The clock ticks down for EMI

The clock ticks down for EMI

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norman lebrecht

September 27, 2011

Citigroup, the default owners, have set October 5 as the final date for best-offer bids on the failing record giant.

That’s ten days to change the music world.

Smart money is on Warner, the only major player that will not attract a monopolies or antitrust investigation (as Sony or Universal would).

But don’t discount Murdoch. The empire has cash to spare and likes surprises. Of the non-hacking kind.

Comments

  • Rosana Martins says:

    I cannot believe that EMI is going under! I grew up listening to so many of their wonderful old recordings.

    The problem with empires with money to spare is the risk of making more “popular” repertoire, of which we already have too many recordings. When artists like Tetzlaff are let go, I wonder who will replace him: The Four Tenors or Soprani? Great love duets, again?

    Poor music… poor us!

  • Yi-Peng Li says:

    Mr. Lebrecht, I know it’s sad to see that EMI is in this sorry state. Please could I offer my take on the situation? I knowI would like it if Universal were to take the EMI label because I felt that there are similarities in the temperament of their classical labels and their labels for older music. There are artist overlaps between EMI and the Universal Classics labels, e.g. Karajan, Argerich, Ashkenaz, King’s College Choir, and I would be keen to see all their recordings brought under one roof.

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