Philips Records

Philips Records is a record label that was founded by the Dutch electronics company Philips. Having acquired the company which pressed records for British Decca's Dutch outlet in Amsterdam in 1946, Philips began producing records on a large scale in 1950.  Philips also distributed recordings made by Columbia Records in the UK and on the European continent.  In North America, Philips eventually handled distribution and sales for Philips, Mercury, British Decca (sold under the London label in the US) and Deutsche Grammophon.  In 1983, Philips became the first record label to issue compact discs, using digital recordings and re-masters that went as far back as 1978.  Philips Records has been part of Universal Music since 1998, the name continuing to be licensed from the label's former parent company. In 1999, Philips Classics was absorbed into the Decca Music Group, and Philips recording and mastering operations in the Netherlands were shut down.