RPM Records was an American Los Angeles–based record label launched in 1950. This is not the same RPM used by Tony Bennett, nor is it related to labels in the UK and South Africa.
RPM was a subsidiary of Modern Records and part of the Bihari Brothers record empire.
Ike Turner, who was a talent scout for the Bihari Brothers, arranged for many blues musicians such as Howlin' Wolf, B.B. King, and Roscoe Gordon to record for the Biharis. King released many successful singles on the RPM label. Paul Anka released his first single on RPM in 1956.
In 1957, the Bihari Brothers announced that they were halting all album releases on both Modern and RPM, and that their released and scheduled albums for Modern and RPM would be issued on their Crown Records label.
The catalogs and master tapes were sold to Ace Records (UK) in the 1990s.
Selected discography +Catalog No.ReleasedateUSUSR&BSingle (A-side, B-side)Artist324Jun 19519"Saddled the Cow (and Milked the Horse)" b/w "Ouch! Pretty Baby"Roscoe Gordon325Jun 19511"T-99 Blues" b/w "Rain Drop Blues"Jimmie Nelson and The Peter Rabbit Trio333Sep 1951"Riding in the Moonlight" b/w "Morning at Midnight"Howlin' Wolf339Dec 19511"3 O'Clock Blues" b/w "That Ain't the Way to Do It"B.B. King350Mar 19522"No More Doggin'" b/w "Maria"Roscoe Gordon3551952"Shake It Up And Go" b/w " My Own Fault, Darlin'"B.B. King and His Orchestra356May 1952"You're Drivin' Me Insane" b/w "Trouble and Heartaches"Ike Turner with Ben Burton's Orchestra363Sep 19521"You Know I Love You" b/w "You Didn’t Want Me"B.B. King and His Orchestra374Dec 19529"Story from My Heart and Soul" b/w "Boogie Woogie Woman" B.B. King386Jun 19531"Please Love Me" b/w "Highway Bound"B.B. King and His Orchestra416Sep 19541"You Upset Me Baby" b/w "Whole Lotta Love"B.B. "Blues Boy" King and His Orchestra421Jan 19558"Every Day I Have The Blues"B.B. "Blues Boy" King and His Orchestra14"Sneakin' Around"B.B. "Blues Boy" King and "The Kings Men"436Aug 195510"Those Lonely, Lonely Nights" b/w "Someone Cares For Me"Johnny "Guitar" Watson453Jan 1956142"Eddie My Love" b/w "Just Goofed"The Teen Queens472Sep 1956"I Confess" b/w "Blau-Wile-Deveest-Fontaine"Paul Anka494Jun 1957"Quit My Baby"B.B. "Blues Boy" King and His Orchestra95"Be Careful With A Fool"501Nov 1957"The Key to My Kingdom" b/w "My Heart Belongs to Only You"B.B. King and His Orchestra
See also List of record labels RPM Records artists
References
External links
http://www.globaldogproductions.info/r/rpm.html list of single releases RPM Records on the Internet Archive's Great 78 Project