 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Predecessor | Columbia Graphophone Company Gramophone Company |
| Founded | 31 March 1931; 94 years ago (1931-03-31)[1] |
| Defunct | 28 September 2012; 12 years ago (2012-9-28) |
| Fate | Broken up:
|
| Successor | EMI Music Publishing Virgin EMI Records EMI Records Nashville Minos EMI Studios 301 |
| Headquarters | Westminster, London ,England, United Kingdom |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Founding CEO Lenard John Brown Roger Faxon (Former CEO) Ruth Prior (Former CFO) |
| Revenue | £1.072 billion (2009) $1.65 billion (2009) |
| £163 million (2009) (EMI Music)[5] £135 million (2009) (EMI Music Publishing)[6] | |
| Owner |
|
Number of employees | 5,500 (2008) |
| Subsidiaries | |
| Website | |
EMI Group Limited (formerlyEMI Group plc until 2007; originally an initialism forElectric and Musical Industries, also referred to asEMI Records or simplyEMI) was a Britishtransnationalconglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At the time of its acquisition byUniversal Music in 2012, it was the fourth largestbusiness group andrecord label conglomerate in themusic industry, and was one of the "Big Four" record companies (now the "Big Three"). Its labels includedEMI Records,Parlophone,Virgin Records, andCapitol Records, which are now referenced underUniversal Music due to their acquisition with the exception of Parlophone, as it is now owned byWarner Music.
EMI was listed on theLondon Stock Exchange, and was also once a constituent of theFTSE 100 Index, but faced financial problems and US$4 billion in debt, leading to its acquisition byCitigroup in February 2011.[7][8] Citigroup's ownership was temporary, as EMI announced in November 2011 that it would sell its music arm toVivendi'sUniversal Music Group for $1.9 billion and its publishing business to aSony/ATV consortium for around $2.2 billion. Other members of the Sony consortium include the estate ofMichael Jackson, theBlackstone Group, and theAbu Dhabi–ownedMubadala Development Company. EMI's locations in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada were all disassembled to repay debt, but the primary head office located outside those countries is still functional.[9]
EMI Music Publishing is now owned bySony Music Publishing, the music publishing division ofSony Music which bought another 70% stake in EMI Music Publishing.[10][11]
Electric and Musical Industries Ltd was formed in March 1931 by the merger of theColumbia Graphophone Company and theGramophone Company, with its "His Master's Voice" record label, firms that have a history extending back to the origins ofrecorded sound. The new vertically integrated company produced sound recordings as well as recording and playback equipment.
The company's gramophone manufacturing led to 40 years of success with larger-scaleelectronics andelectrical engineering.
In October 1979, EMI merged withThorn Electrical Industries to createThorn EMI.[12]
On 16 August 1996, Thorn EMI shareholders voted in favour of demerging Thorn from EMI again: the company became EMI Group plc, and the electronics and rentals divisions were divested asThorn plc.[13]
The company broke up in 2012.
In 1934, an EMI research team led by SirIsaac Shoenberg developed the electronicMarconi-EMI system for television broadcasting, which quickly replacedBaird'selectro-mechanical system following its introduction in 1936.[14] After theSecond World War, EMI resumed its involvement in making broadcasting equipment, notably providing theBBC's second television transmitter at Sutton Coldfield. It also manufactured broadcast television cameras for British television production companies as well as for the BBC. The commercial televisionITV companies also used them alongside cameras made byPye andMarconi. Their best-remembered piece of broadcast television equipment was theEMI 2001 colour television camera, which became the mainstay of much of the British television industry from the end of the 1960s until the early 1990s. Exports of this piece of equipment were low, however, and EMI left this area of product manufacture.
EMI engineerAlan Blumlein received a patent for the invention ofstereophonic sound in 1931.[15] He was killed in 1942 whilst conducting flight trials on an experimentalH2S radar set.
During and afterWorld War II, theEMI Laboratories inHayes, Hillingdon developedradar equipment (including the receiver section of the British Army's GL-II anti-aircraft fire-control radar), microwave devices such as thereflex klystron oscillator (having played a crucial role in the development of early production types following on from the British Admiralty Signal School's pioneering NR89, the so-called "Sutton tube"), electro-optic devices such as infra-red image converters, and eventuallyguided missiles employing analogue computers.
The company was also for many years an internationally respected manufacturer ofphotomultipliers. This part of the business was transferred to Thorn as part of Thorn-EMI, then later became the independent concern Electron Tubes Ltd.
The EMI Electronic Business Machine, avalve and magneticdrum memory computer, was built in the 1950s to process theBritish Motor Corporation payroll.[16][17]
In 1958, theEMIDEC 1100, the UK's first commercially available all-transistor computer, was developed at EMI'sCentral Research Laboratories in Hayes under the leadership ofGodfrey Hounsfield, an electrical engineer at EMI.[17]
In the early 1970s, with financial support by the UKDepartment of Health and Social Security as well as EMI research investment,[18] Hounsfield developed the firstCT scanner, a device which revolutionisedmedical imaging. In 1973, EMI was awarded a prestigiousQueen's Award for Technological Innovation for what was then called theEMI scanner;[19] in 1979, Hounsfield won theNobel Prize for his accomplishment.[20]
After brief, but brilliant, success in the medical imaging field, EMI's manufacturing activities were sold off to other companies, notably Thorn (seeThorn EMI). Subsequently, development and manufacturing activities were sold off to other companies and work moved to other towns such as Crawley and Wells.
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Emihus Electronics, based inGlenrothes, Scotland, was owned 51% byHughes Aircraft, of California, US, and 49% by EMI. It manufacturedintegrated circuits, electrolytic capacitors and, for a short period in the mid-1970s, hand-heldcalculators under the Gemini name.[21]
Early in its life, the Gramophone Company established its subsidiary operations and branch offices in a number of many other countries inside and outside of theBritish Commonwealth, includingEurope, the Middle East and Africa as well as inCanada,Russia,India,China,Japan,Australia andNew Zealand. Gramophone's (later EMI's) Australian and New Zealand subsidiaries dominated the popular music industries in those countries across theAsia-Pacific region from the 1920s until the 1960s, when other locally owned labels (such asFestival Records) began to challenge the near monopoly of EMI. Over 150,000 78-rpm recordings from around the world are held in EMI's temperature-controlled archive in Hayes, some of which have been released on CD since 2008 byHonest Jon's Records.[22][23]
In 1931, the year the company was formed, it opened the legendary recording studios atLondon'sAbbey Road.[24] During the 1930s and 1940s, its roster of artists includedArturo Toscanini,Sir Edward Elgar, andOtto Klemperer, among many others. During this time EMI appointed its firstA&R managers. These includedGeorge Martin, who later broughtthe Beatles into the EMI fold.
When the Gramophone Company merged with theColumbia Graphophone Company (including Columbia's subsidiary labelParlophone) in 1931, the new Anglo-American group was incorporated as Electric & Musical Industries Limited. At this point, theRadio Corporation of America had a majority shareholding in the new company due to RCA purchasing theVictor Talking Machine Company in 1929. Victor owned 50% of the British affiliated Gramophone Company, giving RCA chairmanDavid Sarnoff a seat on the EMI board.
However, EMI was subsequently forced to sell Columbia USA due to anti-trust action taken by its American competitors. By this time the record industry had been hit hard by the Depression and in 1934 a much-diminished Columbia USA was purchased for just US$70,500 by ARC-BRC (American Record Corporation–Brunswick Record Company), which also acquired theOKeh label.
RCA sold its stake in EMI in 1935, but due to its 1929 takeover of Victor, RCA retained theNorth and South American rights to the "His Master's Voice" trademark.
In 1938, ARC-Brunswick was taken over byCBS, which then sold the American Brunswick label to AmericanDecca Records, which along with its other properties,Vocalion Records and Aeolian Vocalion Records, used it as a subsidiary budget label afterward. CBS then operated Columbia as its flagship label in both the United States and Canada.
EMI retained the rights to the Columbia name in most other territories including the UK, Australia and New Zealand. It continued to operate the label with moderate success until 1973, when it was retired and replaced by theEMI Records imprint, making records with the Columbia Records label manufactured outside North America between 1972 and 1992 rare.
In 1990, following a series of major takeovers that saw CBS Records acquired by theSony Corporation of Japan, EMI sold its remaining rights to the Columbia name to Sony and the label is now operated exclusively throughout the world bySony Music Entertainment; the exception being Japan, where the trade mark is owned byColumbia Music Entertainment.
EMI released its firstLPs in 1952 and its first stereophonic recordings in 1955 (first on reel-to-reel tape and then LPs, beginning in 1958). In 1957, to replace the loss of its long-established licensing arrangements withRCA Victor andColumbia Records (Columbia USA cut its ties with EMI in 1951), EMI entered the American market by acquiring 96% of the stock forCapitol Records USA.
From 1960 to 1995, their "EMI House" corporate headquarters was located at 20Manchester Square London, England, the stairwell from which was featured on the cover of the Beatles'Please Please Me album. In addition, an unused shot from thePlease Please Me photo session, featuring the boys in short hair and cleancut attire, was used for the cover of the Beatles' first double-disc greatest-hits compilation entitled1962–1966 (also known as "The Red Album"). In 1969,Angus McBean took a matching group photograph featuring the boys in long hair and beards to contrast with the earlier cleancut image to show that the boys could have appeal across a wide range of audiences. This photo was originally intended for theGet Back album which later was entitledLet It Be. The photo was used instead for the cover of the Beatles' second greatest-hits double-disc compilation entitled1967–1970 (also known as "The Blue Album"). (The two compilations were released in 1973.)
EMI's classical artists of the period were largely limited to the prestigious British and European orchestras, such as thePhilharmonia Orchestra andLondon Symphony Orchestra as well as theChoir of King's College, Cambridge. During the era of the long-playing record (LP), very few American and Canadian orchestras had their principal recording contracts with EMI, one notable exception being that of thePittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, especially during the tenure ofWilliam Steinberg.
From the late 1950s to the early 1970s, the company enjoyed huge success in thepopular music field under the management ofSir Joseph Lockwood. The strong combination of EMI and its subsidiary labels (includingParlophone,His Master's Voice, Columbia andCapitol Records) along with a roster of stellar groups such asthe Hollies,the Shadows,the Beach Boys andthe Beatlesalong with hit solo performers such asFrank Sinatra,Cliff Richard, andNat 'King' Cole, made EMI the best-known and most successful recording company in the world at that time.
In 1967, while shifting their focus on pop and rock music roster to Columbia and Parlophone, EMI converted HMV solely to aclassical music label exclusively. For the emergingprogressive rock genre includingPink Floyd, who had debuted on Columbia, EMI established a new subsidiary label,Harvest Records, two years later.
In 1971, Electric & Musical Industries changed its name to EMI Ltd. and on 1 January 1973 EMI phased out most of its heritage labels and replacing them with the EMI imprint. On 1 July 1973 the Gramophone Company subsidiary (The Gramophone Co. Ltd.) was renamed EMI Records Ltd as well, and in 1978, EMI launchedEMI America Records as its second label in the United States after Capitol. EMI Music Worldwide was also formed in 1978 withBhaskar Menon as chairman and CEO. In February 1979, EMI Ltd acquiredUnited Artists Records and with it their subsidiary labelsLiberty Records andImperial Records. Eight months later,Thorn Electrical Industries merged with EMI Ltd. to formThorn EMI.[25]
Sometime in the late 1980s, EMI America merged with sister labelManhattan Records, founded in 1984,[26] becoming EMI Manhattan and eventually EMI USA when Capitol absorbed it in 1989.
Also in 1989, Thorn EMI bought a 50% interest inChrysalis Records, completing the buyout two years later. Six months after completing the buyout of Chrysalis, Thorn EMI boughtVirgin Records fromRichard Branson in one of its highest-profile and most expensive acquisitions in record music history. In 1992, Thorn EMI entered the Christian music market by acquiringSparrow Records.[27]
Due to the increasing divergence of business models, Thorn EMI shareholders voted in favour of demerger proposals on 16 August 1996. The resulting media company was now known as EMI Group PLC.[28] In 1997, EMI Records USA was folded into both Virgin and Capitol.[29]
Since the 1930s, thePathé Records label headquartered inShanghai, China had been published under the EMI banner[30] and since then, EMI had also been the dominant label in thecantopop market throughoutGreater China until the genre's decline in the mid-1980s. Between the years 2004–2006, EMI then completely and totally divested itself from thec-pop market, and after that, all Hong Kong music artists previously associated with EMI had their music published byGold Label, a concern unaffiliated with EMI and with which EMI did not yet hold any interest.
On 21 November 2000,Streamwaves and EMI signed a deal licensing EMI's catalogue in a digital format for their online streaming music service. This was the first time EMI had licensed any of its catalogue to a streaming music website.[31]
Pop starRobbie Williams signed a six-album deal in 2002 paying him over £80 million ($157 million), which was not only the biggest recording contract in British music history at the time, but also the second biggest in music history[32] behind that of Michael Jackson.
Apple Records, the record label representingThe Beatles, launched a suit against EMI for non-payment of royalties on 15 December 2005. The suit alleged that EMI had withheld $50 million from the record label; however, an EMI spokesman noted that audits of record label accounts are not that unusual, confirming at least two hundred such audits performed on the label, but that these audits rarely result in legal action.[33] A legal settlement was announced on 12 April 2007 and terms were undisclosed.[34]
On 2 April 2007, EMI announced it would be releasing its music inDRM-free formats. These were to be issued inAAC format, which gave higher quality for the samebitrate compared with the ubiquitous MP3 format. The music would be distributed via Apple'siTunes Store (under the iTunes Plus category).[35]
Tracks were to cost $1.29/€1.29/£0.99. Legacy tracks withFairPlay DRM would still be available for $0.99/€0.99/£0.79 – albeit with lower quality sound and DRM restrictions still in place. Users would be able to 'upgrade' the EMI tracks that they had already bought for $0.30/€0.30/£0.20. Albums were also to be available at the same price as their lower quality, DRM counterparts and music videos from EMI would also be DRM-free. The higher-quality, DRM-free files became available worldwide on iTunes on 30 May 2007, and were expected to appear on other music download services soon thereafter.
Following this decision,Universal Music Group also announced sales of DRM-free music (which was described as an experiment).[36]
In May 2006, EMI attempted to buyWarner Music Group, which would have reduced the world's four largest record companies (Big Four) to three; however, the bid was rejected.[37] Warner Music Group launched aPac-Man defense, offering to buy EMI. EMI rejected the $4.6 billion offer.[38]
After a decline in the British market share from 16% to 9%, and the announcement that it had sustained a loss of £260 million in 2006/2007,[39][40] in August 2007 EMI was acquired byTerra Firma Capital Partners[39] for £4.2 billion.[41] Following the transition, several artists includingRadiohead left EMI, while other artists such asPaul McCartney had left ahead of the takeover.[39] At the same time,the Rolling Stones signed a one-album deal withInterscope Records/Universal Music Group outside its contract with EMI, which expired in February 2008,[42][43] and then in July 2008 signed a new long-term deal withUniversal Music Group.[44] The Terra Firma takeover was also reported to have been the catalyst behind alawsuit filed byPink Floyd over unpaid royalties.[45] In January 2011 Pink Floyd signed a new global agreement with EMI.[46]
Around the same time,Guy Hands, CEO of Terra Firma Capital Partners, came to EMI with restructuring plans to cut between 1,500 and 2,000 jobs[40] and to reduce costs by £200 million a year. As a result, the UK chief executiveTony Wadsworth left EMI after 25 years in January 2008. The cuts were planned to take effect over the year 2008, and would affect up to a third of EMI's 5,500 staff.[40]Thirty Seconds to Mars tried to exit their contract with EMI following the layoff of its staff and due to unpaid royalties, prompting the label to file a lawsuit for $30 million citing breach of contract.[47] The suit was later settled following a defence based on a contract case involving actressOlivia de Havilland decades before.[48]Jared Leto explained, "The California Appeals Court ruled that no service contract in California is valid after seven years, and it became known as theDe Havilland Law after she used it to get out of her contract withWarner Bros."[48] Many industry watchers viewed the suit as a punitive harassment meant to scare other musicians.[47] The band's troubles with the label resonate through their third studio albumThis Is War (2009) and were the subject of the 2012 documentaryArtifact.
In 2008, EMI withdrew from the South-East Asian market entirely, forcing its large roster of acts to search out contracts with other unaffiliated labels. As a result, the South-East Asian market was the only region in the world where EMI was not in operation, although the record label continued to operate in Hong Kong and Indonesia (which was named Arka Music Indonesia).[49] The Chinese and Taiwanese operation of EMI as well as the Hong Kong branch of Gold Label, was sold to Typhoon Group and reformed asGold Typhoon. The Philippine branch of EMI changed its name toPolyEast Records, and was a joint venture between EMI itself and Pied Piper Records Corporation. The physical audio and video products of the label have been distributed in South-East Asia byWarner Music Group since December 2008, while new EMI releases in China and Taiwan, were distributed under Gold Typhoon which was previously known as EMI Music China and EMI Music Taiwan, respectively. Meanwhile, the Korean branch of EMI (known as EMI Korea Limited) had its physical releases distributed by Warner Music Korea.EMI Music Japan, the Japanese EMI branch, remains unchanged from the reflection ofToshiba's divestiture to the business by EMI buying the whole branch way back July 2007, making it a full subsidiary.[50][51]
In July 2009, there were reports that EMI would not sell CDs toindependent album retailers in a bid to cut costs,[52] but in fact only a handful of small physical retailers were affected.[53]
In February 2010, EMI Group reported pre-tax losses of £1.75 billion for the year ended March 2009, includingwrite-downs on the value of its music catalogue.[54][55]In addition,KPMG issued agoing concern warning on the holding company's accounts regarding an ability to remain solvent.[56]
Citigroup (which held $4 billion in debt) took 100% ownership of EMI Group fromTerra Firma Capital Partners on 1 February 2011, writing off £2.2 billion of debt[57] and reducing EMI's debt load by 65%.[58] The group was put up for sale and final bids were due by 5 October 2011.[59]
On 12 November 2011, it was announced that EMI would sell its recorded music operations toUniversal Music Group (UMG) for £1.2 billion ($1.9 billion) and its music publishing operations toSony/ATV Music Publishing-for $2.2 billion.[60] Among the other companies that had competed for the recorded music business wasWarner Music Group which was reported to have made a $2 billion bid.[61] However,IMPALA has said that it would fight the merger.[62] In March 2012, the European Union opened an investigation into Universal's purchase of EMI's recorded music division[63] and had asked rivals and consumer groups whether the deal will result in higher prices and shut out competitors.[64]
On 21 September 2012, the sale of EMI to UMG was approved in both Europe and the United States by theEuropean Commission and theFederal Trade Commission respectively. The European Commission approved the deal, however, under the condition that the merged company divest itself of one third of its total operations to other companies with a proven track record in the music industry. To comply with this condition, UMG divestedV2 Records,Parlophone Records,Sanctuary Records,Chrysalis Records,Mute Records,EMI Classics,Virgin Classics, the 2CD Originals Series and EMI'sregional labels in most of Europe. These labels were operated separately under the name "Parlophone Label Group", pending their sale. Universal would, however, retain its ownership of the Beatles' library (moved to the newly formedCalderstone Productions) andRobbie Williams' Chrysalis recordings (moved to theIsland Records label).[65]
Universal Music Group completed its acquisition of EMI on 28 September 2012,[66] followed by worldwide compliance and complete rebranding by 1 April 2013.[66][67] In compliance with the conditions of the European Commission, on 22 December, Universal Music Group sold the Mute catalogue, previously property of EMI, to German-based music rights companyBMG.[68] On 8 February 2013,Warner Music Group signed an agreement to acquireParlophone,Chrysalis Records,EMI Classics,Virgin Classics, the 2CD Originals Series and some of EMI'sregional labels across Europe for US$765 million (£487 million).[69][70] Regulatory approval was received on 15 May.[71] Universal retained EMI's former European labels in Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, and Finland.
Universal Music has continued to operate EMI entities it retained using the EMI name and formedVirgin EMI Records as a UMG label unit in the UK.[72] The former EMI Records Ltd. was renamed Parlophone Records Ltd. in 2013,[73] whenWarner Music Group acquired Parlophone Music Group which has the rights to the old EMI Records catalogue.
The Australian and New Zealand EMI Columbia catalogues, including recordings byJohn Farnham, who went by Johnny during his time with the label, were ceded toUniversal Music Australia's imprintEMI Recorded Music andUniversal Music New Zealand respectively.[74][75]
Warner Music incorporated EMI Classics and Virgin Classics into itsWarner Classics unit with the EMI Classics artist roster and catalogue absorbed into the Warner Classics label and the Virgin Classics artist roster and catalogue absorbed into the revivedErato Records label.[76]
On 14 November 2013, EMI's Middle Eastern branch was folded into Universal Music, causing the distribution ofWarner Music Group's releases in that region to be moved to Universal Music.[77]
On 30 June 2014, Universal Music Group re-established EMI's Taiwanese division, withA-Mei,Rainie Yang andShow Lo signing first to the label.[78]
In May 2016, an independent company,Blue Raincoat Music, bought most of Chrysalis's British catalogue from Warner Music,[79] making Chrysalis an independent label again. However, the remainder of Chrysalis's British catalogue, namely other past artistsSpandau Ballet,Jethro Tull, theRamones andThe Proclaimers, stayed with Parlophone in the UK and (excluding Ramones)Rhino Entertainment in the United States. The Ramones American back catalogue remained with Island's sister labelGeffen Records, the successor ofMCA Records, which previously distributed the band's releases onRadioactive Records, and is licensed toUniversal Music Enterprises. Additionally, the majority of Chrysalis's American catalogue also remained withCapitol Music Group, parent of Island's and Geffen's sister label Capitol Records, and is currently distributed by that label.Debbie Harry's only Chrysalis album with an American release,KooKoo, was later divested by Capitol. The European Chrysalis catalogue, including Harry's four albums, plus the rights to ten artists not originally signed to the label are owned and distributed by Blue Raincoat.[80]
The number of initial non-Chrysalis artists was later increased to 11 after adding former EMI artistsNaked Eyes.Belinda Carlisle's only Chrysalis album,A Woman & a Man, had its distribution and rights outside the US reverted to CMG's Virgin Records, Carlisle's former label which was the second in her career.
Also in May 2016, the history of the record label was examined in the hour-long BBC documentaryEMI: The Inside Story.[81]
On 16 June 2020, Universal rebranded Virgin EMI as EMI Records, reopening the iconic label, and named Rebecca Allen, former president of Decca Records, as the new EMI's president. UMG has continued to operate Virgin as an imprint of EMI.[82]
In 1964, EMI acquiredBlackpool Tower from the Bickerstaffe family.[83] In 1967, they also took over theWinter Gardens complex in Blackpool.[84]
In 1967, EMI acquired the Grade Organisation, the UK's largest showbusiness talent agency, for £7.5 million.[85] This also included the recently acquired Shipman and King chain of 32 cinemas in theHome Counties.[86]
EMI Films was created in 1969 following the acquisition ofAssociated British Picture Corporation (ABPC). At the time ABPC owned 270ABC Cinemas; a half share (under theAssociated British Corporation name) in theITV contractorThames Television;Elstree Studios at Shenley Road, and had recently boughtAnglo-Amalgamated, a film studio.[87]Bernard Delfont of the Grade Organisation became chairman and Chief Executive.[88] In 1970, Delfont sold his own Bernard Delfont Organisation to EMI and the agencies were divested.[88][89] He later became Chief Executive of EMI in 1979.
Their flagship cinema was theABC 1 and 2 Shaftesbury Avenue which was built at the old Saville Theatre in London.[90]
In 1974, the Film & Theatre Corporation was split into EMI Cinemas and EMI Leisure Enterprises.[87] On formation, EMI Cinemas ran 272 cinemas in the UK, including those of ABC.[87]
Following EMI's merger withThorn Electrical Industries in 1979, EMI's film division was renamed Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment. In April 1986, Thorn EMI sold its film production and distribution arm (Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment), home video (Thorn EMI Video), and cinema (ABC Cinemas) operations to businessmanAlan Bond. Bond, in turn, sold it toThe Cannon Group a week later.[91]
EMI Leisure Enterprises was formed in April 1974 and controlled Blackpool Tower; EMI's 16 squash clubs and five bowling alleys; discotheques; 23 licensed premises and other amusement interests. It began developing new leisure businesses, includingBrighton Marina and golf activities with the opening ofAldenham Golf Club.[87] In April 1977 they acquired theEmpire Ballroom and Cinema inLeicester Square in London and in September 1977 acquired Bailey Leisure Services Limited which they renamed EMI Dancing which provided the group with dance halls, cabaret clubs and discotheques around the UK.[92] By the late 1970s, the leisure business contributed 15% of group revenues.[92] In 1978, EMI acquired thePrince Edward Theatre.[92] It also owned two other theatres in London as well as theatres in the rest of the UK.[93]
Following the merger with Thorn, part of EMI's leisure interests were sold toTrust House Forte in November 1980 for £16 million.[93] Lord Delfont became chairman and chief executive of THF's leisure division.[93] EMI Social Centres chain of bingo halls remained with Thorn EMI.[93]
The Winter Gardens in Blackpool were sold in 1983 toFirst Leisure.[84]
In 1972, EMI Hotels won a bidding war againstRalston Purina to buy the Golden Egg group from the Kaye brothers for £14 million, which included a stake inAngus Steakhouse restaurants[94] and the Selfridge Hotel, which opened in July 1973.[87]
In June 1977, EMI acquired theTower Hotel, London.[92] At the end of 1978, they owned four other hotels:Royal Horseguards Hotel; Royal Angus; Royal Trafalgar; and Royal Westminster.[92]
As well as Angus Steakhouse, their restaurants also includedWimpy Bars, Picnic Basket and Tennessee Pancake Houses.[92]
Following the merger with Thorn, seven hotels and 12 Angus Steakhouse restaurants were sold in July 1980 for £23 million toScottish & Newcastle Breweries.[95][96][93][97]
As well as the well-known record label the group also owned EMI Music Publishing, which was the largestmusic publisher in the world. EMI Music Publishing has[when?] won theMusic Week Award for Publisher of the Year every year for over 10 years; in 2009, for the first time in history the award was shared jointly withUniversal Music Publishing.[98] As is often[citation needed] the case in the music industry, the publishing arm and record label are very separate businesses.[citation needed]
EMI administered the publishing rights of over 1.3 million songs, headlined byQueen,Carole King,The Police, theMotown catalog,Kanye West,Alicia Keys,Drake,Sia,P!nk,Pharrell Williams, andCalvin Harris.
EMI's music publishing operations were sold to a consortium led bySony/ATV Music Publishing in 2012;BMG acquired the music publishing libraries ofVirgin Music (which EMI held) andFamous Music UK (which Sony/ATV held).[99]
Between 1995 and 2000, music companies were found to have used illegal marketing agreements such asminimum advertised pricing to artificially inflate prices ofcompact discs in order to end price wars by discounters such asBest Buy andTarget in the early 1990s.[100]
A settlement in 2002 included the music publishers and distributors;Sony Music,Warner Music,Bertelsmann Music Group, EMI andUniversal Music. In restitution forprice fixing, they agreed to pay a $67.4 million fine and distribute $75.7 million inCDs to public and non-profit groups; however, they admitted no wrongdoing.[101] It is estimated customers were overcharged by nearly $500 million and up to $5 per album.[100]
OnInternet Freedom Day in January 2013, EMI evoked controversy after the removal of Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have a Dream" speech fromVimeo due to a copyright violation.[102]
principal inventor of the first high-definition television system
Blumlein lodged the patent for 'binaural sound', in 1931, in a paper which patented stereo records, stereo films and also surround sound. He and his colleagues then made a series of experimental recordings and films to demonstrate the technology, and see if there was any commercial interest from the fledgling film and audio industry.
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