Sony Buys Bertelsmann Out of BMG

Posted by Mac McKinnon on 08/06/2008
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INPUT { behavior: url(http://countryhound.com/FCKeditor/editor/css/behaviors/hiddenfield.htc) ; }INPUT,TEXTAREA,SELECT,.FCK__Anchor,.FCK__PageBreak { behavior: url(http://countryhound.com/FCKeditor/editor/css/behaviors/disablehandles.htc) ; }TABLE { behavior: url(http://countryhound.com/FCKeditor/editor/css/behaviors/showtableborders.htc) ; }After four years of in-fighting and mutual angst towards the controversial merger that brought together Sony Music and BMG Music Entertainment, the Sony corporation has ended the unhappy relationship by taking full control of Sony-BMG.  Sony will pay German company Bertelsmann somewhere between $600 and $900 million for its 50% stake in BMG. Country Music artists such as Kenny Chesney and Alan Jackson will now be under the new banner of Sony Music Entertainment. Other Country Music artists on the new label are:

  • Brooks and Dunn
  • Jason Michael
  • Carrie Underwood
  • Brad Paisley
  • Terri Clark
  • Pat Green
  • Blaine Larsen
  • The Lost Trailers
  • Craig Morgan
  • Kellie Pickler
  • Keith Anderson
  • Miranda Lambert
  • Montgomery Gentry
  • Jessica Simpson
  • Gretchen Wilson
  • Sara Evans
  • Martina McBride
  • Jake Owen
  • Chuck Wicks

According to Music and Copyright research, Sony BMG ranks second in the music industry with a 20.1 percent market share, only behind Universal.