Do you know what HMV stands for?

2023-04-28

HMV is returning to the high street, but do YOU know what the name actually means?

Music fans are wondering what the HMV acronym actually stands for
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After it was announced that HMV’s flagship shop is making a return fans are wondering what the acronym actually stands for.

The company, which was founded in 1921 in London, by the Gramophone Company with the famous pink dog and gramophone appearing for over a century on our high streets.

However many were unaware that the major British record label HMV stands for His Master’s Voice.

The phrase was coined in the late 1890s as the title of a painting depicting a terrier-mix dog named Nipper listening to a wind-up disc gramophone and tilting his head.

The painting by Francis Barraud of the dog came after Francis started to play records of his dead brother’s voice, the dog would run over to the phonograph and listen intently.

After it was announced that HMV’s flagship shop is making a return fans are wondering what the acronym actually stands for

That lead to the iconic painting by Francis, which was titled His Master’s Voice.

The painting was purchased by The Gramophone Company, and they made it their logo by 1900.

A few years later they decided to rename the company to the acronym HMV.

It comes after the chain revealed that it will reopen the world-famous site at 363 Oxford Street – which saw hundreds of stars perform and host record signings over its 98-year existence – later this year.

The store closed in February 2019 after becoming unprofitable amid rising business rates and dwindling footfall.

In the face of intense competition from cheaper online retailers and streaming services, HMV has come up with an ‘evolved retail concept’ and will stock a wide range of pop culture merchandise, vinyl, film, TV and music technology.

The announcement is a huge boost to Britain’s beleaguered High Street, and especially Oxford Street, which has seen major brands including Topshop, Debenhams and House of Fraser close as they have been dealt hammer blows by economic crisis after crisis.

The phrase was coined in the late 1890s as the title of a painting depicting a terrier-mix dog named Nipper listening to a wind-up disc gramophone and tilting his head (The original 1898 His Master’s Voice oil painting)

The painting was purchased by The Gramophone Company, and they made it their logo by 1900 (pictured an 1901 advertisement for His Master’s Voice)

The retailer shut the flagship store in 2019 after falling into administration before a rescue takeover by Canadian Doug Putman’s Sunrise Records.

It is understood that HMV has signed a deal to replace the current occupant, whose lease is set to expire in around six months.

HMV said the return to 363 Oxford Street was the ‘latest sign of a dramatic turnaround’ after collapsing four years ago, with the firm bouncing back to profit last year.

The store will feature the company’s new logo and store layout, which it has been rolling out since 2021.

The retailer has shifted further towards pop culture merchandise, vinyl, music technology, such as headphones, and live music and signings in stores amid waning demand for DVDs and CDs.

HMV said it will have brought the concept, which it dubs HMV Shop, to 24 new sites and 14 existing stores by the end of the year.

HMV currently has 120 shops across the UK, including a West London location in Westfield in White City, the specialist Fopp store in Covent Garden, and the 25,000 sq ft Vault in Birmingham – which is Europe’s largest entertainment store.

Mr Putman said today: ‘The expansion of our fan-focused pop culture offer is really working for us and the reopening of our flagship represents the culmination of a good few years of hard work.

‘We are also opening stores in Europe this year, so while it is the culmination of one phase of work, more excitingly we see it as the launch pad for an exciting new era for HMV.’

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