[1][2] They founded the label to provide music to Americans from the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc.
[2] The first issues were from the Soviet Union featuring works by Bach and Prokofiev performed by Leonid Kogan and Sviatoslav Richter.
[2] For the first year, all issues were sourced from Russia, but in 1957 the label began recording young American artists.
[10] In 1967, Monitor became the first label to release music in North America by composer Josef Mysliveček.
[11] In 1968, the label attempted to make an entry into the popular music field when they released singles and an album by The Freeborne.