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# Top Musicians Threaten Strike Over EMI Sale To UMG
- URL: https://www.hypebot.com/top-musicians-threaten-strike-over-emi-sale-to-umg/
- Published: 2012-10-01T14:42:20.000Z
- Updated: 2012-10-01T14:42:20.000Z
- Description: With all the reporting and coverage of the completed $1.9 billion acquisition of EMI by Universal Music Group, one very important voice has been (unsurprisingly) left out of the conversation. Continue reading [https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/10/top-musicians-threaten-strike-over-emi-sale-to-umg
- Author: admin
- Tags: Major Labels, Songwriting & Music Publishing, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-01-21 10:49

[![On-strike](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e2017c32428cfc970b-150wi "On-strike")](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e2017c32428cfc970b-popup?ref=hypebot.com)

With all the reporting and coverage of the completed [$1.9](https://www.hypebot.com/eu-approves-universal-emi-deal-official/)  
[billion acquisition of EMI by Universal Music Group](https://www.hypebot.com/eu-approves-universal-emi-deal-official/), one very important voice  
has been (unsurprisingly) left out of the conversation entirely: **the artists**  
**themselves**. Some of the world’s greatest musicians are now considering **withholding**  
**any new albums as an act of protest**, unhappy they are being treated as  
"assets" in the forced sale of their label. Leading the revolt is  
**English alternative rock band Blur** against  
the sell-off of Parlophone (part of EMI), a label that has been the instrumental  
for artists like The Beatles and Coldplay.

  
As part of the EMI takeover deal, Universal Music has been  
ordered to sell off Parlophone, which includes artists earning "steady  
revenues" like Pink Floyd, Tina Turner, David Bowie, Duran Duran, and  
more. As part of the deal, however, Universal got to keep The Beatles  
catalogue, as well as Katy Perry, Robbie Williams and The Beach Boys.

Many of the label’s artists are unhappy being viewed merely  
as “assets” or “pawns” in a game that is set to be in the best interest for the  
powers that be. To protest this move, the rockers of Blur have joined forces  
with a number of Parlophone label-mates to collectively lobby potential bidders  
for the company and calling on them to place the interests of artists first, as  
reported by [The Independent](http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/strike-theres-no-other-way-blur-lead-pop-protest-over-sale-of-label-8191495.html?ref=hypebot.com). If the musicians don’t find the new Parlophone owners  
to their liking, they could withhold all future releases and effectively go on  
"strike".

"Artists are the only people currently being left out  
of the conversation, which is unfortunate,” said Blur drummer Dave Rowntree to The  
Independent. “If the staff at the label are unhappy with the new arrangements  
they are free to leave, but the artists are not."

Rowntree is said to be backing negotiations through the  
[Featured Artists Coalition (FAC)](http://thefac.org/?ref=hypebot.com), a pop stars "trade union" supported  
by Lily Allen and Radiohead.

“The FAC was formed by musicians who were fed up with the  
industry taking decisions without considering the impact it would have on those  
who actually make the music," he said.

Chief executive of the [Music Managers Forum](http://www.mmfus.com/?ref=hypebot.com) Jon Webster says  
that they are holding discussions with potential bidders to ensure  
that they “understand that the future of the record business is about genuine  
partnership with artists”. The potential future Parlophone owners are said to include Warner Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and BMG Rights Management.

"Artists have withheld releases to get better terms if  
they are powerful enough,” he added. “They can sit down with the new owners and  
get a solution. It's the smaller acts that suffer most because they have no  
bargaining power."

The future of Parlophone is said to be a concern by many artists  
on the roster and industry personnel alike. This includes legendary producer Sir  
George Martin, who became Parlophone’s manager back in 1955 and perhaps more  
famously gave The Beatles their big break in 1962.

—

***Hisham Dahud*** *is a Senior Analyst for Hypebot.com. Additionally, he is the head of Business Development for [Fame House](http://famehouse.net/?ref=hypebot.com) and an [independent musician](https://soundcloud.com/hishamdahud?ref=hypebot.com). Follow him on Twitter: [@HishamDahud](http://twitter.com/hishamdahud?ref=hypebot.com)*