This document discusses media ownership in the music industry through examples of several popular artists. It provides details on the record labels that Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, and Bastille are signed to, which are mostly large subsidiary labels of the major record companies Warner Music Group and Universal Music. Arctic Monkeys are given as an example of an artist signed to an independent label. Kings of Leon and Beyoncé are said to be signed to labels owned by Sony Music. Beyoncé's label, Columbia Records, is described as one of Sony's flagship labels along with other popular artists currently signed to Columbia.

1. Major Label Case Study
Media Ownership : The Music Industry

2. Bands/Artists I listen to
Ed Sheeran: is signed to three different subsidiary record labels; Atlantic, Elektra and Asylum. They
are all part of the Warner Music Group. The reason as to why he is signed to three different labels,
could be due to the fact that depending on where in the world he is releasing his music, it would have
to be associated through one of the other labels. However, all of these labels were founded in
America.
Coldplay: are also signed to three different subsidiary record labels, these include; Parlophone,
Capitol, and Atlantic. Parlophone and Atlantic are both part of the Warner Music Group, however,
Capitol is a part of Universal Music. Also, in comparison, they would also be signed to three different
record labels in terms of their distribution and the countries they will be releasing their music to.
Atlantic and Capitol were both founded in America, but Parlophone was founded in Germany so it sets
some contrast into their contracts.
Bastille: are signed to two different subsidiary record labels; Virgin Records and Capitol. These are
both associated with Universal Music. The band are british, and Virgin Records was also founded by
an English entrepreneur Richard Branson. However, Capital was founded in America. This can be a
good contrast to have in cultures of the record labels as Britain and America are well known for the
music and artists created. They are also seen as very hard countries to try and get your music across
and build a fanbase.

3. Independent Labels : Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys are an English rock band from Sheffield
who came together in 2002. Their debut album is the
fastest-selling debut album by a band in British chart
history, and in 2013, Rolling Stone ranked it the 30th
greatest debut album of all time. They are signed to
Domino, which is an independent record label based in
London. They also have divisions in America, Germany and
France, handling all of their releases and distributions into
other countries.

4. Major Labels : Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon are an American band from Nashville,
Tennessee and came together in 2000. They are signed to
RCA, Columbia and Island, which all come under Sony
Music. Kings of Leon achieved initial success in the United
Kingdom with nine Top 40 singles, two BRIT Awards in
2008, and all three of the band's albums at the time peaked
in the top five of the UK Albums Chart.

5. Beyoncé

6. Media ownership: Beyoncé
Beyoncé is signed to Columbia Records, which
is under ownership from Sony Music. It is one
of three flagship labels owned by Sony, the
others are; RCA Records and Epic Records.

7. Other artists with the same label
The artists signed to Columbia Records include Beyoncé,
The Script, Adele, One Direction, Passion Pit, Calvin
Harris, Juicy J, Daft Punk, Ella Henderson, Céline Dion,
Little Mix, T.I., J. Cole, Train, the Neighbourhood, MKTO,
Rita Ora, Pharrell Williams, and the Glee cast. As of 2012,
Columbia Records has the highest label share in Adult
Contemporary radio in the US, it was also ranked the
number-one AC label that year.