which point the company established a set 'radius print standard' and all plants complied with the exception of Shelly Products.
Early labels had the mastering date prefixing the mastering code on Labels (e.g. 67C-11683-BW which is 1967. The suffix is 'Bestway'. See Example)
Atlantic Records Pressing Plant Codes (found in the label matrix number suffixes):
AM: American Record Pressing Co. (ARP runout stamp)
AR: Allied Record Company
BW: Bestway Products Inc. (19 label ID)
CT / CTH: Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Terre Haute (73 label ID)
CP: Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Pitman (56 label ID)
CS / CSM: Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Santa Maria
DCE: MCA Pressing Plant, Gloversville
DCW: MCA Pressing Plant, Pinckneyville
FT: Fidelatone Mfg.
LY: Shelley Products
MG: MGM Records Division
MO: Monarch Record Mfg. Co.
PL: Plastic Products
PR: Presswell
RI: PRC Recording Company, Richmond, IN (72 label ID)
SO: Sonic Recording Products, Inc.
SP: Specialty Records Corporation (49 label ID)
W: Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Carrollton, GA
WM: Midwest Record Pressing, Inc.
For all unofficial / bootleg / pirate copies of this label please use Atco Records (2).
The label name also appears as "ATCO" only, mostly from 1968 onwards.
See also:
ATCO Record Sales
Atco Record Sales Co.
Atco Record Sales Co. Inc.
Atco Record Sales Corp.
Atco Recording Corporation
Atco
ATCO Special
Atco Video
ATCO GROUP
Atco Golden Oldies
Spots From Atlantic/Atco
Atlantic & ATCO Remasters Series
Atlantic/Atco/Cotillion Group
Atlantic-ATCO Group
ATCO / EastWest Records America
Label code: LC 0120