Мелодия
USSR state label founded in 1964. Now - Russian label. The label is also known as Melody, Melodia, Melodiya or Melodija. These Latin transliterations should all be entered here, do not create a separate profile for them.
Label Code: LC 6969 / LC 06969.
It was the only record label operating in the USSR beyond 1964 (the state had a number of record labels operating prior to 1964), but ceased to be state-owned when the USSR collapsed. Export releases were shipped with full colour sleeves and, at least, English translations while most domestic copies had generic paper sleeves.
Manufacturers
It is HIGHLY recommended to provide manufacturer info in the Notes.
USSR manufacturing variations always have different label designs, so they are eligible to be submitted to the database as separate entries. They also have more or less different back covers, often different years, sometimes slightly different catalog numbers, and sometimes even entirely different sleeve design.
Manufacturer can be found on the vinyl labels, right below "МЕЛОДИЯ".
Here are known manufacturing plants:
Апрелевский Завод Грампластинок [or] Апрелевский ордена Ленина завод грампластинок
Всесоюзная Студия Грамзаписи had small production, in 1978 it was transfered to Московский Опытный Завод «Грамзапись» [or] МОЗ «ГРАМЗАПИСЬ»
Ленинградский Завод Грампластинок
Рижский Завод Грампластинок [or] Рижский Ордена «Знак Почета» Завод Грампластинок
Ташкентский Завод Грампластинок им. М. Т. Ташмухамедова
Тбилисская Студия Грамзаписи
Таллинский Завод Музыкальных Кассет
Бакинский Завод
If you see your release is already in the database, but without manufacturer info and pictures, it is recommended you first ask the original submitter to add this information instead of quick "converting" to your version.
If you don't know the year of a release, use https://web.archive.org/web/20150922100556/http://rockdisco.lv/Labels/M/Melody/index.htm . Of course this table is only useful if your version is not a repressing nor a reissue. PNP Records has a page that allows you to determine release dates based on catalog numbers (pretty much identical to the previous table) and approximate pressing dates based on the ГОСТ 5289 standard and label colors; here’s a link to the page.
Record company
During the decades, the company associated with this label changed several times.
From 1964 until about 1988 it was: ВФГ "Мелодия" (in full: Всесоюзная Фирма Грампластинок Мелодия).
From about 1988 until the dissolution of the USSR in 1991 it changed to: ВТПО "Фирма Мелодия" (Всесоюзное Творческое Производственное Объединение "Фирма Мелодия").
In the post Soviet period respectively in the Russian Federation from 1992 on it reformed to a state owned company: ФГУП "Фирма Мелодия" (Федеральное Государственное Унитарное Предприятие "Фирма Мелодия").
Since about 2017 it was privatised and is now a Joint Stock Company (JSC): АО "Фирма Мелодия" (Акционерное Общество "Фирма Мелодия").
Notes for submitters without cyrillic keyboard
Melodiya catalogue and matrix numeration from 60s to 1994 has CYRILLIC letters С (meaning СТЕРЕО (stereo)) and М (meaning МОНО (mono)). The letters look exactly the same as latin C (cee) and M (em), but you should use cyrillic С and М in your submits and edits (you can copy them from this paragraph). Best way to find your Melodiya release by catalogue and/or matrix number - is to search by digits in number and country - USSR. All possible variation with letters М and С in catalogue and matrix numeration (cyrillic letters):
СМ (meaning СтереоМоно (StereoMono) stereo records produced with improved compatibility with mono turntables);
Mono:
12": М00, М10, М20, М30, М40, М50, М60, М70, М80, М90
10": М01, М11, М21, М31, М41, М51, М61, М71, М81, М91
7": М02, М12, М22, М32, М42, М52, М62, М72, М82, М92
Stereo:
12": С00, С10, С20, С30, С40, С50, С60, С70, С80, С90
10": С01, С11, С21, С31, С41, С51, С61, С71, С81, С91
7": С02, С12, С22, С32, С42, С52, С62, С72, С82, С92
Flexi:
10": Г51, Г91
7": Г02, Г22, Г32, Г52, Г62, Г72, Г92
Digital recordings:
12": А10, А20, А60, А90
Other cyrillic letters in catalogue and matrix numbers on soviet records:
А (not "a") - meaning - цифровая запись (records used digital recordings)
Г (not "g") or ГД (not "gd") - meaning - гибкая (flexy)
Д (not "d") - meaning - долгоиграющая (long-play, mono)
КА (not "ka") or КС (not "kc") - meaning - квадрофоническая (quadraphonic)
НД (not "hd") - meaning - переиздания первых долгоиграющих моно пластинок (reissue of first soviet mono LP's)
ИД (not "id") or ДИ (not "di") - meaning - для детей или издания в малом формате (меньше 7") (for children or pressed in small format (less than 7"))
ЭД (not "ed") or ИЗМ (not "izm") - meaning - измерительные записи для тестирования аппаратуры (technical redords for sound system testing)
Retail prices on release
Why two different prices on releases with original sleeve ?
Price on center labels means price for record itself without original sleeve (or with generic sleeve).
Price on original sleeve means price of record and original sleeve together (total price).
Series:
Выдающиеся Ансамбли
Выдающиеся Виолончелисты
Выдающиеся Дирижеры
Выдающиеся Певцы
Выдающиеся Пианисты
Выдающиеся Скрипачи
Дискоклуб
Дебют
Джаз / Jazz
Debiutai
Искусство Народов СССР
Из Сокровищницы Мирового Исполнительского Искусства
Лауреаты Международного Конкурса Имени П. Чайковского
Lietuviška Estrada
Мастера Советской Эстрады
Музыка Азии И Африки
Музыкальный Калейдоскоп
Музыкальный Телетайп
Музыкальное Наследие - Musical Heritage
Наш Адрес - Советский Союз
Осенние Ритмы
Песни Советского Кино
По Вашим Письмам
Секция Филофонистов, Москва ВОФ
Спорт и Музыка · Sport and Music
Танцевальная Музыка 30-х Годов
Тысяча Лет Музыки
Vilniaus Bokštai
Электронная Музыка