Alfa Records
| Alfa Records Inc. アルファレコード |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Founded | 1969 (1977 as an independent label) |
| Founder | Kunihiko Murai |
| Defunct | 2000 |
| Distributor(s) |
SMEJ (2001-present) Toshiba-EMI (1994-2001) Nippon Columbia (1991-1994) Warner-Pioneer Victor Music Industries |
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Location | Tokyo |
Alfa Records Inc. (アルファレコード株式会社 Alfa Record Kabushiki Gaisha?), (originally a publisher known as Alfa Music Ltd. and later succeeded by record company Alfa Music Inc.), was established in 1969 by composer and record producer Kunihiko Murai. It was formed into an independent record label known as Alfa Records in 1977. A short-lived American subsidiary operated from 1980 to 1982.
In December 1980, Alfa Records opened a U.S. subsidiary in Los Angeles, planning to specialize in a "global approach to music." The label had some U.S. Top 40 successes in 1981 with Lulu, whose two-year-old recording of "I Could Never Miss You (More Than I Do)" became a Top 20 hit on Alfa, as well as former The Guess Who singer Burton Cummings ("You Saved My Soul") and Billy Vera and the Beaters ("I Can Take Care Of Myself"). Vera's "At This Moment" was also originally released on Alfa and reached No. 79 on the Billboard chart in late 1981, five years before it was re-released on Rhino Records and became a nationwide No. 1 smash. Other U.S. Hot 100 success came with singles by Yutaka featuring Patti Austin ("Love Light") and The Monroes ("What Do All The People Know?"), and the label also branched out into country music with the Corbin/Hanner Band. However, the American subsidiary ceased operations in July 1982 due to "slow market conditions," and although the shutdown was intended to be temporary, the subsidiary never reopened.
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