Research on the Music Industry

Artists within the Music Industry are signed to a record label. A record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. In addition a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks and coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion of an artist's work. They also take charge of the enforcement of copyright protection of their sound recordings and music videos, conduct talent scouting and development of new artists and maintains contracts with recording artists and their managers. Interestingly 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 additional information.

Most recording artists rely upon record labels to broaden their audience, market their albums, and be both promoted on radio and television. Artists also have publicists that assist them in positive media reports to market their merchandise, and make it available through stores and other media outlets. The Internet in particular has been an essential tool for artists to promote themselves whilst avoiding costs and gaining new audiences.

Major Record Labels
In the Music Industry today the four following record labels are recognised as the major labels and collectively known as 'The Big Four'.

Sony Music Entertainment http://www.sonymusic.co.uk/

Sony Music Entertainment UK is part of one of the largest music and entertainment companies in the world. It has a broad array of local artists and international superstars, as well as a vast catalogue comprising of some of the most important recordings in history.

Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, Pink, Foo Fighters, Usher, Leona Lewis, Will Young, Kings Of Leon, Bruce Springsteen, Kasabian, The Ting Tings and The Script are among the artists signed to this label.

EMI Music http://www.emimusic.com/

EMI Music is one of the world’s leading music companies, home to some of the most successful and best known recording artists. EMI traces its history back to the very beginnings of recorded sound and music as one of our original companies was founded by the inventor of the gramophone, Emile Berliner. Since then EMI has always been at the forefront of technology and change. EMI scientists invented stereo recording and were closely involved in the development of magnetic tape. They were also behind the birth of electrical television and radar.

EMI was the first company to release a digital album download, David Bowie’s ‘…Hours’. EMI also launched the first internet video single in 2001. In 2007 EMI was the first major music company to make its music available without digital rights management (DRM) software.

The Beatles, David Bowie Coldplay, Depeche Mode, Gorillaz, David Guetta, Iron Maiden, Kylie Minogue, Katy Perry, Lily Allen, Pink Floyd, Corinne Bailey Rae, Snoop Dogg, Tinie Tempah, Thirty Seconds To Mars, KT Tunstall, Keith Urban and Robbie Williams are artists signed to this record label.

Warner Music Group http://www.wmg.com/

Warner Music Group is the world's only publicly-traded major music company and comprises an array of businesses aimed at helping artists achieve long-term creative and financial success while providing consumers with the highest-quality music content available. WMG is engaged in the recorded music business, artist services and the music publishing business.

Their primary music publishing business, Warner/Chappell Music, is one of the world's leading music publishers, with a back catalogue of more than one million songs from more than 65,000 different songwriters and artists. This also includes Non-Stop Music, a full service music production library company. In the past few years, WMG has grown to become the world's third-largest recorded music business and third-largest music publishing business.

Michael Buble, Phil Collins, Jason Derulo, Flo Rida, Green Day, Linkin Park, Paramore, Pendulum, My Chemical Romance, Frank Sinatra, are artists signed to this label.

Universal Music Group http://www.universalmusic.com/

Universal Music Group (UMG) is the largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry. It is the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations. Universal Music Group is a wholly owned subsidiary of international French media conglomerate Vivendi.

Universal Music Group (UMG) is the world’s leading music company and is comprised of two core businesses: recorded music and music publishing.

The company discovers, develops, markets and distributes recorded music through a network of subsidiaries, joint ventures and licensees in 77 countries, representing 98% of the music market. UMG also sells and distributes music video and DVD products, and licenses recordings, encouraging the legal distribution of music online and over cellular, cable and satellite networks.

Lady GaGa, Justin Bieber, Black Eyed Peas, Bon Jovi, Mariah Carey, Eminem, Ne-Yo, Owl City, Pussycat Dolls, Gwen Stefani, Timbaland, Kanye West, Bryan Adams, Dame Shirley Bassey, Elton, Girls Aloud, Kaiser Chiefs, Keane, La Roux, Annie Lennox, Metallica, Rolling Stones, Scissor Sisters, Snow Patrol, Sugababes, Take That and U2 are all artists signed to this label.