THE ORIGINS
Bluebell Records was founded in Milan in 1959 by Antonio Casetta, then just thirty years old. At a time when Italian music was being transformed by the arrival of rock ’n’ roll and the rapid growth of the recording industry, Casetta established a label that would go on to leave a lasting mark on the history of Italian recorded music.
A visionary producer with a passion for discovering new talent, Antonio Casetta built Bluebell around an open-minded and eclectic artistic philosophy. From the outset, the label embraced a wide range of musical styles, from Italian popular songs to the dance music that defined the twist and madison era. Among its earliest artists were Rocco Granata, Niki Davis and Paolo e i Nordisti.
Bluebell also became a home for some of Italy’s most promising singer-songwriters and melodic performers, including Federico Monti Arduini—who would later become the label’s Artistic Director—together with Piero Ciampi and Carmen Villani, one of the defining voices of the Bluebell catalogue.
An important part of Bluebell’s early success came through its exclusive distribution agreements for the Italian market with leading American record labels, including 20th Fox, Colpix, Chancellor, Canadian American, Somerset and Vee-Jay.
THE BIRTH OF BELLDISC
The 1960s and 1970s
Throughout the 1960s, Bluebell grew alongside the evolution of Italian popular music, working with artists and bands who helped define a generation. These included Bruno De Filippi and his ensemble, Claudio Lippi at the beginning of his career, New Dada, Barrittas and Corvi—leading figures of the Italian beat movement inspired by the British Invasion.
On 23 May 1967, Belldisc Italiana S.p.A. was officially established, with Antonio Casetta as Managing Director and Federico Monti Arduini as Artistic Director. The new company expanded its activities in record production and distribution while representing several prestigious international labels in Italy.
That same year also marked the beginning of Antonio Casetta’s collaboration with Fabrizio De André, a partnership that would become one of the defining relationships in the history of Italian music. Between 1967 and 1970, Bluebell-Belldisc released nine singles and three landmark albums by the Genoese singer-songwriter: Volume I, Tutti morimmo a stento and Volume III.
The success of this collaboration paved the way for a new chapter. In 1970, Casetta founded Produttori Associati and Editori Associati in partnership with G. Ricordi & C., further strengthening his role within the Italian music industry.
A NEW CHAPTER: BLUEBELLDISC MUSIC
In 2019, the historic Bluebell and Belldisc brands were brought back to life through the initiative of record producer Andrea Natale, under licence from Simone Casetta, the founder’s son, with the launch of Bluebelldisc Music.
Today, Bluebelldisc Music continues Antonio Casetta’s vision by celebrating its rich musical heritage while embracing the future. Alongside preserving and promoting its historic catalogue, the label remains committed to contemporary music, new talent and innovative artistic projects.
The label’s A&R is headed by acclaimed pianist and composer Isabella Turso.
Bluebelldisc Music operates both as a record label affiliated with ITSRIGHT and as a music publisher affiliated with SIAE. Its contemporary catalogue spans an impressive range of genres—from contemporary classical and jazz to pop, R&B, singer-songwriter music, opera and world music—featuring artists such as Isabella Turso, Diana Winter, Vittorio Grigolo, Clan Zingaro, Luca Nobis and Roberto Gualdi.
Alongside new releases, Bluebelldisc develops artistic collaborations and special projects with musicians, composers, cultural institutions and educational organisations, creating lasting connections between musical heritage and contemporary creativity.
Through its Bluebelldisc Past Master division, the label is also dedicated to preserving Italy’s recorded heritage through the recovery, digital restoration and release of historic recordings and previously unreleased material from the analogue era, with particular attention to Antonio Casetta’s original catalogue.
For more than 65 years, Bluebelldisc has been preserving musical heritage while shaping its future, bringing together iconic recordings, exceptional artists and new creative projects that continue to inspire across generations.