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Hip-O Records

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Hip-O Records
Parent companyUniversal Music Group
Founded1996
FounderDoug Morris
Distributor(s)Universal Music Enterprises (In the US)
Genrevarious
Country of originUS
Official websitehttp://www.hiporecords.com

Hip-O Records is a record label that specializes in reissues and compilations. It is part of Universal Music Group. Established in 1996, the label has distributed releases from 'out of style' genres such as disco and early hip-hop music as well as publishing film soundtracks.[1] The label's name is a pun on the name 'hippo'.

History

The name "Hip-O Records" is a play on the word "hip" and the already-existing Rhino Records. The formation of Hip-O Records has its roots in Universal Music Group Chairman & CEO Doug Morris' relationship with Rhino. As Co-Chairman of Atlantic Records (part of the Warner Music Group) during the early 1990s, Morris observed Rhino's great financial success at cross country rivals Capitol/EMI. EMI had taken an equity position in Rhino Records as an ideal two way relationship. Rhino provided invaluable assistance in the packaging and marketing of EMI's catalog, and EMI provided Rhino with increasingly difficult to access master recordings. Their association had been extremely prestigious and profitable for both. During a 1992 renegotiation, Morris took a 50% stake in Rhino, which only energized the profitability and success of both.

Morris left Atlantic Records in 1995 during an internal shake-up and immediately landed at what was then called MCA Music Entertainment Group.[2] He recognized the history of the group's labels provided a parallel opportunity to market the vintage catalog of masters, but Rhino's magical executive team was tied up tight in the deal he signed with them at Atlantic. Morris launched his own catalog label that shadowed Rhino Records in every way, down to the company's name.

Today, as part of Universal Music Group, Hip-O reissues many albums from UMG's huge back catalogue - including such labels as Decca, Interscope, Geffen, A&M, Mercury, Polydor, MCA, Island and others.

Hip-O Select

Hip-O Select, Hip-O's limited edition reissue label, has released remastered classics by artists including Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Etta James, The Miracles, Tammi Terrell, and Muddy Waters. It is releasing the Complete Motown Singles, a series of fourteen box sets which include both sides of every single from Motown Records and its subsidiaries during that company's Detroit era. Their catalog includes a number of previously unreleased albums and compilations from the Motown vaults. Hip-O Select also released a multi-volume set of James Brown's complete singles.

Unlike limited releases made by competitor Rhino Handmade, Hip-O Select has its catalog available for purchase on iTunes.

Unfortunately, in 2015, Vivendi pulled the plug on Hip-O Select and their website is now a dead end. All of the Hip-O Select titles are now out of print. (The regular Hip-O website link below is now the basic Universal website.)

See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.discogs.com/label/2719-Hip-O-Records?sort=year&sort_order=asc
  2. ^ "News | Universal Music". New.umusic.com. Retrieved 2013-02-28.


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