HMV

HMV is an international music and entertainment retailer, founded in London in 1921. The brand is owned by Hilco Capital and operated by Sunrise Records, except in Japan, where it is owned and operated by Lawson.

The inaugural shop was opened on Oxford Street by the Gramophone Company, who had already established the His Master's Voice symbol on their sound equipment, and from 1909, as its own record label. In the 1960s, HMV became a chain across London, and expanded nationwide in the 1970s. It expanded internationally in the mid-1980s, and opened its 100th UK shop in 1997.

In 1998, the retail operations were divested from EMI (successor to the Gramophone Company), to form what would become HMV Group plc. In 2007, HMV bought rival retailer, Fopp, as well divesting its Japanese business. In April 2013, HMV was rescued by Hilco Capital for an estimated £50 million after falling into administration. In February 2019, the Canadian retailer Sunrise Records rescued 100 of the 127 HMV shops from Hilco after a second administration, but with Hilco retaining ownership of the HMV brand.

In May 2023, Sunrise Records announced HMV would return to Ireland, followed by an announcement in November 2023 that it would also enter the Belgian market. In February 2024, Sunrise Records announced HMV would re-enter the Canadian market as a store-within-a-store concept within Toys "R" Us locations.

In 1898, Francis Barraud painted His Master's Voice, which depicted his late dog, Nipper, listening to a phonograph. The painting and subsequent trademark rights would be sold in 1899 to the Gramophone Company, using it on its sound equipment, and in 1909, created their His Master's Voice record label.

In 1921, the Gramophone Company opened the first dedicated His Master's Voice shop at 363 Oxford Street, London, in a former men's clothing shop. Composer Edward Elgar participated in the opening ceremonies. In March 1931 the Gramophone Company merged with Columbia Graphophone Company to form Electric and Musical Industries Ltd (EMI), with the Gramophone Company becoming part of EMI.

The original HMV shop was severely damaged by a fire in 1937, but was rebuilt and reopened two years later on 8 May 1939. Sir Thomas Beecham opened the new shop.

In 1966, HMV began expanding its retail operations in London. Throughout the 1970s, the company continued to expand, doubling in size, and in six years became the country's leading specialist music retailer. It faced strong competition, however, from Virgin Megastores, established in 1976, and from Our Price, established in 1972, which had numerous high street retail shops around the UK. Subsequently, HMV overtook Our Price in popularity and threatened its existence, having established a chain of newer and larger shops.^{[citation needed]}