A&M Records: One&OnlyOne Artist / Group

JOv2

Well-Known Member
Following up on Rudy’s 12 A&M Albums That Best Represented the Label post: in your opinion, from a year 2022 standpoint, which single artist or single group from A&M’s 1962-1989 tenure best represents overall "success of A&M as a record label".

Ground Rules:
1. The artist / group achieved and sustained consistent, widespread popularity during its A&M career — and (presumably) provided constant, substantial economic returns for A&M during that period.
2. As of year 2022, the artist’s / group’s A&M output continues to both sustain continual popularity — and (presumably) provide steady, noteworthy economic returns (for the current owners of the recordings).
 
Much as I love and prefer Herb, Julius, Sergio and many other A&M Artists... This claim MUST obviously go to Richard and Karen Carpenter. I would willingly accept arguments to the contrary, given that Herb and his TJB made A&M what it was... No artist gave A&M the the chart dominance and sales success that Carpenters did in the era in which they were popular....

So...
#1 Carpenters
#2 Herb (and TJB/other forms of Herb)
#3 Sergio/Styx/SuperTramp/Frampton (including variations), (Ode, Carole King, Cheech & Chong))
#4 Police/Squeeze/80s new wave (to include I.R.S.)

--Mr Bill
 
My list by artist would be for A&M

1960's-70's
Herb Alpert and TJB and Herb Solos-Numerous Gold
Sergio Mendes & Brasil'66- 4 Gold at the start
Burt Bacharach- 4 or 5 Gold in a row.

1970's
Carpenters- Numerous Gold
Styx and Supertramp-Numerous Gold
Captain and Tennille-4 Gold in a row
Joe Cocker-Several Gold in a row.

1980's
Police and Janet Jackson

Ode Records was a huge moneymaker and Carole King gets the biggest nod as she was the defining artist for Ode during its A&M tenure.
 
It's hard to pick just one, since as one artist/band faded away, the success was handed off to the next big thing. I would wager for the largest successes, I'd look at a streak of TJB -> Carpenters -> Styx -> Police/Sting -> Janet Jackson.

As we only get a single choice, I'd have to go with Herb and the TJB, as those early hits are what put A&M on the map and built the foundation for everything after. On top of it, the TJB remains the only artist to place four albums simultaneously in Billboard's album chart. After the TJB faded away, Herb came back and gave us "Rise," which started a whole new round of hits, albeit not as many as with the TJB.
 
I'm going with Carpeneters.

From what I have read, their record sales were substantial to A&M throughout much the 1970s and to this day they enjoy a worldwide legacy. (All the more, out here on A&M Corner, the number of Carpenters messages is greater than all others combined.)
 
It pretty much has to be Carpenters as the single act that not only defined the era in which they were producing hits, but have continued to sell well throughout the years.

As much as I like Herb and Sergio and Burt and Julius, their recordings just don't have the staying power that Carpenters do.
 
As much as I like Herb and Sergio and Burt and Julius, their recordings just don't have the staying power that Carpenters do.
Exactly. Staying power is the key and from what I can tell since 1970, Carpenters music never really faded from view. In a casual sense they seem musically omnipresent relative to all other A&M artists...
 
Yep. If I mention Herb Alpert to most younger people it's a "Who?" reaction. Same with Sergio or Julius. Burt Bacharach at least gets a name recognition for his songs, but not necessarily for his recordings on A&M. In fact, most people don't even know he made those.

But mention Carpenters, and you get a reaction - sometimes negative, but more often these days an acknowledgement of how great a singer Karen was and how good their records were.
 
But mention Carpenters, and you get a reaction - sometimes negative, but more often these days an acknowledgement of how great a singer Karen was and how good their records were.
I'm in that category: I have none of their records and never really liked their music, but have heard and continue to hear their music "in passing..." and will be first to state that as a singer, her abilities were par excellence (she was also a damn good drummer -- as I heard on some mid/late '60s live jazz combo recordings I happened upon many years ago).
 
I also have to say The Carpenters like every body else I love Herb TJB Julius and BMB Bacharach and Many others It was the Staying power of the Carpenters that stands out even more today and I still enjoy their music today
 
Without the success of Herb and the TJB, there possibly would not have been an A&M label that extended until the 70s. The ability of the label to thrive and grow was based on the success of the original A&M band. Due to this I have to vote for the TJB. If the TJB didn't succeed in a big way, the label would not have been there to sign the Carpenters a decade later. Alternatively, the Carpenters could have failed as a band after signing with A&M and there still would have been a successful label called A&M.
 
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