Sony Music Entertainment is a major record label that was formed in 1991 through a series of mergers and acquisitions of record companies going back to 1929. It has over 200 artists signed across a wide range of genres, including major stars like Beyoncé, AC/DC, and Kings of Leon. Sony Music markets its artists through its website, social media, touring, and music festivals. It distributes music in both physical and digital formats through various online retailers and its own distribution company.

1. Hazel Doyle AS Media Studies – Major Record Label Research.

2. Sony Music Entertainment Sony music was founded in 1929 when several different record companies merged to become one company, the company started under the name American Record Corporation it went through many different name changes, merging and being bought out by different companies and labels, it eventually became Sony Music Entertainment on January 1 st 1991. In 2004 Sony entered in a joint venture with BMG becoming the newly named Sony BMG but after four years on October 1 st 2008 Sony bought out BMG’s 50% share in the company to once again become Sony Music Entertainment as they are known today. Sony Music is part of one of the biggest music and entertainment companies in the world. It has a vast variety of acts signed to the label, many of which have achieved world wide fame.

3. Signed to Sony Music Entertainment…. Sony Music entertainment has over 200 artists signed to the label from major worldwide sell-out artists such as Beyonc é , AC/DC, Kings of Leon and Leona Lewis to smaller acts such as Broken Bells, Nicole Atkins and Madcon. Sony Music Entertainment covers a wide range of genres and different styles.

5. Vevo is an online music video and entertainment website set up by Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Abu Dhabi Media Company. W i t h i t s v i d eo h os t i ng p r ov i ded by Youtube Vevo hosts music from three of the four major record labels; Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and EMI. Vevo was launched on 8 th December 2009 and has become a well used website by music fans everywhere, although it is not currently available worldwide there are plans for it to go global later this year. (2010)

6. Sony Music Entertainment UK is known for it’s partnership with other labels and people in the music industry. One of these partnerships include Simon Cowell's label Syco which accounts for over 75% of Sony Music UK's profits. Sony owns many other music labels. Three of the main are Columbia, RCA and Sony CMG. Sony RED distribution company are owned by Sony Music Entertainment and handle releases for 50+ independent record labels.

7. Beyonc é Sell-out shows across the world, sold close to 40 million records in the US and has a huge fan base across the UK, the US and the rest of the world. 35,168,937 plays on http://www.last.fm/ Albums – Dangerously in love (Two number one singles and earning five Grammy awards) B’Day (Number one album in the US) , I am….Sasha Fierce (Six Grammy awards) AC/DC Sell-out shows across the world, have sold an estimated 200 million records worldwide. 58,427,701 plays on http://www.last.fm/ Albums – High Voltage, T.N.T, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, Let There Be Rock, Powerage, If You Want Blood You’ve Got It, Highway To Hell, For Those About To Rock We Salute You, Flick Of The Switch, Fly On the Wall, Who Made Who, Blow Up Your Video, The Razors Edge, AC/DC Live, Ballbreaker, Stiff Upper Lip, Black Ice, Iron Man 2, Back in Black (Over 40 million copies sold worldwide, labelled as the best selling album worldwide released by a band)

8. This is a long tail for AC/DC currently signed to Sony Music Entertainment.

9. Marketing Sony market their bands/artists through many ways; their website has regular news updates on the bands, has videos from them and links to all the bands websites. The bands tour around the UK and play concerts and festivals around the world. The bands/artists have Myspace, Twitter and Facebook pages which fans can join and follow their favourite bans/artists, watch their latest videos and buy merchandise. Web 2.0 has made it possible for Sony to use other techniques to market their bands instead of having to use the old methods of word of mouth or putting posters up to advertise new bands and new music.

10. Music Festivals This year AC/DC are the main act headlining Download Festival in Donnington in June as well as Lamb of God and Bullet For My Valentine both playing sets at the festival. Opeth and Korn have both previously played sets at the festival as well. Reading Festival has got acts such as Bullet For My Valentine, Modest Mouse playing sets.

11. Distribution and Exchange. Sony Music Entertainment sell music in a variety of ways and formats, music can be bought digitally through downloads through many websites such as ITunes, Play.com and other online retailers. Music is also produced in CD and Vinyl format from online and high street retailers such as HMV and supermarkets as well as direct from the bands websites. Sony Music Entertainment is also part of live streaming sites such as Last Fm, We 7, Spotify and other websites. Sony Music Entertainment also use their music in their film and TV businesses, their music is played and used in other films when paid for through licence.