America's Columbia Phonograph Company had been operating separate operations in the UK and other countries until 1900 when it set up it's international headquarters in the UK. Eventually the effect of The Great Depression forced Columbia to merge with it's great rival The Gramophone Company to form Electric and Musical Industries (EMI) in June 1939. Thereafter, the Columbia label followed a similar track to it's stablemates Parlophone and HMV. In 1962 the green label shown at the top changed to the silver and blue label shown. Artists who had had issues on the green label included Cliff Richard, The Shadows, Acker Bilk and Helen Shapiro. In addition to The Yardbirds LP shown, Gerry and The Pacemakers, The Animals, Hermans Hermits, The Dave Clark Five and initially Pink Floyd all enjoyed success at Columbia on the blue/grey label. In 1969-70, the label changed again to a black and silver design until the EMI label was formed in 1972. This label was almost identical to the Parlophone one which appears on the Parlophone page. Back To Labels Main Page Back To My Generation Homepage