The document summarizes the three major record labels that dominate the music industry: Sony BMG, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group. Sony BMG was formed through the merger of Sony Music and BMG Music and holds a 25% market share, while facing anti-trust issues during its formation. Universal Music Group is owned by Vivendi and has a large portfolio of subsidiary labels. Warner Music Group started as the music division of a film studio and owns powerful publishing companies like Warner Chappell Music.

1. THE MUSIC INDUSTRY:
THE BIG THREE
• SONY BMG
• UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP
• WARNER MUSIC GROUP

2. SONY BMG
• Holds a 25% share of the music
market.
• Born out of the merger of two
music industry giants, Sony
Music and BMG Music.
• The merger became legal in
August 2004, getting there was
a battle.
• The labels faced charges of
violation and anti-trust laws.
• Independent record labels in
most major markets banded
together to protest the merger.
• After the merger was accepted,
Sony and BMG each held a
50% stake in the company.
• Sony BMG was forced to pay a fine of
$10million for being found guilty of
engaging in Payola by the state of New
York in June 2005.
• One bulk of the charges was the payment
for playing Jessica Simpson tracks.
• They ran fake contests to cover up their
payola.

3. Sony BMG has office in more than 30
countries worldwide and several
thousand employees.

4. SONY BMG LABELS
 EPIC
 JIVE
 COLUMBIA
 RCA
 ARISTA
 LAFACE
 ZOMBA MUSIC GROUP
 SOSO DEF
 LEGACY
 J RECORDS
 RED MUSIC
DISTRIBUTION
 INDEPENDIENTE
 GOOD MUSIC
 NICK RECORDS
 WIND UP RECORDS
NB : LABELS IN RED FONT ARE INDIE
LABELS

5. SONY BMG ARTISTS
 BRITNEY SPEARS
 JESSICA SIMPSON
 CELINE DION
 FRANZ FERDINAND
 THE FRAY
 BELLE AND
SEBASTIAN
 JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE
 KELIS

6. UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP
• Owned by Vivendi SA
• Company headquarters:
-SANTA MONICA
-CALIFORNIA
-NEW YORK
• Was an extension of the
Universal Pictures Group, one of
the most successful movie
studios in Hollywood.
• Was the label on which
Universal Pictures would release
soundtrack from their films.
• Vivendi took over ownership of
the label in February,2006.
• Top selling label.
• Owns well over 100 other labels.
• Got caught up in the Payola
investigation launched in 2005.
• Paid a $12million fine.
• Paid overhead costs because of
some radio stations, bogus song
requests and hotel bill paid for a DJ.

7. RECOGNISED SUBSDARY LABELS
• INTERSCOPE
• GEFFEN
• MOTOWN
• DEF JAM
• ISLAND
• SO SO DEF
• ROC-A-FELLA
• VERVE

8. UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP ARTISTS
GWEN STEFANI
50 CENT
MARIAH CAREY
U2
KANYE WEST

9. WARNER MUSIC GROUP
• Chairman of label is Edgar
Bronfman, Jr.
• Company headquarters in NY
• Got it’s start as a branch of a movie
studio
• Label started in 1958 for releasing
soundtracks attached to their motion
pictures.
• They acquired Atlantic Records label
in 1968 and shortly bought Elektra
Records.
• Changed their name to Warner
Communications but became better
known in the industry as
WEA(Warner Elektra Atlantic).
• Merged with the Time corporation in
1987 forming Time Warner.
• Time Warner sold Warner Music for
$2.3billion in 2003.
• Affiliated the most powerful
publishing companies in the
world, Warner Chappell Music.
• Warner Chappell was also
founded by Warner Bros movie
studio, who started the company
to cut down on the fill music
licensing costs.

10. WARNER MUSIC LABELS
ATLANTIC RECORDS
BAD BOY
ROADRUNNER
RECORDS
EAST WEST RECORDS
RHINO RECORDS SUB POP RECORDS
RYKODISC RECORDS REPRISE RECORDS