Tagged: majorlabels

VEVO , the music video powerhouse owned primarily by Universal and Sony and including content from EMI, would seem to be the last company to knowingly stream pirated video at a major event. But that's exactly what they did at their recent Sundance party and the NFL 's Patriots vs Ravens playoff game. The feed "had apparently been accessed via a site called Frontrow.tv," according to TechCrunch's Jason Kincaid , who was at the event. "...So I went to the [...]

Warner Music Group this morning reported that losses were up $26 million in their first fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2011. Revenue in Q1 was flat, inching up from $778 million a year ago to $779 million. Digital revenue did go up 17% to $219 million and Michael Buble' sold 6 million units at Christmas, but that was not enough to cover 44% operating income increases of $39 million. The company attributed the $26 million net loss to "the impact of an increase in interest expense, to $57 million from $47 million, related to the July [...]

Is a recent interview , VEVO boss Rio Caraeff revealed that after just 2 years the music video provider had generated $150 million in revenue in 2011. In fact, Caraeff envisions $1 billion in revenue within a "short period of time". But independent publishers and songwriters have not received any payments at all, according to Songs Music Publishing CEO Matt Pincus . "Vevo doesn't pay us because the major record companies have warranted that they have [...]

By Stuart Dredge for Midem content partner Music Ally . Find them at musically.com and @musically . Last year at Midem, Sony's Tim Schaaff was announcing plans for the rollout of Music Unlimited. Now at Midem 2012, it's available in 13 markets , with more than 1 million active users and a catalog of nearly 15 million tracks. Schaaf has been upped to President of the Sony Entertainment Network division; and he sat down with Music Ally in Cannes this morning to talk about the service, [...]

The Henley School of Business in Reading, England has announced an MBA focused on the music industry. However, given its corporate focus and the fact that MBA's often move between industries, it is clearly not a program that would suit all with music business aspirations. For some, pursuing a more general MBA while focusing their papers and internships on the industry will suffice. For others, an undergrad degree in computer science might be the way to go. Given the currently disrupted nature of the industry, one still has [...]

U.K. music retailer HMV has sold an equity stake in the company to suppliers, including Universial Music in an effort to solidify their financial position for the next three years. According to The Guardian, HMV has sold a 2.5% stake to their suppliers in the form of warrants, but the company declined to comment on the other terms of the agreement, which likely entail a shifting of some risk to suppliers. HMV is the only remaining nationwide chain of music and DVDs in the UK. The company's [...]

Teresa Richardson doesn't strike you as someone intent on pirating content and taking down the music industry. But according to the popular YouTuber , someone at Warner Music Group felt that a slow motion video of her teaching a crochet lesson that contained no music and almost no audio belonged to them and needed to be squashed. "I have one video that has a conflicting claim from WMG, submitted the dispute although it has not been released. They are claiming the audio and the video," according to the self-proclaimed [...]

John Reid, the former CEO and Vice Chair, Warner Music International has joined Live Nation Europe as President Of Concerts. Simon Lewis remains Live Nation Europe's CEO. "John will be pivotal in broadening our touring artist portfolio and strengthening our show marketing capabilities as we head into what we expect to be another strong year," Lewis stated. Mr. Reid said: "I'm very pleased to join Irving Azoff, Michael Rapino and Simon Lewis at Live Nation. Having spent a number of years navigating and leading the transition of the recorded music business to digital, and [...]

This post is written by Brenden Mulligan , technology entrepreneur and founder of Onesheet and ArtistData. Follow him on Twitter at @mulligan . You've probably read about the heated debate around the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). It's a very important debate for musicians, as it could have a major effect on distribution channels and discovery platforms that many musicians rely on every day. Eliot Van Buskirk did an amazing post right here on Hypebot called " Everything You Need To [...]

New Lawsuit Means All Major Labels Are Suing Grooveshark

Overall U.S. music sales rose 6.9% in 2011, as album sales increased for the first time since 2004, according to Soundscan. Digital powered the increase, with sales of album downloads up 19.5% over 2010. But for all the talk here and elsewhere about the ascendancy of independent music, indies accounted for just 12.1% of U.S. music sales last year. Here's how independents did alongside the 4, or if the sale of EMI to UMG passes regulators, 3 major label groups: % Of U.S. Music Sales In 2011 [...]

By Michael Roberston, the founder MP3.com and founder and CEO CEO of MP3tunes and DAR.fm Imagine a new hot-dog selling venture. Let's also say there's only one supplier to purchase hot dogs from. Instead of simply charging a fixed price for hot dogs, that supplier demands the HIGHER of the following: $1 per hot dog sold OR $2 for every customer served OR 50 percent of all revenues for [...]

Musicians have been using the web to amplify and extend their careers in a variety of ways. One still emerging solution is to create digital archives with content ranging from copies of old newspaper clippings to recordings of live concerts. Recently both the Rolling Stones and Fugazi opened online archives with quite different approaches to content and access that reflect their respective approaches to the business of music . I feel stuck in cliches comparing the Rolling Stones , titans of rebellious corporate rock, [...]

Against a backdrop of a 4-5% rise in U.S. music sales industry-wide, Warner Music Group reported a net loss of $205 million for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2011. Half the loss came in the fourth quarter. The company also warned of weak earnings for the current quarter ending December 31st. Speaking in his first earnings call as Warner Music Group, CEO Steve Cooper blamed much of the last quarter's loss on costs related to WMG's acquisition by Access Industries. Charge included professional fees ($46 million), severance ($10 million) and refinancing charges. In that same [...]

" The Last Sultan " , Robert Greenfield's biography of iconic Atlantic Record's founder Ahmet Ertegun , offers a very readable account of a man whose career began in the 1940s with recordings of African American music, extending through the development of rock and into the digital age. His work was cut short only by his death in 2006; and before the end of this somewhat worshipful account, one has the picture of a man who had both a great sense of what made a hit and a well-developed understanding of how to seduce artists and business people. [...]

Tweet [This review originally ran in slightly longer form over at GoldFlakePaint ] In August I moved to New York City, leaving behind the sun-weakened streets of Los Angeles, college, and grad school. A few weeks later I had my first listen of the album " Mount Modern" by Dad Rocks! During a period of such personal transition, the effect that music is having upon my memories, thoughts and feelings is more profound than it has [...]

In the third quarter of 2011, Universal Music Group revenues stood at €2,842 million ($3,826 million USD) , a 2.9% decrease compared to the same period in 2010 (-1.1% at constant currency). A 11.3% increase in digital sales (+13.9% at constant currency) and higher license income only partly offset the continued decline in CD sales. More UMG earnings highlights: UMG's EBITA was €244 million, stable compared to the first nine months of 2010 (+1.6% at constant currency). Operating cost savings [...]

For years there have been four major label groups. If the sale of EMI to Universal goes through - and given EU anti-trust regulations it is an if - there will only be three. Is this bad for the music industry or good given shrinking music sales and the seismic shifts of the last decade? Or should our attitude be,"Who the hell cares?". Tell us what you think in the comments below:

In an email circulated today, EMI CEO Roger Faxon informed his team that despite his best efforts, label and publishing would be split with the recorded music division sold to Universal . While widely reported in the media as a done deal with Sony, Faxon says that he hopes "to be able to share more detail on EMI Music Publishing shortly". Here it the full text of Faxon's lettter to EMI staff: The bids are in, the [...]

Vivendi and Universal Music Group (UMG) to Purchase EMI Music London, Paris, New York – Vivendi and its subsidiary, Universal Music Group (UMG), announced today that they have signed with Citigroup Inc. ("Citi") a definitive agreement to purchase EMI's recorded music division for a total consideration of £1.2 billion representing 7 x EBITDA prior to synergies. (continued after the jump below) PLUS: CEO Roger's Faxon's Letter To EMI Staff On Sale To Universal [...]