Capitol Records

Capitol Records on vinyl: Hollywood, Sinatra and the Beatles in America

In short: Capitol was founded in Los Angeles in 1942 and was the first major record label on the West Coast. Nat King Cole, Peggy Lee and Frank Sinatra recorded here, later the Beach Boys – and in the US the Beatles came out on Capitol. The Vinyl Room currently has 93 Capitol records, from seventies and eighties soul and funk to rock and jazz.

From our stock

Capitol first pressings

Soul & funk

Rock

Jazz on Capitol

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→ The Beatles · Miles Davis · Jazz on vinyl · How to spot a first pressing

What makes Capitol special?

Capitol was founded by songwriter Johnny Mercer, film producer Buddy DeSylva and record dealer Glenn Wallichs. The label brought Hollywood glamour to record: Nat King Cole, Peggy Lee and, from 1953, Frank Sinatra with his great concept albums. In 1956 the company moved into the Capitol Tower, the round building in Hollywood that looks like a stack of records.

Capitol matters for jazz too: the recordings for Miles Davis’ “Birth of the Cool” were made for Capitol, and Cannonball Adderley had a hit here with “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy!”. In 1955 the British company EMI took over the label – which is why the Beatles came out on Capitol in the US from late 1963.

Our stock covers a wide range: The Band’s “Music From Big Pink”, the American edition of Kraftwerk’s “Trans-Europe Express”, Grand Funk, soul and funk from the Ohio Players, Tavares and Maze, singers like Dakota Staton and Minnie Riperton – all the way to Mazzy Star and Sam Smith.

How to recognise older Capitol records

Capitol changed its label several times. A well-known rule of thumb for American LPs: from 1958 to the end of the sixties they had a black label with a rainbow rim – though later reissues brought the design back. Which pressing you have exactly is only shown by label, catalogue number, runout and cover together – more in our guide “How to spot a first pressing”.

FAQ

Who founded Capitol Records? Johnny Mercer, Buddy DeSylva and Glenn Wallichs, in Los Angeles in 1942.

Why did the Beatles come out on Capitol in the US? Because the British EMI, which had the Beatles under contract, had bought Capitol in 1955. From late 1963 Capitol released their records in America, starting with “I Want to Hold Your Hand”.

What is the Capitol Tower? The label’s round building in Hollywood, opened in 1956 – with its own studios.

What music do you have on Capitol? Mostly soul, funk and disco, plus rock, jazz and pop – 93 records in all.