Major Record Labels

Major record labels are large companies within the music industry that may also own smaller record labels. Record labels manage brands and trademarks they also control the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion, and enforcement of copyright protection of sound recordings and music videos. Record labels are known for watching upcoming talent and signing them to their major record label due to normally their image or mixtape success, once this is completed the record label develop the new artist through the mainstream.

The record labels control most of their artists when making their music videos and albums which are seen commonly as some artists have no choice but to change their original lyrical content and image to expand their audience. This is done to mostly so that the artist can be promoted better and heard on radio and television more often this gains the artist positive media coverage which helps market their merchandise to increase more sales for the artist and record label.

Four Major record labels:

Universal Music Group Owns or has joint shares in thousands of record labels Covers the widest range of genres

Sony Music Entertainment 11 subtypes of labels, specialising in different genres Wide range of independent labels

Warner Music Group More than 20,000 record label subtypes under the ‘Warner Music Group’ Extensive record labels/Large range of genres Wide range of independent record labels

EMI 6 subtypes of labels, specialising in different genre Wide range of international labels

Record Label acts

Solo image:

Cam’ron

This mixtape cover by hip-hop artist Cam’ron is an old style of mix tape covers as it doesn’t use many bright outstanding colours although references back to the text in the bubble of the left corner “The purple mixtape” because the artist and his surroundings are in grey while objects and clothing in purple are shown. Audiences can tell that this artist is not commercial because the cover shows the ‘Life entertainment’ a well known recording studio for artists who are not signed; it is also unprofessional for record labels to show their branding on front covers. Mixtape covers like all most have narratives. These ideas are sprung up from the title of the mixtape. The title means everything while creating mixtape covers. It allows the artist to find several of objects that would convoy the art of the mixtape, the typographic style, and the general feel of the design these are

the conventions of mixtapes which stand above album covers.

Signed image:

This album cover of Cam’ron’s album ‘Purple Haze’ is shown to be more professional than his first mixtape cover ‘The Purple Mixtape’ as he shows more depth and appeal towards his audience as the album cover shows more detail and style as effects are used throughout the album cover to relate to his title. An album cover is the first thing that audiences look at when they decide to purchase a music album; this is why its design is very important for the record label as it creates sales. It takes a certain amount of time and skills to create a remarkable album cover as the record labels have the funds to pay qualified designers unlike signed artists. Some designers use typography, some use illustrations and other use photography to produce the album’s artwork this features make it noticeable in such stores as HMV of unsigned and signed artists.

Mixtapes normally include the unsigned artist ‘mcing’ over another artist’s instrumental who is generally known throughout the public. Mixtapes are made or hosted by a DJs, combining new beats and vocals mixed and put together forming their own musical content to appeal to major record labels by getting the best tracks played on radio.

Albums are usually what audiences can find in the stores as they are official as it is studio based. Albums are quality based due to studio based productions, organised collaborations with other artists, label decided music, marketing, and commercial viewing throughout television and social networking sites.

I will now show an example of a successful major record label umbrella who owns other successful companies:

Warner Bros. Recordings

1017 Brick Squad

Records

Asylum Records

Black Wall Street

Records

Blacksmith Records

BME Recordings

Doghouse Records

Decaydance Records

Festival Mushroom

Records

Maybach Music Group

Maverick Records

No Limit Forever Records

Word Records

Warner Bros distribute all their record labels such as the Hip-Hop record label Maybach Music Group. The record label was taken over by Warner Bros following the expiration of a deal with Def Jam Records.

Maybach Music Group is a label that relates to my artist as they constantly release new videos that relate to their genre and audience for example Meek Mill’s video Ima Boss ft Rick Ross contains the values and content of the genre by showing voyeurism, high status and hip-hop fashion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1cxP2nCBdU

Maybach Music Group market their artists by magazine advertising, internet articles, interviews and social networks in all to appeal to their target audience and to generate album and single sales for their artist.