Record Labels - The Big Four

Big Four labels/major record labels represent the majority of the music sold, making up as much as 75% of the music market or more depending on the year. Artists who are signed to a Big Four record label are either signed to the central label or signed to a subsidiary of the label.

EMI

• Independent, not for profit organisation
• EMI raises finance from a range of sources to invest in and support the film and digital content industries.
• The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom.
• It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record label in the recording industry, making it one of the "big four" record companies.

Warner

• Warner Music Group (WMG) is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies.
• For three decades the comglomerate was known as WEA, which stood for Warner Bros.-Elektra-Atlantic Records; three major record companies that signed and developed musical acts and, in turn, distributed product for subsidiaries and other record labels.

Universal

• Universal Music Group (UMG) is an American music group and is the largest in the music industry.
• 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 French media conglomerate Vivendi.
• Universal Music Group owns a music publisher, Universal Music Publishing Group, which became the world's largest following the acquisition of BMG Music Publishing in May 2007.

Sony

• Sony Music Entertainment (SME or Sony Music) is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation.
• On July 1, 2009, Sony Music Entertainment and Independent Online Distribution Alliance announced their global strategic partnership to leverage combined worldwide online retail distribution networks and complementary technologies to support independent labels and music rightsholders.