Most often named as potential bidders for all or part of either music group include: BMG, Zomba founder Clive Calder, Russian investor Leonard Blavatnik, Universal Music, Sony Music, equity firms KKR, Apollo and Providence and Netherlands-based music publisher Imagem.

Related Articles

• Universal Music and YouTube Partner for New Music Vide Website – March 7, 2009
• BMG Has Acquired Chrysalis for £107 million – November 26, 2010
• Sony Music Launching a Series of Albums to Celebrate London Fashion Week – September 10, 2010
• American Idol Leaves Sony Partnership and Jumps into Bed with Universal – August 11, 2010
• Wilco Start Their Own Record Label – July 12, 2010

BMG has agreed to acquire Chrysalis for £107.4 million ($168.6 million). Chrysalis has over 100,000 tracks in their publishing division, which includes tracks by David Bowie and Michael Jackson along with artists Cee Lo Green, Sheryl Crow and Blondie.

Related Articles

• 20 Companies Interested in Acquiring Warner Music Group – February 14, 2011
• A New Michael Jackson Film, Ish. – October 28, 2010
• Lady Gaga Working on Her Third Album with David Bowie – August 16, 2010
• Micheal Jackson Death A Hoax? – May 13, 2010
• Sony to Release Some New Michael Jackson Songs – May 4, 2010

Simon founded a record label and television company Syco which encompasses music, film and television. Within these companies they operate television shows such as The X Factor, Britains Got Talent, American Inventor, America’s Got Talent and Grease is the Word.

Cowell claims Syco accounted for approximately 40% of Sony Music Entertainment profit in 2006, despite only employing 14 people. By 2008, it was believed that Syco accounted for as much as 70% of Sony profits. In 2008 Sony music entertainment forecasted a net profit of $1.5 billion, thus making Simon Cowell’s companies estimated at $1.05 billion if they indeed did 70% of the profits.

Related Articles

• SYCO – Simon Cowell and Sony Create Joint Venture – January 26, 2010
• Which Artists Are Signed Up Under Simon Cowell’s Syco Music Record Label – November 2, 2009
• Universal Music and YouTube Partner for New Music Vide Website – March 7, 2009
• Labrint Signs to SYCO Music and Release Amazing Single with Great Viral Video – September 6, 2010
• Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings New Album Streaming For Free – April 1, 2010

The site is intended to feature music videos, artist-related content and interviews. The aim of course is to bring in more high profile brands who arent necessarily interested in advertising on YouTube because of its user-generated content.

It has been mentioned by CNET that the three other major labels have all been approached to join the Vevo service. Im sure this would all work in the same way as Myspace Music in which the major labels all have an equity stake. Myspace Music has amazed me that so many independent labels have come on board with the solution, because they should realise that part of their profits are still going to the major labels. However, with Myspace Music most independent labels need to have their music on the site, so why not make some revenues in the process.

Related Articles

• Universal Music Group and Google Partner for Vevo – April 12, 2009
• New Florence And The Machine Video – Dog Days Are Over – March 29, 2010
• 45,000 People Downloaded The New u2 Album via Torrent Sites in 2 Weeks – March 9, 2009
• Vevo iPhone App: Lets Users Watch Their Favourite Music Videos for Free on their iPhone – August 18, 2010
• 2010 Quarter 1 Marketshare for Major Music Labels – March 26, 2010