According to the free online encyclopedia
Wikipedia
(http://en.wikipedia.org/),
a host of record labels that were once part of smaller companies or
independent altogether are now part of the ‘Big Four’ record
companies, which hold 70 percent of the music market share
worldwide (a $30 to $40 billion industry in 2004).
Universal Music Group ($7 billion in revenue)
includes A&M, Decca/London Deutsche Grammophon, Island, MCA,
Motown, PolyGram, and others.
Sony BMG Music Entertainment ($9 billion),
which as of August 2004 consisted of the merger between Sony Music
Entertainment and BMG Entertainment, includes Columbia, Epic,
Arista, RCA, and others.
EMI Group ($4 billion) includes Angel, Blue
Note, Capitol, Odeon, Parlophone, Virgin, Positiva, and others.
Warner Music Group, a.k.a. WEA ($2.5 billion)
includes Warner Brothers, Elektra, Atlantic, London, Reprise,
Rhino, and others.
