Research into major and independent record labels

Major Record Labels

Major Record Labels are Large companies within the music industry that may also own smaller record labels. The major labels in the UK currently are Universal music group,  Sony music entertainment, The EMI group and Warner music group.

Universal music group manage Lady Gaga, Gwen Stephani, Kerry Hilson, Young Jeezy and Mariah Carey.
Sony Music manage The Ting Tings, The Clash, MGMT and ke$ha.
EMI manage Whitesnake, Iron Maiden, Spice Girls, Kate Bush and The Beatles.
Warner Music manage Death Cab For Cutie, Gnarls Barkley, Basshunter, Fleetwood Mac and Enter shikari.

Warner Music Group also has a music publishing arm called Warner/Chappell music which is currently one of the worlds largest music publishing companies. EMI's record labels included EMI Records, Parlophone and Capitol Records. EMI Group also had a major publishing arm, EMI Music Publishing – also based in London with offices globally. EMI is now owned by Universal in a takeover for £1.2billion. Universal  also owns Universal Music Publishing Group, which is the second largest music publishing company in the world.

Independents

Independents are Music labels that operate one or a few music labels.

Independent labels can be just as successful but operate from a smaller company base. They are traditionally known as offering more ‘organic’ music rather than manufactured mainstream.

Dreamboat Records is a British independent music label based in Bristol, England. The label was founded in 2005, and released records on a small scale for a group of local artists. In 2009 it expanded to include releases of independent film soundtracks. Artists signed to this label are The Rollercoaster project, Robin Allender, This is Kit, Bear in Heaven and Whalebone Polly.

FM Records and Revolver Records were two labels in common ownership that came together to form FM Revolver in the 1980s. The FM label presented itself as FM Records, FM Coast to Coast, FM Dance and FM Revolver. The label was distributed by BMG Ariola Munich and in the UK by BMG  until 1991. FM artists included Adam Bomb, Asia, Atom Seed, Babe Ruth, Cloven Hoof, Dark Star, Jack Green, James Young, King Kobra, Lisa Dominique, The Macc Lads, Marino, Multi-story, Pet Hate, Rough Trade, Sofia Rotaru, Steve Gaines, Tobruk, Torino, Tradia, UFO, White Sister and Wrathchild

Native Records is a small British independent record label formed in Sheffield, England. The label was founded by Kevin Donoghue in 1985, after he left RCA Records. In 2006, Native formed its own distribution company Indie distribution. Native Records artists are Undercurrent, OneUnder, PLMB, Waiting For June, ReVerbed, The Talk, Girl Spit, Lee Foster, Pimp Sneekerz, B Troop and Various Production.