45-SLEEVES - HOME
Revised 17/1/11

SIRE
US Labels and Company Sleeves 1968-1992

Labels
London distribution
London distribution
London distribution
4102 - 1968
4102 - 1968
4108 - 1969
to
4120 - 1970
Sire Records started in New York City in 1966 by Seymour Stein and record producer/songwriter Richard Gottehrer (Strangeloves) as a production deal.
The first record releases appeared in 1968 and were distributed by London records. After signing Barclay James Harvest, Climax Blues Band and the Deviants, distribution switched to Polydor in 1970 with pretty much the same artist roster.
In 1972 distribution was picked up by Gulf+Western (Famous Music). In this time frame, Sire had it's first top-ten hit: "Hocus Pocus" by Focus.
   ABC bought out Gulf+Western in 1974. In 1976 Seymour (at the urgings of his wife Linda) spearheaded the signing of local New York Punk/New Wave bands such as The Ramones, Talking Heads, Richard Hell and the Dead Boys.
    Distribution shifted yet again in 1977 to Warners Brothers (this time for a while) and finally started to hit the top with regularity by signing Madonna and Ice T. 
    In 1994 distribution moved to Elektra, then to London in 2000 and finally back to Warners in 2003 where the label remains today.
Polydor distribution
Polydor distribution
Polydor distribution
SI 350 - 1970
SI 350 - 1970
SI 351 - 1970
to
SI 354 - 1971
Famous Music distribution
ABC distribution
Warner distribution
Warner distribution
SAA 701 - 1972
to
SAA 713 - 1974
SAA 728 - 1976
to
SAA 736 - 1976
SRE 1001 - 1977
to
SRE 1045 - 1978
SRE 49033 - 1979
to
SRE 49882 - 1981
No ridges
Ridges
Smaller logo
No perimeter print
1982 - 1985
1982 - 1985
1985 - 1987
1987
Price code
WB logo added
1987 - 1990
1992
..................
Sleeves
Range
Front
Back
Details
No 1
1968
to
.
Distributed by
London Records, Inc
No address
 Curved top   Inside glued  
No 2
.
to
1970
Distributed by
London Records, Inc
London Records, Inc
539 West 25th St
   Curved top   Glued left/right  
No 3
1970
to
.
1700 Broadway
   Curved top  Glued left/right  
No 4
.
to
1972
1700 Broadway
   Curved top  Inside glued  
No 5
1972
to
.
A division of 
Famous Music Corporation
   Curved top  Inside glued  
No 6
.
to
1974
Plain white
   Curved top    
No 7
1974
to
1977
ABC distribution
   Curved top  Inside glued  
No 8
1977
to
1979
Warner distribution
   Curved top  Glued left/right  
No 9
1979
to
1988
Plain white
Later issues in picture sleeves
  Curved top    
..
Contact for corrections
........
Thanks to John Villanova, New York for scans, info and story in this section
...
Thanks to Jim Ronat, Highland, Illinois for scans in this section
...