A&M RECORDS OF CANADA, LTD.

LABELS, LINERS AND SLEEVE HISTORY

In today's age of compact discs and digital downloads, album and single labels and sleeves seem quaint and company packaging and identification have been reduced to fine print and tiny graphics. In the vinyl age, the label started as the primary souce of information and the the record label logo and name were the central design elements on the generic single sleeve. Album liners might promote other recordings or special offers from the company.

The labels placed on vinyl albums and 45s and the record company's generic sleeves and album liners are important for both serious and casual record collectors for a number of reasons. Labels, liners and sleeves can contain information that helps collectors determine the release date, the edition of a record and its value on the market. For collectible records, the edition is a major determinant of its value. When A&M reprinted its albums and singles after a change in its label design, the reprints always carried the latest label and are always less desirable than the original printing. Let's look at the relevance of the labels, liners and sleeves.

45 Sleeves. Until the 1980s, picture sleeves were reserved for well-known, better-selling artists. This was because picture sleeves were more expensive to produce. New artists or those signed only to record singles had their work issued in generic record company sleeves. The sleeve functioned to advertise the record company with its use of a large company logo or memorable design.

45 Labels. The label advertised the single. The information on the label may be the only credit information that is available to the public. Beyond the title, songwriters, the artist's name and record company logo, three important credits may be included: the producer, the arranger and the engineer. Each of them can be as collectible as the artist. Collectors may also extend their interest to include the records that artists created when they filled the role of producer, arrangers or songwriter.

Because singles were usually printed only once, the record company logo variations can help identify the year of release. This is especially useful if there is no copyright or print date on the label.

Album Labels. The design of the label on the vinyl helps identify an original album from a reprint. Collectors with a sharp eye will notice differences in printing techniques, color variations, and even the company that pressed the recording because of the location of the raised vinyl ring under the label.

Album Liners. The record company's inner sleeves for albums often help to date the album in two ways. First, the sleeves may have been printed with information about other recent releases. Second, some companies like A&M Records placed codes on their inner sleeves which helps determine the period for an album release.