Record Label, Record Label

Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion, and enforcement of copyright protection of sound recordings and music videos; conducts A&R; and maintains contracts with recording artists and their managers.

An imprint is sometimes marketed as being a project , unit , or division of a record label company, even though there is no legal business structure associated with the imprint.

A music group is typically owned by an international conglomerate holding company , which often has non-music divisions as well. A music group controls and consists of music publishing companies, record (sound recording) manufacturers, record distributors, and record labels. As of 2005, the "big four" music groups control about 70% of the world music market, and about 80% of the United States music market. Record companies (manufacturers, distributors, and labels) may also comprise a record group which is, in turn, controlled by a music group. The constituent companies in a music group or record group are sometimes marketed as being divisions of the group.

CDs still flow through a handful of sources, with the majority of the sales going through the "big four" record labels.

Source: Wikipedia > Record Label