hmv Music, Film & Pop Culture Retail

hmv (His Master's Voice) is one of the most iconic names in British retail, famously tracing its heritage back to 1921 when the Gramophone Company opened the first dedicated hmv store on Oxford Street in London. Over the twentieth century, it became a cultural institution and the leading UK high-street destination for vinyl records, audio cassettes, compact discs, DVDs, and gaming.

Throughout its history, hmv has undergone multiple structural transformations. After being part of EMI, it was spun off as an independent public company, HMV Group plc, which later entered financial difficulties and administration during the 2010s. In February 2019, Canadian retail entrepreneur Doug Putman acquired the operational retail business and brand assets through Sunrise Records and Entertainment Limited, successfully leading a revival of the brand, including the reopening of its flagship store at 363 Oxford Street in London.

Because hmv is primarily a music, entertainment, and pop-culture retailer as well as a distributor of own-brand audio equipment and licensed merchandise, its goods are sourced globally from multiple countries. Today, the business operates under the ownership of Sunrise Records and Entertainment Limited (Putman Investments), headquartered in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada.