For thousands of years, music has brought people together, from singing songs about the great hunt to crooning about heartbreak and the loss of love. Music has always been used as a way to keep spirits up when times are hard and a way to celebrate when times are good. Music is powerful, and so is the merchandising industry behind it. History of Music Merch 1956 PROMOTE THE IMAGE OF ELVIS PRESLEY Hank Saperstein and Colonel Parker agree on a deal, giving Special Products, Inc. the right to promote the image of Elvis Presley. They soon began producing 30 different products, including hats, T-shirts, jeans, kerchiefs, sneakers, shirts, blouses, and belts. 1966 DESIGNS THE VERY FIRST GRATEFUL DEAD T-SHIRT Stanley Mouse and Alton Kelley went on to design the Grateful Dead skeleton and roses motif. 1971 THE ROLLING STONES RELEASE “STICKY FINGERS” WITH JOHN PASCHE-DESIGNED TONGUE LOGO John Pasche designed the iconic tongue logo for the Rolling Stones after being inspired by Mick Jagger. It became an important focal point for the band’s branding. 1973 ACE FREHLEY DESIGNS THE ORIGINAL OF THE NOW-FAMOUS KISS LOGO Although there was once speculation whether Paul Stanley had designed the KISS logo, it was finally agreed upon that it was, in fact, Ace Frehley’s creation. However, we certainly recognize KISS’s impact on music merchandise. 1983 MICHAEL JACKSON’S FAMOUS WHITE GLOVE In a 1983 television special commemorating the 25th anniversary of Motown, Michael Jackson debuted the crystal-encrusted glove that would become his most recognizable wardrobe hallmark. source: www.highsnobiety.com 1991 NIRVANA SMILEY FACE LOGO As for the Nirvana smiley face logo — that one first appeared on a poster for the private Nevermind album release party held on September 13th, 1991. It wasn’t until Nevermind achieved atmospheric levels of success that the smiley logo appeared in combination with the font all over t-shirts and every other piece of Nirvana merchandise that you can imagine.
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