Record labels manage brands and trademarks associated with music recordings and videos. They coordinate production, distribution and promotion, and provide legal protection for artists. Major labels like Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, EMI Music and Warner Music Group represent the majority of the global music industry. They operate several subsidiary labels and control many of the best-known artists. Independent labels provide an alternative for smaller artists.

2. • A record label is a brand and trademark that is associated with the marketing of music recording
and music videos. A record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks,
coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion. They also
enforce the copyright protection of sound recordings and music videos; they conduct talent
scouting and development of new artists and maintain contracts with recording artists and their
managers. The term "record label" derives from the circular label in the centre of a vinyl record
which prominently displays the manufacturers name, along with other information.
• There are different types of record labels including majors and independents. A major music record
label otherwise known as a multinational record label company represents the majority of the
music industry, accounting for 75% of the total sales of recorded music in the world. The ‘big four’
music labels also known as the music majors include; Universal Music Group, Sony BMG Music
Entertainment , EMI Group and Warner Music Group. Music artists signed to the 'big four'
labels are either signed to the main label or signed to a subsidiary of the label, for example
a band/artist might be signed to Sony, or they might be signed to Sony's subsidiary label
Columbia Records . On the other hand independent music labels also called ‘indies’ are smaller
record labels that do not operate within and are not funded by the organization of the major labels
displayed above.

3. • Universal Music Group is an American-based and French-owned multinational music corporation.
The label is one of the largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry.
The company currently operates as a subsidiary of Paris-based media conglomerate Vivendi and
now owns one of second largest music publishing company in the world - Universal Music
Publishing.
• The label was first founded in 1934 as a branch of Decca Records.
• Universal Music Group is considered to be one of the most leading of the ‘big four’ record
companies by it’s commanding market share and its multitude of global operations. The label also
controls over a hundred other music labels including subsidiary labels which are amongst the best
selling and most well-known names in the music industry. Some artists signed with Universal and
their subsidiaries include; Kanye West, 50 Cent, Mariah Carey and Gwen Stefani
UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP

4. • Sony Music Entertainment also known as Sony Music is an American music corporation owned
and operated by Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate Sony
Corporation. The company was first founded in 1929 and was later renamed as ‘Columbia
Recording Corporation in 1938. It was not until 2004 when SME and Bertelsmann Music
Group merged to form Sony BMG Music Entertainment
• The music label is part of the largest music and entertainment companies in the world and has a
broad array of local artists and international superstars, as well as a vast catalogue comprising of
some of the most important recordings in history. Over the years, the company have helped
managed a wide selection of popular musicians including; Leona Lewis, Will Young, Justin
Timberlake, Usher, Christina Aguilera, Kings of Leon, Pink and many others.
SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT

5. • EMI Group Limited, also known as EMI Music was a British multinational music recording and
publishing company. The company was first established in March 1931 and was well known as
manufactures of graphophone record players under the name of ‘The UK Graphopphone
Company’. Also in 1931, the record label opened the Abbey Road music studios in London, the
same studios the Beatles recorded their songs. Until 1957, EMI was predominantly a European
label, however in that year the company purchased the controlling stake in a US label called
Capitol Records This relationship marked the beginning of a period of major commercial
international success for EMI which was largely down to The Beatles During this time, the
company also launched several subsidiary labels such as HMV, Columbia Gramaphone and
Parlophone. Other than The Beatles, EMI has signed many other top selling artists such as The
Beach Boys, The White Stripes, Elvis and Pet Shop Boys
EMI MUSIC GROUP

6. • Warner Music Group (WMG), also known as Warner Music, is an American major global record
company headquartered in New York City. The largest American-owned music conglomerate
worldwide, it is one of the 'big three' recording companies (the third largest in the global music
industry). The company operates some of the largest and most successful recording labels in the
world, including its flagship labels Warner Bros. Records, Parlophone Records and Atlantic
Records. WMG also owns Warner/Chappell Music, one of the world's largest music-publishing
companies.
• Formerly owned by Time Warner, the world's largest media conglomerate, the company was
publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange until May 2011, when it announced its
privatization and sale to Access Industries, which was completed in July 2011. With a multi-billion
dollar annual turnover, WMG employs in excess of 3,500 people and has operations in more than
50 countries throughout the world.
WARNER MUSIC GROUP