The Big Three

Most of the music in America is owned by just a few major record labels. There used to be six major labels, Warner Music Group, Polygram, EMI, Sony Music, BMG Music, and Universal Music Group, but over the years the labels started to merge more and more until there were only four.

The "Big Four" labels, were Sony Music Entertainment, EMI Group, Warner Music Group, and Universal Music Group. However, as of today, there are now only three. EMI sold their recorded music division to Universal for $1.9 billion, and their publishing group was sold to Sony for $2.2 billion.

This means that there is now only three companies to own basically all music. Each of these huge companies own a bunch of major labels including Columbia, RCA, Interscope and many, many more. Even independent labels are indirectly owned by one of these major companies. For example, Warner created something called the Alternative Distribution Alliance. This allows Warner to own and distribute most of the independent labels out there too.

I am not entirely sure how much control these huge corporations have on the music directly. I would like to hope that some music is still safe from their control and regulations, but it is a bit unsettling. It already seemed insane that only four companies could own so much. Now, that there is only three, it's ever crazier. The companies just keep expanding and merging until they are bigger, richer, and more powerful. I'm really starting to see how almost everything in America just comes down to a handful of giant companies.