Sony Music Entertainment (SME), commonly known as Sony Music, is an American multinational music company owned by Sony Group Corporation. It is the recording division of Sony Music Group, with the other half being the publishing division, Sony Music Publishing.[4]
Founded in 1929 as American Record Corporation, it was acquired by the Columbia Broadcasting System in 1938 and renamed Columbia Recording Corporation. In 1966, the company was reorganized to become CBS Records. Sony bought the company in 1988 and renamed it SME in 1991. In 2004, Sony and Bertelsmann established a 50–50 joint venture known as Sony BMG to handle the operations of Sony Music and Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG), but Sony bought out Bertelsmann's stake four years later and reverted to using the 1991 company name. This buyout led to labels formerly under BMG ownership, including Arista, Jive, LaFace and J Records into former BMG and currently Sony's co-flagship record label, RCA Records, in 2011 and led to the relaunch of BMG as BMG Rights Management. Arista Records and Jive Records would later be revived in 2018 and 2026.
On July 17, 2019, Sony announced a merger of Sony Music Entertainment and music publishing arm Sony/ATV to form the Sony Music Group.[5] The merger was completed on August 1, 2019.[6][7]
As of 2025, Sony Music Entertainment is the second largest of the "Big Three" record companies, behind Universal Music Group and followed by Warner Music Group. Its music publishing division Sony Music Publishing is the largest music publisher in the world.[8][9]
History
1929–1938: American Record Corporation
The American Record Corporation (ARC) was founded in 1929 through a merger of several record companies.[10] The company grew over the next several years, acquiring other brands such as the Columbia Phonograph Company, including its Okeh Records subsidiary, in 1934.[11]
1938–1970: Columbia/CBS Records
In 1938, ARC was acquired by the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) under the guidance of chief executive William S. Paley. The company was later renamed Columbia Recording Corporation,[12]
Sony Music Canada
Sony Music Canada was formed when Sony Music acquired Canadian assets of CBS Records in 1990 (itself formerly Columbia Records Canada in 1954).[72]
Sony Music Canada is operated by Sony Canada, which evolved from General Distributors or Gendis, which had been founded in Winnipeg in 1954 by Albert D. Cohen, who had made a deal with Sony to market its transistor radios in the same year.[73]
Sony Music UK
Sony Music UK was founded in January 1980 and is owned and operated by Sony Music Entertainment in the United Kingdom. Since 2014, Jason Iley has been chairman and CEO of Sony Music UK.[74] Though owned by Sony Music Entertainment, Sony Music UK has standalone operations in the UK to promote musicians within the UK.[75]
In June 2017, it was announced that Sony would be merging its two independent distribution companies The Orchard and Red Essential.[76]
In 2014, Sony had its best singles success of 33 years, with 11 number 1 singles. Sony Music artists won a total of five individual awards at the BRITs 2015, including Best Female Solo Artist for Paloma Faith, and Mark Ronson's "Uptown Funk", which picked up Best British Single. Several other of the label's artists – Foo Fighters, One Direction and Pharrell Williams – also collected awards.[77]
Sony Music Russia
Sony Music Entertainment Russia was the Russian music label of Sony Music Entertainment. The company opened its division in the Russian Federation in 1999.[94] In 2000, the first contract was signed with the Russian group Bi-2. For 2021, experts estimated the company's share in the Russian recording market at approximately 15-20%. Sony Music Entertainment LLC's revenue in 2021 amounted to 2.56 billion rubles ($42.7 million). Net profit amounted to 132.9 million rubles ($2.22 million).[94]
On March 10, 2022, in connection with Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sony Music Entertainment announced the suspension of operations and new releases in Russia, while Russian employees of Sony Music Group receive pay indefinitely.[95][96] On September 8, Sony Music officially announced its final withdrawal from Russia. The company recalled all foreign catalogs from the Russian streaming services Yandex Music, Zvooq and VK Music, and tracks from AC/DC,
Sony Music Israel
Sony Music entered the Israeli market in late 2022 through a joint venture with the record label and management company Oneway Records.[99] In September 2025, the "No Music For Genocide" boycott initiative urged Sony Music to suspend its operations in Israel in protest of the genocide in Gaza.[100][101]
Criticism and controversies
CD price fixing
Between 1995 and 2000, music companies were found to have used illegal marketing agreements such as minimum advertised pricing to artificially inflate prices of compact discs. This was done in order to end price wars of the early 1990s among discounters such as Best Buy and Target.[102] A settlement was reached in 2002 that included music publishers and distributors Sony Music, Warner Music, Bertelsmann Music Group, EMI Music and Universal Music. In restitution for price fixing, they agreed to pay a $67.4 million fine and distribute $75.7 million in CDs to public and non-profit groups but admitted no wrongdoing.[103]
List of Sony Music Entertainment labels
Flagship record labels
- Columbia Records
- RCA Records
- Epic Records
- Arista Records
- Jive Records
Genre-limited record labels
- Country music
- Sony Music Nashville
- Columbia Nashville
See also
External links
- Yahoo! – Sony Music Entertainment Company Profile via Yahoo! Business
- Sony Music TV
References
- FY 2020 revenue & operating income: Consolidated Financial Results for the Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2021 Sony, April 28, 2021, retrieved April 28, 2021^
- Annual Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023 SEC.gov, retrieved July 12, 2023^
- Parker Scott Mathers Ceo Of Sony Corporation Of America;