Record Labels
The Big Four
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who?
The Big Four
Universal Music Group (UMG)
Sony BMG Music Entertainment
EMI Group
Warner Music Group

Universal Music who?
Group
Sells more music than any other label
Owns the following smaller record
labels: Geffen, Interscope, Island,
Motown
Artists signed to Universal include
Black Eyed Peas, Mariah Carey, 50
Cent, Gwen Stefani, Kanye West

who?
Sony
Giant electronics company, also owns
film/television studios and record
labels:
Arista, Columbia, Epic, J, Jive, RCA
Kelly Clarkson, Alicia Keys, Outkast,
Shakira, Britney Spears

who?
EMI
Third biggest in terms of sales.
Labels include Astralwerks, Capitol,
Mute, Virgin, Parlophone and Apple.
The Beatles, Coldplay, Gorillaz, Rolling
Stones, Robbie Williams

Warner Music Group
Part of Time-Warner, a global media
conglomerate, which includes AOL,
HBO, New Line Cinema, Turner
Broadcasting (CNN), and Warner Bros.
Time Warner is involved in magazine
publishing, film and television
production, internet, cable TV, and
music.
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About 20 record labels
Atlantic Records Group
(includes Elektra)
Asylum, East West (so-
called Indies)
Rhino Records,
Rykodisk
Warner Bros. (includes
Reprise and Sire)
Also WEA and Warner/
Chappell Music
Publishing.
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Artists
Artists signed to Warner
labels include James Blunt,
Linkin Park, Diddy, Paul
Simon, Missy Elliot, Goo
Goo Dolls, Muse,
Nickelback, Phil Collins,
Seal, Green Day, My
Chemical Romance, Faith
Hill, Eric Clapton, Red Hot
Chilli Peppers, REM, Neil
Young, Led Zep, and Bjork
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Wilco
Sam Jones’ film I am Trying to Break Your Heart
documents the making of Wilco’s critically
acclaimed album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
On delivering the finished album to their label
(Reprise), the band were told that the album
was inaccessible and uncommercial – and they
were to be dropped.
The band were approached by 25 “indie” labels,
eventually settling on Nonesuch, who finally
released the album.
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But wait... who?
Ironically, the
Nonesuch and Reprise
logos sit next to each
other on the graphic
front end of the
Warner Music web
site.
In other words, Wilco
were dropped by one
Warner label and
signed by another.

Major or Indie?
Many so-called “indie” labels are
actually part of bigger media
companies.
If a major label owns more than 50% of
your company, you’re no longer
independent.
Why might an “indie” label “sell out” to
a major label?
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Where is the music who?
industry?
It’s easy to end up thinking that the
“big four” labels are the music
industry.
Actually, there’s a lot more going on
in the music industry than that.
From local bands and local gigs to
small web sites and “unsigned” artists
putting out their own music, it’s all
the music industry.

say
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“There’s a lot more happening outside
the media bubble. But the influence of
big business gets attention, and it’s
easy to forget that what’s happening in
music isn't what's happening on MTV,
Radio One or in the charts.”

Review
Why does it suit the Big Four
companies to keep a stable of smaller
labels?
List some advantages and
disadvantages of this structure.
Think about it from the point of view
of the bands and the labels
themselves.
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who?
Activity
What do record labels actually do?
Make a list of all the things you think
a label does on behalf of popular
music artists
Now make another list of the ways in
which an artist or band might do
those things for themselves.