Capitol Records, the American record label founded in 1942, has used a series of distinctive logos that trace the company’s visual identity from its founding through its modern era. The label’s identity has centered on two primary motifs: the U.S. Capitol dome and, briefly, a geometric “target” mark.
Design and History
From the company’s founding into the 1960s, Capitol’s logo on its record labels featured the Capitol dome in an oval cartouche.[1] The dome imagery referenced the company’s name, which was chosen in 1942 as a patriotic-sounding alternative to the original incorporation name “Liberty Records.”[1]
In 1959, with the advent of stereo, Capitol changed its label design from a large dome logo on a gray background to a smaller dome logo in a silver oval with a black background and a colorband around the edge. Initially the oval sat on the left side of the label, with a tapering vertical line extending from the top and bottom. In the early 1960s, the oval was moved to the top of the label.[2]
In the summer of 1969, Capitol modernized its identity, replacing the dome logo with what became known as the “target” labels.[2] The 1969 target logo was designed by Roland Young under the direction of George Osaki.[3] This mark was used from 1969 to 1978.[3]
The target logo was dropped in November 1972, replaced by a label featuring the word “Capitol” printed at the bottom.[2] In 1977, the dome logo of the early days was brought back, featuring a large scripted “Capitol” print with an image of the Capitol building.[2] In March 1978, Capitol formally returned to using its dome logo.[4]
For the company’s 50th anniversary in 1992, Capitol reinstated its rotunda-and-script trademark. The decision was made permanent, with Tommy Steele, then vice president of art and design, describing the logo as “so innocent” and noting “there’s something wonderful about that.”[5]
Meaning and Symbolism
The dome logo depicts the U.S. Capitol building, tying the company name directly to its visual mark.[1] The company’s founders originally incorporated in 1942 as “Liberty Records” but amended the application a couple of months later to “Capitol,” another wartime patriotic-sounding name.[1]
The 1969 target logo, sometimes described as a bullseye, replaced the dome imagery entirely during its nine-year run.[2] The label’s return to the dome in 1977-1978 marked a deliberate revival of the company’s earlier visual identity.[2]
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