EMI was the label of UK company EMI Records Ltd., also known as EMI Records.
After a hiatus, EMI was relaunched as a label by Universal Music Group in 2020, replacing Virgin EMI Records.
Label Code: LC 0542 / LC 00542.
EMI did not exist as a label until late January 1973 (the exception being a few Indian releases around 1969). See the example image of one of their own introductory advertisements. It should not be added as a label to any release before that date, aside from those Indian releases. Furthermore it should not be added as a label on any release with a primary branded label such as His Master's Voice, Columbia, Pathé, Parlophone, Capitol Records, etc., as the boxed EMI logo that appears with the primary label simply implies that the label formed part of the EMI Group (please do not confuse with EMI Group Plc), not that EMI was a label. In these cases, it is permitted to add EMI as a Record Company (discussion / more discussion) as it was the corporate logo of the parent companies Electric & Musical Industries Ltd. / EMI Ltd. (EMI) and was not intended as a label.
From 1996 until September 2012 the ultimate parent company / owner of all the EMI labels and companies was EMI Group Ltd. (EMI Group Plc.)
After that date Universal Music Group now owns large parts of the former EMI Group, with the former EMI Records Ltd. (which includes most EMI UK & Europe operations) being renamed as Parlophone Records Ltd. and being sold off to the Warner Music Group.
EMI was a major label and had a lot of sub and sister labels which also carry the EMI logo and manage its huge amount of releases all over the world.
The EMI country codes: In 1969 a new international system was introduced for EMI catalogue numbers. A five-digit prefix was added to the five-digit record number, separated by a hyphen. The first number and letter are a code for the country the record was made in or for. This usually corresponds with the country field on Discogs. Please enter this catalogue number against whichever label is branded on the release.
(C = Country, E = Europe, M = Music For Pleasure)
OC = UK
0C = UK
1A = Netherlands
1C = Germany
1M = Germany (for Music For Pleasure)
1E = UK
1J = Spain (1969-1977)
2C = France
2M = France (for Music For Pleasure)
2S = France (for Sonopresse)
2E = Austria
2J = Greece (until 1977)
3C = Italy
3E = Switzerland
4B = Belgium (for Best Seller releases)
4C = Belgium
4M = Belgium (for Music For Pleasure)
4E = Sweden
5C = Netherlands
5D = Netherlands (for Delta (2) and Sunset 2 Super Pack releases)
5N = Netherlands (for Negram releases)
5E = Finland
6C = Denmark
6E = Denmark
7C = Sweden
7E = Norway
8C = Norway
8E = Portugal
9C = Finland
10C = Spain (from 1977)
11C = Portugal
12C = Austria
13C = Switzerland
14C = Greece (from 1977)
16C = Australia (unused on releases)
17C = New Zealand (unused on releases)
31C = Brazil
32C = Chile
33C = Mexico
82C = South Africa
For unofficial releases which use the EMI-logo and/or claim to be an EMI-release please use this label: EMI (2)!
Please ask in the forums if you are in doubt.
