Big Top

Big Top Records was founded in 1956 by music executive Don Kirshner and his partner, Al Nevins, as a subsidiary of the larger music publishing company, Aldon Music. The label initially focused on pop music and quickly gained prominence in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It became known for its roster of successful artists, including The Monkees, who were crafted into a manufactured band that achieved significant commercial success. Other notable acts included The Tokens, famous for their hit "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," and The Chiffons, known for their doo-wop sound. Big Top's influence waned in the late 1960s as musical tastes shifted towards rock and counterculture movements. Despite its decline, the label's legacy endures, particularly in its role in shaping the pop music landscape of the era and its contributions to the development of the teen idol phenomenon. Big Top Records remains a notable chapter in the history of American popular music.