The music industry is dominated by four multi-national corporations:-
- Universal Records:- Founded in 1995 and owned by Universal Music Group. They have signed artists like Bee Gees (formerly), Calvin Harris, Miley Cyrus, Godsmack, Pat Green, Selena Gomez, Elton John, JoJo, Owl City, etc.
- Sony Music:- Founded in 1929 and owned by Sony Corporation of America. They have signed artists like 2NE1, Alexandra Burke, Avril Lavigne, Backstreet Boys, Big Time Rush, Beyoncé Knowles, Bruce Springsteen, Britney Spears, Celine Dion, Carrie Underwood, Calvin Harris, Daft Punk, Destiny's Child, Earth, Wind and Fire, Evanescence, Stereopony, Susan Boyle, etc.
- Warner Brothers:- Founded in 1958 and owned by Warner Music Group. They had previously signed artists like A-ha, Bee Gees, Shaun Cassidy, Alice Cooper, Bill Cosby, Elvis Costello, etc. They have now signed artists like Avenged Sevenfold, Cher, Disturbed, Clint Eastwood, Evermore, Fort Minor, Gorillaz, Green Day, Idina Menzel, Iyaz, Hugh Laurie, Linkin Park, etc.
- EMI Records:- Founded in 1972 and owned by EMI Group Limited/EMI Music. They have signed artists like The Beatles, The Hollies, Gullivers People, Pink Floyd, The Shadows, Joe Cocker, Black Sabbath, Captain, Cockney Rejects, Amy Grant, Iron Maiden, Alan Jackson, Killa Mike, Kyla, Ruth Lorenzo, Junior Martinez, Richard Marz, etc.
These are referred to as "The Majors". The majority of these are backed by conlomerates with stakes in other industries such as Film, TV and Electronics.
Major-Independents
Most of these "Majors" own, or license, a series of smaller subsidiary companies in order to reach different kinds of audiences in different kinds of genres.
There are a huge number of small companies with little or no financial connection to the majors. These companies often concentrate on a small number of acts, within specialised niches in the industry.
These are called "Independents". One example of a highly successful Independent is Domino Records. They were founded in 1993. They had previously signed artists like 10,000 Things, The Fall, Hood, Josef K, The Pyramids, Steve Reid Ensemble, Superchunk, The Television Personalities, The Triffids, etc. They have now signed artists like Arctic Monkeys, Galaxie 500, Hot Chip, Eugene McGuinness, Quasi, Sons and Daughters, Spiral Stairs, Tricky, Twin Sister, Villagers, etc.
It is often that record labels begin as independent, but then are bought by a major and then become major-independents.
- Columbia Records:- Founded in 1888 and owned by Sony Music Entertainment. They have signed artists like 50 Cent, AC/DC, Aerosmith, Appaloosa, Louis Armstrong, The Bangles, Beyoncé, Big Time Rush, David Bowie, Susan Boyle, Kate Bush, Johnny Cash, John Cena, Petula Clark, Miranda Cosgrove, Celine Dion, the Glee cast, Billy Joel, etc.
- Island Records:- Founded in 1959 and owned by Universal Records. They had previously signed like Wallis Bird, Keisha Buchanan, Mariah Carey, John Cale, Jim Capaldi, Bob Dylan, Marianne Faithfull, Isis, Elton John, Bob Marley, N-Dubz, Nirvana UK, Katy Perry, Ringo Starr, Sum 41, Utada Hikaru, etc. They have now signed artists like Iggy Azalea, Justin Bieber, Bon Jovi, Clare Bowditch, Jake Bugg, Taio Cruz, Jamie Cullum, Dizzee Rascal, Fall Out Boy, Florence and the Machine, Ariana Grande, Enrique Iglesias, Jessie J, Nick Jonas, Parachute, Passenger, Snow Patrol, U2, The Vamps, Robbie Willaims, Woodkid, Will Young, etc.
- Syco Records:- Founded in 2002 and owned by Sony and Simon Cowell. They had previously signed artists like Gareth Gates, George Sampson, Leon Jackson, Same Difference, Rhydian, Paul Potts, Escala, Shayne Ward, Joe McElderry, Westlife, Alexandra Burke, Loveable Rogues, Leona Lewis, Jonathan and Charlotte, etc. They have now signed artists like Susan Boyle, Labrinth, Little Mix, Olly Murs, One Direction, Union J, Bars and Melody, Collabro, Cher Loyd, etc.
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- RCA Records:- Founded in 1901 and owned by Sony. They have signed artists like ABBA (formerly), The Beatles (formerly), Cristina Aguilera, Keith Anderson, Apocalyptica, Rick Astley (formerly), Misha B, Backstreet Boys (formerly), Alexandra Burke, Boston Symphony Orchestra, David Bowie (formerly), Bullet for My Valentine, Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus, Daughtry, Snoop Dogg, Hilary Duff, Mick Fleetwood, Foo Fighters, Jamie Foxx, Becky G, Miku Hatsune (formerly), Imogen Heap, Whitney Houston (formerly), Jennifer Hudson, Natalie Imbruglia, Ke$ha, Alicia Keys, Avril Lavigne, "Weird Al" Yankovic, etc.
- Virgin Records:- Founded in 1972 and owned by Universal (formerly by EMI). They have signed artists like 30 Seconds to Mars, The Almost, Atomic Kitten, Tony Banks, Bastille, Victoria Beckham, Blue, David Bowie, Mariah Carey, Phil Collins, The Constellations, Daft Punk, Deadmau5, Hilary Duff, Eurythmics, Evanescence, Emeli Sandé, Peter Gabriel, Gorillaz, David Guetta, Korn, Emily Osment, Placebo, Queen, Röyksopp, Ruth Lorenzo, The Sex Pistols, Yanni, You Me at Six, etc.
These companies are called "Major-Independents".
Independents
There are a huge number of small companies with little or no financial connection to the majors. These companies often concentrate on a small number of acts, within specialised niches in the industry.
These are called "Independents". One example of a highly successful Independent is Domino Records. They were founded in 1993. They had previously signed artists like 10,000 Things, The Fall, Hood, Josef K, The Pyramids, Steve Reid Ensemble, Superchunk, The Television Personalities, The Triffids, etc. They have now signed artists like Arctic Monkeys, Galaxie 500, Hot Chip, Eugene McGuinness, Quasi, Sons and Daughters, Spiral Stairs, Tricky, Twin Sister, Villagers, etc.It is often that record labels begin as independent, but then are bought by a major and then become major-independents.
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