Record Labels 19 *

A Record Label is a large company that is in the music industry, it is associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. The music industry is known to be dominated by three main record labels such as Universal, Warner and Sony. These companies are also publishing companies that manages brands and trademarks.

Universal Music Group (UMG) is the largest American Music corporation. UMG also owns Universal Music Publishing Group, which is the second largest publishing company in the world. It has many famous artists signed to them like Emeli Sande, David Guetta and Swedish House Mafia. As Universal is a big record label it has two smaller companies called Island Records and Def Jam. With Artists like Jessie J, Nicki Minaj and Drake with Island Records and Rihanna, Jay-Z and Kanye West on Def Jam.





Sony Music Entertainment, also know as SME has many famous artists such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Beyonce and Alicia Keys. The big record label again has a number of smaller companies, like Arista and J Records. Sony is also related to television and phones. Sony was founded as American Record Corporation in 1929, renamed Columbia Recording Corporation in 1938. Sony Music Entertainment was founded in 1991 when Sony Corporation of America, which bough CBS in 1987, changed the record company's name. It is currently the world's second largest record company behind Universal Music Group.







Warner Music Group Record Label have artists like Wiz Khalifa, The Notorious B.I.G and Paramore. Warner Music Group is owned by Time Warner, the worlds largest media conglomerate which has links in film and entertainment, publishing and television. Headquartered in New York City, it is one of the 'big three' recording companies. The company works with some of the most successful recording labels in the world including its flagship labels Warner Bros. Records and Atlantic Records. The company was publicly traded on thr New York Stock Exchange until May 2011 when it announced its privatisation and sale to Access Industries which completed in July 2011.




An Independent record label is a record label which operates without funding from the major record labels. Many artists and bands begin on independent labels. The traditional definition of a major record label is one that owns its own distribution channel. Some independent record labels in particular those with successful performing artists, sign dual-release agreements with major labels and may rely to some extent on the international licensing deals.

An independent record label in the UK which is well known is Boy Better Know. They are an English grime collective which was started by Jamie Adenuga (JME) and older brother Skepta in 2005. They are best known for their tracks ''Too Many Man'' ''Private Caller''.