Major and Minor institutions definitions and the history of chosen institution

Within the music industry, institutions are known as record labels and can either be major or minor depending on their status, influence within society, who they have signed and other factors. Currently (since 2012)  there are three main major instuitutions who control the majority of the Worlds music market shares. These three institutions are Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group. However, if a company is not owned by or is not part of these main institutions then they are regarded as Independent/Minor labels, no matter how big they may be, but they are a great start for many bands or artists.

Major Institutions
- These institutions may manage various smaller organisations.
- They are a lot more likely to promote mainstream artists and bands rather than smaller independant artists and bands.
- Any major institution will have more than a 5% worldwide market share for the sale of music videos and songs.
- Due to a substantial finance backing, a major institution they are able to own their own distribution channel.
 - They also have a leading influence within the music industry.
The three major Institutions:

Universal Music Group (Largest)

 Sony Music Entertainment (2nd Largest)

 Warner Music Group (3rd Largest)







Minor Institutions
- These institutions do not have a huge market share like the three major institutions.
- Unlike the major institutions aiming for mainstream artists and bands, minor institutions tend to focus on independent artists and bands.
- As they are not part of the major institutions they must rely on independant funding, rather than the substantial financial backing that the major institutions receive.
- Minor institutions may sometimes co-fund projects with some major institutions to possiblt improve their status, but still not be part of those institutions.
Examples of minor institutions:

 

Bella Union

 

Irregular Records






For our organisation we have chose Island Records to promote our artist.

What media/comapnies does it own? Is this significant?
The media company that we have looked at is Island Records. This company doesn't actually own anything as it is just a company which signs artists and promotes them. However, they have big links with other music comapnies such as The Isalnd Def Jam Music Group (US) and Virgin EMI Records (UK). The fact that the institue doesn't have any companies that it owns isn't extremely significant to us as it has links with other major distributors as well as having a parenting company which is Universal Music Group.

Does it have a production and distribution element?
The actual media company, Island Records, isn't a producer or distributor because they are more of a record label who signs artists. The actual company who distributors Island Records artists songs and upcoming albums is The Island Def Jam Music Group which is majorly based within the USA. On the other hand the production side of things predominantly comes from the artists themselves who are able to expand on ideas they have and form new songs and albums and then they go to Island Records or the Def Jam studios to tell the distributors and producers about their newest venture and then they work together to expand on the newest release.

What artists are signed to them?
Some of the most well known artists who are signed to this record label are listed below:

• Akon
• Angel
• Alex Clare
• Dappy
• Drake
• Dizzee Rascal
• Florence and the Machine
• James Morison
• Jessie J
• John Newman
• Mumford and Sons
• Rizzle Kicks
• Robbie Williams
• Willy Moon

What do you notice about the genre of music?
There isn't much to notice within the choice of music artist that has been signed by Island Records as they have everything from Folk music, which is the genre that we are looking at in depth, to things such as pop music (Jessie J) and R'n'B (Akon).

Would they be a suitable organisation to work with for your project?
We believe that this organisation would be a fantastic group to work with for our project because of the vast amounts of knowledge that the company actually has. By having links with the likes of Def Jam Music Group and other companies like Universal Music Group they will be able to advertise and market our new artist and their new single appropriately which will allow us to meet the genres audience that we are targeting because the distributors will be able to pinpoint what part of the community and fold is actually going to be the most successful place to aim towards.