Music

[2009]

BBC’s Zeinab Badawi talks to John Kennedy, the CEO of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. He represents the international recording industry worldwide and is fighting for its survival.

In this first of two segments, the focus here is on the relationship between the labels and its artists. The following topics were discussed:

- the 4 big labels and the oligopoly of their dominance

- artists’ disputes with their labels such as Paul McCartney, George Michael, Madonna and Robbie Williams

- reinvestment in new talent

- Prince and his ‘Planet Earth’ album giveaway

- relying too much on commercialism and marketing

Duration : 0:9:52

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In these times of major label mergers, downsizing, the slashing of label rosters, and thousands of record company jobs being lost over the last three years–not to mention the enormous sea change and seismic shifts that technology has wrought–comes one of the most disturbing reports we have come across. It further reveals just how profoundly out-of-touch certain companies TRULY are when addressing the problems within their own record divisions.

The Financial Times reported Warner Music paid its top five executives more than $21m in salary and bonuses following last year s $2.6bn acquisition of the US music group by a private equity consortium. The article points out that Edgar Bronfman Jr, the Chairman who led last year s buy-out, received a $1M salary and $5.25M bonus. Lyor Cohen, head of the US recorded music business, received $1M and $5.24M in salary and bonus, respectively. Paul Rene Albertini, head of Warner s international operations, was paid $1.25M in salary and a $3.15M bonus. Departing Warner/Chappell CEO, Les Bider, received a $2.44M total payment.

These payouts include further guaranteed bonuses or change of control payments. According to documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, last year s total executive remuneration was more than three times higher than Warner Music s $7M operating income for the 10 months to September 30th. The management payments reflect Warner s success in cutting costs following last year s sale of the Music Group by Time Warner. The company expects to deliver $250M of annualized savings by May this year, achieved mainly through 1,600 job losses.

What is so truly disturbing here is that it speaks volumes about the value system of an owner of a company that would pay its top-five Record Executives more than three times the amount of operating income for a ten-month period while dismissing 1,600 employees.

What the article failed to mention was that in addition to the employee layoffs, Warner Music Group also dropped 93 of the 193 artists signed to Warner Labels in the US, approximately 47% of the artist roster during this same period. If the financial health of a company is truly so dire that it calls for these kind of dramatic and severe cuts for the financial well being of the company, how does one justify the kind of staggering bonus payouts to the top five executives in the company? Don t get us wrong, we have no problem with executive compensation when it s tied to actually rewarding performance, but in this case, one is truly hard pressed to grasp or to understand what is actually being rewarded. The claim that the Warner Music Group will save $250M of annualized savings mainly through the decimation of 1,600 jobs is not something that we think should be financially rewarded.

On Feb 11th at the Grammy Foundation Entertainment Law Initiative luncheon in Los Angeles, WMG Chairman Edgar Bronfman spoke to the 460 attendees of the luncheon, We must employ our creative imagination – and we must resist the temptation to conduct business as we always have – by experimenting with new approaches, new structures and new relationships, so that we can move more quickly and appropriately respond to the ever-changing marketplace.

He went on to request that music attorneys bring a new level of creativity to the deals they forge. Your willingness to join with us is critical to the success of our industry.

If only he had resisted the temptation to conduct business like we always have and not given so much to so few while so many went without. In business, as in life, you lead through example. Mr. Bronfman, with all due respect, you need to have to have your own house in order before you have the credibility to make a request like that to the creative and legal communities.

In an open letter to Warner Music Chairman Edgar Bronfman, Carlos Anaia, a five-year Warner Music Group employee in London who was leaving the company wrote, We understand that you took on a huge task to turn around the ailing, forgotten division of AOL Time Warner, but informing the already morale-drained staff (via a third party – The Financial Times) that the salary and bonuses that the top five executives took individually equal more than 20 times my total lifetime salaried income (assuming I started at 18 and retired at 60), is somewhat more than insensitive. If you want to make us feel like maggots, you succeeded. Paul-Rene Albertini gets paid $4 MILLION in total? Hello!!? The only deals we are all aware of have all LOST money. Walt Disney Records? It s still more than $15 million unrecouped. Milan Records? A French turkey. Need I go on? What deals has this guy done that actually MADE money?
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The balance of the article, can be read here:

http://web.archive.org/web/20051223130455/http://www.eweb-music.com/article/Music/Obscene-Warner-Music-Executive-Payouts/

Duration : 0:2:2

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Prince changes his name back from [unpronounceable symbol] in 2000, following a dispute with Warner Bros.

Duration : 0:1:22

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This is the second episode in season one of the music business reality show “The Biz.” Nine contestants compete to become the president of their own record label under Warner Music Group.

In this episode:
The nine contestants have their first meeting in which they try to come up with a name for their label.

http://www.artistapproved.com

Duration : 0:4:52

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This is the fourth episode in season one of the music business reality show “The Biz.” Nine contestants compete to become the president of their own record label under Warner Music Group.

In this episode:
The nine contestants propose their idea for a record label to Lyor Cohen.

http://www.artistapproved.com

Duration : 0:4:41

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This is the eleventh episode in season one of the music business reality show “The Biz.” Nine contestants compete to become the president of their own record label under Warner Music Group.

In this episode:
The contestants show their music video for Jason Mraz’s song “Geek in the Pink” to Jason himself.

http://www.artistapproved.com

Duration : 0:5:14

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Label: Warner Music (Italy)
Catalog#: 8573-84645-2
Format:CD, Single
Country:Italy
Released: 2000
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Pop Rock, Euro House, Italodance
Credits:Producer, Vocals – Piero Pelù
Remix – Eiffel 65 (tracks: 1 to 3)
Notes: Cornucuore Edizioni/Warner Chappell.
“Un Ringraziamento molto speciale alla Bliss Corporation e alla Wooferfood”.

(P)&(C) T.E.G. s.r.l.
Distributed by Warner Music Italia srl.
Barcode: 6 85738 46452 4

Actual catalog #: 8573846452

Duration : 0:4:1

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A&R Walt Randolph gives his thoughts on being a music producer and how to succeed in the music business.

Duration : 0:5:52

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This ground-breaking MidemNet 2008 session looked at how labels are going beyond their core business of selling recorded music; and at what the label of the future might look like. Speakers: Steve Greenberg, S-Curve Records; Thomas Hesse, Sony BMG Music Entertainment; Emmanuel Mougin-Pivert, Warner Music France 360°, Peter Rojas, RCRD LBL; Ke Song, Taihe Rye Music. Moderator: Ralph Simon, MEF Americas.

Duration : 0:9:43

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This video is for anyone who makes videos and is wondering why so many videos are being muted and or removed on upload…or why they are having a video blocked that they uploaded along time ago.
This is who WMG is…we may have missed a few…..

Rhino records Rhino continues to set the standard for excellence in the reissue business it pioneered.
The vast Rhino catalog of more than 3,000 CDs and videos feature material by Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Chicago, Black Sabbath, John Coltrane, Yes, Alice Cooper, Linda Ronstadt, The Ramones, The Monkees, Carly Simon, The Grateful Dead, Curtis Mayfield and Elvis Costello, among others.

Independent Label Group is composed of Warner Music Group’s Asylum Records and East West Records.

Atlantic’s rich history is distinguished by an array of legendary artists who broke new ground and set new musical standards, among them such icons as Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, John Coltrane and Led Zeppelin.

Atlantic continues to be marked by musical diversity, embracing a spectrum of chart-topping performers who span the contemporary pop, rock, R&B, and hip-hop landscapes. The company is home to many of the world’s most popular recording artists, among them Yolanda Adams, Bjork, Ryan Cabrera, Tracy Chapman, Phil Collins, The Darkness, Craig David, Missy Elliott, Fabolous, Fat Joe, Jet, Jewel, Juvenile, Kid Rock, Lil’ Kim, matchbox twenty, Jason Mraz, Sean Paul, P.O.D., Rush, Staind, Sugar Ray, Rob Thomas, T.I., Trick Daddy, Twista, and many more.

Bad Boy Records was formed in 1994 by Sean “P. Diddy” Combs. In just over ten years, under the guidance of Combs, Bad Boy has grown to become one of the most dominant urban labels in the music business, with acts that have had significant crossover success. Bad Boy Records has sold more than 75 million records worldwide and its Grammy Award-winning catalog and roster of multi-platinum artists include B5, Boyz N Da Hood, Mase, Carl Thomas, 8 Ball & MJG, Mario Winans and P. Diddy himself. Bad Boy has been home to popular rappers such as Notorious B.I.G., The Lox, and Mase, as well as R&B stars Faith Evans and 112 and pop group Dream.

Elektra was also one of the first Warner Music Group labels to “go global” with such border-crossing successes as Carly Simon and Joni Mitchell. Elektra’s impressive legacy also includes renowned artists such as The Doors, Linda Ronstadt, and Jackson Browne.

Roadrunner Records has earned its place as one of the most prominent international independent record labels. The Roadrunner catalog boasts early releases from such seminal artists as King Diamond, Type O Negative, Sepultura and Annihilator. More recently, the label has experienced unprecedented success with multi-platinum artists Nickelback and Slipknot, Gold-certified Stone Sour and Killswitch Engage, as well as modern heavy hitters Black Label Society, Trivium and Machine Head. Though primarily known as a metal and hard rock label, Roadrunner’s roster also includes acts such as The Dresden Dolls and newcomers Madina Lake.
Rykodisc focuses on a range of contemporary music and comedy releases from artists, such as Kelly Willis, The Posies, Big Star, Brian Eno, Joe Jackson, The Misfits, Rory Block, Jimmy Thackery, comedian Billy Connolly, Elf Power, and numerous film and television soundtracks including the Showtime series Weeds.
Word Label Group, comprised of Word Records, Fervent Records and Myrrh Records, is a division of Word Entertainment, a Warner/Curb company. The artist roster heralds some of today’s top Christian music performers and songwriters including Amy Grant, Point Of Grace, BarlowGirl, Mark Schultz, Building 429, Big Daddy Weave, Stellar Kart and Nicole C. Mullen. The Word Label Group leads the industry with over 50 years of music-making history.

We do not own the audio used in this video.
The musical artist is Addictive the song is Papoose
Addictive is signed to independent Urban Heat Music
Check their official channel here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/UrbanHeatMusic1

Duration : 0:1:7

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