ATCO Records is an American record label founded in 1955. It is owned by Warner Music Group and operates as an imprint of Atlantic Records. After several decades of dormancy and infrequent activity under alternating Warner Music labels, the company was relaunched by Atlantic Records in early 2020.

History

1950s–1960s: Beginnings

ATCO Records was devised as an outlet for productions by one of Atlantic Records' founders, Herb Abramson, who had returned to the company from military service. The label was also intended as a home for acts that did not fit the format of the main Atlantic brand, which was releasing blues, jazz, rhythm and blues and soul. The planned name for the label was Atlas. But it was changed to ATCO when it was discovered there was already an Atlas Records. The ATCO name is an abbreviation of ATlantic COrporation. ATCO also provided distribution for other labels, including RSO, Volt, Island, Modern, Ruthless, Hansa, and Rolling Stones. For most of its history, ATCO was known for pop and rock music, but during its early years, it produced some jazz albums. These included Harry Arnold, Betty Carter, King Curtis, Herb Geller, Roland Hanna, and Helen Merrill.

ATCO's rock era began with Bobby Darin and The Coasters.

ATCO also released an album entitled Ain't She Sweet which featured the other two tracks by Sheridan and The Beatles from the Hamburg session and filled out by eight other songs covered by The Swallows.

In 1966, ATCO released "Substitute" by the Who. The song was issued through an arrangement with UK Polydor Records because of the dispute The Who was having with their producer, Shel Talmy, and their contract with US Decca Records and UK Brunswick Records. This would be the only Who recording to appear on ATCO, although Pete Townshend and John Entwistle would eventually sign to ATCO as solo artists, Ganbarg's first ATCO signing is Philadelphia-based alternative act Zero 9:36.

Roster

The following is a list of artists who have recorded for ATCO Records.

  • AC/DC (outside Australia)
  • Airrace
  • Allman Brothers Band (Capricorn/Atco)
  • Andy Williams
  • Steve Arrington
  • Back Street Crawler
  • Barrabás
  • The Beatles (US)
  • Bad Company
  • Badger
  • Ginger Baker (including Ginger Baker's Air Force and Baker Gurvitz Army) (US/Canada)
  • Jeff Beck
  • Bee Gees (US/Canada)
  • Chuck Berry
  • Mr Acker Bilk (US/Canada)
  • Black Oak Arkansas
  • Blackfoot
  • Blind Faith (US/Canada)
  • Blue Mountain Eagle
  • Blue Magic
  • Blues Image
  • Sonny Bono (as "Sonny")
  • Brooklyn Brothers
  • Jack Bruce (US/Canada)
  • Buffalo Springfield
  • Cactus
  • The Capitols
  • Jim Carroll
  • Change
  • Cher
  • Corina
  • Eric Clapton (US/Canada)
  • The Coasters
  • Cold Grits
  • Natalie Cole (Modern/Atco)
  • Arthur Conley
  • Cream (US/Canada)
  • Cross Country
  • Bobby Darin
  • Spencer Davis Group (US/Canada)
  • Delaney & Bonnie and Friends
  • Diesel
  • The D.O.C. (Ruthless/Atco)
  • Dr. John
  • Dream Theater
  • Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity
  • Dave Edmunds
  • Jonathan Edwards (Capricorn/Atco)
  • Eight Seconds
  • Electric Boys
  • Enuff Z'Nuff
  • Envy
  • John Entwistle
  • Bent Fabric and his Piano
  • Scott Fagan
  • Gary Farr
  • Fat Mattress
  • Fatback
  • The Fireballs
  • Tricia Leigh Fisher
  • Flies on Fire
  • Focus (US/Canada)
  • The Fourmost
  • Peter Gabriel (US/Canada)
  • Art Garfunkel
  • Genesis (US/Canada)
  • Gregory Gray
  • R. B. Greaves
  • Tim Hardin
  • Gordon Haskell
  • Donny Hathaway
  • Hawkwind
  • Horslips (US)
  • Humble Pie
  • Steve Hunter
  • Jorgen Ingmann
  • INXS (US/Canada)
  • Iron Butterfly
  • Deon Jackson (Carla)
  • James Gang
  • J. J. Fad (Ruthless/Atco)
  • Robbin Julien
  • Scarlett Johansson
  • Juicy Lucy
  • Michael Kamen
  • Ben E. King
  • King Curtis
  • Last Words
  • Bettye LaVette
  • Lime (Critique/Atco)
  • Lindisfarne (US/Canada)
  • Loudness
  • Lulu
  • Manowar
  • Penny McLean
  • Michel'le (Ruthless/Atco)
  • Gary Moore (Mirage/Atco) (US)
  • New York Dolls
  • New York Rock & Roll Ensemble
  • Stevie Nicks (Modern/Atco) (US/Canada)
  • Nina & Frederik (US/Canada)
  • Gary Numan (US/Canada)
  • Outlaw Blood
  • Outrage
  • Pantera
  • Pat & The Satellites
  • The Persuaders
  • Pleasure Bombs
  • Queensrÿche
  • The Raindogs
  • Chris Rea (US)
  • Otis Redding (Stax/Atco)
  • Ann Richards
  • Bob Rivers (Critique/Atco)
  • The Robins
  • The Rose Garden
  • Rebel Heels (Atco Aus)
  • Rowan & Martin
  • Roxy Music (US/Canada)
  • Shadows Of Knight (Dunwich/Atco)
  • Shannon (Mirage/Atco)
  • The Sherbs
  • Kym Sims
  • Slave
  • P. F. Sloan
  • Sonny & Cher
  • Southside Johnny & the Jukes (Mirage/Atco)
  • Keith Sweat
  • Sweet Sensation
  • The System (Mirage/Atco)
  • Taffy
  • Tangier
  • Livingston Taylor (Capricorn/Atco)
  • Nino Tempo & April Stevens
  • Nolan Thomas (Mirage/Atco)
  • Pete Townshend (US/Canada)
  • The Troggs
  • Vandenberg
  • Vanilla Fudge
  • Jerry Jeff Walker
  • Dee Dee Warwick
  • Stevie Wright (US/Canada)
  • Yes
  • Yomo & Maulkie (Ruthless/Atco)

References

  • Atlantic Records website
  • Discography of ATCO LP releases