The 'Big Three' Record Labels
Within the music industry, there are three major record labels - Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment. They are the parent companies of many small labels which look after old and new artists from around the world, and each have their own story of how they came to be...
Warner Music Group
The History: Warner Bros. Records was created in 1958 as the existing Warner Bros. film company had no record label division at the time. Tab Hunter, one of its contracted actors, scored a hit song for Dot Records (a division of rival film company Paramount Pictures) and it was this incident which led to the creation of the record label. Not only did the formation of Warner Bros. Records allow the brand to capitalise on the music business, it prevented any repetition of its actors recording for rival companies. Over time, various purchases and name changes have been made, which have resulted in Warner Music Group evolving into the company it is today. With a multibillion-dollar annual turnover, Warner Music Group employs in excess of 3,500 people and is the third largest recording company in the global music industry.
The Labels: Asylum, Atlantic, Big Beat, Canvasback Music, East West, Elektra, Erato, FFRR, Fueled by Ramen, Nonesuch, Parlophone, Reprise, Rhino, Roadrunner Records, Sire, Warner Bros. Records, Warner Classics and Warner Music Nashville
Some of the Artists: Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Clean Bandit, Alt-J, Simply Red, Fitz and the Tantrums, Marie-Claire Alain, Disciples, twenty one pilots, John Adams, Kylie Minogue, Michael Buble, Frank Sinatra, Slipknot, Madonna, Jason Derulo, Nigel Kennedy and Blake Shelton
Universal Music Group
The History: This was once the record company attached to the film studio Universal Pictures. The record company's origins go back to the formation of the American branch of Decca Records in 1934 as MCA Inc. merged with American Decca (a spin off of the English Decca Record Co. Ltd. from 1939) in 1962 and the name Universal Music Group first appeared in 1996 when MCA Music Entertainment Group was renamed. However, the present organisation was formed when its parent company Seagram purchased PolyGram in 1998 and merged it with Universal Music Group in 1999. The company was cast under separate management from the film studio after General Electric acquired it and merged it with NBC in 2004. Universal Music Group became owned by Vivendi in 2006. A notable moment in Universal Music Group's history was the purchase of EMI in 2011.
The Labels: Capitol Records, Decca Classics, Def Jam Recordings, Deutsche Grammophon, EMI, Interscope Geffen A&M, Island Records, Polydor, Republic Records and Virgin EMI Records
Some of the Artists: Sam Smith, Cecilia Bartoli, Justin Bieber, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Robbie Williams, Imagine Dragons, Nick Jonas, Ellie Goulding, Ariana Grande and Emeli Sande
Sony Music Entertainment
The History: American Record Corporation was founded in 1929 through a merger of several record labels. In 1938, following the Great Depression, CBS acquired American Record Corporation and numerous other record labels were bought and founded over the years. The newly named CBS Records' relationship with Sony started in 1968 as the two companies formed a joint Japanese business venture, CBS/Sony Records. 19 years later, in 1987, Sony acquired CBS Records, and the name was officially changed to Sony Music Entertainment in 1991. Sony BMG Music Entertainment was a joint venture between Sony and Bertelsmann which lasted from 2004-2008 before the company reverted to the Sony Music Entertainment name, acquiring Bertelsmann's stake. The record company is the second largest in the global music industry.
The Labels: Columbia Records, RCA Records, Epic Records, Arista Nashville, RCA Records Nashville, Columbia Nashville, Legacy Recordings, Sony Music Latin, Masterworks, RCA Inspiration and Provident Label Group
Some of the Artists: Adele, Justin Timberlake, Fifth Harmony, Dolly Parton, Michael Jackson, CNCO, Boyz II Men, Travis Greene and Tenth Avenue North