HISTORY

 

Universal Music Group

 

 

2007

UMG purchases V2 Music Group

UMG announces deal with imeem

 UMG acquires Belgian independent label, ARS Entertainment

 Universal Music Group has #1 Most Viewed Channel on YouTube

 UMG acquires the Sanctuary Group, PLC

 Akon Is Top Selling Mastertone Artist of All Time 

UMG acquires BMG Music Publishing

 Mercury Records re-launched in US as Division of Island Def Jam Music Group

 A&M/Octone label formed by Interscope Geffen A&M

 

2006

UMG and Microsoft Corp announce agreement for Zune player. 

Universal Music acquire Arsenal Music, Brazil's most important independent label.

Chamillionaire sells over 3 million mastertones.


 Universal Music UK launches Globe Productions. 

UMVD changes name to UMGD.

UMG acquires #1 Spanish label, Vale Music. 

Universal Music signs international license agreement with Concord Music Group.

 

2005

 

Universal Music Mexico signs distribution deal with Walt Disney's Buena Vista Music Group.

 

UMPG launches Universal Music Production Library.

Gwen Stefani becomes first artist to sell one million commerical downloads. 

UMG launches Universal Music Media.

New label Roc La Familia is formed.

  International Music Feed (IMF) is launched.

UMG launches Universal Music Mobile US (UMM-US).

UMG achieves the highest weekly current market share in the history of SoundScan at 43.54%, breaking the old record (also held by UMG) of 43.07% set in November of 2004.

UMG launches Machete Music.

Verve Music Group re-lauches famed "Forecast" label.

2004
 

IDJ acquires remaining 50% ownership of Roc-A-Fella Records.

UMG achieved a 43.07% market share for the week-ending November 14th, the highest in SoundScan history.

UMe Digital, an all-digital download label, is formed.

UMG inks distribution deal with Concord Records.

UMPG forms Universal Christian Music Publishing.

Universal Music Asia Pacific and Shanghai Media Group launch Sum Entertainment.

UMVD creates independent distribution division, Fontana.

 

2003

 

UMG acquires DreamWorks Records.

UMG teams with eBay to launch “Universal Music Store.”

UMG dramatically reduces CD prices to $12.98 for top line releases.

UMG signs distribution deal with Rock Records, Asia’s most prominent independent record label.

Universal Motown inks deal to distribute Casablanca label.

UMVD breaks Latin market share records—achieving year-to-date current market share of 35.19 % of Latin Music Chart, according to SoundScan.

Universal Records signs distribution deal with Bad Boy Records.

UMVD reaches distribution deal with Fonovisa Record.

 

2002

 

UMG achieves industry milestone -- achieving year-to-date U.S. current album market share of more than 30%, according to SoundScan.

UMG offers music fans largest catalog of digital downloads with more than 75,000 tracks.

New record label Universal South is launched in Nashville.

 

2001

 

Motown/UMG Fund is established to support former artists.

UMG acquires assets of Latin music company RMM.

UMG forms exclusive distribution and worldwide licensing agreement with Univision Music Group.

 

2000

 

UMG acquires Rondor Music, International Publishing Company.

 

1999

 

MCA Music Publishing is renamed Universal Music Publishing.

UMG acquires strategic investment in Latin music website eritmo.com.

Universal Music India launched after UMG increasess its shareholdings to 100 percent.

UMG expands its market presence in Turkey by acquiring additional shareholdings in Universal Music Turkey, Nese Müzik, Mars Müsik and S Müsik.

Universal Music Enterprises (UME), a newly centralized U.S. catalog and special markets entity, is created.

UM3, a division of Universal Music International that covers all areas of strategic catalog marketing outside North America, is launched.

Decca and Philips merge to form Decca Music Group.

UMG partners with BMG to form GetMusic, an internet content and commerce alliance, and the e-commerce site, getmusic.com.

UMG purchases the remaining interest in Def Jam Records.

 

PolyGram Universal
  1998  

 

Seagram acquires PolyGram, renaming the newly
combined music operations Universal Music Group.

 

PolyGram acquires additional 10% of Def Jam. 1996 MCA Music Entertainment Group acquires 50% of Interscope Records.

MCA INC. renamed Universal Studios, Inc. and the MCA Music Entertainment Group renamed Universal Music Group.

Hip-O Records established by Universal Music Group.

PolyGram acquires Rodven Records, Latin America's largest independent record company.

PolyGram forms the Leonard Bernstein Music Publishing Company through a 50/50 partnership.

1995 Seagram acquires 80% of MCA INC.

Rising Tide (to be renamed Universal Records) established by MCA Music Entertainment Group.

PolyGram acquires 50% of Def Jam Recordings.

PolyGram becomes the first western record company to establish a subsidiary in Russia.

1994  
PolyGram acquires Motown Records.

PolyGram completes offering of 10 million new shares. Philips now owns 75% of PolyGram shares, with remaining 25% publicly held.

1993  
  1991 MCA INC. acquired by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.
PolyGram acquires A&M Records. 1990 MCA INC. acquires Geffen Records and GRP Records to join the family of labels within the MCA Music Entertainment Group.
PolyGram acquires Island Records.

PolyGram completes initial public stock offering of 35 million shares.

1989  
PolyGram becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of Philips. 1987  
PolyGram establishes PolyGram Music Publishing. 1986  
  1985 MCA INC. acquires Chess Records.
Philips and PolyGram launch the Compact Disc worldwide. 1982  
PolyGram acquires London-based classical label Decca. 1980  
  1979 MCA INC. purchases ABC Records, with the company's artist roster and catalog eventually merging into MCA Records.
  1975 Distillers Corporation-Seagrams Limited renamed The Seagram Company Ltd.
  1973 Decca (U.S.) evolves into MCA Records.
Philips and Siemens subsidiaries reorganize as PolyGram.

PolyGram acquires Verve Records.

1972 Universal Amphitheatre opens in Universal City, beginning Universal's interests in the ownership and operation of concert venues and live entertainment promotion.
  1964 For the first time in 30 years, Universal welcomes visitors onto its Universal City lot for a behind-the-scenes look at film and television production, initiating the company's recreation and theme park business.

MCA Music Publishing begins to take shape with MCA INC.'s purchase of Leeds Music and Duchess Music.

Philips and Siemens establish a record company joint venture with Philips gaining 50% of Deutsche Grammophon and Siemens gaining 50% of PPI. 1962 MCA INC. and Universal Pictures officially merge when MCA acquires Decca Records, Universal's parent company.
Philips acquires Mercury Records. 1960  
  1959 MCA INC. becomes a public company.
  1958 MCA acquires the Universal Studios property and purchases Paramount's pre-1948 film library for its MCA TV division. The company is incorporated as MCA INC.
  1952 Decca acquires controlling interest in Universal Pictures.
Philips Classics established. 1951  
Netherlands-based Philips Electronics N.V. creates Philips Phonographische Industries (PPI). 1950  
  1949 MCA begins producing TV shows under its original television division, Revue Productions.
Deutsche Grammophon was taken over by electronics giant Siemens & Halske.

1941

 

1936

 

 

Lew Wasserman joins MCA and develops the company into a leading talent agency representing some of the world's top entertainers.

  1934 British-based Decca Record Co. launches Decca Records in America.
  1928 Distillers acquires Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, Limited, founded in 1857.
Polydor introduced as second brand name for Deutsche Grammophon abroad. 1924 Music Corporation of America (MCA) founded as a talent agency in Chicago by Dr. Jules Stein.

Samuel Bronfman forms Distillers Corporation Limited Canada in Montreal, Quebec.

  1915 Universal relocates to 230-acre ranch, which Laemmle names Universal City, in Southern California's San Fernando Valley.
  1912 Universal Film Manufacturing Co. founded by pioneer filmmaker Carl Laemmle in Chicago.
Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft was established by the National Grammophon Company. 1898  

 

 


Copyright 2008 Universal Music Group
All Rights Reserved


Terms of Use Privacy Policy