2. Definition of a major record label
• A record label is a brand or trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos.
Often, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks; coordinates the
production, manufacture, distribution, marketing, promotion, and enforcement of copyright for sound
recordings and music videos; conducts talent scouting and development of new artists ("artists and repertoire"
or "A&R"); and maintains contracts with recording artists and their managers. The term "record label" derives
from the circular label in the center of a vinyl record which prominently displays the manufacturer's name,
along with other information.
• 3 Three major record labels :
o Universal music group , largest record label.
o Warner musical group, owns 19 % of the market share which is the lowest compared to the
Other two major record labels
o Sony is the second largest record label as it own 34% of the market share.
3. Universal music group
Over the year universal music group has had different parent companies these include
Matsushita which was from 1990-1996, than to Seagram 1996-2000 but the
present parent company is Vivendi.
Some of the subsidiary labels are
• Def jam recording, artist who are signed to this label are Kanye, Rick Ross and
Iggy Azalea.
• Island records, Artist signed to this label are Avicii, Fall Out Boy, The Killers.
• Republic records, artists signed to this label are Cash Money, Indie Pop, Lava
Records.
• Universal music group share 37% of the market.
• The artists that are assigned to Universal music groups are the likes of Drake, Demi
Lovato, Eminem .
• Universal music group has supported almost every genres from hip-hop, R&B, pop,
rock to even classical, Christian/gospel and production music. This verity of genres
means they attract a mass audience of different ages, culture and race.
4. Sony Music
• Sony's parent company is ‘Sony corporation of America’, there subsidiary
labels include Columbia Nashville , master works, legacy recordings, RCA
inspiration, vested in culture.
• There market share is 34%.
• The artist signed to Sony music are , Adele, Bars and Melody , Chipmunk,
Daddy Yankee.
• The music genres for Sony are country, Christian/gospel and dance
electronic also Latin. Sony is a major record label because it attracts a
mass audience of different ages and taste in music, this is because of the
diversity of artists producing music of a range of genres.
5. Warner music group
• Warner music groups parent company is ‘access industries’.
• The subsidiary labels in Warner music group are main labels, Atlantic records
label, Warner Bros. records, rhino entertainment.
• Warner music group shares 19% of the market, from the big three.
• The artists that are signed to this label are Bass hunter, Bruno Mars, Cher,
Michael Bubble , Diddy and the Eagles.
• The common music genres are pop, jazz , country music, heavy metal and
rock.
• Warner focuses more on the most, well known genres, that are likely to
attract a very typical audience however it is a mass audience as genres such
as Pop and Rock are very listened. This shows that Warner is less risk taking
then Sony and Universal Music group, this is because it only owns 19 % of
the market share which is quite low compared to the other two major record
labels
