Compo established the Apex label in July 1921 in Toronto.

It also released recordings by Canadian artists for both the Anglophone and Francophone communities.

After Compo began a distribution arrangement with Decca Records (USA) in 1935, the Apex name was dropped.

In 1952, Apex resumed issuing American recordings from the various independent American record companies which were established after World War II.

Compo was renamed MCA Records (Canada) in 1970, retaining the Apex label for Francophone recordings for a few years before phasing out the label.