Wat-Phnom Record Label History

Wat-Phnom was among the earlier record company that started business in Cambodia during the early 1960s. According to sources gathered*, it is the second recording company to produce LP records in Cambodia.

The first company ever to start was by Mr. Van Chann whose company record label was Cambodia Records. Mr. Van Chann and his wife had plenty of finance to support their record label. They were the only company that had a private studio. (The only other studio available were government operated radio stations.) Other recording companies would rent out their studio. There maybe up to 50 music production companies making records by the end of the decade. Most notable companies were: Cambodia , Wat-Phnom, Heng Heng, Chan Chhaya, Sakura, Lac Sea, Bayon, Angkor, Independence, Phnom Meas, Phnom Pich.

CAMBODIA 45-66051

ANGKOR 45-2002

Wat-Phnom label was created by a Chinese businessman who spoke fluent Khmer according to sources*.  Aside from the opportunity to profit from the music industry, no one knew for sure why he got into the business.  From evidence of early records, we can conclude that Wat-Phnom label produce mostly famous and established artist who demanded a premium for their work. A majority of the record released were by Mr. Sinn Sisamouth according to their reference catalog 45-5000 series.  A few were by Chhun Vanna and Huoy Meas. Later record releases were under up and coming artists such as Im Song Soeum, Keo Montha and Yin Dikan.  These record releases were under their reference catalog 45-6000 and 45-8000 series.

WAT-PHNOM 45-5012

WAT-PHNOM 45-5044

It is uncertain how Wat-Phnom arranged their catalog series.  We know that Sinn Sisamouth's Champa Battambang, catalog number 45-5044, was released around 1962 that made him famous.  However, this song was not  his first recording with Wat-Phnom label. He made a few prior records as evidence by catalog number 45-5012. Does that mean there were 32 songs in between release from catalog 45-5012 to 45-5044 by Wat-Phnom? There is no way to know for sure. The only way would be to have the complete collection.  Too bad, such archive does not exist.

Also worth noting is that later record companies put out song compilations into a 12" record and even continued into producing cassette tapes.   Wat-Phnom did just that as evidence here in their H-106 compilation. However, there is no evidence of cassette tapes ever being produced by Wat-Phnom. If such tapes did exist, they would have been destroyed during the war.

*Source: Seng Dara