Philips PS1 PS1/12 User Manual

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Philips Phonografische Industrie (PPI) and gramophone records, 1950s.

A legend of the recording industry

Philips’ recording history began with the 1942 acquisition 
of Hollandsche Decca Distributie (HDD), exclusive Dutch 
distributor of Decca Records and gramophone producer.  
Philips Phonografische Industrie (PPI) was formed in 1950 as an 
entrant to the record manufacturing and recording industries. 

PPI played an important role in introducing the long-playing 
vinyl (LP) record to Europe and it distributed Mercury Records 
worldwide. In 1962, PPI merged with Deutsche Grammophon 
Gesellschaft (DGG), owner of Polydor Records to form GPG,  
the largest record company in Europe.

GPG became PolyGram and Polydor Records in the US in 
1972 and acquired famous American and British labels including 
MGM Records and Decca. The disco craze of the 1970s marked 
Polygram’s peak, thanks to multi-million selling records and 
soundtracks.

For a time it was the world’s biggest record company, bolstered 
by acquisitions of famous labels including Motown. Sadly,  
the company’s fortunes dwindled and it was sold to Seagram in 
1998 to become Universal Music. Today it survives through the 
reissue of music under the Polydor Records label.