My Personal Record Guide: Melodiya Record label history; Riga manufactured company sleeves

Melodiya (Russian: Μелодия, meaning melody) is a Russian (formerly Soviet) record label. It was the state-owned major record company/label of the Soviet Union.

It was established in 1964 as the "All-Union Gramophone Record Firm of the USSR Ministry of Culture Melodiya". It utilized gigantic resources of numerous recording studios, manufacturing facilities throughout the USSR as well as powerful centres of distribution and promotion system. The best selling format at the time was 33⅓ and 78 RPM vinyl records. As of 1973 Melodiya released some 1,200 gramophone records with the total circulation of 190-200 million per year and 1 million compact cassettes per year and was exporting its production into more than 70 countries.

The firm's production was dominated by classical music and music by Soviet composers and musicians, performances by Soviet theater actors, fairy tales for children, etc. For example, Melodiya released performances of works by Peter Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich, which were valued for their authenticity. Melodiya also released some of the most successful western pop, jazz and rock records which included Michael Jackson, ABBA, Paul McCartney, Boney M., Dave Grusin, Amanda Lear, and Bon Jovi.

In other countries, Melodiya recordings imported from the USSR were often sold under the label MK, which stood for Mezhdunarodnaya Kniga ("International Book", Russian: Μеждународная Книга). In the United States, many Melodiya recordings appeared on the domestically manufactured Monitor Records label. In the 1970s and 1980s, Melodiya recordings of classical and folk music appeared on the Melodiya/Angel (USA) and Melodiya/HMV (elsewhere) labels as the result of an exclusive contract with EMI, the owner of both labels. A smaller number of recordings were distributed on other labels, particularly after 1989, before Melodiya granted exclusive rights to BMG in 1994. In at least one instance, one Melodiya record album, Gennady Rozhdestvensky's recording of Tchaikovsky's ballet The Nutcracker, made in 1960, appeared on LP in the U.S. on the Columbia Masterworks label. After expiry of the BMG contract in 2003, the company re-opened under new management and in 2006 started re-releasing recordings under its own label.

Being state owned until c.1989, the Soviet recording industry was able to apply a single numbering system to all its releases from 1933 onwards irrespective of origin or place of manufacture. The number sequences for 78s and LPs are strictly chronological, from which it is possible to date many, though not all, releases from the catalogue number.

Since 2008, some of Melodiya records are available to North American listeners through the Canadian classical label Analekta which is distributed by Koch Entertainment in the USA and Distribution Select in Canada.

From the middle sixties to late eighties 99% of Russian vinyl records were issued on Melodiya label. I have seen occasional records on Akkord label, probably more of them existed but too few to be considered.

First it should be mentioned that from early 60-ies to mid 70-ies not all records had their "personal" picture sleeves. 7", 10" and even 12" records were housed in standard Melodiya factory sleeves. Personal sleeves are found only on few sixties LP's. And even by the mid-eighties there were LP's in such factory sleeves. Soviet economy was a strange thing... So don't be confused when offered a Russian 1980 pressing LP in factory sleeve - it's OK. Some records (both 7" and LP's) had never got their own, picture sleeves.

Determining the year and pressing

Below please find a table of Melodiya catalog numbers for LP's. After each year you'll see the first MONO LP issued this year and first STEREO LP issued this year.

Year	MONO	STEREO	Year	MONO	STEREO
1961	9965	101	1977	39551	8267
1962	10927	235	1978	40507	9901
1963	12246	473	1979	41387	11593
1964	13149	793	1980	42279	13333
1965	14939	911	1981	43015	15231
1966	16093	1161	1982	43923	17003
1967	19069	1411	1983	44813	18983
1968	21253	1629	1984	45689	20729
1969	24023	1663	1985	46081	21293
1970	27047	1865	1986	46621	22915
1971	29491	2417	1987	47417	24301
1972	31565	3057	1988	48023	26129
1973	33489	3755	1989	48477	27787
1974	35207	4593	1990	48971	29059
1975	36849	4593	1991	49417	31759
1976	38213	6607

This table lets you determine exactly when was a particular album issued (NOT PRESSED!) - please keep in mind that usually LP's reissues had original numbers (see above). A few more clues may help you to find out if your record is a first pressing or a re-issue:

These clues are:

manufacturing standard () with 6 digits placed on the label near the spindle hole. Throughout 1961 to early 1969 Melodiya records had ГОСТ 5289-61
Throughout 1969 to early 1974 Melodiya records had ГОСТ 5289-68
Throughout 1974 to early 1980 Melodiya records had ГОСТ 5289-73
Throughout 1980 to early 1989 Melodiya records had ГОСТ 5289-80
From 1989 and on Melodiya records had ГОСТ 5289-88
label color
label design.

Here's the overview of Melodiya labels:

1961-68
There's ГОСТ 5289-68 on label, label color is yellow, black or dark blue (some earlier - white or multicolored)

late 1968 - 71
Label color is yellow, black or dark blue, there's ГОСТ 5289-68 on label and the word MELODIA is written in an "OUTLINE" or CONTOUR style on the l

1971-73
Label color is yellow, black or dark blue, there's ГОСТ 5289-68 on label and the word MELODIA is written in "SOLID" or BOLD style on the label (see picture). Last detail is very important - only by this you may tell a 1969 pressing from a 1972 pressing.

1974-79
There's ГОСТ 5289-73 on label, Label color is yellow, black or dark blue. PINK, WHITE and RED labels were added around 1974-75
. Click to enlarge

1974-79 1974-79

1980-88
There's ГОСТ 5289-80 on label. Labels are white or red (a few - pink). Around 1982 Melodiya changed its label style - see pictures.

1980-82 1982-88

1988-94
There's ГОСТ 5289-88 on label. Labels are white or red. Different record plants used different label designs.

Pressing plants

In the USSR there were several record plants. Records' labels are slightly different for these plants although all the rules mentioned above are true. It's curious that often record plants used different sleeve artwork versions for the same album.

Aprelevsky plant (Moscow)
Leningradsky plant (Leningrad)
Riga plant (Riga, Latvia)
Opytny plant "Gramzapis'" (test plant - Moscow)
Tashkent plant (Tashkent, Uzbekistan)
Tbilisi plant (Tbilisi, Georgia)
Leningrad, Moscow and Riga pressings are most common and Tbilisi pressings are the rarest.