///History

UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP

POLYGRAM & UNIVERSAL

  • 2011

    Universal Music Group

    • Dianne Warren joins UMG as A&R consultant; signs international publishing agreement
    • Chinese internet provider Baidu signs digital music distribution agreement with UMG
    • Bravado partners with MESH (Music Entertainment Sports Holdings) to create new global lifestyle brands
    • Twenty First Republic management division launched
    • UMG signs global agreement for “The Voice of…”

  • 2010

    Universal Music Group

    • The Black Eyed Peas become first group to sell over 6 million US digital downloads with “I Gotta Feeling”
    • VEVO named #1 online music destination by comScore
    • UMPG acquires publishing assets of Emack music
    • Rondor Music Publishing partners with Nacional Records for Canciones Nacionales
    • Universal Records South merges with Show Dog to create label, Show Dog–Universal Music
    • Lady Gaga becomes first artist to have her first 5 singles reach #1
    • UMG enters into agreement for “American Idol.”

  • 2009

    Universal Music Group

    • VEVO completes deal with CBS Broadcast, Inc.
    • EMI joins VEVO
    • UMG makes strategic investments in INgrooves and TuneCore
    • Sony Music Entertainment joins VEVO
    • Bravado becomes exclusive music merchandiser for Michael Jackson
    • Republic Nashville label launched
    • UMG forms VEVO
    • All The Worlds launches F1 ROCKS

  • 2008

    Universal Music Group

    • Universal Music Latin Entertainment is formed
    • UMG partners with MySpace to create MySpace Music
    • Vivendi Entertainment expands into theatrical distribution
    • UMG acquires Univision Music Group
    • UMG delivers 1 billion video streams on YouTube

  • 2007

    Universal Music Group

    • UMG purchases V2 Music Group
    • UMG announces deal with imeem
    • UMG acquires Belgian independent label, ARS Entertainment
    • Universal Music Group has #1 Most Viewed Channel on YouTube
    • UMG acquires the Sanctuary Group, PLC, including music merchandiser, Bravado
    • Akon becomes top selling Mastertone Artist of All Time
    • UMG acquires BMG Music Publishing
    • Mercury Records re-launched in US as Division of Island Def Jam Music Group
    • A&M/Octone label formed by Interscope Geffen A&M

  • 2006

    Universal Music Group

    • UMG and Microsoft Corp announce agreement for Zune player.
    • Universal Music acquire Arsenal Music, Brazil's most important independent label.
    • Chamillionaire sells over 3 million mastertones.
    • Universal Music UK launches Globe Productions.
    • UMVD changes name to UMGD.
    • UMG acquires #1 Spanish label, Vale Music.
    • Universal Music signs international license agreement with Concord Music Group.

  • 2005

    Universal Music Group

    • Universal Music Mexico signs distribution deal with Walt Disney's Buena Vista Music Group.
    • UMPG launches Universal Music Production Library.
    • Gwen Stefani becomes first artist to sell one million commerical downloads.
    • UMG launches Universal Music Media.
    • New label Roc La Familia is formed.
    • International Music Feed (IMF) is launched.
    • UMG launches Universal Music Mobile US (UMM-US).
    • UMG achieves the highest weekly current market share in the history of SoundScan at 43.54%, breaking the old record (also held by UMG) of 43.07% set in November of 2004.
    • UMG launches Machete Music.
    • Verve Music Group re-lauches famed "Forecast" label.

  • 2004

    Universal Music Group

    • IDJ acquires remaining 50% ownership of Roc-A-Fella Records.
    • UMG achieved a 43.07% market share for the week-ending November 14th, the highest in SoundScan history.
    • UMe Digital, an all-digital download label, is formed.
    • UMG inks distribution deal with Concord Records.
    • UMPG forms Universal Christian Music Publishing.
    • Universal Music Asia Pacific and Shanghai Media Group launch Sum Entertainment.
    • UMVD creates independent distribution division, Fontana.

  • 2003

    Universal Music Group

    • UMG acquires DreamWorks Records.
    • UMG teams with eBay to launch "Universal Music Store."
    • UMG dramatically reduces CD prices to $12.98 for top line releases.
    • UMG signs distribution deal with Rock Records, Asia’s most prominent independent record label.
    • Universal Motown inks deal to distribute Casablanca label.
    • UMVD breaks Latin market share records—achieving year-to-date current market share of 35.19 % of Latin Music Chart, according to SoundScan.
    • Universal Records signs distribution deal with Bad Boy Records.
    • UMVD reaches distribution deal with Fonovisa Record.

  • 2002

    Universal Music Group

    • UMG achieves industry milestone -- achieving year-to-date U.S. current album market share of more than 30%, according to SoundScan.
    • UMG offers music fans largest catalog of digital downloads with more than 75,000 tracks.
    • New record label Universal South is launched in Nashville.

  • 2001

    Universal Music Group

    • Motown/UMG Fund is established to support former artists.
    • UMG acquires assets of Latin music company RMM.
    • UMG forms exclusive distribution and worldwide licensing agreement with Univision Music Group.

  • 2000

    Universal Music Group

    • UMG acquires Rondor Music, International Publishing Company.

  • 1999

    Universal Music Group

    • MCA Music Publishing is renamed Universal Music Publishing.
    • UMG acquires strategic investment in Latin music website eritmo.com.
    • Universal Music India launched after UMG increasess its shareholdings to 100 percent.
    • UMG expands its market presence in Turkey by acquiring additional shareholdings in Universal Music Turkey, Nese Müzik, Mars Müsik and S Müsik.
    • Universal Music Enterprises (UME), a newly centralized U.S. catalog and special markets entity, is created.
    • UM3, a division of Universal Music International that covers all areas of strategic catalog marketing outside North America, is launched.
    • Decca and Philips merge to form Decca Music Group.
    • UMG partners with BMG to form GetMusic, an internet content and commerce alliance, and the e-commerce site, getmusic.com.
    • UMG purchases the remaining interest in Def Jam Records.

  • 1998

    PolyGram & Universal

    • Seagram acquires PolyGram, renaming the newly combined music operations Universal Music Group.

  • 1996

    PolyGram

    • PolyGram acquires additional 10% of Def Jam.

    Universal

    • MCA Music Entertainment Group acquires 50% of Interscope Records.
    • MCA INC. renamed Universal Studios, Inc. and the MCA Music Entertainment Group renamed Universal Music Group.
    • Hip-O Records established by Universal Music Group.

  • 1995

    PolyGram

    • PolyGram acquires Rodven Records, Latin America's largest independent record company.
    • PolyGram forms the Leonard Bernstein Music Publishing Company through a 50/50 partnership.

    Universal

    • Seagram acquires 80% of MCA INC.
    • Rising Tide (to be renamed Universal Records) established by MCA Music Entertainment Group.

  • 1994

    PolyGram

    • PolyGram acquires 50% of Def Jam Recordings.
    • PolyGram becomes the first western record company to establish a subsidiary in Russia.

  • 1993

    PolyGram

    • PolyGram acquires Motown Records.
    • PolyGram completes offering of 10 million new shares. Philips now owns 75% of PolyGram shares, with remaining 25% publicly held.

  • 1991

    Universal

    • MCA INC. acquired by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.

  • 1990

    PolyGram

    • PolyGram acquires A&M Records.

    Universal

    • MCA INC. acquires Geffen Records and GRP Records to join the family of labels within the MCA Music Entertainment Group.

  • 1989

    PolyGram

    • PolyGram acquires Island Records.
    • PolyGram completes initial public stock offering of 35 million shares.

  • 1987

    PolyGram

    • PolyGram becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of Philips.

  • 1986

    PolyGram

    • PolyGram establishes PolyGram Music Publishing.

  • 1985

    Universal

    • MCA INC. acquires Chess Records.

  • 1982

    PolyGram

    • Philips and PolyGram launch the Compact Disc worldwide.

  • 1980

    PolyGram

    • PolyGram acquires London-based classical label Decca.

  • 1979

    Universal

    • MCA INC. purchases ABC Records, with the company's artist roster and catalog eventually merging into MCA Records.

  • 1975

    Universal

    • Distillers Corporation-Seagrams Limited renamed The Seagram Company Ltd.

  • 1973

    Universal

    • Decca (U.S.) evolves into MCA Records.

  • 1972

    PolyGram

    • Philips and Siemens subsidiaries reorganize as PolyGram.
    • PolyGram acquires Verve Records.

    Universal

    • Universal Amphitheatre opens in Universal City, beginning Universal's interests in the ownership and operation of concert venues and live entertainment promotion.

  • 1964

    Universal

    • For the first time in 30 years, Universal welcomes visitors onto its Universal City lot for a behind-the-scenes look at film and television production, initiating the company's recreation and theme park business.
    • MCA Music Publishing begins to take shape with MCA INC.'s purchase of Leeds Music and Duchess Music.

  • 1962

    PolyGram

    • Philips and Siemens establish a record company joint venture with Philips gaining 50% of Deutsche Grammophon and Siemens gaining 50% of PPI.

    Universal

    • MCA INC. and Universal Pictures officially merge when MCA acquires Decca Records, Universal's parent company.

  • 1960

    PolyGram

    • Philips acquires Mercury Records.

  • 1959

    Universal

    • MCA INC. becomes a public company.

  • 1958

    Universal

    • MCA acquires the Universal Studios property and purchases Paramount's pre-1948 film library for its MCA TV division. The company is incorporated as MCA INC.

  • 1952

    Universal

    • Decca acquires controlling interest in Universal Pictures.

  • 1951

    PolyGram

    • Philips Classics established.

  • 1950

    PolyGram

    • Netherlands-based Philips Electronics N.V. creates Philips Phonographische Industries (PPI).

  • 1949

    Universal

    • MCA begins producing TV shows under its original television division, Revue Productions.

  • 1941

    PolyGram

    • Deutsche Grammophon was taken over by electronics giant Siemens & Halske.

  • 1936

    Universal

    • Lew Wasserman joins MCA and develops the company into a leading talent agency representing some of the world's top entertainers.

  • 1934

    Universal

    • British-based Decca Record Co. launches Decca Records in America.

  • 1928

    Universal

    • Distillers acquires Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, Limited, founded in 1857.

  • 1924

    PolyGram

    • Polydor introduced as second brand name for Deutsche Grammophon abroad.

    Universal

    • Music Corporation of America (MCA) founded as a talent agency in Chicago by Dr. Jules Stein.
    • Samuel Bronfman forms Distillers Corporation Limited Canada in Montreal, Quebec.

  • 1915

    Universal

    • Universal relocates to 230-acre ranch, which Laemmle names Universal City, in Southern California's San Fernando Valley.

  • 1912

    Universal

    • Universal Film Manufacturing Co. founded by pioneer filmmaker Carl Laemmle in Chicago.

  • 1898

    PolyGram

    • Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft was established by the National Grammophon Company.
Lionel Richie / Tuskegee