Record Labels

Record Labels

In the music industry a record label is the brand and trademark associated with the marketing of music recorded and music videos. A record label manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion, and enforcement of copyright protection of sound recordings and music videos.

Within the music industry many recording artists have become increasingly reliant on the record labels to broaden their audience, market their album, and both be promoted and heard on the radio and seen on the television. They do this with publicists that assist the performers in positive media reports to market their merchandise, and make it available in shops and other media outlets such as iTunes.

The music Industry has for some time has consisted of major record labels that represent the majority of music sold. For 10 years from 1988 – 1998 they were known as the “Big Six”:

1.      Warner Music Group

2.      EMI

3.      Sony Music (known as CBS until 1991)

4.      BMG Music Group

5.      Universal Music Group

6.      Polygram

From 1998 – 2004 they were known as the “Big Five” as Polygram absorbed into Universal Music Group:

1.      Warner Music Group

2.      EMI

3.      Sony Music

4.      BMG Music Group

5.      Universal Music Group

From 2004 – 2008 they were known as the “Big Four” due to Sony Music and BMG Music Group becoming a joint venture.

1.      Warner Music Group

2.      EMI

3.      Sony BMG

4.      Universal Music Group

On 12 November 2011, it was announced that EMI has sold its recorded music operations to Universal Music Group for £1.2 billion ($1.9billion) and its music publishing operations to a Sony-led consortium for $2.2 billion. Among the other companies that had competed for the recorded music business was Warner Music Group which was reported to have made a $2 billion bid. However, IMPALA has said that it would fight the merger, and the merger has yet to be approved.

Warner Music Group

Warner Music Group (WMG) is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and was founded in 1958 as Warner Bros. Record. For three decades the conglomerate was known as WEA, which stood for Warner Bros.-Elektra-Atlantic Records; three major record companies that signed and developed musical acts and, in turn, distributed product for subsidiaries and other record labels. WMG also has a music publishing arm called Warner/Chappell Music which is one of the world's largest music-publishing companies.
In May 2011, the company announced its sale to Access Industries, Inc. The purchase of the company was completed on July 20, 2011

Main Labels

Atlantic Records Group

·         Atlantic Records

·         Bad Boy Records

·         Elektra Records

·         Fueled By Ramen

·         Fort Knocks Entertainment

·         Grand Hustle Records

·         LaSalle Records

·         Roadrunner Records

Warner Bros. Records Group

·         Warner Bros. Records

·         Asylum Records

·         143 Records*

·         Blacksmith Records*

·         Maverick

·         Nonesuch Records

·         Reprise Records

·         RuffNation Records

·         Sire Records

·         Maybach Music Group

·         Jet Life Recordings

Rhino Entertainment

·         Atco Records

·         Del-Fi Records

·         Frank Sinatra Enterprises

·         Rhino Records

·         Eleven: A Music Company

Warner Music Nashville

·         Atlantic Records Nashville

·         Warner Bros. Records Nashville

·         Rhino Records Nashville

·         Word Records

·         Myrrh Records

·         Squint Entertainment

Independent Label Group

·         Cordless Recordings

·         East West Records

o    Adeline Records

o    Afternoon Records

o    Better Looking Records

o    The Bevonshire Label

o    Born & Bred Records

o    Broken English

o    Ferret Music

o    Fearless Records

o    Floodgate Records

o    Liberty & Lament

o    Montalban Hotel

o    One Eleven Records

o    Perfect Game Recording Co.

o    Popsicle Records

o    Silent Majority Group

o    Tent Show

o    Triple Crown Records

o    Volcom Entertainment

o    We Put Out Records

o    Rhymesayers Entertainment

·         Rykodisc Records

·         viaVEGAS.Records

EMI

EMI is a British multinational music company headquatered in London, England. It was the fourth largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry. EMI Group also has a major music publishing arm with EMI Music Publishing which is also based in London with offices globally.
EMI (Electric and Musical Industries) Ltd was formed in March 1931 by the merger of the Columbia Graphophone Company and the Gramophone Company, firms that have a history extending back to the origins of recorded sound. The new vertically integrated company produced sound recordings as well as recording and playback equipment.

Label groups

Blue Note Label Group

·         Angel Records

·         Blue Note Records

·         Manhattan Records

·         Narada Productions

o    Back Porch Records

o    Higher Octave Music

·         EMI Classics

·         Virgin Classics

Capitol Music Group

·         Capitol Records

·         Imperial Records

·         Priority Records

·         Get Money Gang Entertainment (EMI Label Services)

·         Ice H20 Records (EMI Label Services)

·         Lench Mob Records (EMI Label Services)

·         Twenty-Two Recordings (EMI Label Services)

Caroline Distribution

·         Astralwerks Records

·         Caroline Records

·         Definitive Jux Records

·         The Front Line

·         Fuel Records (US)

·         Gracie Productions

·         Gyroscope Records

·         Merovingian Music

·         Nature Sounds

o    Green Streets Entertainment

·         Stones Throw Records

EMI Christian Music Group

·         Credential Recordings

·         EMI Gospel

·         Forefront Records

·         Sparrow Records

o    Re:Think

·         Tooth and Nail Records

o    BEC Recordings

o    Solid State Records

·         VSR Music Group

Virgin Music Group

·         Virgin Records

·         Astralwerks

·         Charisma Records

·         Delabel (France)

·         Relentless Records

·         Venture Records

·         10 Records

Stand-alone labels

·         EMI Records

·         Capitol Records Nashville

·         EMI Hemisphere

·         Liberty Records

·         Parlophone Records

o    Regal Recordings

·         Positiva Records

·         Stateside Records

International labels

Europe

·         EMIDISC

·         EMI Europe Generic

·         EMI Music France (formerly EMI Pathé)

o    Pathé Records

o    Hostile Delabel

o    Livin' Astro

·         EMI Gold

·         EMI Music Germany (formerly EMI Electrola)

o    Electrola

·         EMI Music Poland (domestic trade name in Poland)

·         EMI Music Spain (formerly EMI Odeon)

o    Hispavox

o    Odeon Records

·         Minos EMI (domestic trade name in Greece)

·         EMI Czech Republic

·         EMI Kent Music (domestic trade name in Turkey)

Sony BMG

Sony BMG began as a the result of a 50-50 between Sony Music Entertainment and Bertelsmann Music Group which was completed on Meach 4^th 2004. The merger affected all Sony Music and Bertelsmann Music Group companies worldwide except for Japan, where it was felt that it would reduce competition in that country’s music industry significantly.
It was announced in 2006 that Sony BMG would dismantle the Sony Urban Music label. All of the artists will now be assigned to Epic or Columbia.In March 2007 it was announced that Sony Music Entertainment Japan, which is not part of Sony BMG, would dismantle the Tofu Records label. All of the SMEJ artists will be now signed to Epic or Columbia.
The international media and entertainment companies Sony Corporation and Bertelsmann AG announced on August 5^th  2008, that Sony has agreed to acquire Bertelsmann's 50% stake in Sony BMG. The music company, to be called Sony Music Entertainment Inc. (SME), will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. On October 1^st  2008, Sony Corporation completed the acquisition of Bertelsmann's 50% stake in the companies' joint venture, and the company was renamed as Sony Music Entertainment on December 1^st 2008. The music company is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. The sale price was not disclosed when the deal was announced in August, but news reports valued it at $1.5 billion.

Record Labels

Columbia Records

·         Columbia Records

·         Aware Records

·         Startime International

Epic Records

·         Epic Records

·         DC Flag Records

·         Battery Records

·         So So Def Recordings

·         Verity Gospel Music Group

·         Volcano Entertainment

RCA Records

·         Nappy Boy

Roc Nation

Sony Music Nashville

·         Arista Nashville

·         BNA Records

·         RCA Nashville

·         Columbia Nashville

·         Open Wide Records

Sony Masterworks

·         Playbill Records

·         Bluebird Records

·         Masterworks Broadway Records

·         Masterworks Jazz Records

·         RCA Red Seal Records

·         Sony Classical

·         Odyssey Records

·         Arte Nova Classics

 

 

 

 

Provident Music Group

·         Brentwood Records

·         Benson Records

·         Essential Records

·         Flicker Records

·         Beach Street Records

·         Reunion Records

·         Praise Hymn Music Group

·         Provident Special Markets

·         Provident-Integrity Distribution

RED Distribution

·         Red Ink Records

IODA Labels

·         ATO Records

·         Broken Bow Records

·         Cirque du Soleil

·         Glassnote Records

·         Lamon Records

·         Metal Blade Records

·         Relapse Records

·         Startime International

·         Suthun Music Entertainment

·         Velvet Hammer

·         Platinum City Entertainment

·         UK HUSTLE

Sony Music UK

·         Columbia Records UK

·         RCA Label Group

·         Sony CMG

·         Syco Music

Universal Music Group

Universal Music Group is an American music group and it is the Largest out of the “Big Four” record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations. Universal Music Group is a wholly owned subsidiary of French media conglomerate Vivendi. Universal Music Group owns a music publisher, Universal Music Publishing Group, which became the world's largest following the acquisition of BMG Music Publishing in May 2007.

Interscope-Geffen-A&M

Interscope Records ·         Aftermath Entertainment ·         Blackground Records ·         Cherrytree Records ·         F2 Records ·         XL Recordings ·         Maloof Music ·         Mosley Music Group ·         Shady Records ·         Star Trak Entertainment ·         Streamline Records ·         Suretone Records ·         Tennman Records ·         Weapons of Mass Entertainment ·         Zone 4 ·         Will.i.am music group

Geffen Records ·         Flawless Records ·         Kon Live Distribution ·         Matriarch Records

A&M Records

A&M/Octone Records

DGC Records

The Island Def Jam Motown Music Group

Island Records ·         Tuff Gong

Def Jam Recordings ·         Def Jam South ·         Disturbing tha Peace ·         Roc-A-Fella Records ·         Desert Storm Records ·         GOOD Music ·         Corporate Thugz Entertainment ·         Radio Killa Records ·         We the Best Music Group (distribution for select releases) ·         DD172 o    BluRoc Records

Motown Records ·         Rowdy Records (distribution) ·         Custard Records (distribution for select releases) ·         Ecstatic Peace! ·         Derrty Entertainment

Mercury Records

 

Universal Republic Records

·         Casablanca Records

·         Republic Nashville

·         Next Plateau Entertainment (distribution)

·         Serjical Strike Records (distribution)

·         Brushfire Records (distribution)

·         Lava Records

·         ANTI- (distribution for select releases)

·         Cash Money Records

o    Young Money Entertainment

·         SRC Records

o    Loud Records

Universal Music Group Nashville

MCA Nashville Records

Mercury Nashville Records

Lost Highway Records

Universal Music Latin Entertainment

Universal Music Latino

Fonovisa Records

Disa Records

Machete Music ·         WY Records ·         All Star Records ·         Flow Music ·         Ilegal Life Records ·         Mas Flow Inc. ·         Pina Records ·         Sangre Nueva Music ·         VI Music

The Verve Music Group

Verve Records

GRP Records

Impulse! Records

Verve Forecast Records

Decca Label Group

Decca Records ·         Decca Vision ·         Decca Broadway ·         EmArcy Records

Universal Music Classical ·         Decca Classics ·         Deutsche Grammophon ·         ECM

Deutsche Grammophon

 

Universal Music Enterprises

·         Hip-O Records

V2/Co-Operative Music

V2 Music

Co-Operative Music

Fontana Distribution

Fontana North

Fontana International

Show Dog-Universal Music

Universal Music UK

Polydor Records ·         A&M Records ·         Fascination Records ·         Fiction Records

Mercury Music Group ·         Def Jam UK ·         Vertigo Records

Island Records Group

Universal Music TV (UMTV) ·         The Universal Music Record Label (UMRL)

Decca Records

Geffen UK

London Records

RCA Records

The record label i will be using for my arstist will be RCA Records. Since 1929 RCA has been one of the most famous music names in history and in 1945 released the first ever vinyl record to the public, inventing the modern “single” in the process. Through the decades the label has been associated with some of the most famous and iconic artists of our time, ranging from Elvis Presley – signed in 1955 – through to current global icons such as Justin Timberlake.

The modern RCA Label Group in the UK is a division of Sony Music Entertainment UK, and releases music from other famous labels including Jive, J Records and Arista. It has an incredible roster of artists that includes some of the most internationally famous superstars in the world and a wealth of UK signed talent including Shakira, Hurts, Christina Aguilera, Rod Stewart, Beyonce, Usher, P!nk, Justin Timberlake, Dido, Will Young, The Script, Alica Keys, Diana Vickers,and Natasha Bedingfield to name a few.
Some of the artists signed by RCA are similar to the style of the song and artist i am using in my A2 media coursework. My artist is a female who performs pop/rock music, therefore this label who has already signed artists such as Christina Aquilera, Pink, and previously, Avril Lavigne who left in October 2011. All these artists are very similar performers to mine.