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Queen to 'Quit EMI for Universal'
- Posted on May 10th 2010 8:15AM by Julian Marszalek
Following the recent departure of Sir Paul McCartney with his Wings and solo back catalogues for independent label Concord, under-fire music giant EMI has been dealt yet another blow. Queen are to leave their longtime UK label for rival Universal when the band's contract expires at the end of this year. (This news does not affect their label deals in other territories.)A report in The Times of London newspaper suggests that a new deal is already in place, with Universal offering the surviving members of the band -- guitarist Brian May, drummer Roger Taylor and bassist John Deacon -- a figure understood to be worth tens of millions of pounds to secure the rights to their highly lucrative back catalogue.
According to one industry insider who spoke to the newspaper, the move is primarily motivated by money and the kinds of amounts that EMI would have difficulty in securing. The source was quoted saying, "EMI just decided they couldn't compete. It was too much to pay and they want to spend that money on developing new talent."
Queen have been with EMI in the UK for almost 40 years and their 'Greatest Hits' collection is the UK's highest selling album, shifting 5.4 million copies. The band split after the death of singer Freddie Mercury in 1992. May and Taylor released 'The Cosmos Rocks' album with former Free and Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers under the name Queen + Paul Rodgers in 2008.
Get to know Queen with the 'Becoming Queen' documentary film, courtesy of our friends at SnagFilms.
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D-X
Pink Floyd are also saying sayonara to EMI and are heading back to Columbia/Sony very soon (they were on EMI in Europe from 1967-2010 and its US company Capitol and EMI Canada, Australia, Japan and South America from 1967-73 and again 2000-2010 and were with Columbia/Sony from 1973-1999 (2000 for the US and Canada). Makes logical sense as David Gilmour and Roger Waters are both on Columbia/Sony in every country sans Europe. Pink Floyd got screwed over by EMI and won their court battle against the label for selling downloads as songs instead of albums where the band stated its songs were not to be downloaded individually.
May 14 2010 at 4:00 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Sin D
All facts point to EMI dying a slow death. It's a new era and the old school is out, because of outdated practices. It has happened to other industries...the recording biz is no different. Another example that "classic" (read:GOOD) music will prevail over the "new" (read:corporate junk)stuff. Gonna hear these new bands in 40 years...no you will not.Sorry.
May 11 2010 at 1:30 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
MIKE ZVIRBLIS
THEY HAD WONDERFUL SONGS, AND SONGS THAT WOULD MAKE YOUR SKIN CRAWL. BUT COMPARED TO WHATS OUT THERE IN THE LAST 2 DECADES, QUEEN RULES!
May 11 2010 at 11:00 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Larry
That's a shame that EMI has their heads in the sand. There is a lot of new talent out there. Money Money Money
May 11 2010 at 6:57 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
ross
"EMI just decided ..... they want to spend that money on developing new talent."
There's NO WAY EMI will be spending money on new talent. Their new CEO has publicly said that they make more money from back catalogue and doesn't see the point in investing in new bands.
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