Major and Minor Labels

universal music group:

·       it's American based but French owned

·       'largest music corporation in the world' and the largest of the 'big 4', that also own Capitol music group and Def Jam recordings

·       founded in 1934

·       worth over $6.5 billion

·       some of their biggest artists include from various labels owned by universal: Justin Bieber, Fall Out Boy, Kanye, JayZ, Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, Ludacris, Frank Ocean, Big Sean, Amerie, Ashanti.

·       they promote their music across a wide array of formats and platforms. they have multiple social networking sites for their artists as well as their own individual sites. they have a partnership with vevo to premiere the artists music videos. make sure their cd's are available digitally and physically in stores. plenty of merchandise available online as well as their tours. they team up with upcoming movies and have their artists make songs featured on the soundtrack. eg - Justin Bieber and Never Say Never.

xl recordings:

• is an independent British label
• founded in 1989
• has grown into one of the worlds most influential independent labels
• worth around £21 million

• artists include: Adele, Tyler the Creator, FKA Twigs, MIA, Vampire Weekend, The xx, Radiohead, Dizzee Rascal, Azealia Banks, Jungle
• unlike Universal, they give their artists more freedom as they believe they know how they would like to market and present themselves - seen as 'breaking the rules'
• Artists such as Adele really helped to raise awareness to the label as her album sales were through the roof