Elvis Presley first recorded with Sun Records in Memphis, and then became world-famous under RCA Victor (RCA Records) , which handled his major- label career for the rest of his life.

Main record labels

  • Sun Records (1954–1955)
    • Elvis began his professional recording career at Sun Records in Memphis in 1954, working with producer Sam Phillips.
* Sun was the first label to record Elvis before his music and image exploded nationally.
  • RCA Victor / RCA Records (1955 onward)
    • In late 1955, Sam Phillips sold Elvis’s Sun contract and recordings to RCA Victor for around $35,000–$40,000, a record-breaking sum at the time.
* Elvis began recording for RCA in January 1956 and stayed under RCA contract for the rest of his career, with RCA owning his masters.

Who owns the recordings now?

  • RCA Records later became part of BMG , and then BMG merged with Sony Music Entertainment in 2004, so Elvis’s classic RCA catalog now falls under the Sony music family.
  • Elvis himself never owned his Sun or RCA recordings; he sold his artist royalties on his pre-1973 recordings to RCA in a later deal, so ongoing sales revenue on those masters goes to the label rather than his estate.

Publishing vs. record label

  • Separate from the record label , Elvis had partial ownership in many songs via publishing companies such as Elvis Presley Music , Gladys Music , Whitehaven Music , and others.
  • For many of his recordings, publishing was handled in partnership with Hill & Range Music, with Elvis’s companies typically owning a share of the songwriting rights.

Quick HTML table for clarity

[1][7][5][9] [3][1][5][9] [5]
Phase Label Timeframe Key Details
Early career Sun Records 1954–1955 First professional recordings in Memphis with Sam Phillips; regional success before national breakout.
Major career RCA Victor / RCA Records 1955–1977 Contract purchased from Sun; all major hits and albums released through RCA; Elvis remained with RCA until his death.
Corporate ownership RCA → BMG → Sony 1980s–2000s RCA absorbed by BMG; BMG merged with Sony Music Entertainment, placing Elvis’s RCA catalog under Sony’s umbrella.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.