If you have time between flights at Philadelphia International Airport, in addition to the many artworks on view, you can also learn about some of Philadelphia’s musical history. An installation dedicated to the 50th Anniversary of the music label Philadelphia International Records is currently on display in Terminal A.

More from Art at PHL’s website–

Philadelphia is proud to be the home of the legendary label Philadelphia International Records (PIR) known for creating The Sound of Philadelphia (TSOP). Songwriters and music producers Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Thom Bell nicknamed The Mighty Three, are referred to as the masterminds of the Black-owned label known for its unique sound and vision based on messages of love, peace, empowerment, pride, and strength.

Their prolific catalog includes more than 3,500 songs that include instantly recognizable hits like Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now, Back Stabbers, Don’t Leave Me This Way, Enjoy Yourself, For the Love Of Money, I Love Music, If You Don’t Know Me By Now, Lady Love, Love Train, Me and Mrs. Jones, TSOP (theme song for the national dance show Soul Train), Use Ta Be My Girl, You Make Me Feel Brand New, You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine, and When Will I See You Again. The list of artists that PIR wrote songs for and signed is extensive – Archie Bell & The Drells, Jean Carn, Phyllis Hyman, The Jacksons, The Jones Girls, Patti LaBelle, McFadden and Whitehead, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, MSFB, Billy Paul, Teddy Pendergrass, The O’Jays, Lou Rawls, The Stylistics, and The Three Degrees.

For more than five decades, PIR’s music has captivated people of all generations, from all over the world. With countless classics, international acclaim, and their continuing legacy, PIR has made an indelible contribution to the world of music and the City of Philadelphia.

Philadelphia International Records has several videos on Youtube detailing aspects of its history- including the one below.

For a little more history, Philadelphia musician, producer and author Questlove went to elementary school next door to the offices of Philadelphia International Records and writes about that experience here.