Tell Us What You Think Of UMG Buying EMI?
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?". (My thoughts are below.) Tell us what you think in the comments section:
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I’ll get the party started and admit that, while I know I shouldn’t care, I do.
It’s not that EMI is an iconic brand. Its that anything that consolidates power in fewer hands is likely slow change.
Drastic change is what’s needed right now. Sure change can come from the bottom up 9and is), but a little help from the top is likely to be even less likely now.
The music world will be a lot better with either major labels doing a major shift from how they think about themselves, or with them disappearing.
Major labels have already shown proof that they aren’t able to change. Thus, a consolidation like this ends up being good: instead of having four mammoths stopping us to read the future, now there are only three.
My concern with this new pattern of major label unification is the inevitable joint negotiation practices that will become even more dramatic among Business and Legal Affairs Departments under the same umbrella. UMG “streamlining” its back offices will result artists being forced into deals capturing a broader and broader array of rights.
Competition between Majors is good for emerging acts. I hope we’re not moving away from that.
I tend to agree with Bruce on this, more consolidated power is going to go to UMG. I still think that the EU is going to hold this deal up for some time. I feel sorry for all my friends at EMI because this sale surely means a ton of folks are going to be redundant and will be out of a job. I remember when it was the big six and now we are looking a three.
Huh? EMI is not an iconic brand?
The biggest problem facing music is the good digital talent instead of staying in music and growing through the ranks is finding itself stuck in the middle, thus leaving for the greener pastures of tech where there is more money and ability to effect change. Any move that consolidates jobs and the ability for smart young minds to flourish and move up is detrimental to music.
Make no mistake, the music industry will be DESTROYED if it does not take care of its young digital minds, the more talent it loses to tech the less chance it has of out innovating these trying times.
This deal won’t go through. Guaranteed.
Will someone let me know when it get’s down to “The Big One”?
I’m on team entropy.
I agree with Bruce in that consolidation of power into the hands of a few is a dangerous idea. Who knows what they will filter in terms of musical content.
-JJ
jjengel.wordpress.com
You think the sale wont be seen through?
I agree as well, the big six will be missed for sure for the time being, but I also have faith that where there is something missing something else will show up. Whether that be a new record label or just a continual surge of the independent movement. I dont see it ever getting down to “the big two” or “the big one” by any means. I dont believe musicians will stand for it… its not very rock and roll! 😉
It’s not a surprise. I think we’ll continue to see larger labels snatching up smaller, using their resources and creating smaller knit communities of teams. You can surely bet that there will be some restructuring going on with the two organizations. It’s just the way it has to be. I feel that there will never be one super power, similar to how govt is run, but instead 2 majors with control that oversee an umbrella of resources and tools (using brands more for publishing, distribution and marketing).
I wish I could be as optimistic all things considered…
I think what’s left to show up are more loans to be defaulted on and eventually anti-trust suits when we hit the Major Label Singularity.
It’s happening on the publishing side as well, just this past year BMG swallowed Chrysalis and just acquired Bug Music.
On the bright side, if the entire major industry as we know it is dismantled it would force a lot of people, musicians, labels and fans to take a long hard look at what truly is sustainable, and why.
Sadly, perhaps with a few caveats, I think it will go through.