Record label

A record label is a brand or trademark associated with the marketing of music

recordings and music videos. Often, a record label is also a publishing company that manages
such brands and trademarks; coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing,
promotion, and enforcement of copyright for sound recordings and music videos; conducts talent
scouting and development of new artists ("artists and repertoire" or "A&R"); and
maintains contracts with recording artists and their managers. The term "record label" derives
from the circular label in the center of a vinyl record which prominently displays the
manufacturer's name, along with other information.

Music industry
Within the music industry, most recording artists have become increasingly reliant upon record
labels to broaden their consumer base, market their albums, and be both promoted and heard on
MP3, radio, and television, with publicists that assist performers in positive media reports to
market their merchandise, and make it available via stores and other media outlets. The Internet
has increasingly been a way that some artists avoid costs and gain new audiences, as well as
the use of videos in some cases, to sell their products.

Major versus independent record labels

Record labels may be small, localized, and "independent" ("indie"), or they may be part of a
large international media group, or somewhere in between. As of 2012 there are only three labels
that can be referred to as "major labelsA "sublabel" is a label that is part of a larger record
company but trades under a different name.

Imprint
When a label is strictly a trademark or brand, not a company, then it is usually called an "imprint",
a term used for the same concept in publishing. An imprint is sometimes marketed as being a
"project", "unit", or "division" of a record label company, even though there is no legal business
structure associated with the imprint.

Major label

Major labels 19881999 (Big Six)

1. Warner Music Group

2. EMI
3. Sony (known as CBS Records until January 1991 then known as Sony Music thereafter)
4. BMG
5. Universal Music Group
6. PolyGram
Major labels 19992004 (Big Five)
1. Warner Music Group
2. EMI
3. Sony
4. BMG
5. Universal Music Group (PolyGram absorbed into UMG)
Major labels 20042008 (Big Four)
1. Universal Music Group
2. Sony BMG (Sony and BMG joint-venture)
3. Warner Music Group
4. EMI
Major labels 20082012 (Big Four)
1. Universal Music Group
2. Sony Music Entertainment (BMG absorbed into Sony)
3. Warner Music Group
4. EMI
Major labels since 2012 (Big Three)
1. Universal Music Group (part of EMI's recorded music division absorbed into UMG)
2. Sony Music Entertainment (EMI Music Publishing absorbed into Sony/ATV Music Publishing)
3. Warner Music Group (EMI's Parlophone and EMI/Virgin Classics labels absorbed into
WMG on 1 July 2013)[2]
Record labels are often under the control of a corporate umbrella organization called a
"music group". A music group is typically owned by an international conglomerate "holding
company", which often has non-music divisions as well. A music group controls and consists of
music publishing companies, record (sound recording) manufacturers, record distributors, and
record labels. As of 2007, the "big four" music groups control about 70% of the world music
market, and about 80% of the United States music market. [3][4]Record companies (manufacturers,
distributors, and labels) may also comprise a "record group" which is, in turn, controlled by a

music group. The constituent companies in a music group or record group are sometimes
marketed as being "divisions" of the group.

Independent
Record companies and music publishers that are not under the control of the big three are
generally considered to be independent (indie), even if they are large corporations with complex
structures. The term indie label is sometimes used to refer to only those independent labels that
adhere to independent criteria of corporate structure and size, and some consider an indie label
to be almost any label that releases non-mainstream music, regardless of its corporate structure.
Independent labels are often considered more artist-friendly. Though they may have less
financial clout, indie labels typically offer larger artist royalty with 50% profit-share agreement,
aka 50-50 deal, not uncommon.

Sublabel
Music collectors often use the term sublabel to refer to either an imprint or a
subordinate label company (such as those within a group). For example Universal
Music Group own or has a joint share in a number of other record labels such as
Island Records a sublabel of Island Records is 4th & B'way Records which
specialises in Hip Hop music.

Vanity labels
A vanity label is an informal name given sometimes to a record label founded as a wholly or
partially owned subsidiary of another, larger and better established (at least at the time of the
vanity label's founding) record label, where the subsidiary label is (at least nominally) controlled
by a successful recording artist, designed to allow this artist to release music by other artists they
admire.
The parent label handles the production and distribution and funding of the vanity label, but the
album is usually released with the vanity label brand name prominent. Usually, the artist/head of
the vanity label is signed to the parent label, and this artist's own recordings will be released
under the vanity label's brand name.
Creating a vanity label can be an attractive idea for the parent label primarily as a "perk" to keep
a successful artist happy and a venue to bring fellow artists to the public's attention.
Examples of Vanity Labels:

M.I.A.

200
8

Nguzunguzu
Sleigh Bells
Rye Rye

XL Recordings, Interscope
Records

active

Search &
Destroy

Fightstar

200
9

Fightstar

Gut Records

active
(2009)

Roc Nation

Jay-Z

Jay-Z
J. Cole
Wale

Sony Music
Entertainment/Atlantic

Active
(since

N.E.E.T.
Recordings

200
9

Melanie
Fiona
Jay
Electronica
Rita Ora

Ticker Tape

Radiohead

2011 Radiohead

Recording Corporation

2009)

XL Recordings

active

222 Records

Adam
Levine

201
2

Matthew
Morrison
Diego
Boneta
Tony Lucca

Independent

active

Little Will-E
Records

Ronnie
Dunn

201
3

Ronnie Dunn Independent

active

Metamorphosis
Records [4]

Katy Perry

201
4

Ferras

inactive

201
4

Reba
McEntire
Ronnie Dunn Big Machine Records
Martina
McBride

Nash Icon Music

Scott
Borchetta

Capitol Records

active