History of EMI

History of EMI records

2007 

EMI Music leads the music industry launching DRM-free superior quality downloads across its entire digital repertoire

Katy Perry joins EMI

Lady Antebellum sign to EMI

EMI is acquired by private equity firm Terra Firm2008

‘Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends’ by Coldplay is the biggest selling album of the year globally with sales of nearly 7 million worldwide

Paul McCartney receives the Outstanding Contribution To Music award at the BRITs

Depeche Mode re-sign with EMI, including North America for the first time

2009

Coldplay is the first artist to sell more than one million digital albums in the US and two million worldwide

Pet Shop Boys win the Outstanding Contribution To Music award at the BRITs

EMI launches live music recording and instant production service Abbey Road Live

On release in September 2009 The Beatles‘ re-mastered catalogue sells more than 10 million albums in just four

months and the band are the biggest selling international act of the year in Japan

2010

Robbie Williams is awarded the Outstanding Contribution To Music award at the BRITs 

‘Stylo’ by Gorillaz is played more than 900,000 times in its first 24 hours on YouTube, beating the record previously held by U2

In the US, ’1′ by The Beatles is confirmed as the biggest selling album of the decade from 2000-2009. ‘Come Away With Me’ by Norah Jones is the third biggest selling album of the decade in America

EMI extends its successful exclusive licensing agreement with Walt Disney Records in Europe, the Middle East and Africa

Building on the success of Capitol Records Nashville, EMI forms EMI Records Nashville

Iron Maiden‘s ‘The Final Frontier’ album debuts at number one in over 20 countries

Japanese superstar Hikaru Utada and EMI agree new global recording deal

The Beatles‘ music is available for the first time on the iTunes Store

2011

EMI is aquired by Citigroup and announces successful capital restructuring.

Pink Floyd and EMI sign new global agreement

EMI’s family of artists and songwriters raise $940,000 to support Japanese Red Cross disaster relief effort

I.R.S. Records relaunched as a new frontline label

David Guetta is voted the world’s number one DJ

Peter Gabriel and EMI extend long running partnership

OpenEMI is launched to engage directly with the tech developer community around the world including a platform for developers to access EMI Music tracks and content to create innovative and exciting new apps and digital music concepts for EMI’s artists

2012

Van Morrison returns to Blue Note Records

David Guetta extends his long-term partnership with EMI