Capitol Records Building

The building's design is based on the graduate school drawings of Lou Naidorf who, as the primary architect, designed the first circular office building when he was 24 years old.^[9][10] The wide curved awnings over windows on each story and the tall spike emerging from the top of the building resembles a stack of records on a turntable with the spindle pointing skyward.^[11] This resemblance, however, was coincidental, as Welton Becket kept the client's identity secret. Upon first seeing the design, Capitol Records' president Glen Wallichs insisted on a rectangular building, so Naidorf provided Wallichs with both. Wallichs presented both designs to his lender, who felt the round design would attract attention, which would make it easier to lease. Wallichs conceded, choosing Naidorf's initial round design.^[12] The rectangular ground floor is a separate structure, joined to the tower after completion.

The 13-story building conforms to the 150-foot (46 m) zoning height limit in place at the time of its construction. Height restrictions were lifted in 1956.^[13] The thirteenth floor of the tower is the "Executive Level" and is represented by an "E" in the building's two elevators.^[14]

In September 2006, EMI sold the tower and adjacent properties for US$50 million to New York developer Argent Ventures. The studio claimed that noise from construction of a condominium threatened it, as well as an underground parking lot by building firm Second Street Ventures would have heavy equipment working within 18 feet (5.5 m) of its renowned underground echo chambers, which are themselves over 20 feet (6.1 m) below ground level.^[20]

In November 2012, Steve Barnett was announced as the new Chairman and CEO of the Capitol Music Group and the company stated his office would be in the building.^[21] This coincided with Capitol Music Group becoming part of Universal Music Group, assuring its new parent company two Los Angeles headquarters.

• 
  An aerial view of the Capitol Records Building
• 
  Viewed from Hollywood and Vine, 1997
• 
  Parking lot mural titled Hollywood Jazz
• 
  Taken on 2006-03-28
• 
  Viewed from the 101 Freeway

• The 2009-2010 series Life After People has one episode feature the Capitol Records Building crumbling 175 years after humans vanish, although the echo chambers are shown to have survived the collapse.
• The 2013 video game Grand Theft Auto V features the Badger Building, based on the Capitol Records Building.^[22]
• The 1990 film The Adventures of Ford Fairlane features the building prominently in the climactic scene.^[23]

• List of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments in Hollywood
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Los Angeles