Founder Gordon Mills | ||
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MAM Records was a British record label launched in 1970 by the management company Management Agency & Music Ltd. (MAM). It was founded by Gordon Mills and Tom Jones and distributed by Decca Records. The first single released on MAM was "I Hear You Knocking" by Dave Edmunds Rockpile in 1970. Later that year, Gilbert O'Sullivan started his run of hit singles on MAM with "Nothing Rhymed" and he also provided MAM with its first hit album in 1971 with the L.P. "Himself". Other hit albums such as Back to Front, I'm a Writer, Not a Fighter and A Stranger In My Own Back Yard followed. Lynsey de Paul signed to the label in 1972 and her run of hit singles on MAM started with "Sugar Me". She also released her debut album "Surprise (Lynsey De Paul album)" on MAM in 1973 and a best of compilation The World of Lynsey De Paul (also known as "Lynsey sings") in 1974. Engelbert Humperdinck was also a major recording artist with MAM; Gordon Mills was Engelbert Humperdinck's manager. While not scoring any hits, the label also released singles by 60's heartthrob Frank Ifield as well as Johnny Nash, Leapy Lee and Tina Charles (singer). Distribution of MAM records switched to EMI in the mid 1970s.
The company was one of the most successful record companies in the United Kingdom throughout the early 1970s. It diversified into slot machines and airlines but by the end of the 1970s it was losing ground to American companies like RCA Victor.
The company was sold in the 1980s to Chrysalis Records. Following the sale of Chrysalis to EMI in 1991 many recordings previously owned by MAM have most recently been reissued by EMI.