The Types of Record Labels

Major Record Labels

There are 4 eminent record labels which dominate the music industry today, they are multinational co-operations, which have various stakes in other entertainment industries such as film, television and electronics.

These are

Universal Music Group

Artists on this label include: Demi Lovato, Nelly Furtado and Jay Z.

Sony Music

Artists on this label include: Usher, MAGIC! and T.I.

Warner Brothers

Artists on this label include: Jason Derulo, Partynextdoor and Theophilus London.

and

EMI

Artists on this label include: Thirty Seconds to Mars, Coldplay and Raekwon.

These collectively known as the 'Majors' and control most of the biggest artists in the industry today.

Major Independents

Most of the 'Majors' own, or license, a series of smaller subsidiary record labels and companies 

which target certain kinds of audiences through the genre's of music they specialise in.

These are known to be 'Major Independents'.

Some of these labels run and operate as normal labels but the 'Majors' have a stake in any profit made by the label or company.

An example of a 'major independent' record label is Interscope Records.

Artists on this label include: Selena Gomez, Aloe Blacc and U2,

Interscope Records, founded by Jimmy Iovine, operates as a division of Universal Music Group

Def Jam Recordings is also an example of a 'major independent' label.

Artists on this label include: August Alsina, Jhene Aiko and Vince Staples.

Def Jam Recordings, founded by Rick Rubin, also operates as a division of Universal Music Group

Independents

These are small record labels and companies which a have little or no financial connection to the 'Majors' or 'Major Independents'. 

These labels or companies concentrate on a very small number of artists and focus on produce very specialised genres of music in the music industry.

An example of an independent record label is Spinnin' Records which focuses on produicng electronic dance music, progressive house and electro house music.

Artists on Spinnin' Records include: Afrojack, Avivii and Martin Garrix.



Spinnin' Records  Logo

Funk Volume focuses on recording and producing hip hop and rap music.

Artists on this label include: Hopsin, Dizzy Wright and Jarren Benton.