RCA Victor

~ Label

Annotation

Formed in 1929 when Radio Corporation of America (est. 1901) bought the Victor Talking Machine Company.
During the Second World War, ties with their Japanese affiliate JVC were severed - nowadays, Victor Entertainment remains a JVC subsidiary.
Until 1957, all RCA-Victor records were distributed by EMI.

Victor's sister label, RCA records wasn't set up until the late 1940's when it was thought an imprint for pop/rock/country records - as opposed to the classical records that had until then been most popular - was required.

With the birth of rock n' roll, (and the signing of Elvis Presley) RCA Records' sales far exceeded those of Victor, but it has survived to the modern day as an imprint for blues, world music, jazz, and musicals.
When RCA sold all its record labels to Bertelsmann in 1986, this label was re-organised into the RCA Victor label group, consisting of the RCA Victor, Windham Hill and Bluebird labels. The company was further re-organised when Sony/BMG began their joint venture in August 2004.

Catalog Numbers

78RPM albums

  • M- series: manual change: disc 1 A/B; disc 2 A/B; disc 3 A/B
  • DM- series: auto changer: sides A in disc order, then sides B in reverse disc order. (1A, 2A, 3A, 3B, 2B, 1B)
  • AM- series: alternative auto changer: sides A in disc order, then sides B in disc order (1A, 2A, 3A, 1B, 2B, 3B)

1940–ca. 1973

beginning with the introduction of the 45-RPM, prefix was added:

  • 20-: 78-RPM, 10-in.(?)
  • 21-: 78-RPM, 10-in.(?)
  • 47-: 45-RPM, 7-in.
  • 48-: 45-RPM, 7-in.

1950–ca. 1974

  • LM: Long-playing Monaural (12-in. 33⅓, mono)
  • LSC: Long-playing Stereophonic Classical (12-in. 33⅓, stereo)

1969–ca. 1973

  • 74-: Stereo 45-RPM, 7-in.

ca. 1973–

The first character is a letter indicating the master tape source.

  • A: RCA Victor
  • C:
  • F:
  • L:
  • V:

The second character is a letter indicating the label or category or type of music.

  • B: Broadway(?)
  • F: Folk(?)
  • H:
  • P: Pop(?)
  • R: Red Seal (classical)
  • Y:

The third character is a letter indicating the format.

  • B: 7-in. (?)
  • D: SQ quadraphonic 33⅓ 12-in.
  • L: Stereo(?) 33⅓ 12-in. (“LP”)

The fourth character is a number indicating the number of discs

  • 0: single
  • 1…n: number of discs
Annotation last modified on 2013-04-12 21:21 UTC.

Previously known as: Victor Talking Machine Co.

Releases

ReleaseArtistFormatTracksCountry/DateCatalog#Barcode
Frankie And Johnnie / Abdul Abulbul AmirFrank Crumit10" Shellac2
20715[none]
Princeton University Band (With Vocal Refrain)The Princeton University BandVinyl3
20355[none]
Ain'tcha? / I Have to Have YouHelen Kane10" Shellac2
22192[none]
The Promise True and Grand / I Am in the Heavenly WayBukka White10" Shellac2
38615[none]
Paganini Etude in E Flat Major / Danse ExcentriqueВладимир Самойлович Горовиц10" Shellac2
1468
Como aniyo al dedo / CriollitaOrquesta Típica VictorShellac2
47358[none]
The New 'Frisco Train / The Panama LimitedBukka White10" Shellac2
  • US1931-10-23
23295
El día que me quieras / Volvió una nocheCarlos Gardel10" Shellac2
32458[none]
Love Me or Leave Me / Exactly Like YouBenny Goodman and His Orchestra / The Benny Goodman Trio10" Shellac2
25406
I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby / Limehouse BluesQuintette du Hot Club de FranceVinyl2
A-1204[none]
I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby / Limehouse BluesQuintette du Hot Club de FranceVinyl2
JA-856[none]
Good-Bye / SandmanBenny Goodman and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
25215
I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm / Slumming on Park AvenueRay Noble and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
25507[none]
Sweet LeilaniSwing & Sway With Sammy Kaye10" Shellac2
47-3076
The Starlit Hour / Deep NightTommy Dorsey and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
  • US1939-12-29
26445[none]
Concerto for Cootie / Me and YouDuke Ellington & His OrchestraVinyl2
  • US1940-03-15
Polka Dots and Moonbeams / I'll Be Seeing YouFrank Sinatra and Tommy Dorsey & His OrchestraVinyl2
26539-A
Don't Get Around Much Anymore / Cotton TailDuke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra10" Shellac2
  • US1940-05-04
26610[none]
Tuxedo Junction / Star DustGlenn Miller and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-1754[none]
We Could Make Such Beautiful Music Together / It's DreamtimeVaughn MonroeVinyl2
20-2095
Indian Summer / The One I LoveTommy Dorsey and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-2446
Special Delivery Stomp / Summit Ridge DriveArtie Shaw and His Gramercy FiveVinyl2
20-4111
Adios, Mariquita Linda / FrenesiArtie Shaw and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
26542[none]
Flamingo / The Girl in My Dreams Tries to Look Like YouDuke Ellington & His Orchestra10" Vinyl2
27326
Piano Concerto No. 2 In C MinorСергей Васильевич Рахманинов5×12" Shellac2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2
DM-58[none]
Runnin’ Wild / Dinah’s BluesDinah Shore10" Shellac2
27303[none]
Take the "A" Train / The Sidewalks of New YorkDuke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra10" Shellac2
27380
Daddy / Two Hearts That Pass in the NightSwing and Sway With Sammy Kaye10" Shellac2
27391[none]
Moonglow / My Blue HeavenArtie Shaw and His Orchestra / Artie Shaw and His Gramercy 510" Shellac2
27405[none]
The Waltz You Saved for Me / I'm Forever Blowing BubblesWayne King And His Orchestra10" Shellac2
27450
I Love You Truly / La GolondrinaWayne King And His Orchestra10" Shellac2
27451
Alice Blue Gown / (When Your Heart's on Fire) Smoke Gets in Your EyesWayne King And His Orchestra10" Shellac2
27453
Red WingSpike Jones and His City Slickers10" Shellac1
[none]
Wayne King Waltzes, Volume 2"The Waltz King" And His Orchestra4×10" Shellac2 + 2 + 2 + 2
P-171
It Might Have Been / Daisy MayHal McIntyre And His Orchestra10" Shellac2
  • US1942-04-01
20-1599
The Man I Love / Where or WhenLena Horne10" Shellac2
  • US1942-04-03
27818 A, 27818 B[none]
Stormy Weather / Ill WindLena Horne10" Shellac2
  • US1942-04-03
27819[none]
Moon Mist / The "C" Jam BluesDuke Ellington & His OrchestraVinyl2
27856
(I’ve Got a Gal in) Kalamazoo / At LastGlenn Miller and His Orchestra10" Vinyl2
  • US1942-07-10
27934[none]
The Bells of St Mary's / You Can Cry on Somebody Else's ShoulderCharlie Spivak and His OrchestraWax Cylinder2
20 1791[none]
Somewhere a Voice Is Calling / Well, Git It!Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra10" Shellac2
27887
I Can't Get Started / Frankie and JohnnieBunny Berigan and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
420-0075[none]
Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me / Chlo-eDuke Ellington & His OrchestraVinyl2
20-1547
St. Louis Blues / Clarinet MarmaladeBenny Goodman and His Orchestra / Nick La Rocca and The Original Dixieland Band10" Shellac2
25411
I'm Beginning to See the Light / Don't You Know I CareDuke Ellington & His OrchestraVinyl2
20-1618
I Didn't Know About You / I Ain't Got Nothing but the BluesDuke Ellington & His OrchestraVinyl2
20-1623
Rum and Coca-Cola / There! I’ve Said It AgainVaughn Monroe and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-1637[none]
Sleigh Ride in July / Like Someone in LoveDinah Shore10" Shellac2
20-1617
I Could Write a Book / A Foggy DayArtie Shaw and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
  • US1945-05-21
20-1933
On the Moon‐BeamVaughn Monroe, His Orchestra, Quartet and Chorus5×10" Shellac2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2
  • US1945-10-13
20-1703, 20-1704, 20-1705, 20-1706, 20-1707, P-142[none]
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow / When the Sandman Rides the TrailVaughn Monroe7" Vinyl2
  • US1945-11-23
1759[none]
Begin the Beguine / Begin the Beguine (jukebox version)Artie Shaw and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
44-0001
Star Dust / Star Dust (jukebox version)Artie Shaw and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
44-0003
Marie / Marie (jukebox version)Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
44-0005
King Porter (jukebox)Benny Goodman and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
44-0006
Moonlight Serenade / Moonlight Serenade (Jukebox version)Glenn Miller and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
44-0007
Your Feet's Too Big (for jukebox)Fats Waller & His Rhythm10" Shellac2
44-0009
I Dream of You (More Than You Dream I Do) / Opus No. 1Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-1608
Chloe-Fox Trot / A Serenade to a JerkSpike Jones and His City Slickers10" Shellac2
20-1654[none]
Till the End of Time / (Did You Ever Get) That Feeling in the MoonlightPerry Como and The SatisfiersWax Cylinder2
20 1709[none]
Autumn Serenade / Some Sunday MorningHal McIntyre And His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-1711
Cherokee / Redskin RhumbaCharlie Barnet and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-1756
I'm Just a Lucky So and So / The Wonder of YouDuke Ellington & His Orchestra10" Vinyl2
20-1799
Strange Feeling / Balcony SerenadeDuke Ellington And His Famous Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-4711
September Song / Little JazzArtie Shaw e sua orquestra10" Shellac2
82-0341
All Alone / Say It With MusicWayne King And His Orchestra10" Shellac2
  • US1946-03-04
20-1897
Pretty Penny / Spring RainWayne King And His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-1862
Hot JazzBunk Johnson And His New Orleans Band4×10" Shellac2 + 2 + 2 + 2
HJ-7
The Whiffenpoof Song / Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-BopTex Beneke With The Glenn Miller Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-1859
It's Nobody's Fault but My Own / Knocking at Your DoorHarmie Smith & The Southern Swingsters10" Shellac2
20-1869
Big Road Blues / Won't Be a Fool No MoreBig Maceo10" Shellac2
20-1870[none]
You're an Old Lady / Early in the MorningSonny Boy WilliamsonVinyl2
20-1875
The Glow-Worm / Hawaiian War Chant (Ta-Hu-Wa-Hu-Wai)Spike Jones and His City Slickers / Spike Jones and His Wacky Wakakians10" Shellac2
20-1893[none]
Remember Me / I Don't Know Why (I Just Do)Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-1901
I Dream of Brownie With the Light Blue Jeans / Jones PolkaSpike Jones and His City Slickers10" Shellac2
20-1894
What'll I Do / Alexander's Ragtime BandWayne King And His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-1899
(I Wanna Go Where You Go) Then I'll Be Happy / The Song Is YouTommy Dorsey and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-1938
Não Bate Nele / Calango Da LacraiaLuiz Gonzaga10" Vinyl2
80-0423
A Cole Porter ReviewDavid Rose & His Orchestra4×10" Shellac2 + 2 + 2 + 2
P 158[none]
Always / Blue SkiesWayne King And His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-1896
Remember / A Pretty Girl Is Like a MelodyWayne King And His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-1898
They Didn't Believe Me / Can't Help Lovin' Dat ManArtie Shaw and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-1931
Easy to Love / I Can't Get Started With YouArtie Shaw and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-1934
I Can't Escape From You / Keepin' Myself for YouArtie Shaw and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-1936
Thrill of a Lifetime / Lucky NumberArtie Shaw and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-1937
So Glad You’re Mine / Ethel MaeArthur “Big Boy” Crudup10" Shellac2
20-1949[none]
After Hours / It's Full or It Ain't No GoodErskine Hawkins and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-1977[none]
Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me) / Swamp FireDuke Ellington And His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-1992
Boogie Woogie / On the Sunny Side of the StreetTommy Dorsey and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-2005
Somewhere a Voice Is Calling / Hawaiian War ChantTommy Dorsey and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-2006
Embraceable You / After You've GoneTommy Dorsey and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-2007
Chicago / Opus No. 1Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-2008
Chicago / Opus No. 1Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-2008
What Is Life Without Love / Be Sure There's No MistakeEddy Arnold and His Tennessee Plowboys10" Shellac2
20-2058[none]
At Sundown / To MeTommy Dorsey and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-2064
Cocktails for Two / Holiday for StringsSpike Jones and His City Slickers10" Shellac2
20-2092
Cocktails for Two / Leave the Dishes in the Sink, MaSpike Jones and His City Slickers10" Shellac2
20-1628
Any Old Time / On the Sunny Side of the Street (repress)Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra10" Shellac2
20-1648
Chloe / A Serenade to a JerkSpike Jones and His City Slickers10" Shellac2
20-1654
A Hubba Hubba Hubba / Here Comes Heaven AgainPerry Como with Russ Case and His OrchestraWax Cylinder2
20 1750[none]