Universal Motown Records was an American record label that operated as a division of Universal Motown Republic Group. It was a contemporary incarnation of the massively successful soul label Motown Records, and the "urban" half of the Universal Records label, although there were some rock artists on the label (along with its sub-labels) as well. Due to internal restructuring at UMG, it was shuttered in 2011, eventually replaced by Republic Records and a modern Motown under The Island Def Jam Music Group.
Background
Following a period of internal turmoil beginning after Berry Gordy's departure from the company in 1988,[1] Universal Music Group would absorb the original Motown records a decade later in 1998, which was to be headed up by Kedar Massenburg. Then in 2005, Massenburg was replaced by former Elektra Records