2. Music labels are…
companies that manufacture and distribute recorded music. They also promote the
music that has been recorded.
• There are two kinds of records labels, Independent; who do not have corporate
backer and also Major labels who are large corporations often owned by a parent
company for example; Sony.
Independent Music Labels
There are multiple independent music labels throughout the world, I am going to
mention some from the UK.
Boy Better Know (BBK)
• Boy Better Know are a indpendant music label from the UK. They are a collective
group that promote and produce grime and rap.
• They were founded by Jamie Adenuga (also know as JME) who is a grime artist
himself.
• The label was formed in 2005.

3. Loose Music
• This independent music label was formed in 1998 and was
founded by Tom Bridgewater.
• Loose was formed from the vinyl only record label, Vinyl
Junkie, which was set up in 1994 also by Tom Bridgewater.
• The genre of music this label promotes Folk, Country and
Americana.
• Loose has released music by many artists this includes, The
Felice Brothers, Grand Drive and Neko Case.
Blow Up Records
• Blow Up Records was established in London in 1994, by Blow Up club
founder and DJ Paul Tunkin.
• Music genres of releases from the label includes, Pop/Rock and Electronica.

4. Major Music Labels
Again there a many major music labels, however there are three main labels that
are the most successful these are…
Sony BMG
• It was produced in 2004 being born out of the merge of two music
industry giants, Sony Music and BMG Music.
• Sony BMG holds a 25% share of the music market, making it one of the
‘big four’.
• Sony BMG also has a content deal with YouTube; a popular sharing site
for music videos.
• Artists that are signed to this label include, Beyonce Knowles, A$AP
Rocky, Alexandra Burke, Alicia Keys and Amelia Lily.

5. • Vivendi took over ownership of the label in February, 2006 and is classed as the
biggest selling label.
• Universal label in nearly every country in the world, Universal owns, or at least
partly owns, well over 100 other labels.
• This includes, the labels Def Jam, Roc-A-Fella and Motown.
• It promotes a range of genres.
• Artists that are associated with Universal or their other labels includes, Kanye
West, Mariah Carey, U2 and also 50 Cent.
Universal Music Group

6. EMI
• EMI are headquarter in London.
• The label got its start in 1931 as a manufacturer of gramophone record players under the name The UK
Gramophone Company.
• Also in 1931, EMI opened the Abbey Road music studios in London. Which was made famous by the
Beatles.
• In 1957 EMI broke free from just being a European label and purchased the controlling stake in US label
Capitol Records.
• During this time, EMI launched several subsidiary labels:
-HMV
-Parlophone
-Columbia Gramaphone
• EMI administered the publishing rights of over 1.3 million songs; controlling the libraries of artists such
as Jay Z, The Black Eye Peas, Avenge Sevenfold and many more.
• British artist include, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Robbie Williams.