The Rolling Stones have left EMI for a deal with the Universal Music Group, the same label behind their most recent release -- the soundtrack to the Martin Scorsese documentary Shine a Light. While EMI struggles to get into a groove under the new control of private equity firm Terra Firma, it seems the Stones were happy with the way UMG handed the soundtrack's release. It debuted at Number 11 on the US chart and sold 100,000+ albums (those are big numbers these days).
Not only will UMG release future Rolling Stones albums via their Polydor label, but it also will distribute the iconic band's back catalog from 1971's Sticky Fingers forward.
At first I was surprised the Stones didn't sign with LiveNation, who recently acquired the souls of Madonna and Jay-Z in decade long contracts that include touring, merchandising control in exchange for millions of dollars. The Stones got inked in the Guinness World Record book for banking $437 million on their A Bigger Bang Tour in support of their last studio album.
Now, I'm left wondering why they just don't release future albums themselves?
My Trusted MOGs
emi is in the toilet.
My Trusted MOGs
no kidding. i mean they've lost the Rolling Stones adn Radio. Coldplay is suppose to save their ass on their own? EMI is going be sold off to UMG or Sony in NO time.
My Trusted MOGs
size difference? I looked it up...
Nielsen SoundScan reported that the big four accounted for 81.87% of the US music market in 2005:
My Trusted MOGs
Meanwhile ABKCO is suing someone (i forget who) on their behalf...
(Whenever i think about ABKCO, i think of John Belushi's parody of Allen Klein in Eric Idle and Neil Innes' "Rutles" mockumentary - described as "...a man who never let his left hand know who his right hand was doing.")
My Trusted MOGs
"All You Need is Cash" was the mockumentary and yeah it was hilarious!!
Pretty soon there will only be one record company. Let's face it these corporations are consolidating faster then people buy pants, for cripes sake!!