A&M Records was started in 1962 by partners Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss. Their first release (following two singles released under the label name Carnival Records) was "The Lonely Bull" by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, which went on to sell around 700,000 copies. This made A&M one of the most successful independent labels of the time, and within a few years it was considered a major label.

Some notable events over the years:
1967: Started distributing CTI Records in a deal that ran until 1970.
1969: A&M Records Ltd. opens in Great Britain.
1970: Canadian office A&M Records Of Canada Limited was established.
1977: A&M opened an office in Europe. It was called A&M Records Europe S.A. and based in Paris. Titles were manufactured and distributed by CBS in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, West Germany, Greece, The Netherlands, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
1979: Started distributing I.R.S. Records. This deal continued until 1985.
1982: Started distributing the folk/new age label Windham Hill Records. This deal continued until 1989.
1987: Started distributing Twin Tone Records (selected titles) and Nimbus Records.
1988: Launched sub-label Vendetta Records in NYC. It was shut down in 1990.
1989: A&M was sold to PolyGram, but operated under Alpert and Moss's leadership until 1993.
1990: A&M Records Of Canada Limited bought by PolyGram Canada.
1991: Agreement signed with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis to launch Perspective Records. It was shut down in 1996.
1993: Unhappy with the increased integration of the label into the PolyGram corporate structure, Alpert & Moss left A&M and start a new label, Almo Sounds.
1995: Three year agreement signed with producer Ric Wake to form DV8 Records.
1998: PolyGram becomes part of the international Universal Music Group.
1999: A&M is made part of the Interscope Records/ Geffen Records/A&M Division of Universal.
2007: Universal merges A&M with Octone Records and places Octone's management in charge of combined label.

Labelcode: LC 0485 / LC 00485