GTO Records


GTO Records was a British record label which released many hits during the 1970s. It ran from 1974 to 1981 and mainly concentrated on pop music and disco. The acronym represented the Gem Toby Organization.

Background

The record label was founded by Laurence Myers in 1974, after he had set up GTO Films and Arcade Records over the past two years: the first GTO release - on 4 July 1974 - was the single "Up in a Puff of Smoke" by Polly Brown, and the label's focus would remain on pop and disco acts such as Billy Ocean, The Dooleys and Heatwave, and released Donna Summer's albums in the UK, all of which proved to be successful. Lulu also briefly recorded for the label. The biggest hit released by the label was Donna Summer's "I Feel Love", which reached No.1 in 1977.
In 1978, the label was sold to CBS Records after achieving a high level of hits for a new label. From this time, the Donna Summer records moved to Casablanca Records, while the hits for other acts began to dry up over the next two years. The label was wrapped up in late 1981 when its roster of acts were either dropped or moved on to Epic Records - also owned by CBS. Prior to the sale and transfer of artists, Epic distributed many of GTO albums, namely Heatwave's output.
The GTO back catalogue is currently owned by Sony Music.

Hit singles

;Top 40 singles: