CBS Schallplatten GmbH

Please note: This page is for the German record company, usually denoted by ℗ & © statements. Please use the respective labels as found on the labels (e.g. CBS, Epic, etc.).

CBS Schallplatten GmbH was a German record company, established in March 1963 in Frankfurt (registered in June 1963). It represented the label [l=CBS] in Germany. Before, CBS releases were licensed in Germany by [a=Bernhard Mikulski]'s "[url=https://www.discogs.com/label/1670554-Schallplatten-Import-Dienst-Bernhard-Mikulski]Schallplatten Import Dienst[/url]", which then became part of CBS Schallplatten GmbH with Mikulski as the managing director.

The company also signed a few German artists, mainly from Germany's Jazz scene.

Additionally, the company licensed the following US labels for the German market:
- [l=Bell Records] (1967-1970)
- [l=Blue Horizon] (1968-1969)
- [l=Epic] (from 1965)
- [l=Motown] (from 1967 to 1969 - before 1967, the titles were released on the CBS label).

In May 1991, the company was renamed . In March 2001, the company was re-registered as .

Since 1965, CBS Schallplatten GmbH also operated the 7" single vinyl pressing plant "[l=Rhein-Main Schallplatten-Produktion GmbH]" in Ober-Erlenbach/Bad Homburg near Frankfurt/Main (originally founded 1962 by Mikulski) until 1985.

Initially, LPs were pressed at [l=Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft Pressing Plant]. In 1969, all press activities were shifted to the CBS pressing plant in Haarlem, The Netherlands, then called [l=Artone Holland]. From 1970 on, only a few releases (mostly Classical Music) were still pressed in Germany, mostly by [l=Teldec-Press GmbH].

Corporate choronology:
Registered: 27 June 1963 (Frankfurt am Main company number HRB 6353)
Name change: 16 May 1991 to 'Sony Music Entertainment (Germany) GmbH'
Re-registered: 8 June 2001 as 'Sony Music Entertainment (Germany) GmbH & Co. KG' (Frankfurt am Main partnership number HRA 30060)