Logo 1972-80

Logo 1980-

Arcade Records

Arcade Records was founded in 1972 by Laurence Myers, a British music industry professional who had been working in music management and production for various top British artists such as The Animals, David Bowie and The Rolling Stones. In the early 1970s, he realised that many music consumers were home taping their favourite songs in order to create a mixtape of current top hits or the best songs by one artist. Myers copied this trend by releasing multi-artist and one-artist compilation albums. It was the first European record label to employ the power of TV advertising.

The label sat between budget and mid‑price, with strong TV marketing and multi‑artist compilations and were a direct competitor to K-tel and Ronco. Note, however, that Music Week placed 20 Fantastic Hits By The Original Artists Volume Three at #4, and 40 Fantastic Hits From The 50s And 60s at #15 in their Full Price (£1.89 upwards) chart in the May 26, 1973 issue. In the November 9, 1974 issue, Music Week explained that the Mid Price chart now covered albums priced between £1.26 and £1.99 plus compilation albums advertised on TV. Arcade had Elvis' 40 Greatest at #1. By the May 25, 1974 issue, Alan Freeman's History Of Pop was at #13 in the Mid Price & TV Albums (94p - £1.87) chart.

By July 12, 1975, the magazine was listing the top albums from sales at 300 "conventional" outlets and at prices of £1.26 upwards and no separate Mid Price & TV Albums chart. Elvis' 40 Greatest appeared at #55. The November 1, 1975 issue listed releases priced from £1.49. Arcade had Jim Reeves - 40 Golden Greats at #1 in chart for week ending October 18, 1975. From 1980, the chart now covered 450 outlets and records priced £2.25 upwards. There were no Arcade releases in the chart for week ending January 12, 1980.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Arcade Records was sold to Dutch entrepreneur Herman Heinsbroek (who had been running a record label in the Netherlands also called Arcade from the 1970s), who expanded it into a worldwide multi-media company. The Arcade group was sold to Roadrunner Records in 2001 and currently serves as a digital platform which compiles playlists for Spotify based on Arcade's catalogues.

Laurence Myers

Herman Heinsbroek

Following the amazing success of the K-Tel label's "20 Dynamic Hits" (as featured on TV!) a new label, Arcade, has been launched with a similar theme - recent chart-busters by the original artists.

And once again, a massive TV advertising campaign (£350,000 worth in fact) is to be mounted to publicise the release of the LP (20 Fantastic Hits By The Original Artists), which also features such the Mixtures' "Pushbike Song," the Hollies' "The Baby," Rod Stewart's "Maggie May" and two Melanie successes. All this for £199. Things are improving, folks.

Gerald Radcliffe, Huddersfield Daily Examiner, July 7, 1972

Discography

1972

1973

20 Fantastic Hits By The Original Artists Vol 1 (ADE P1)
Various artists
July 1972

20 Fantastic Hits By The Original Artists Volume Two (ADE P2)
Various artists
November 1972

All-Time Classics (ADE C1)
London Symphony Orchestra

40 Fantastic Hits From The 50s And 60s (ADE P3/4)
Various artists
March/April 1973

20 Fantastic Hits By The Original Artists Volume Three (ADE P5)
Various artists
May 1973

40 Years Of Golden Oldies (ADE P6)
Various artists

1974

Hollywood Gold (ADE P7)
Various artists

20 Number 1s (ADE P8)
Various artists

Alan Freeman's History Of Pop (ADE P9/10)
Various artists
March 1974

Listen To The Music - 20 Smash Hits (ADE P11)
Various artists

An Hour Of Musical Masterpieces... (ADE C2)
London Symphony Orchestra

1975

Black Music (ADE P15)
Various artists
March 1975

Elvis' 40 Greatest (ADE P12)
Elvis Presley
March 1975

Tommy Steele's 40 Favourites (ADE P14)
Tommy Steele

40 Golden Greats (ADE P16)
Jim Reeves
September 1975

Rocket (ADE P17)
Various artists

Disco Hits 75 (ADE P18)
Various artists
November 1975

The Best Of Roy Orbison (ADE P19)
Roy Orbison
November 1975

1976

Their 20 Greatest (ADE P20)
Paul Anka & Neil Sedaka

Superstars Tribute To The Beatles (ADE P21)
Various artists

His 20 Greatest (ADE P22)
Gene Pitney
September 1976

Minstrel Magic (ADE P23)
The Mike Stewart Singers

40 Greatest (ADE P24)
Henry Mancini

Sounds Of Glory (ADE P25)
London Philharmonic Choir & Orchestra
November 1976

1977

Rock Revolution (ADE P26)
Various artists
November 1977

Rock On (ADE P27)
Various artists
March 1977

Concert (ADE P28)
London Symphony Orchestra

Rule Britannia (ADE P29)
Various artists
June/July 1977

The Best Of The Mamas & Papas (ADE P30)
The Mamas & The Papas
June 1977

20 Rock Musical Greats (ADE P31)
Various artists

Get Stoned (ADE P32)
The Rolling Stones
October 1977

Classical Favourites (ADE P33)
London Symphony Orchestra

1978

Shakin' Jerry Lee! (ADE P34)
Jerry Lee Lewis

50s Favourites (ADE P35)
Various artists

Disco Drums (ADE P36)
[Gerry Shury / Nigel Wright / Trevor Bastow]

Cleo (ADE P37)
Cleo Laine
November 1978

His 20 Greatest (ADE P38)
Harry Belafonte

1979

1980

1990

Love And Affection (ADE P39)
Peters & Lee

Elvis - The Soundtrack Of The Movie (ADE P40)
Ronnie McDowell

First Love (ADE P41)
Various artists
February 1980

Collection (RCLP 101)
Ray Charles
March 1990

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