EMI Restructuring

EMI, the major record label in last place in terms of market share out of the 4 major labels, has a restructuring plan to try to improve their business. Remember, EMI is the company that has Coldplay as an artist. They also have a very successful music publishing side of the business. But, they have struggled recently with a shift in leadership and just an overall market destruction.

So EMI is restructuring their corporate offices. From now on, there will be three divisions:

1. New Music
2. Catalog
3. Music Services

In addition, the new strategy will encompass 4 key elements:

1. Consumer Focus
2. Innovation
3. Strengthening Artist’s Relationships with Fans
4. Strengthening Artist’s Relationships with the Digital arena.

The marketing department will have say over the direction of New Music and Catalog while Music Services will fall under Ronn Werre, previous VP of music licensing & synch/global sales. That is quite a job title there.

I guess A&R (artist & repertoire) will fall under new music. That seems to me that the strategy department would want to include Strengthening Artists, period. What about developing new talent? Bringing them in and concentrating on building their careers?

Since EMI already has an international presence through its office locations, it appears that these changes will apply across the board. So instead of there being one group at the main headquarters that controls things for all markets, it seems like these structural changes will occur so that each office can implement the changes at the local market level.

Stay tuned,
Erik
erikrostad.com