Information about Mca Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group, which MCA Records was still part of.
American Decca issued their records outside North America on the Brunswick and Coral labels. In 1967, the Brunswick and Coral labels were replaced by the MCA label to release American Decca and Kapp label material outside North America. [5]
The first artists to appear on the new MCA label were mostly British rock groups such as Budgie, Stackridge, and Wishbone Ash. MCA UK also issued American Brunswick material on the MCA label until MCA lost control of Brunswick in 1970 at which point American Brunswick material was issued in the UK on the Brunswick label. Uni label material was issued on the Uni label worldwide.
In 1971, MCA consolidated the New York based Decca and Kapp labels plus the California based Uni label into MCA Records based in Universal City, California. The three labels maintained their identities for a short time but were soon retired in favor of the MCA label.[7] The first MCA Records release in the US was former Uni artist Elton John's Crocodile Rock in 1972.[8] In 1973, the final Decca pop label release was issued. The catalogues of the Decca, Uni and Kapp labels were reissued on the MCA label.
In the same period a music icon scored a series of hit singles and albums under the MCA (at that time Kapp Records): Cher. While Sonny & Cher became less popular, Cher as a solo artist reached the #1 and the Top 10 in the Billboard Hot 100 and internationally with the singles "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" (1971), "Half-Breed" (1973) on MCA and "Dark Lady" (1974) and others singles released from the albums of the same name. With these successes Cher became the most popular female artist in the world and one of the biggest-selling artists of the 1970s.
MCA also profited from reissuing in the 1970s classic early rock and roll recordings made by artists who recorded for the numerous labels absorbed by MCA over the years. One notable example was the 1954 Decca recording "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley & His Comets, which was featured as the lead track of MCA's No. 1-charting American Grafitti soundtrack album, and as a single returned to the American top 40 that year, 20 years after it was recorded.
In 1977 MCA set up the Infinity Records division, based in New York City with Ron Alexenberg as CEO. Alexenberg had previously been with the Epic division of CBS Records, now Sony BMG. The intention was to give MCA a stronger presence on the east coast. The only big hit the Infinity label had was "Escape" by Rupert Holmes which was #1 at the end of 1979. Infinity also had some success with Hot Chocolate, Spyro Gyra, New England and TKO. But MCA pulled the plug on Infinity after it failed to sell most of the 1 million advance copies of an album featuring Pope John Paul II in October 1979. Infinity was fully absorbed by the parent company in 1980.
In 1979 it acquired ABC Records along with its subsidiaries Paramount Records, Dunhill Records, Impulse Records, Westminster Records , and Dot Records. ABC had acquired the Paramount and Dot labels when they purchased Gulf+Western's record labels, the Famous Music Group, thus MCA now controlled the following material once owned by Paramount Pictures: the music released by Paramount's record labels, and the pre-1950 films by Paramount as well. The better selling ABC Records catalogue albums were reissued on the MCA label.[9]
The combined effects of the Infinity Records failure, the purchase of ABC Records, rising vinyl costs and a huge slump in record sales produced tremendous losses for the company between 1979 and 1982. It was not until the mid 1980s that the record labels returned to significant profitability. MCA received negative publicity when it tried to raise the list prices of new albums from $8.98 to $9.98. Steely Dan's Gaucho was the first $9.98 list album in November 1980. Tom Petty succeeded in his campaign to force the label to drop prices back to $8.98 for his album Hard Promises released in May 1981.
The Chess Records catalog was acquired from the remnants of Sugar Hill Records in 1985. Motown Records was bought in 1988 (and sold to PolyGram in 1993). GRP Records and Geffen Records were acquired in 1990. Unlike most of MCA's previous acquisitions, the GRP and Geffen labels kept their identities and MCA created a new holding company called MCA Music Entertainment Group. In the same year, the MCA Inc parent company was purchased by the Matsushita group.
In 1998 Seagram acquired PolyGram (owner of British Decca) from Philips and merged it with its music holdings. When Seagram's drinks business was bought by France-based Pernod Ricard, its media holdings (including Universal) were sold to Vivendi which became Vivendi Universal which was later renamed back to Vivendi SA after selling most of the entertainment division (which included Universal Pictures) to General Electric.
Pre-history
MCA entered the recorded music business in 1962 with the purchase of the New York based US Decca Records branch (established in 1934[1]), including Coral Records and Brunswick Records. As American Decca owned Universal Pictures, MCA assumed full ownership of Universal and made it into the top film studio in town, producing hit after hit.[2] In 1966, MCA formed Uni Records[3] and in 1967 purchased Kapp Records.[4]MCA Records formation outside North America
MCA's Decca Records only had the rights to the Decca name in North America. British Decca owned the rights to the Decca name in most of the world. The two Deccas were forced to sever their ties during World War II following anti-trust legislation in the United States. After the war, British Decca formed a new American subsidiary, London Records.American Decca issued their records outside North America on the Brunswick and Coral labels. In 1967, the Brunswick and Coral labels were replaced by the MCA label to release American Decca and Kapp label material outside North America. [5]
The first artists to appear on the new MCA label were mostly British rock groups such as Budgie, Stackridge, and Wishbone Ash. MCA UK also issued American Brunswick material on the MCA label until MCA lost control of Brunswick in 1970 at which point American Brunswick material was issued in the UK on the Brunswick label. Uni label material was issued on the Uni label worldwide.
MCA Records
In 1970, MCA reorganized its Canadian record company Compo Company Ltd. into MCA Records (Canada).[6]In 1971, MCA consolidated the New York based Decca and Kapp labels plus the California based Uni label into MCA Records based in Universal City, California. The three labels maintained their identities for a short time but were soon retired in favor of the MCA label.[7] The first MCA Records release in the US was former Uni artist Elton John's Crocodile Rock in 1972.[8] In 1973, the final Decca pop label release was issued. The catalogues of the Decca, Uni and Kapp labels were reissued on the MCA label.
In the same period a music icon scored a series of hit singles and albums under the MCA (at that time Kapp Records): Cher. While Sonny & Cher became less popular, Cher as a solo artist reached the #1 and the Top 10 in the Billboard Hot 100 and internationally with the singles "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" (1971), "Half-Breed" (1973) on MCA and "Dark Lady" (1974) and others singles released from the albums of the same name. With these successes Cher became the most popular female artist in the world and one of the biggest-selling artists of the 1970s.
MCA also profited from reissuing in the 1970s classic early rock and roll recordings made by artists who recorded for the numerous labels absorbed by MCA over the years. One notable example was the 1954 Decca recording "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley & His Comets, which was featured as the lead track of MCA's No. 1-charting American Grafitti soundtrack album, and as a single returned to the American top 40 that year, 20 years after it was recorded.
In 1977 MCA set up the Infinity Records division, based in New York City with Ron Alexenberg as CEO. Alexenberg had previously been with the Epic division of CBS Records, now Sony BMG. The intention was to give MCA a stronger presence on the east coast. The only big hit the Infinity label had was "Escape" by Rupert Holmes which was #1 at the end of 1979. Infinity also had some success with Hot Chocolate, Spyro Gyra, New England and TKO. But MCA pulled the plug on Infinity after it failed to sell most of the 1 million advance copies of an album featuring Pope John Paul II in October 1979. Infinity was fully absorbed by the parent company in 1980.
In 1979 it acquired ABC Records along with its subsidiaries Paramount Records, Dunhill Records, Impulse Records, Westminster Records , and Dot Records. ABC had acquired the Paramount and Dot labels when they purchased Gulf+Western's record labels, the Famous Music Group, thus MCA now controlled the following material once owned by Paramount Pictures: the music released by Paramount's record labels, and the pre-1950 films by Paramount as well. The better selling ABC Records catalogue albums were reissued on the MCA label.[9]
The combined effects of the Infinity Records failure, the purchase of ABC Records, rising vinyl costs and a huge slump in record sales produced tremendous losses for the company between 1979 and 1982. It was not until the mid 1980s that the record labels returned to significant profitability. MCA received negative publicity when it tried to raise the list prices of new albums from $8.98 to $9.98. Steely Dan's Gaucho was the first $9.98 list album in November 1980. Tom Petty succeeded in his campaign to force the label to drop prices back to $8.98 for his album Hard Promises released in May 1981.
The Chess Records catalog was acquired from the remnants of Sugar Hill Records in 1985. Motown Records was bought in 1988 (and sold to PolyGram in 1993). GRP Records and Geffen Records were acquired in 1990. Unlike most of MCA's previous acquisitions, the GRP and Geffen labels kept their identities and MCA created a new holding company called MCA Music Entertainment Group. In the same year, the MCA Inc parent company was purchased by the Matsushita group.
MCA Music Entertainment Group becomes Universal Music Group
In 1995, Seagram Company Ltd. acquired 80% of MCA and the following year the new owners dropped the MCA name; the company became Universal Studios, Inc. and its music division, MCA Music Entertainment Group, was renamed Universal Music Group.In 1998 Seagram acquired PolyGram (owner of British Decca) from Philips and merged it with its music holdings. When Seagram's drinks business was bought by France-based Pernod Ricard, its media holdings (including Universal) were sold to Vivendi which became Vivendi Universal which was later renamed back to Vivendi SA after selling most of the entertainment division (which included Universal Pictures) to General Electric.
MCA label phaseout
In spring 2003, the MCA Records label was absorbed by Geffen Records,[10] which continues to manage MCA's rock, pop, and urban back catalogues (including those from ABC Records and Famous Music Group). Its country music label, MCA Nashville Records is still in operation. MCA's jazz catalogue is managed by Verve Records, while its classical music catalogue is managed by Deutsche Grammophon.) First MCA Records logo, used outside North America and patterned after the 1960s American Decca logo. | ){kind=small} MCA Records logo used from 1972 through 1991. | ){kind=small} Logo used from 1991 through 1997. | ){kind=logo} Final MCA Records logo, used from 1997 until its dismantling in 2003. |
MCA Records in Culture
Lynyrd Skynyrd, which recorded under the MCA Label, normally opens shows with its song "Workin' For MCA," which needless to say is based on their own experience with the label.MCA Records recording artists
This is an incomplete list. Please add to this list if you are aware of an omission.- For country music artists, see MCA Nashville Records
- Note that artists whose recordings on record labels which MCA or predecessor companies acquired were reissued on the MCA label. Artists who did not have recordings first issued on the MCA label are not listed here.
- Aqua
- Bell Biv Devoe
- Mary J. Blige
- Beijing Spring
- Blackalicious
- Blink-182
- Boston
- Bobby Brown
- Budgie
- Jimmy Buffett
- The Cardigans
- Belinda Carlisle (US and Canada only)
- Cher (with Kapp Records; from 1971 to 1972)
- Colosseum II
- Common
- Alice Cooper
- The Crusaders
- Kiki Dee (Rocket/MCA)
- Neil Diamond
- Joe Dolce
- Donna De Lory
- Sheena Easton
- The Fixx
- Guy
- Aaron Hall
- Damion Hall
- Anthony Hamilton
- Tasha Holiday
- Rupert Holmes
- II D Extreme
- Immature
- Indecent Obsession
- The Jets
- Jodeci
- Elton John (US and Canada only)
- K-Ci & JoJo
- July For Kings
- B.B. King
- Klymaxx
- Femi Kuti
- Leapy Lee
- London Jones
- Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Patti Labelle
- Meat Loaf (US and Canada only)
- Dannii Minogue
- Monteco
- Gary Moore
- Alanis Morissette (Canada only)
- Musical Youth
- New Edition
- New Found Glory
- Oingo Boingo
- Olivia Newton-John (US and Canada only)
- Night Ranger
- Kardinal Offishall
- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
- Poco
- Jesse Powell
- Ralph Tresvant
- Raven-Symone
- Ready for the World
- Cliff Richard (Rocket/MCA, US only)
- The Roots
- Buffy Sainte-Marie
- Telly Savalas
- Neil Sedaka (Rocket/MCA)
- Shai
- Soul for Real
- Spinal Tap
- Spyro Gyra
- Stackridge
- Steely Dan
- Sublime
- Tiffany
- Triumph
- Trixter
- Tracey Ullman (Stiff/MCA)
- Twisted Method
- The Who (US and Canada only)
- Jackie Wilson
- Wishbone Ash
See also
- Decca Records
- Uni Records
- Kapp Records
- ABC Records
- Dunhill Records
- Chess Records
- MCA Nashville Records
- Geffen Records
- Universal Music Group
- Infinity Records
- Uptown Records
External links
The Music Corporation of America (or MCA) was an American corporation in the music and television businesses. MCA published music, booked acts, ran a record company, and distributed television productions and home videos.
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19th century - 20th century - 21st century
1930s 1940s 1950s - 1960s - 1970s 1980s 1990s
1959 1960 1961 - 1962 - 1963 1964 1965
Year 1962 (MCMLXII
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1930s 1940s 1950s - 1960s - 1970s 1980s 1990s
1959 1960 1961 - 1962 - 1963 1964 1965
Year 1962 (MCMLXII
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Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929. Its US label was established in late 1934.
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The label
The name "Decca" dates back to a portable gramophone called the "Decca Dulcephone" patented in 1914 by musical instrument makers Barnett Samuel and Sons...... Click the link for more information.
19th century - 20th century - 21st century
1900s 1910s 1920s - 1930s - 1940s 1950s 1960s
1931 1932 1933 - 1934 - 1935 1936 1937
Year 1934 (MCMXXXIV
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1900s 1910s 1920s - 1930s - 1940s 1950s 1960s
1931 1932 1933 - 1934 - 1935 1936 1937
Year 1934 (MCMXXXIV
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Coral Records was a Decca Records subsidiary based in the United States of America. Various jazz and swing band recordings were issued on Coral in the 1940s. Coral's A&R manager Bob Thiele would marry Coral artist Teresa Brewer.
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Brunswick Records is a United States based record label. The label is currently distributed by Koch Entertainment.
Records under the "Brunswick" label were first produced by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company (a company based in Dubuque, Iowa which had been manufacturing
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Records under the "Brunswick" label were first produced by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company (a company based in Dubuque, Iowa which had been manufacturing
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Universal Studios
Subsidiary
Founded June 8, 1912
Headquarters Universal City, California, United States
Key people Carl Laemmle, Founder
Ron Meyer, President/COO
Industry Motion pictures
Parent NBC Universal
Owner General Electric
Vivendi
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Subsidiary
Founded June 8, 1912
Headquarters Universal City, California, United States
Key people Carl Laemmle, Founder
Ron Meyer, President/COO
Industry Motion pictures
Parent NBC Universal
Owner General Electric
Vivendi
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Uni Records (short for the label's legal name Universal City Records) was a record label owned by MCA Inc. The brand, which long featured a distinct UNi logo, was established in 1966 by MCA executive Ned Tanen and developed by music industry veteran Russ Regan.
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Kapp Records was a record label started in 1955 by David Kapp, brother of Jack Kapp (who had set up American Decca Records in 1934). [1] Kapp licensed its records to London Records for release in the UK.
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Allied powers:
Soviet Union
United States
United Kingdom
China
France
...et al. Axis powers:
Germany
Japan
Italy
...et al.
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Soviet Union
United States
United Kingdom
China
France
...et al. Axis powers:
Germany
Japan
Italy
...et al.
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London Records is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 through 1979, then became a semi-independent label.
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Budgie is a hard rock band from Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales.
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Career
Formed in 1967, their original line-up consisted of Burke Shelley (b. John Burke Shelley, 10 April 1947, Tiger Bay, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales) on bass guitar and vocals, Tony Bourge (b...... Click the link for more information.
Stackridge are a British folk, pop and progressive rock group who were at the height of their success during the early 1970s. Characterized by quirky humour and rhythmic catchy sing along tunes the band gained a cult following which continues to this day.
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Wishbone Ash are a British rock band who achieved particular success in the early and mid-1970s. Formed in Devon in 1969 out of the ashes of the group The Empty Vessels, which had featured Wishbone Ash's founding members Martin Turner and Steve Upton, the original line-up was
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Compo Company Ltd. was Canada's first independent record company. [1]
The Compo Company was founded in 1918 in Lachine, Quebec by Herbert Berliner, an executive of Berliner Gramophone of Canada and the oldest son of disc record inventor Emile Berliner.
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The Compo Company was founded in 1918 in Lachine, Quebec by Herbert Berliner, an executive of Berliner Gramophone of Canada and the oldest son of disc record inventor Emile Berliner.
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State of New York
Flag of New York Seal
Nickname(s): The Empire State
Motto(s): Excelsior!
Official language(s) None
Capital Albany
Largest city New York City
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Flag of New York Seal
Nickname(s): The Empire State
Motto(s): Excelsior!
Official language(s) None
Capital Albany
Largest city New York City
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Universal City is a community in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles County, California that encompasses the 415 acre (1.7 km²) property of Universal Studios. Approximately 70 percent of the property is in an unincorporated area of the county surrounded by the City of
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Sir Elton Hercules[1] John CBE[2] (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March, 1947) is a five-time Grammy and one-time Academy Award-winning English pop/rock singer, composer and pianist.
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B-side(s) "Elderberry Wine"
Released 1972
Genre Light Rock/Piano rock
Label MCA (US)
DJM (UK)
Writer(s) Elton John, Bernie Taupin
Peak chart positions
1 (U.S.
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Released 1972
Genre Light Rock/Piano rock
Label MCA (US)
DJM (UK)
Writer(s) Elton John, Bernie Taupin
Peak chart positions
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19th century - 20th century - 21st century
1940s 1950s 1960s - 1970s - 1980s 1990s 2000s
1969 1970 1971 - 1972 - 1973 1974 1975
Year 1972 (MCMLXXII
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1940s 1950s 1960s - 1970s - 1980s 1990s 2000s
1969 1970 1971 - 1972 - 1973 1974 1975
Year 1972 (MCMLXXII
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For the song by James Blunt, see .
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Cherilyn Sarkisian LaPierre (better known as Cher) (born on May 20, 1946)[1] is an American singer, actress, songwriter, author and entertainer. Among her many accomplishments in music, television and film, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy
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Sonny & Cher were an American rock & roll duo, made up of husband and wife team Sonny Bono and Cher in the 1960s and 1970s. They were among the first hippie personas with mainstream appeal. In their career (1964-1975) Sonny & Cher had sold 80 million records worldwide.
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Top Ten or Top 10 may refer to:
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- A list of the ten ultimates of any category.
- Top 10 (comic book), a comic book published by DC Comics
- TOP TEN, an Estonian record label
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The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on airplay and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday; while the airplay
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Released 1971
Recorded 1971
Genre Pop/Rock
Length 2:36
Label Kapp
Writer(s) Bob Stone
Producer(s) Snuff Garrett
Certification Platinum
Peak chart positions
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Recorded 1971
Genre Pop/Rock
Length 2:36
Label Kapp
Writer(s) Bob Stone
Producer(s) Snuff Garrett
Certification Platinum
Peak chart positions
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Released 1973
Format 7" single
Recorded 1973
Genre Pop
Length 2:46
Label MCA
Writer(s) Al Capps; Mary Dean
Producer(s) Snuff Garrett
Certification Gold (US)
Peak chart positions
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Format 7" single
Recorded 1973
Genre Pop
Length 2:46
Label MCA
Writer(s) Al Capps; Mary Dean
Producer(s) Snuff Garrett
Certification Gold (US)
Peak chart positions
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Released 1974
Format 7" single
Recorded 1973/1974
Genre Pop
Length 3:27
Label MCA
Writer(s) Johnny Durrell
Producer(s) Snuff Garrett
Certification Gold (RIAA)
Peak chart positions
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Format 7" single
Recorded 1973/1974
Genre Pop
Length 3:27
Label MCA
Writer(s) Johnny Durrell
Producer(s) Snuff Garrett
Certification Gold (RIAA)
Peak chart positions
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Centuries: 19th century - 20th century - 21st century
1940s 1950s 1960s - 1970s - 1980s 1990s 2000s
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974
1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
- -
- The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called
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1940s 1950s 1960s - 1970s - 1980s 1990s 2000s
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974
1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
- -
- The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called
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Herod_Archelaus
