Major Record Labels

Here is a pie chart of the world music market sales share according to IFPI in 2005. It shows the four biggest record labels Universal Music Group(UMG), Sony BMG, EMI Group and Warner Music Group taking up 71.6% of music sale incomes whilst independent labels on recieved 28.4% of the shares. Also considering the fact that there are thousands of independent labels all over the world and UMG as a whole are almost making as much money as them. 


[[[[[ 1. Who are the major labels in the UK currently?

2.    Who do the major labels manage?

3.    Do the major labels own smaller companies and which artists do they manage?

4.    Are there any links within Media e.g TV/Film/Magazines etc

1.    Identify some of the independent labels in the UK and a brief history of each.

2.    What artists are signed to these labels

1.    Is it right from a music point of view as well as an industry point of view that 4 companies dominate the music industry?

2.    What affect do you think this has on the industry?

3.    Are Independent labels as successful as major labels, how do you judge this?

4.    Is there anything that independent labels offer the industry that the majors do not? ]]]]

I don't think there is an issue with four big record companies dominating the music industry because many artists that are not signed to them still become very successful.  In the music industry today most recording artist are reliant on their record labels to widen their consumer base, market their albums and be promoted and heard on the radio and television. Although as social networking is increasing in popularity and is an easy way to advertise yourself to people in quick time, great artists don't need to be signed to the biggest labels to be successful, they can gain fans by posting videos on youtube and their own music on sound cloud or myspace, also the internet is a great way to gain new audiences. Although the four big record labels may be able to create and advertise a commercial artist, the main source of money they get is from fans so if an artist signed to an independent record has an amazing album, I think via the internet and magazine they can gain just as many fans and sell as many CDs as a pop artist. 

I think that having four big record companies dominating the music industry does have an effect on smaller record companies as the big four have the most well known artists around the world they will be making the most money unlike smaller independant labels. Having four big labels does make smaller independent labels less noticable so in that sense it isn't good for independent labels. Although most independent labels sign artists with niche audience's that music will not appeal to a lot of people for example Clay Records is an independent record label founded in 1980 in England and they signed a band called Discharge whos single was distributed from the boot of his car but made it to the top 10 indie chart in the music magazine Sounds. So independent records do receive reconigtion and success with the artists and bands they sign but usually do not appeal to a large target audience so i wouldn't say the big four labels affect them that much.

Independent labels usually sign bands under the genres of more niche audiences, such as rock, indie, punk and powerpop. So for fans of these genres small independent records fill the gap well as they can supply this music.  Although I wouldn't say the independent record labels are as successful as the big four because firstly the music their artist make does not appeal to a wide target audience, also they don't have as many ways to spread the name of their artists/band around apart from the internet so they aren't as successful but there are still bands and artists which are from independent labels that are now well known for example the Artic Monkeys, Radiohead and The Kaiser Chiefs.

       Island Records are one of the most prestigious record labels in the UK but was founded in 1959 in Jamaica by a man called Chris Blackwell who started running the company with a budget of only £1000. In the early 60s Chris Blackwell relocated to London and went on to build the most diverse and enviable catalogue of any independent record label in history. The label expanded from ska and rock-steady to become the cutting edge of progressive rock in the late 60s, signing international artists such as Bob Marley and U2 and now mainly focus on pop and rock. Chris Blackwell has a unique vision and passion for music which is still used in some forms to the labels approach today. Island Records are a stand alone record in the UK but in America they operate as a division of The Island Def Jam Music Group. Some of the artists they have signed are Mumford and sons, Amy Winehouse, Akon, Blink 182, Ben Howard,  Jack Johnson, Drake and many more. 

Fierce panda records is an independent record label based in London and was founded in 1994 by Simon Williams. In 1997 Fierce panda released a sub label called Rabid Badger Records which released dance orientated music and later in 1998 they released another sub-label called Livid Meerkat to release post-rock music. They are well known for compliation albums and EPs, whose titles are mainly puns.They manage bands such as Coldplay, Death Cab for Cutie, The Blackout, Seafood and many more. 

 

       Apple Record label are based in London and was set up by John Lennon and paul Mcartney, they are a division of apple corps ltd, which was originally set up by Allen Klein in 1969 and later by Neil Aspinall who retired in 2007 and was replaced by Jeff Jones. Their aim is to mix business with enjoyment. Some of the artists they manage are Mary Hopkin, James Taylor and Billy Preston.

      EMI music is a British multinational music company based in London. It is the fourth largest busines group and family of record labels in the recording industry and was one of the big four record companies, which is now the 'big three'. EMI group has a major publishing arm who are EMI music publishing, which is also based in London with offices globally. EMI was a member of the Recording industry association of america (RIAA) and international federation of the phonographic industry (IFPI). When EMI first began as the gramophone company they established subsidiary operations in a number of other countries including India, Australia and New Zealand. The subsidiary labels in Austrlia and New Zealand dominated  the popular music industries from 1920 to the 1960s, until other labels like Festival Records started to come around and challlenge the near monopoly of EMI. In 1931 when EMI was formed, it opened the recording studios at Abbey Road, London which is now legendary. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s some of the artists which recorded there are Arturo Toscanini, Sir Edward Elgar and Otto Klemperer. During this period EMI took on their first A&R managers which included George Martin, who brought the Beatles into the EMI business.
      EMI were forced to sell Columbia USA as anti-trust action was taken by its American competitors. At this time the record industry had been hit hard by the depression and in 1934 a muchdiminished Columbia USA was bought for $70,500 by American Record Corporation-Brunswick Record, which also acquired the Okeh label. EMI had the rights to the Columbia name in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. It continued to operate the label with good success until the 1972, when it was retired and replaced by the EMi records.
      On the 12th November 2012 EMI sold their recorded music operations to Universal Music group for £1.2billion. EMI put their publishing operations up for bid, Warner brothers company bidded £2billion but got knocked out by a sony-led consortium who bought it for £2.2billion.
     EMI manage many world wide known artists and bands of various genres of music such as Blur, Coldplay, Creed, Conor Maynard, Deadmau5, Emeli Sande, Jet, Katy Perry, Matt Redman, Nickelback, Pet Shop Boys, Snopp Dogg and many more.

      Ministry of sound are an independant British record label who were first established in 1995 with the release of The Annual, which is a compilation album of various dance tracks mixed by UK DJs Boy George and Pete Tong. The annual sold over 160,000 copies and paved the way for a now-global label with over 50 million dance albums and singles sold to date. Eric Prydz and Benny Benassi are two artist who are signed to Ministry of Sound and have won awards for their music videos and have continuing sales of over 4 million copies per annum. Ministry of Sound continue to deliver albums and singles throughout their compilation brands The Annual, Clubbers guide and Anthems. Data records are a subsidairy label of Ministry of Sound and were created to house more of their commercial dance music single releases. They have gone on to get several number 1s, top 5 and top 10 hits across the world since its inception in 1999, including Eric Prydz - Pjanoo, kid Cudi vs crookers - Day n nite, Example - Kickstart and Sidney Samsons - riverside lets go, before being renamed ministry of sound recordings and enjoying chart success with Alex Gaudino, Tim Berg and Wretch 32.
      In 2011 ministry of sound made four number one singles (DJ Fresh 'Louder', Wretch 32 'Don't Go' and Example 'Changed The Way You Kiss Me' and 'Stay Awake'), a number one album by Example 'Playing in the shadows' and a number four album Wretch 32 'Black and white'.
      Dance nation are a independant British record label and are a subsidiary of Ministry of Sound. It was founded in 2007 and were then known as Hard2Beat records, but rebranded to thier current nae in 2010. The first release from dance nation was in 2007 and was a song by Basshunter called 'Now you're gone'. In April 2009 they held Dance Nation Live an arena tour across the UK, Basshunter headlined the tour but there were other acts inlcluding sash!, Lasgo and Platnum. Dance Nation has its own customised content channel on Audiotube.

      Sony Music Entertainment(SME/Sony Music) is the second largest global record music company of the 'big three' record companies and were renamed from American record Corporation in 1991. SME is a subsidiary label controlled by Sony Corporation of America and they have officies spread over 42 countries, although the headqauters are in Ney York City. The company have a record of some of the most important recordings in history. It is home to premier record labels representing music from every genre. SME have a broad range of artists both local and international superstars for example Carrie Underwood, Michael Jackson, Karmin, Dry the River, Usher and Rita Ora and many more.

      Some of SME subsidiary record labels include Beach street records, Columbia Records, Epic records, Sony classical and Volcano.

     Warner Music Group(WMG) is the fourth biggest record label in music sales. It is an American major global music andentertainment conglomerate headquartered in New York City and are the largest American-owned music corporation worldwide. It is one of the 'big three' recording companies and they operate some of the largest and most successful recording labels in the world, including Warner Bros. Records and Atlantic records.  WMG started off as a small business in Bond Street, London selling sheet music and musical instruments the shop was called Chappell & Co who are now one of the most biggest publishing companies in the world. In 1929 Louis Dreyfus acquires Chappell & Co beginning a period of rapid expansion for the company and Jack Warner founds music publishers holding company to acquire music copyrights for use in films. In 1947 Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson found Atlantic Records. In 1958 Jack Warner founds Warner Bros. records as a soundtrack factory for Warner Bros. movie studios. Warner Bros first number one hit was by Bob Newhart's Button Down Mind of Bob Newhart. in 1970 Kinney National became Warner Communications and forms Warner-Elektra-Atlantic(WEA Corp), the first major music distribution company in the U.S., marking the origins of the Warner Music Group. Later in 1973 Warner buy Asylum records and open international offices in New Zealand. It wasn't until 1974 that the Warner Music Group had their first logo created by Saul Bass. From 1975 to 2000 they have opened offices around the world including South America and Southeast Asia. In 2000 WMG created the first library of digital downloads in the U.S. and Canada and a year later sold their music through itunes. With the help of the internet in 2002 WMG became the first major music company to deliver a comprehensive wireless music service using a leading wireless provider platform and sold their first MP3 downloads via AOL. In 2005 they recived 11.3% of the music market. In 2006 WMG buy Ryko Corporation and forms independent Label Group with the mission of empowering labels and artists in the independent music community, a year after that in 2007 WMG announces they will sell DRM-free music through Amazons MP3 music store. WMG have been named "most admired companies" by  Fortune magazines and were listed under "50 most innovative companies" by fast company magazine. In 2010 WMG announce that new revenue streams, in digital and non-digital businesses made up 40% of company revenue, which was essentially zero in 2004. That percentage means that WMG's active global recorded music roaster passes 50% for the first time. In 2011 WMG became a subsidiary label of Access Industries who bought them for £2.4 billion pounds so they are no longer a publicly-traded on the NYSE. Warner has subsidiary labels which include Asylum, Atlantic, Lava, Reprise, Rhino and Warner Bros. Some of the most successful artists they have signed are Green Day, Madonna, My Chemical Romance and Paramore. Warner's subsidiary label Atlantic have also signed successful artists such as Kid Rock, Sean Paul, Flo Rida, Trey Songz, Matchbox Twenty, Jason Mraz and Simple Plan. Lava is a smaller subsidiary label who have only signed Jessie J, Black Veil Brides and CJ Holland. Lava records is run by a man called Jason Flom who is an American music industry executive who previously worked as chairman and CEO of Atlantic records.

Bibliography

      http://www.islandrecords.co.uk/
      http://www.fiercepanda.co.uk/
      http://www.applerecords.com/
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Records
      http://www.emimusic.com/
      http://www.ministryofsound.com/
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ministry_of_Sound
      http://www.sonymusic.com/
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warner_Music_Group