Pye Records

UK label; also appears as "[i]Pye[/i]" only.
Label Code: LC 0315 / LC 00315
For all unofficial / bootleg copies of this label, please use
Pye Records was a British record label whose best known artists included [a=The Kinks], [a=The Searchers], [a=Donovan], [a=Sandie Shaw], and [a=Petula Clark]. The Pye Company originally sold televisions and radios and entered the record business when it bought Records in 1953. In 1955, Pye acquired [l=Polygon] Records, a label that had been established by Petula Clark's father to control distribution of her recordings, and merged it with Nixa Records to form . In 1959, the name was changed to Pye Records and acquired 50% of the label. ATV bought the other half of the business in 1966. Two subsidiaries were created during the sixties: and . They were replaced by in the seventies. Pye also had several series and sub-labels, such as [l=Pye International] and [l=Pye Jazz].

Pye established an American presence in 1969, opening a headquarters in New York City with tape manufacturing by GRT and record distribution through ATV Records. Although a few hits were garnered, the venture was not a success and Pye closed its North American operation in 1976.

As of September 1980, the rights to the name Pye expired and the label was renamed to [l=PRT Records].

Pye UK 7"s belong to
- the 7N.15000 series (September 1955 - November 1965) and
- the 7N.17000 series (November 1965 - November 1970) and
- the 7N.45000 series (November 1970 - June 1977) and
- the 7N.46000 series (June 1970 - June 1979);
Pye UK EPs belong to the NEP 24000 series (1959-1968),
Pye UK 12"s belong to the 7NL 45000 and 7NL 46000 series (1977-1979)
Pye UK LPs belong to
- the NPL 18000 series (mono, 1957-1970) and the NSPL 18000 series (stereo, 1970-1980) and
- the NSPL 41000 series (1971-1977).