World music market

From Freepedia

The world music market is dominated by the big four major record labels. These 4 companies control around 70% of the world music market and around 85% of the United States music market:

Sony BMG Music Entertainment (Germany/Japan) - revenues ~$9 billion ^[1] (2000) - 28% of US Market
Universal Music Group (France/USA) - revenues $6.8 billion (2004) - 34% of US Market - 10,700 Employees
EMI Group (UK) - revenues $3.8 billion (2004) - 7% of US Market - 8,000 Employees
Warner Music Group (USA) - revenues $2.6 billion (2005) - 16% of US Market - 4,000 Employees

The global market was estimated at $30-40 billion in 2004 ^[2]. Total annual unit sales (CDs, music videos, mp3s) in 2004 were $3 billion.

In 1918 worldwide sales of phonograph/gramophone records were estimated at 100 million units.

Notes

^ - BMG - revenues $2.8 billion (2000), Sony Music Entertainment - ~$6 billion.
^ - According to the RIAA the world music market is estimated at $40 billion, according to IFPI (2004) it is estimated at $32 billion.