  atco records is an american record label owned by warner music group, currently operating through wmg's rhino entertainment. ==company history== ===beginnings=== thumb|thumb|left|125px|original logo atco records was founded in august 1955 as a division of atlantic records.http://books.google.com/books?id=ufrysnvmrvqc&pg=pa68&lpg=pa68&dq=%22august+1955%22+%2b+atco+%2b+abramson&source=bl&ots=as-_t2yom1&sig=rwcozfn_1jlayusq5lmsr7f2uqe&hl=en&sa=x&ei=a402vo_0ayedygsz8idadw&ved=0cdiq6aewaw#v=onepage&q=%22august%201955%22%20%2b%20atco%20%2b%20abramson&f=false it was devised as an outlet for productions by one of atlantic's founders, herb abramson, who had returned to the company from military service. it was also intended as a home for acts that did not fit the format of atlantic, which at the time was only releasing blues, jazz, and r&b/soul. the atco name is simply an abbreviation of atlantic corporation. atco's biggest acts during its early years were bobby darin and the coasters. in the early 1960s atlantic began to license material from international sources for release on atco, leading to instrumental hit singles from such acts as jorgen ingmann, acker bilk and bent fabric. starting in the mid-1960s, atco became a force on the burgeoning rock scene, with american acts such as sonny and cher, buffalo springfield and vanilla fudge. a relationship with manager robert stigwood brought the bee gees and cream to the label. in 1964 atco released a single in the united states by the beatles, "ain't she sweet"; (flip side "nobody's child," with lead singer tony sheridan), which had been recorded in hamburg in 1961. with lead vocals by john lennon, "ain't she sweet" reached #19 on the billboard hot 100 chart in august 1964. atco also released an album entitled ain't she sweet which featured the other two tracks by sheridan and the beatles from the hamburg session and filled out by eight other songs (beatles and other british invasion numbers) covered by the swallows. in 1966 atco released a single in the usa by the who. "substitute"
American_record_labels Companies_established_in_1955 Heavy_metal_record_labels Labels_distributed_by_Warner_Music_Group Progressive_rock_record_labels Record_labels_established_in_1955 Rock_record_labels Warner_Music_labels