Universal Music Group is the largest major record label, founded in 1934. It has many subsidiary labels that are home to some of the biggest artists in music. Some key subsidiaries include Def Jam Recordings, focused on urban/hip hop, and Young Money Entertainment, co-founded by Lil Wayne. EMI Music Group is another major label based in the UK with subsidiaries like Capitol Records and Virgin Records. Sony Music Entertainment holds the second largest share and was formed from mergers with labels like Columbia Records and Jive Records. It also operates subsidiary labels.

1. SUBSIDIARY LABELS
RHIANA GREEN

2. UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP
Universal music group is the largest of the major
labels. Founded by French media conglomerate
Vivendi in 1934 Universal was originally named
MCA Music Entertainment Group and later
changed to Universal in 1966. On June 25, 2007,
Vivendi completed its €1.63 billion ($2.4 billion)
purchase of BMG Music Publishing. Universal has
worked its way up to the top recording label in the
world and have many subsidiary labels. They have
locations all over the world; London, New York
City, Santa Monica. Some of today’s biggest
artists such as Akon, Amy Winehouse, Beck, Black
Eyed Peas, Queens of the Stone Age and busta
rhymes are signed to this label. Universal also
produce television shows and films.

4. SUBSIDARY LABELS- ISLAND
DEF JAM MUSIC
Def Jam Recordings is an American label that focuses primarily on urban rap/hip hop music. It’s owned by
Universal Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Motown Music Group.Def Jam
also operates in the UK and takes the name Def Jam UK and is operated through Mercury music group.
And whilst in Japan, it is Def Jam Japan operating through Universal Sigma Music.Def Jam was created
by Rick Rubin in his dorm room in Weinstein Hall at New York University and its first release was a
single by his punk-rock group Hose. Russell Simmons joined Rubin shortly after they were introduced
to each other by Vincent Gallo. The first single released with a Def Jam Recordings logo was T La Rock
& Jazzy Jay's "It's Yours." The first releases with Def Jam Recordings catalog numbers were LL Cool
J's "I Need a Beat" and the Beastie Boys' "Rock Hard," both in 1984.
First Single Released by Def Jam:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6n6VldG8oQ
Def Jam has a primary audience of Boys/Girls/Males/Females aged: 15-30, and their secondary audience aims at
males and females aged: 30+. Some of the major artists signed to Def Jam are:

6. SUBSIDARYLABELS- YMCMB
Young Money Entertainment is a record label founded by rapper Lil Wayne. Young
Money, also referred to as YMCMB because it is partnered with Cash Money Billionaires
which is distributed via Universal Republic Records. also a record label founded by
rapper and step-father to Lil Wayne, Birdman. Cash Money Records is Together YMCMB
is an up and coming force not to be reckoned with as it has some of the top selling artists
signed to it. Although the label has released six #1 albums: Tha Carter III, Tha Carter IV,
and I Am Not a Human Being by Lil Wayne, Thank Me Later and Take Care by Drake,
and Pink Friday by Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne announced in an interview with Vibe magazine
that he has stepped down from the position of president of Young Money and handed the
title over to Cortez Bryant. To promote their first collaboration album as a label. We Are
Young Money, was released on December 21, 2009, and Young Money artists embarked
on the Young Money Tour. Some of the artists signed to YMCMB are:
NICKI MINAJ TYGA
DRAKE

8. EMI MUSIC GROUP
EMI music group, formed in March 1931 is a multicultural record label based in
the UK. EMI also deal with publishing and go under the name of EMI publishing
group. EMI is a member of the RIAA & IFPI. In November 2011 Citigroup
announced a deal that had been set up to sell off pieces of the company with
the music section going to Vivendi's Universal Music Group for $1.9 billion and
the publishing business going to a consortium led by Sony for around $2.2
billion. Some of today’s most successful artists signed to EMI are:
The Beatles Anita Baker Coldplay

9. EMI SUBSIDIARY LABELS
Manhattan Virgin
Formed in 1984 by Bruce Lundvall,
Virgin record label was formed by
Manhattan was re-named EMI
Manhattan Records after absorbing EMI English entrepreneur Richard
America Records imprint. In 2001, the Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik
Manhattan label was re-launched as a Powell in 1972. As it is part of the
division of Capitol Jazz and Classics by Virgin business ranging from airlines
veteran record producer Arif Mardin. to mobile networks, Virgin music
has a great deal of publicity.
Capitol
Capitol records was formed by
songwriter Johnny Mercer in 1942.
Although they stared off in Los
Angeles, headquarters moved to
New York City because it was part
of Capitol Music Group.

11. SONY MUSIC
Holding the second spot in the ‘Big Four’ Song Music is one of the biggest record
labels. Sony Music Entertainment is a global record label with a lot of international
superstars. It was founded in 1929 and was originally names American Record
Corporation. It was then re names Sony Entertainment Company in 1991, Sony
then reintroduced the Columbia label worldwide, which was previously held in the
United States and Canada only. In August 2004, Sony formed a business
partnership with Bertelsmann by merging Sony Music and Bertelsmann Music
Group (BMG) to form Sony BMG Music Entertainment. Sony also distributes
electrical products and gadgets such as Laptops, Tablets and Cameras. Some of the
music industries biggest artists are signed to Song BMG, they are:

12. Sony BMG Subsidiary Labels
Jive
Columbia
Jive was founded in 1980 by Ralph Simon and Clive
Calder, although they planned on setting up the
Columbia Records is an American based
record label mainly for producers and songwriters records label set up in 1988 and owned by
the label grew and so did the number and type of Song Music Entertainment. Columbia is the
artists. Jive was mainly for hip-hop/R&B music in oldest brand name in pre-recorded sound as
the 1980’s and moved on to expanding they're it was the first record company to produce
genre to Pop and boy band in 1990. In 2011 it was pre-recorded records instead of blank
announced that Jive would be shutting down and
cylinders. Columbia Records is still active to
all artists were moved to RCA records.
this day and focuses on a wide variety of
artists from different genres.
J Records
J Records was founded in 2000 by industry veteran Clive Davis
with $150 million in financing from BMG. Olivia was the first
artist to sign to J Records, but was dropped due to poor album
sales. In 2001, the label was on a rise with its multi-platinum
record inaugural release, Songs in A Minor, the debut album of
Alicia Keys, which sold over 12 million copies worldwide. The
same year, the label had another success with the platinum-
selling debut album by O-Town. Not long after artists like
D'Angelo, Luther Vandross, Jamie Foxx, and Monica would join
the J roster, the latter three going on to find multi-platinum
success with the label. In 2005 J records announced that they
will be signing winners from the hit contestant show in America,
American Idol. J Records is no longer an active record company.