The document outlines the history of major record labels from 1988 to 2011, noting that their numbers decreased from six major labels to three over this period due to mergers and acquisitions. It also discusses independent labels and terms used to describe labels, subsidiaries, and corporate structures. Finally, it provides statistics on the music industry and market over recent decades, showing a decline in physical sales but huge growth in digital music and streaming revenues.

1. Major labels 1988–1998 (Big Six)
1. Warner Music Group
2. EMI
3. Sony Music (known as CBS Records until January 1991 then known as Sony Music
thereafter)
4. BMG Music
5. Universal Music Group
6. Polygram
Major labels 1998–2004 (Big Five)
1. Warner Music Group
2. EMI
3. Sony Music
4. BMG Music
5. Universal Music Group (Polygram absorbed into UMG)
Major labels 2004–2008 (Big Four)
1. Warner Music Group
2. EMI
3. Sony BMG (Sony and BMG joint-venture)
4. Universal Music Group
Major labels 2008–2011 (Big Four)
1. Sony Music Entertainment
2. EMI Group
3. Warner Music Group
4. Universal Music Group
Major labels since late 2011, if approved (Big Three)
1. Sony Music Entertainment
2. Warner Music Group
3. Universal Music Group (EMI recorded music division to be absorbed into UMG, pending
approval by antitrust regulators)
Record companies and music publishers that are not under the control of the big three are
generally considered to be independent (indie), even if they are large corporations with complex
structures. The term indie label is sometimes used to refer to only those independent labels that
adhere to an independent criteria of corporate structure and size, and some consider an indie label
to be almost any label that releases non-mainstream music, regardless of its corporate structure.
Music collectors often use the term sublabel to refer to either an imprint or a subordinate label
company (such as those within a group). For example, in the 1980s and 1990s, "4th & B'way" was
a trademarked brand owned by Island Records Ltd. in the UK and by a subordinate branch, Island
Records, Inc., in the United States. The center label on a 4th & Broadway record marketed in the
US would typically bear a 4th & B'way logo and would state in the fine print, "4th & B'way™, an
Island Records, Inc. company". Collectors discussing labels as brands would say that 4th & B'way
is a sublabel or imprint of just "Island" or "Island Records". Similarly, collectors who choose to treat
corporations and trademarks as equivalent might say 4th & B'way is an imprint and/or sublabel of
both Island Records, Ltd. and that company's sublabel, Island Records, Inc. However, such
definitions are complicated by the corporate mergers that occurred in 1989 (when Island was sold
to PolyGram) and 1998 (when PolyGram merged with Universal). Island remained registered as
corporations in both the US and UK, but control of its brands changed hands multiple times as new
companies were formed, diminishing the corporation's distinction as the "parent" of any sublabels.
In September 2006, Steve Jobs announced that iTunes owned 88% of the legal music
download market.
iTunes had 10,152,284 downloads a day on average

2. A report released by the IFPI in 2009, stated that 95% of music downloads are
illegal (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry)
Even legal music downloads have faced a number of challenges from artists, record labels
and the Recording Industry Association of America. In July 2007, the Universal Music
Group decided not to renew their long-term contracts with iTunes.
In January 2005, downloaded tracks outsold physical singles for the first time in UK music
history[citation needed], prompting The Official UK Charts Company to begin to incorporate
downloads for the first time into the UK Singles Chart
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Adele
In the months leading up to the European release of 21, Adele embarked on a promotional
tour across Europe, performing on the UK's Royal Variety Performance on 9 December
2010, the finale of reality singing competition The Voice of Holland on 21 January 2011,
and on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge on six days later
Adele performed "Someone Like You" at the 2011 BRIT Awards ceremony, which was well
received and resulted in an incremental sales increase for both 19 and 21.
For the North American release of 21 on 22 February, Columbia Records executives used
the "'long tail' sales theory" to shape its marketing campaign, which, according to Columbia
senior VP of marketing Scott Greer, entailed "building a critical mass throughout February
in order to reach all those people who bought 19."Key to this was the record company
approaching internet and media partners Vevo, AOL and VH1 to begin promoting Adele's
old and new songs.
21 album, Japan, Russia and Spain, highest position was in top 4, the rest of the world
Number 1.
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Two years ago sales of singles soared to an all-time record of 152.7m units.
There has, unsurprisingly, been a fall in sales of albums – down from 133.6m units to
128.9m two years ago.
U.S Market Share (2005) World Market share (2005)

3. Worldwide Music 2006 ($60.7 billion), 2007 ($61.5 billion), 2008 ($62.6
Industry Revenues billion), 2009 ($65.0 billion), 2010 ($66.4 billion), 2011
(2006 - 2011) ($67.6 billion)
Worldwide Live $16.6 billion (2006), $18.1 billion (2007), $19.4 billion
Music / Concert (2008), $20.8 billion (2009), $22.2 billion (2010), $23.5
Revenues (2006 - billion (2011)
2011)
Worldwide Digital $2.9 billion (2006), $4.5 billion (2007), $7.0 billion (2008),
Music Revenues $10.7 billion (2009), $12.9 billion (2010), 14.8 billion (2011)
(2006 - 2011)
US MP3 Player Retail Apple (73.7%), San Disk (9%), Creative (3.3%), Microsoft
Sales, by Brand, (2.3%), Samsung (2.2%), Other (9.5%)
February 2007 (%
market share)
Digital Music % of 20%
2008 Total Music
Sales
Global single track 1.4 billion units globally
downloads in 2008
The value of the music market in the current day is $4.6 billion
There has been a 1000% increase in value of the digital music industry since 2004.

4. Other services, such as VEVO and MTV, are
also commanding significant audiences.
Record labels have taken different approaches
to licensing online music video services, some
partnering with YouTube
through VEVO and others
with MTV and by launching
artist-branded websites. Michael Nash, executive vice president, digital strategy and
business development, Warner Music Group, says: “We offer consumers artist- branded
channels on YouTube. In a world where over half of the active rosters are signed to
extended rights agreements, it is extremely important for us to have a strong marketing
partnership with our artists.”
The introduction of new legislation and a landmark court decision on The Pirate
Bay in 2009 helped make Sweden a positive case study for digital music. Yet 18 months
later, lack of active copyright enforcement threatens to reverse the gains the market has
made.

5. In the UK, for
example, Harris
Interactive found that 76
per cent of all music
obtained online in the UK
in 2010 was unlicensed. The survey
found that the majority of unauthorised downloading was coming from P2P networks but
that music piracy through cyberlockers is on the rise, e.g. Mediafire, Zippy, RapidShare
and DropBox.
Limewire down, BitTorrent up
Despite variations by country, there are some common trends across markets. The
popularity of Limewire, appears to be in decline after the US court injunction in October
2010. On the other hand, usage of BitTorrent is growing across most markets, indicating
that P2P networks are still a significant source of pirate content.
Nearly one in four active internet users in Europe visit unlicensed sites monthly.
The Nielsen Company
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2010 Beats By Dre, had sold 1m pairs of headphones in two years. In January, the Los
Angeles Times reported that Beats’ fourth quarter retail sales were $50m. Lovine is
reluctant to confirm the figure.
For most people, high fidelity in music went out with the hi-fi, sacrificed for the portability of
the Walkman, Apple’s desirable iPods and the tinny MP3 format used by countless peer-
to-peer websites, mobile phones and also-ran digital music players.
After just a couple of months since the company purchased Beats Audio and
began bundling headphones with all new smartphone releases, HTC has
decided to scrap the idea.
Says one HTC exec: "An accessory like the headphone doesn't factor in when someone is
buying a smartphone. If they want a Beats headphone, they'll buy it directly."

6. HTC spent $300 million last year to acquire the majority stake in Beats. Beats has been
panned by many as a gimmick, and real audiophiles say the software and hardware is no
better than the regular audio seen in most smartphones.
The company does include Beats Audio support into all their new devices, and the tech is
integrated into the music apps.
HTC says starting with the launch next week of the One X, there will be no more bundling
for the immediate future, although execs have not completely shut the door.
________________________________________________________________________
Iggy Pop's new album has been rejected by his record label, forcing the singer to release it
himself. Virgin EMI turned down the collection of cover versions and French chanson, so
Pop has put it on sale via digital retailers.
The Official Streaming Chart will launched on monday the 14th of May 2012, billed as the
first chart to rank audio streams from both ad-funded and subscription services in the UK.
Music streaming has grown significantly in the past 12 months with 2.6bn audio streams in
the UK in 2011. Revenues from streaming services increased by 30% to £35m in 2011 but
remains a fraction, at just 4.5%, of total music industry revenues.

7. HTC spent $300 million last year to acquire the majority stake in Beats. Beats has been
panned by many as a gimmick, and real audiophiles say the software and hardware is no
better than the regular audio seen in most smartphones.
The company does include Beats Audio support into all their new devices, and the tech is
integrated into the music apps.
HTC says starting with the launch next week of the One X, there will be no more bundling
for the immediate future, although execs have not completely shut the door.
________________________________________________________________________
Iggy Pop's new album has been rejected by his record label, forcing the singer to release it
himself. Virgin EMI turned down the collection of cover versions and French chanson, so
Pop has put it on sale via digital retailers.
The Official Streaming Chart will launched on monday the 14th of May 2012, billed as the
first chart to rank audio streams from both ad-funded and subscription services in the UK.
Music streaming has grown significantly in the past 12 months with 2.6bn audio streams in
the UK in 2011. Revenues from streaming services increased by 30% to £35m in 2011 but
remains a fraction, at just 4.5%, of total music industry revenues.