Peter Pan Records

Peter Pan Records is a record label specializing in children's music. It was created in 1950. The label was owned by the Synthetic Plastics Company of Newark, New Jersey until the 1970s.

The label became one of the largest and most successful children's specialty record labels in America, manufacturing unique, quality releases that often contrasted those of their competitors (Wonderland Records, Kid Stuff Records, Mr. Pickwick). Peter Pan enjoyed their greatest success during the 1970s.

The label was notable for its series of book-and-record sets, combining an illustrated storybook with a vinyl record that contained music and narration by "your Peter Pan Storyteller" (who, memorably, would prompt the listener to "turn the page" at the sound of a bell). Cartoon characters were often subjects, or stars of stories.

One of their most successful and most memorable releases was "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town", an original production by Peter Pan's studio collective (known as the Peppermint Kandy Kids), that featured splendid remakes of classic Christmas holiday songs, featuring original songs for the album as well as convincing character portrayals of "Santa Claus" and "Mrs. Claus".

Peter Pan Records was spun off into its own entity, Peter Pan Industries, from the 1970s to 2000. In the early 1990s, while keeping its primary asset alive (even though the children's label market had declined), Peter Pan Industries branched into music releases, not aimed at the children's market. The company changed its name to PPI Entertainment of Newark, New Jersey, and established new label divisions and imprints, including Rohit International Records, a "budget" label from the 1990s that specialized in reggae.

PPI Entertainment Group changed its name yet again in the year 2000 to Inspired Corporation, and is now based in Roseland, New Jersey, and run by longtime President/CEO Donald Kasen. The company continues to release children's music both on CD and online formats. Inspired is currently in the process of converting the music from the vaults of Synthetic Plastics (to the present) into digital media.

Power Records
Power Records was a related label, featuring characters licensed from DC Comics and Marvel Comics, and contemporary television series (such as Space: 1999, Kojak, Star Trek and The Six Million Dollar Man), in stories geared toward older children. (Planet of the Apes]] was also adapted, both from the movies and the short-lived TV series.) Besides book-and-record sets, LPs were produced, featuring the recorded stories without illustrations.