Please note, many Virgin issues also carry an EMI logo. This is not a label and EMI should not be added as a label, it instead indicates that Virgin was part of the EMI Group.
Started by Richard Branson in the early 1970s as an independent label based in London, UK. The record company Virgin Records Ltd. and subsidiaries which used the Virgin brand was sold to Thorn Emi Plc in 1991, the various Virgin trademarks how
... MorePlease note, many Virgin issues also carry an EMI logo. This is not a label and EMI should not be added as a label, it instead indicates that Virgin was part of the EMI Group.
Started by Richard Branson in the early 1970s as an independent label based in London, UK. The record company Virgin Records Ltd. and subsidiaries which used the Virgin brand was sold to Thorn Emi Plc in 1991, the various Virgin trademarks however remained the property of Virgin Enterprises Ltd., since 2012 the imprint has been licensed from Virgin Enterprises Ltd. and is used by various companies that form part of the Universal Music Group.
Label Code: LC 3098/LC 03098 (may appear as "LCO3098").
The Virgin disc label designs/logos:
Roger Dean (4) was the designer of the original famous Virgin label with snakes and dragons.
For LP's following designs were used:
1973-1974 white Roger Dean label
1974-1976 coloured Roger Dean label
1975 fawn & mauve Roger Dean label (V2037 to V2044 and some older title reissues)
1975-1976 Red twin label with Outer White Ring
1975-1976 Green twin label with Outer White Ring
1976-1978 Green twin label (without outer white ring)
1976-1977 Red twin label (without outer white ring)
1977-1978 blue label with double Virgin writing logo (V2086 to ??)
1978-1987 green/red alternative label (Side 1 / Side 2)
1987-xxxx grey-white label
Probably the fawn & mauve Dean label should replace the coloured Dean label in summer 1975, but has been used only a very short time. The fawn & mauve Dean label hasn't been used outside UK.
Red and Green labels with white outer ring replaced the fawn & mauve Dean label. These can be found on several Virgin albums outside UK, It has been used in UK a very short time only.
The green twin label (without outer white ring) is easy to find. It has been used originally in 1976 but it is also available on reissues of older releases. In UK it has been used till 1978, but in other countries (Japan, Spain) there are records up to 1982 with this label. During this period a few titles were pressed with Red twin label (without outer white ring).
The blue label with double Virgin writing logo is well-known on single releases but it has also been used on a few albums.
The area of the green/red label ended in 1987 (UK), but in different countries it has been used longer (Spain 1990, Germany 1988).
The grey-white label is still in use since 1987 (UK). The grey-white label has been published some months later in foreign countries (1988).
For 7" releases following designs were used:
1974-1975 black-white Dean label / white Dean label
1976 blue twin label
1976-1978 blue label with double Virgin writing logo
1978-1987 green/red alternative label
1987-xxx silver label
In some countries the white or the black-white Dean label was longer in use (Germany, 1977). Spain was the only country that used the coloured Dean label on singles (instead of the white or black-white Dean label).
The blue twin label (which has never been used for albums) was issued in UK only.
The blue label with double Virgin writing logo was used from 1976 until 1979 in the UK. In some countries it was longer in use (Spain, 1979).
On 12" only following designs exist:
1978 - 1987 green/red alternative label
1988 - xxxx grey-white label
CD label designs:
Old CD's normally had a blue label (a kind of light blue layer on the silver disc) because the producers had problems with the printing on the blank silver surface.
Some of the middle-old editions have silver labels with red printing. Newer editions have black printings.
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