Main stream record label: Warner bothers record labels
Warner Brothers music group, or WMG, is an American based multinational entertainment and record label. It was started 59 years ago and is now based in New York, with Stephen Cooper as its CEO. It the third largest records label in the world owning 19% of the music industry. It has an employee base of 3,550 people and a revenue of 2.87
What caused the Warner Brothers film company to expand into music, was when one of their artists created a hit song, yet under another recording label. Warner Brothers music group was started in 1958 and in 1963 they bought Reprise records, which was started by Frank Sinatra. Along with this purchase they gained the help of Mo Ostin who is accredited for most of the early success of the company. |
The label has signed major names such as the bee gees, the beatles, Ed Sheeran, Abba, AC/DC, Birdy, Bruno Mars, Coldplay, Michael Buble and many more. Initially, in 2008, WMGs videos were not available on youtube as their contract broke down. The situation worsened when even covers and lyric videos of songs were taken down or blocked. In late 2009 the two achieved another deal, yet WMG continued to cause covers to be shut down. In 2010 WMG signed a contract with MTV which stated that they could strictly sell ads on WMGs premium content, and in turn, view of WMG videos would be counted also as views for MTVN. In 2010 the company announced that they would no longer be licensing songs to free music streaming sites. This cause fans to boycott the label. They also were criticised for not putting music on Google's music application. This has since changed as you can now listen to WMGs artists on free streaming sites such as Spotify and Apple Music.
Main stream artist: Beyonce
Beyonce is a mainstream pop artist who is a major success. Growing up in texas she would enter beauty pageants and music competitions from a young age. Beyonce teamed up with her cousin, Kelly Rowland, with two other school friends to form the group Destiny's child, with their father as the manager. In 1997 the group signed to Columbia records after which it became one of the most popular R&B acts. In 2004 the group released their final album and in 2005 the broke up.
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The start of her solo career began with the release of her album ¨Dangerously in love¨. Along with her singing career Beyonce has also been a model and ambassador for many brands such as L'Oreal and Tommy Hilfiger.
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Throughout her music career Beyonce has sold an estimated 100 million records as a solo artist and 60 million in the group, Destiny's child. She has won 22 grammy awards, twice performed at the superbowl and has won multiple platinum awards. Beyonce is the only artist in history to have her six studio albums reach the top of Billboard's album charts. Beyonce has also taken part in acting, featuring in movies such as Epic and Austin powers and will also be featuring as Nala, in the 2019 remake of the ¨Lion King¨.
Just recently Beyonce has started working with other popular artists such as Ed Sheeran and Eminem to cover some of their past songs and create duets.
We can also see that overtime the representaion of women in Beyonces music has changed. To begin with we can see that the way in which she has chosen to present herself on her album covers has changed. In the earlier albums which Beyonce released, her body was exposed showing of her figure. This was a stereotypical way of representing women as it objectified their beauty. Yet in her more recent album covers this is not the case. In these newer album covers she has only her face showing, and onlky very little of it, or non of her body showing. This shows that she is her choices and representation is changing.
Just recently Beyonce has started working with other popular artists such as Ed Sheeran and Eminem to cover some of their past songs and create duets.
We can also see that overtime the representaion of women in Beyonces music has changed. To begin with we can see that the way in which she has chosen to present herself on her album covers has changed. In the earlier albums which Beyonce released, her body was exposed showing of her figure. This was a stereotypical way of representing women as it objectified their beauty. Yet in her more recent album covers this is not the case. In these newer album covers she has only her face showing, and onlky very little of it, or non of her body showing. This shows that she is her choices and representation is changing.
In 2008 she married rapper Jay-Z. Then in 2012 Beyonce and Jay-Z welcomed Blue Ivy Carter, their first child, into their lives and just recently, in 2017, they welcomed twins Sir and Rumi. Since the birth of the twins no photos have been released showing them, other than the one beyonce posted online. Beyonce and Jay-Z have managed to keep their private life rather ¨private¨.
Beyonce currently enjoys taking picture, with her and her children as the main focus of her life. The home page of her website is a full album of images from the year, portraying the events she has been to and has hosted. She is also heavily involved with many forms of charity work, such as relief work in texas after the hurricane. On her website she has a direct link to a donation site and she herself has donated a lot of money to victims. |