first US RCA label (1950 - 1955)The first RCA label comes in about a dozen different colours for the various RCA series as Red Seal, Bluebird, Green Label and so on. What they all have in common is the large 'LONG 33 1/3 PLAY' text printed at the bottom center. There are very many variations of these first labels, for further details please check another source that specializes on RCA Victor label designs.
1. Label Variation (II)
first US RCA label (1950 - 1955)The first RCA label comes in about a dozen different colours for the various RCA series as Red Seal, Bluebird, Green Label and so on. What they all have in common is the large 'LONG 33 1/3 PLAY' text printed at the bottom center. There are very many variations of these first labels, for further details please check another source that specializes on RCA Victor label designs.
2. Label Variation
second US RCA label (mid 1950s)The earliest version of the coloured dog labels has the text '"NEW ORTHOPHONIC" HIGH FIDELITY' printed right below the dog logo, above the spindle hole. The logo also incorporates the 'His Master's Voice' text.
3. Label Variation
third US RCA label (mid 1950s)The '"NEW ORTHOPHONIC" HIGH FIDELITY' text was moved to the right side of the label.
4. Label Variation (I)
fourth US RCA label (late 1950s)The first Living Stereo label carries a '"STEREO ORTHOPHONIC" HIGH FIDELITY' text, in these variations on the left side of the spindle hole, or on its original spot at the right side of the label. Please note that there are very many variations of these Living Stereo labels, which - if you do some good research - can be set into a chronological order.
4. Label Variation (II)
fourth US RCA label (late 1950s)The first Living Stereo label carries a '"STEREO ORTHOPHONIC" HIGH FIDELITY' text, in these variations on the left side of the spindle hole, or on its original spot at the right side of the label. Please note that there are very many variations of these Living Stereo labels, which - if you do some good research - can be set into a chronological order.
5. Label Variation (I)
fifth US RCA label (early 1960s)The first Dynagroove label shows an underlined, large and bold 'Dynagroove' at the bottom center.
5. Label Variation (II)
fifth US RCA label (early 1960s)The first Dynagroove label shows an underlined, large and bold 'Dynagroove' at the bottom center.
6. Label Variation (I)
sixth US RCA label (mid 1960s)The second Dynagroove label displays 'MONO DYNAGROOVE' or 'STEREO DYNAGROOVE' at the bottom center, replacing the underlined 'Dynagroove' logo of the previous version.
6. Label Variation (II)
sixth US RCA label (mid 1960s)The second Dynagroove label displays 'MONO DYNAGROOVE' or 'STEREO DYNAGROOVE' at the bottom center, replacing the underlined 'Dynagroove' logo of the previous version.
7. Label Variation
seventh US RCA label (1963 - 1964)The 'MONO' print at the bottom center was preceding the 'MONOAURAL' labels for about one year.
8. Label Variation (I)
eighth US RCA label (1964 - 1968)In about 1964 the bottom center text for the coloured dog labels changed to 'MONOAURAL' or 'STEREO'.
8. Label Variation (II)
eighth US RCA label (1964 - 1968)In about 1964 the bottom center text for the coloured dog labels changed to 'MONOAURAL' or 'STEREO'.
9. Label Variation
ninth US RCA label (1968 - 1969)The first Orange Label was introduced in 1968. These late 1960s pressings can (usually) be identified by a 'deep groove' around half way from the spindle hole to the border of the label, and by the heavy, sturdy vinyl quality of the record.
10. Label Variation
tenth US RCA label (1969 - 1971)The second Orange Label label looks virtually identical to the first one, just the 'deep groove' is gone. The record itself is already on much lighter, more flexible vinyl, almost like the dreaded Dynaflex albums that were introduced shortly after.
11. Label Variation
eleventh US RCA label (1971 - 1976)This is the Dynaflex Orange Label with the word 'dynaflex' actually printed very prominently. These releases are avoided by most record collectors as the sound quality was suffering, the records warp easily, and the 'benefits' of Dynaflex, as printed on the inner sleeves by RCA, are widely seen as just an excuse to use less and cheaper vinyl at times when crude oil prices were exploding (early 1970s oil crisis).
12. Label Variation
twelfth US RCA label (1976)The tan label was used in 1976 only, as far as we can tell.
13. Label Variation (I)
thirteenth US RCA label (1976 - )The tan label was quickly replaced by the modern black label, that was bringing back RCA Victor's famous dog, this time in the top right quadrant of the label. This design was used for a long time, well into the 1980s.
13. Label Variation (II)
thirteenth US RCA label (1976 - )The tan label was quickly replaced by the modern black label, that was bringing back RCA Victor's famous dog, this time in the top right quadrant of the label. This design was used for a long time, well into the 1980s.
Custom Label
custom US RCA label, Jefferson Airplane (1970)A custom label for 'The Worst of Jefferson Airplane', released in 1970.