1. What is the Music Industry like?What is the Music Industry like?
Who is in control?Who is in control?
What does the future hold?What does the future hold?
2. US Recording Industry
US Recording Industry
3000+ Labels
3000+ Labels
30 000 new releases per year
30 000 new releases per year
Overview
nnNewNewand Nashville
and Nashville
Primary ActivitiesPrimary Activities
Talent acquisitionTalent acquisition
Contractual arrangement with artists andContractual arrangement with artists and
managersmanagers
Marketing and PromotionMarketing and Promotion
Enforcement of copyrightEnforcement of copyright
3. Overview
RevenueRevenue
Global Sales =18 billion
Global Sales =18 billion
(2008)(2008)
US market = 5 billion
US market = 5 billion
What do they
What do they
sell?sell?
CDs,CDs,
Vinyl,Vinyl,
DVDs,DVDs,
Downloads,
Downloads,
Streams, Ringtones,
Streams, Ringtones,
Merchandise.
Merchandise.
5. The Majors
• Major distribution, dominate the market
Independents
• Lack ability of major distribution
Sub-Labels and Imprints
• separate companies or division owned or distributed
by the major labels
Specialty Labels
• non traditional distribution, focus on non
mainstream.
The Labels
6. Majors control approx 75% of the world music, an 80-90% of the US
market…They have non-music related subdivisions, which you will
realise as we go through the list…
The Majors
7. Universal (owned byVivendi, a French based company)
ABBA
Aerosmith
Akon
Amy Winehouse
Backstreet Boys
Black Eyed Peas
Blink 182
Bob Marley
The Cure
Chamillionaire
Cheryl Cole
Eminem
Enrique Iglesias
Fall Out Boy
George Michael
Green Day
Hoobastank
Incubus
James Blunt
Jennifer Lopez
Johnny Cash
Kanye West
8. Sony Music Entertainment (US based subsidiary of Japanese company)
AC/DC
Avril Lavigne
Beyonce
Bob Dylan
Britney Spears
Fatboy Slim
Foo Fighters
MGMT
Michael Jackson
Good Charlotte
Glee
Iron Maiden
JLS
Justin Timberlake
Kings of Leon
Korn
Madonna
Whitney Houston
Shakira
Leona Lewis
Susan Boyle
Kesha
9. Warner Music Group
(US based, owned byTimeWarner)
Bee Gees
Gnarles Barkley
Cher
Phil Collins
Death Cab for Cutie
Dire Straits
The Eagles
Prince
Prodigy
Paris Hilton
Jimi Hendrix
Kid Rock
Linkin Park
Nine Inch Nails
Notorious BIG
Oasis
Taylor Swift
The Ramones
Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Pogues
Paramore
Nickleback
10. EMI Music Group
$4b in debt (dissolved in 2012 with Music
operations going to Universal and Music publishing to Sony – ‘back catalogue’,
including Michael Jackson)
Elvis Presley
Pink Floyd
30 seconds to Mars
Lily Allen
AFI
Beastie Boys
Black Sabbath
Coldplay
Daft Punk
Dizzee Rascal
Duran Duran
Gorillaz
G Unit
Jane’s Addiction
Spice Girls
Mariah Carey
Snoop Dog
Tina Turner
The White Stripes
Robbie Williams
Sigur Ros
McFly
11. Well Financed = better production,
distribution, Marketing and talent
acquisition
Can offer artists stability,
prestige, advances, top
production resources.
Advantages of Major Labels
12. An indie label is a record label that is independently funded
and not connected to one of the BigThree major labels.
Indie labels range from home based hobby
labels to highly profitable, large businesses.
Now some large indie labels are actually distributed by
the BigThree.
Independent Record Labels
13. Indie labels often face an uphill battle trying to get their
music heard, as they typically have far fewer financial
resources to promote their music.
Despite the struggle, many labels have survived, and
thrived, for years. Many other indie labels may not
have lasted forever but had a tremendous impact on music
both creatively and in terms of business.
Independent Record Labels
14. RoughTrade – started in the back of a Notting Hill record shop (Antony and the
Johnsons and The Strokes)
Creation Records – started one of the biggest nineties acts Oasis, and the
popular Primal Scream with a grunge / garage sound.
Factory – put Manchester on the musical map. Had a distinct character and
sound (Joy Division and New Order) and was quite unorthodox in it’s practise.
XL Recordings – sounds like a who’s who of contemporary British sound. Dizzee
Rascal, MIA,VampireWeekend and recently signed Tyler the Creator.
Warp – a Sheffield label with a popular techno sound e.g. Autechre but has
signed other more indie bands eg. Grizzly Bear. Big importance on relationship
with designers and visual stimulus.
Domino – a South London label that has worked with The Arctic Monkeys, Franz
Ferdinand. A rock influenced label which turns high profit due to headliners.
Some British Independent Labels
15. Some American Indie Labels
Fools Gold – pioneering Hip hop and techno sound (Kid Cudi, Duck Sauce, Danny
Brown)
Dualtone – Nashville based country folk label (Lumineers and Little Comets) as
well as doing many tributes to legends like Johnny Cash.
IAMSOUND – Hipster pop sound with a UK underground edge (Florence and
the Machine, Little Boots, Io Echo)
Mad Decent – pushing the geographic boundaries of electro. (Diplo, Baauer, Riff
Raff.)
16. More creative - a find more new talent, creative
tactics for marketing, build better brand loyalty
Speed - not encumbered by long
corporate approval process, can
understand artists and trends faster
Make better and more creative
use of new media technologies
Better regional connections
Advantages of Independent
labels
17. Which record label would you like toWhich record label would you like to
publish your work and why?publish your work and why?
Give detailed reasons and compare toGive detailed reasons and compare to
other labels (Majors, Independents,other labels (Majors, Independents,
etc.)etc.)
Activity
19. Cost of CDs
Marketing of music isMarketing of music is soso important in popular music.important in popular music.
New releases need a music video andTV time, as wellNew releases need a music video andTV time, as well
as radio time.as radio time.
Where do you think the money goes in a £ 9 CD?Where do you think the money goes in a £ 9 CD?
20. Music CDs - the Cost
Share of $15 US CD
Retail
Overhead
21%
Distribution
5%
Musicians
Union
1%
Packaging
5%
Retail profit
5%
Marketing
Promotion
22%
Artists
Royalties
9%
Publishing
Royalties
5%
Label Profit
10%
label
overhead
17%
Note how much of the cost of a CD goes into marketing andNote how much of the cost of a CD goes into marketing and
promotion(this would include the video)promotion(this would include the video)
How much goes to the artist in a £9 CD?How much goes to the artist in a £9 CD?
21. Either working in groups of two or as an individual you need to
research one Major and one Minor label
Provide a history of the label, profile of their image/style, case
studies of some of the artists they promote, see if you can find
out about their worth (££££) and how they made their money.
Compare and contrast the way they market artists.
Post to your blogs!
Activity
