20th Century Records, also known as 20th Fox Records and 20th Century-Fox Records, began in 1958 was a subsidiary of film studio 20th Century Fox. In 1963 20th Fox Records became 20th Century-Fox Records. In 1972 the name changed to 20th Century Records. The first three acts signed to the 20th Century label were The DeFranco Family, Maureen McGovern, and Barry White; however, the Brighter Side of Darkness gave the newly renamed label their first hit record in 1973 with "Love Jones". The label also had major hits with Carl Douglas (best known for the song "Kung Fu Fighting"), Edwin Starr, Stephanie Mills and the Star Wars soundtrack in 1977.
The company also released the Harry Simeone Chorale's recording of "Little Drummer Boy" and the album on which it was first featured, Sing We Now of Christmas, later reissued as The Little Drummer Boy. It became the best selling Christmas album ever. The rights were later acquired by PolyGram, which released it on CD in 1988, on the Casablanca Records label.
Among the movie soundtrack albums released by 20th Century Fox Records were those of Zorba the Greek, The Bible: In the Beginning and Doctor Dolittle. However, the label did not issue the soundtrack albums of any of the Rodgers and Hammerstein films released by the studio. Instead, the albums made from five of these films were released by Capitol Records (Oklahoma!, Carousel and The King and I) and by RCA Victor (South Pacific and The Sound of Music). Years later, the Capitol albums reappeared on CD in expanded versions issued by Angel Records. (The film versions of Oklahoma! (1955) and South Pacific (1958), although released in roadshow format by the Magna Corporation, were given general release by 20th Century Fox.)
Comedian Dickie Goodman was president of the label in the early 1960s.
The label launched its own subsidiary called Chi Sound Records for releasing disco records. It originally self-distributed its records, but between 1967 and 1970 its releases were distributed by ABC Records. RCA took over distribution in 1978.
The label was active until 1981, being sold to PolyGram in early 1982.
It was relaunched in 1991 under 2 labels. 20th Century Fox Film Scores, which was mainly soundtracks, and Fox Records as a standard label with artists such as Jamie Foxx. The labels folded several years later. Both were distributed by Arista Records.
20th Century Records artists
- Ambrosia
- Rita Jean Bodine
- Cotton, Lloyd & Christian
- DeFranco Family
- Carl Douglas
- Leif Garrett
- Lena Horne
- Dan Hill
- Kinsman Dazz
- Kitty Kallen
- Mahogany Rush
- Peter McCann
- Maureen McGovern
- Milan (aka The Leather Boy)
- Stephanie Mills
- Nite City
- Kenny Nolan
- Diane Renay
- Harry Simeone Chorale
- Edwin Starr
- Evelyn Thomas
- Mary Wells
- Barry White and the Love Unlimited Orchestra
- Eleventh Hour
- Carl Douglas Band
- Jim Photoglo
- Johnny Valan
- Leon Haywood
- Younghearts
- Ricki Dino
- Love Unlimited
See also
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