Melodiya

Melodiya (Russian: Мелодия) is a Russian record label that originated as the state-owned All-Union Recording Company in the Soviet Union. It was established in 1964 and became the principal distributor of phonograph records in the USSR, producing a wide range of formats, including vinyl LPs, singles, and later compact discs. As a state monopoly, Melodiya controlled much of the domestic market and played a central role in documenting Soviet and Russian performers, orchestras, and composers.

The label released classical repertoire, opera and ballet performances, folk music, and popular songs, with artists from state studios and major ensembles such as the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra and the Leningrad Philharmonic. Its catalog includes works by Russian composers such as Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, and Rimsky-Korsakov, as well as recordings of traditional and modern performers. Melodiya also distributed music to allied countries and participated in international licensing during certain periods of Soviet foreign cultural trade.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Melodiya underwent restructuring amid the broader transition of the music industry, facing competition from private labels and new formats. The company pursued modernization by reissuing archival material, remastering classics, and expanding into digital distribution and licensing deals with international partners. Today, Melodiya continues to operate in Russia as a historic label with a catalog spanning archival recordings and contemporary releases, contributing to the preservation and dissemination of Russian musical heritage.