The Role of Major Record Labels in Music

by: Morgan Hamilton

Have you ever thought how important music has become for us? I cannot remember a day when I didn’t hear any music at all. I love the stuff. You might have a collection of CDs, or albums, or you simply turn on the radio while commuting to work. Have you ever considered how the music gets to you and who makes the decision about what music gets played? Maybe you have wondered why only certain artists get played and have their music sold in major retail stores. Have you thought about what trends are going to take over music next? I suppose you will find the answer to all your questions in major record labels.

When you love or hate an artist is it because you like or dislike their record label? The major record labels take on new artists and promote their music, they might also assist other companies in planning tour promotions and other public events.

Generally a recording company takes on an artist for a certain period of time or a certain number of recordings. Take a look at your CD and DVD collection. Do you see that nearly 90 % of them come from one of the five major record labels?

The big five are Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, EMI Group, Warner Brothers and BMG entertainment. They make up the five major record labels. They deal with millions of artists, videos and movies. In case you would like to work in the music industries you should turn to any of the big five record labels.

Are you looking at your CD covers to find information about the record labels? In case you see a name different than one of the big five, don’t worry. Your CD is not necessarily duplicated.

It is more likely that you have purchased a CD from one of the major record labels subsidiary companies. They all own subsidiary companies.

For instance, do you remember the once great Motown record label? Now it is a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, while Capital Records is a member of EMI’s subsidiaries. There are hundreds of other companies, too.

What we listen today is mainly determined by the major music labels. But I suppose you don’t really care about the big fine when you are enjoying this new hip hop hit or singing along number one country song. What is undoubtedly true is that with the help of major record labels music plays a large part in our lives.




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