UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP

'Universal Music Group' (UMG) is the largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry. With a 25.5% market share, it is one of the Big Four record labels. It belongs to the French conglomerate Vivendi SA.
UMG's record labels have many of the world's biggest artists ^[1] including Tupac Shakur, Wisin & Yandel, Latin Fresh, Rammstein, The Killers, Don Omar, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Elton John, Method Man, Luny Tunes, Jay-Z, Maroon 5, Keane, Mariah Carey, t.A.T.u., Eminem, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, G-Unit, Diana Ross, Hector El Father, Luciano Pavarotti, U2, blink-182, Kanye West, Rihanna, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Lindsay Lohan,Black Eyed Peas, Nelly Furtado, Tokio Hotel, Notch, Nelly and Gwen Stefani. UMG now owns the largest music publishing business in the world, the Universal Music Publishing Group, (after their acquisition of BMG Music Publishing in June 2007).
In the United States UMG is located in Santa Monica, California, and New York City, New York along with Universal Music Group Nashville; in the UK the group has a number of offices in London and Romford. Vivendi's headquarters are in France, in Paris.

History

"Universal Music" was once the music company attached to film studio Universal Pictures. Its origins go back to the formation of the American branch of Decca Records in 1934. MCA bought American Decca in 1962. The present organization was formed when its parent company Seagram purchased PolyGram and merged it with Universal Music Group in 1998. However, the name first appeared in 1996 when MCA Music Entertainment was renamed Universal Music Group.
With the 2004 acquisition of Vivendi's Vivendi Universal Entertainment by General Electric's NBC, Universal Music Group was separated entirely from its film studio namesake for the first time.
In February 2006, the group became 100% owned by French media conglomerate Vivendi SA when Vivendi purchased the last 20% from Matsushita, the group's sole owner from 1990 to 1995 and co-owner from 1995 to 2006.
On September 6, 2006 it was announced that Universal Music will purchase BMG Music Publishing (to become Universal Music Publishing Group), for €1.63 billion ($2.1 billion), subject to regulatory approval. [1]

Labels

Universal Music Group owns, or has a joint share in, a large number of record labels, including:
===Interscope-Geffen-A&M

Interscope Records

★ Amaru Entertainment - founded in 1997 by Afeni Shakur to handle the release of the late Tupac Shakur.

★ Aftermath Entertainment - founded in 1996 by rapper/producer Dr. Dre.

★
★ Storch Music Company - founded by record producer Scott Storch.

★ Cherrytree Records

★ D-Block Records

★ Delicious Vinyl

★ Fontana Records

★ G-Unit Records - founded in 2003 by rapper 50 Cent and his manager Sha Money XL.

★
★ '150 Entertainment' - founded by rapper Young Hot Rod.

★
★ 'Ca$hville Records' - founded by rapper Young Buck, formally CEO of 'G-Unit South Records'.

★
★ 'Dumout Records' - founded by rapper Tony Yayo.

★
★ 'G'$ Up' - current artists : Lil Scrappy and Crime Mob.

★
★ 'G-Unit West' - headed by rapper Spider Loc.

★
★ 'Infamous Records' - founded by Prodigy & Havoc of the rap duo Mobb Deep.

★
★ Money Management Group - management company started by Sha Money XL in 2002.

★
★ 'Shadyville Entertainment' - headed by DJ Whoo Kid.

★ Kickball Records

★ Kon Live Distribution - founded by singer Akon in 2006.

★ Maloof Music

★ MySpace Records (''Distribution only; label owned by News Corporation'')

★ Nothing Records

★ Shady Records - founded in 2000 rapper Eminem and his manager Paul Rosenberg.

★
★ 'Grown Man Music' - founded by rapper Stat Quo.

★
★ Red Head Records - started by rapper Bizarre (from the rap collective D12).

★
★ Runyon Ave. Records - created by D12 members Kon Artis and Kuniva.

★ Star Trak Entertainment - founded in 2002 by producers Chad Hugo & Pharrell Williams.

★ Tennman Records

★ Weapons of Mass Entertainment

★ Zone 4 Inc.

Geffen Records

★ Flawless Records - founded in 2000 by Limp Bizkit vocalist Fred Durst.

★ Matriarch Records

★ Mosley Music Group - founded in 2006 by record rapper/producer Timbaland.

★ Doggystyle Records - founded in 1995 by rapper Snoop Dogg.

★ Suretone Records

A&M Records

★ Octone Records(A&M/Octone) - founded in 2000 by James Diener, David Boxenbaum and Ben Berkman.

★ Polydor Records (US distribution) - founded in 1924.

★ Tropical Records

★ 'will.i.am music group' - founded in 2006 by rapper/producer will.i.am
===The Universal Motown/Universal Republic Group===

★ Universal Records - founded in 1995 by Doug Morris and Daniel Glassin 1995.

★ Casablanca Records - founded in 1973 by Neil Bogart.

★ Chamillitary Entertainment - founded in 2004 by rapper Chamillionaire.

★ Blackground Records - founded in 1993 by Barry Hankerson.

★ Cash Money Records - founded in 1992 by Ronald "Slim" Williams and Brian "Baby" Williams.

★
★ Young Money Entertainment - founded in 2005 by rapper Lil Wayne.

★ Motown Records - founded on January 12, 1959 by Berry Gordy, Jr..

★ Street Records Corporation - founded by Steve Rifkind.

★
★ Konvict Muzik - founded in 2005 by singer Akon. Other than Akon

★ Republic Records

★ Brushfire Records - founded in 2002 by singer/songwriter Jack Johnson.

★ Next Plateau Records

★ Rowdy Records - founded in 1992 by producers Dallas Austin and L.A. Reid.

★ Tuff Gong Records - founded in 1970 by the reggae group Bob Marley & The Wailers.

★ Universal South Records

★ Uptown Records - founded in 1986 by Andre Harrell.

★ Murder Inc. Records - founded in 1997 by record producer Irv Gotti, Chris Gotti and rapper Ja Rule.

★ Mpire Records - founded in 2006 by rapper Ja Rule

★ Derrty Ent. - founded by hip-hop artist Nelly.

★ Starchild Music Group

★ Scrilla Records

★ Bungalo Records - founded by Paul Ring in 2004.
===The Island Def Jam Music Group

Def Jam Recordings

★ 'Corporate Thugz Entertainment' - founded in 2004 by rapper Young Jeezy and Kinky B.

★ Def Jam Records - founded in 1984 by Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin.

★ Def Jam South - founded in 1999.

★ 'The Jones Experience' - Founded by rapper Nas.

★ Desert Storm Records - founded in 1998 by DJ Clue.

★ Disturbing tha Peace - founded by rapper Ludacris and his manager Chaka Zulu in 2000.

★ Russell Simmons Music Group - founded by Russell Simmons.

★ Slip-n-Slide Records

Island Records

★ 4th & Broadway

★ Fallout Records

★ Lost Highway Records

★ Stolen Transmission Records

★ Island Urban Records

Mercury Records

Roc-A-Fella Records

★ Roc-A-Fella Records - founded in 1995 by Damon Dash, Kareem "Biggs" Burke, and Jay-Z.

★ Get Low Records - founded by rapper Memphis Bleek.

★ Gold Star Music - founded in 2005 by reggaeton artist Hector El Father.

★ State Property Records - founded by rapper Beanie Sigel.

So So Def Recordings

★ So So Def Recordings - founded in 1993 by record producer Jermaine Dupri.
===Universal Music Classics Group===

★ Decca Broadway

★ Decca Records - founded by Edward Lewis in 1929.

★ Deutsche Grammophon - founded by Emile Berliner in 1898.

★ Philips Records - founded by Dutch electronics giant Philips in 1950.

★ ECM Records - founded by Manfred Eicher in 1969.
===Universal Music Group Nashville===

★ Dreamworks Records

★ Lost Highway Records - founded by Luke Lewis in 2000.

★ MCA Nashville Records - founded (as Decca Records' country music division) by Paul Cohen in 1945.

★ Mercury Nashville Records
===Verve Music Group===

★ Blue Thumb Records - founded by Bob Krasnow, Tommy Lipuma and Don Graham in 1968.

★ Brunswick Records - founded by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company in 1916. (pre-1957 Decca era jazz holdings only)

★ Commodore Records - founded by Milt Gabler in 1938.

★ Coral Records

★ Decca Records - founded by Edward Lewis in 1929. (Its jazz holdings only)

★ GRP Records - founded by Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen in 1982.

★ EmArcy Records - founded in 1954 (as a subsidiary of Mercury Records).

★ Impulse! Records - founded by Creed Taylor in 1960.

★ Verve Records - founded by Norman Granz in 1956.

★
★ Verve Forecast - founded (as Verve Folkways) by Creed Taylor in 1967.
===Machete Music===

★ Mas Flow Inc - founded by Dominican reggaeton production duo Luny Tunes in 1999.

★ El Cartel Records founded by Daddy Yankee in 2004.

★ WY Records - founded by Wisin & Yandel in 2005.

★ Gold Star Music - founded by Hector El Father.

★ All Star Records - founded by reggaeton artist Don Omar in 2005.

★ VI Music - founded by Mario VI.

★ Lico Records founded by Dj Fitiurin in 2007.

★ Pina Records - founded by Raphy Pina in 1998.

★ Baby Records - founded by Zion of the reggaeton duo Zion y Lennox.

★ Sangre Nueva Music - founded by Arnaldo "Naldo" Santos.

★ Ilegal Life Records - founded by reggaeton artist Baby Rasta of the duo Baby Rasta y Gringo.

★ Flow Music
===Sanctuary Records===

★ Sanctuary Records UK

★ Attack Records

★ Sequel

★ Antidote Records

★ Castle Home Video

★ Castle Music

★ Castle Pie

★ Castle Pulse

★ Castle Select

★ Discotheque

★ Fantastic Plastic

★ Indigo

★ Knockout Entertainment

★ Mayan Records

★ Metal-is Records

★ Noise Records

★ RAS Records

★ Rough Trade Records

★ Rough Trade Records US

★ Sanctuary Records US

★ Sanctuary Special Editions

★ Sanctuary Visual Entertainment

★ Slogan

★ Trojan Records

★ Vapor Records

★ Vertical Records

★ Sanctuary Classics

Stand alone labels

★ Gangsta Flip Records

★ Barclay Records - founded by Eddie Barclay around 1954.

★ Bite Records

★ Cinepoly Records - founded in 1985.

★ C.O.D. Entertainment

★
★ C.O.D. Records

★
★ C.O.D. Films

★ Go East Entertainment

★ Impact Records

★ Isadora Records - founded by Hawksley Workman.

★ Jazzland Records - founded by pianist Bugge Wesseltoft in 1997.

★ Motor Music Records

★ Nhi Le Records - founded by Nhi Le in 2002.

★ Polar Music - founded by Stig Anderson and Bengt Bernhag in 1963.

★ Radioactive Records

★ RMM Records & Video - formed by promoter Ralph Mercado in 1987.

★ Stockholm Records - founded by Ola Håkansson and Alexander Bard in 1992.

★ Urban Records

★ UMTV/Universal Music TV

★ Universal Music Limited

★ UCJ (Universal Classics & Jazz)

★ Globe Records

★ Family Recordings

★ Manifesto Records

★ Show Dog Nashville - founded by singer/songwriter Toby Keith in 2005.

★ UNi Records

★ Universal Music Latino

★ Universal Music Enterprises

★
★ Hip-O Records - founded by Doug Morris in 1996.

★
★ Universal Chronicles

★
★ 20th Century Records

★ Ruff Ryders - founded by Chivon Dean, Dee and Waah Dean in 1988.

Independent labels distributed by Universal Music Group

★ Concord Music Group - formed in 2004 by the merger of Concord Records and Fantasy Records.

★ Hollywood Records (U.S.) - founded by The Walt Disney Company in 1989.

★ Treacherous Records

★ Warrior Records

★ Battle Axe Records

★ Palm Pictures

★ Softlite Records

★ WVS Entertainment

★ Starchild Music Group

★ Show Dog Nashville

★ Big Machine Records - founded by former DreamWorks Records executive Scott Borchetta in 2005.

★ ersguterjunge founded by Bushido (rapper)

★ Koch Records (U.S.) - founded by Michael Koch in 1987.

Labels outside of the USA

Controversy

Pay for play

In May 2006, an investigation led by New York attorney general Eliot Spitzer concluded with a determination that Universal bribed radio stations to play songs from Ashlee Simpson, Brian McKnight, Big Tymers, Lindsay Lohan and other performers working for Universal labels. The company paid $12 million to the state in settlement.
^[2]

iTunes

On July 2, 2007, the New York Times reported that Universal would not be renewing its contract with Apple allowing the sale of its artists on iTunes. Instead, Universal was reported to be seeking an "at will" contract instead of an annual one, allowing it to pull its music from iTunes at will. ^[3] This report has been denied by Apple, who says they are "still negotiating" with Universal. ^[4] Universal has since stated publicly that they will not sign a new long term contract with Apple, preferring to go month by month instead. ^[5]
Also, they announced on August 9, 2007, that they would sell DRM-free music through a variety of online vendors, including the newly-created gBox, but not including the iTunes Store.^[6]

References

1. Universal Music Group - Artists
2. UMG Settles With Spitzer Garrity, Brian
3. Universal in Dispute With Apple Over iTunes Leeds, Jeff
4. Apple denies big record label may quit iTunes Lee, Ellen
5. Universal confirms iTunes non-renewal Starrett, Charles
6. gBox - Not Google - has DRM-free Universal deal Aughton, Simon

External links

★ Official site

★ Universal Music Group history website

★

★ Universal Music Group Jobs listed on EntertainmentCareers.Net

This article provided by Wikipedia. To edit the contents of this article, click here for original source.

psst.. try this: add to faves

Featured Companies

	Dancing Moon Travel
	Alpine Interface Inc.
	Travelbugs, LLC

Photo Galleries »

Visiting Polar Bears in Churchill Manitoba

Universal Music Group Videos

Holly Williams -- Sometimes

	Bora Bora Lagoon Resort & Spa
	Destination Greece
	JRD Travel Company
	Golf Holidays International
	MarysTravelSpot
	Grenada Board of Tourism
	Hotel Villa St Pierre
	Travelonly - Dave Corless
	Heavenly Paradise Getaways
	Dancing Moon Travel