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| EMI Classics | |
|---|---|
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| Parent company |
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| Founded | 1990; 35 years ago (1990) |
| Defunct | 2013; 12 years ago (2013) |
| Status | Defunct |
| Genre | Classical music |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
EMI Classics was arecord label founded byThorn EMI in 1990 to reduce the need to create country-specific packaging and catalogues for internationally distributedclassical music releases. After Thorn EMI demerged in 1996, its recorded music division became theEMI Music Group.[1] Following theEuropean Commission's approval of the takeover ofEMI Music Group byUniversal Music Group in September 2012, EMI Classics was listed for divestment.[2] The label was sold toWarner Music Group, which absorbed EMI Classics intoWarner Classics in 2013.
Classical recordings were formerly simultaneously released under combinations ofAngel,Seraphim,Odeon,Columbia,His Master's Voice, and other labels, in part because competitors own these names in various countries. These were moved under the EMI Classics umbrella to avoid thetrademark problems. Prior to this,compact discs distributed globally bore the Angel Records recording angel logo that EMI owned globally. Releases created for distribution in specific countries continued to be distributed under the historical names, with the exception of Columbia, since EMI had sold the Columbia name toSony Music Entertainment. The red logo harkens back to the Red Seal releases, introduced by EMI predecessor theGramophone Company in 1902: His Master's Voice classical releases were issued with red labels. EMI Classics was also responsible for managingPye Records' classical recordings acquired by Thorn EMI in 1990.
EMI Classics also included theVirgin Classics label, both of them were formerly managed underThe Blue Note Label Group in the U.S. until 2013.
With the sale ofEMI Music Group toUniversal Music Group in 2012, European regulators forcedUniversal Music Group to divest itself of EMI Classics, which was operated with other European EMI assets to be divested as theParlophone Label Group.[3] In February 2013,Universal Music Group sold theParlophone Label Group, including EMI Classics andVirgin Classics, toWarner Music Group.[4] TheEuropean Union approved the deal on May, andWarner Music Group took control of the label on 1 July.[5] It was then announced that the EMI Classics artist roster and catalogue would be absorbed into theWarner Classics label andVirgin Classics would be absorbed intoErato Records.[6][7]
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Full list of divestments...EMI Classics/Virgin Classics artist and composers
