Featured image credit: Amé Kali
LA’s transition into a winter wonderland is subtle when compared to a lot of other U.S. cities. Maybe it’s all that year-round California sunshine. Sure, we have the annual Hollywood Christmas Parade, falling on the first Sunday after Thanksgiving since 1928. Then there’s the more recent tradition of the Pershing Square Ice Skating Rink, running from late November through mid-January. But perhaps the most widely recognizable herald of the season, simply because you can see it from all over Hollywood, is the Capitol Records building Christmas tree lighting. When you see those multi-colored lights streaming down from the building’s “needle”, there’s no question what time it is.
The History of the Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting
The old lyric “How lovely are thy branches” couldn’t really apply to the Capitol Records building Christmas tree. It has no leafy greenery; no sturdy branches. It seems to slip over the structure’s distinctive needle, including its red blinking beacon, like a dress made of light. The beacon still pokes out above its multi-faceted glowing star as the strings of red and white lights stream down at acute angles. It creates the minimalist impression of a Christmas tree, though you’d need to read between the lines to actually visualize the classic Tannenbaum.
This glowing insinuation of yuletide flora is the same tree that first decked the rooftop in 1958, just two years after the building was constructed. Designed by Stewart Romans for Ollsen Lighting, the tree consists of 4,373 25-watt bulbs in red and white. For those Angelenos missing the tree throughout the year, it’s worth noting that it’s always there… even if you can’t see it. Capitol stores the tree’s lights on spools directly atop the roof!
Since the very first Capitol Christmas tree lighting, the tree has inspired seasonal cheer with its radiance every year around this time with the exception of 1973. That’s when a citywide energy crisis rendered the traditional lighting of the Capitol Records building Christmas tree unfeasible. Capitol Records alleges that their phones rang off the hook all season with complaints about the tree’s absence. So much for a green Christmas. But the response highlights just how integral the Capitol Records building Christmas tree lighting has become to the city over the decades.
The Instantly Recognizable Capitol Records Building
The Capitol Records building itself is something of an LA icon. Located on Vine Street between Hollywood Boulevard and Yucca Street, the towering 13-story structure can be seen from several picturesque vantage points around Hollywood. And its unique design, intended to look like a stack of records, makes it instantly recognizable. That’s not to say it’s instantly recognizable as a stack of records… to be fair, that similarity is frequently lost on observers. There’s a reason you don’t often hear of the Capitol Records building as a prime example of programmatic architecture.
But the circular tower asymmetrically crowned with a “needle” looks like nothing but itself. The concept came from architect Louis Naidorf representing the firm of Welton Becket, the company behind such distinctive LA structures as the Cinerama Dome, the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, and the Petersen Automotive Museum (originally a department store). When it was completed in 1956, the Capitol Records building was an architectural wonder as the first circular office building in the world.
The flashing red beacon atop the needle further distinguishes the Capitol Records building. It’s actually blinking in Morse code, continually spelling “Hollywood” on an endless loop. Well, almost endless. In 1992, it switched to spelling “Happy Birthday” to honor the record label’s 50th anniversary. There have been occasional deviations over the years, but it always returns to its “Hollywood” default.
Will the Owners of the Capitol Records Building Continue the Tradition?
The Capitol Records building has switched ownership on a few occasions over the decades, often leading to speculation on whether the traditional Christmas tree lighting has come to an end. In 2006, EMI Group (who had purchased Capitol Records) sold the building for $50 million to Argent Ventures. The New York-headquartered developer purchased the iconic structure as part of a sale-leaseback deal. Currently, the building is owned by CPH 1750 North Vine LLC, a limited liability corporation with ties to Millennium Partners, a joint venture partner of Argent Ventures.
In 2023, Universal Music Group (which now owns Capitol Records) purchased a 50% stake in the ownership of the Capitol Records building. At the same time, they signed a 20-year lease with a chance to purchase the building in full at the completion of the lease. So, it seems likely that the Christmas tree lighting at the Capitol building will continue into the foreseeable future.
Christmas in LA
Over the years, Capitol Records has invited the families of some of its luminary artist roster to flip the power box as part of the Christmas tree lighting ceremony. The kin of Nat “King” Cole and Frank Sinatra have flipped the switch over the years, illuminating the Hollywood night with the tree’s comforting glow. Despite (or maybe because of) its lilting, asymmetrical appearance to accommodate the supportive needle underneath, the Capitol Records Christmas tree continues to be one of the most beloved traditions the city has maintained over the years. Nothing says “Christmas in Los Angeles” quite like it.
