UMG signs global partnership with Roc Nation Entertainment
2012
Universal Music Group
UMG completes EMI Recorded Music acquisition
UMG expands partnership with Scooter Braun’s Schoolboy Records
INgrooves acquires Fontana Distribution from UMG to form INgrooves Fontana
UMG enters into agreement for “The Winner Is…”
Irving Berlin catalogue comes to UMPG
2011
Universal Music Group
UMG forms strategic partnership with Live Nation Entertainment
Dianne Warren joins UMG as A&R consultant; signs international publishing agreement
Chinese internet provider Baidu signs digital music distribution agreement with UMG
Bravado partners with MESH (Music Entertainment Sports Holdings) to create new global lifestyle brands
Twenty First Republic management division launched
UMG signs global agreement for “The Voice of…”
2010
Universal Music Group
The Black Eyed Peas become first group to sell over 6 million US digital downloads with “I Gotta Feeling”
VEVO named #1 online music destination by comScore
UMPG acquires publishing assets of Emack music
Rondor Music Publishing partners with Nacional Records for Canciones Nacionales
Universal Records South merges with Show Dog to create label, Show Dog–Universal Music
Lady Gaga becomes first artist to have her first 5 singles reach #1
UMG enters into agreement for “American Idol.”
2009
Universal Music Group
VEVO completes deal with CBS Broadcast, Inc.
EMI joins VEVO
UMG makes strategic investments in INgrooves and TuneCore
Sony Music Entertainment joins VEVO
Bravado becomes exclusive music merchandiser for Michael Jackson
Republic Nashville label launched
UMG forms VEVO
All The Worlds launches F1 ROCKS
2008
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Latin Entertainment is formed
UMG partners with MySpace to create MySpace Music
Vivendi Entertainment expands into theatrical distribution
UMG acquires Univision Music Group
UMG delivers 1 billion video streams on YouTube
2007
Universal Music Group
UMG purchases V2 Music Group
UMG announces deal with imeem
UMG acquires Belgian independent label, ARS Entertainment
Universal Music Group has #1 Most Viewed Channel on YouTube
UMG acquires the Sanctuary Group, PLC, including music merchandiser, Bravado
Akon becomes top selling Mastertone Artist of All Time
UMG acquires BMG Music Publishing
Mercury Records re-launched in US as Division of Island Def Jam Music Group
A&M/Octone label formed by Interscope Geffen A&M
2006
Universal Music Group
UMG and Microsoft Corp announce agreement for Zune player.
Universal Music acquire Arsenal Music, Brazil's most important independent label.
Chamillionaire sells over 3 million mastertones.
Universal Music UK launches Globe Productions.
UMVD changes name to UMGD.
UMG acquires #1 Spanish label, Vale Music.
Universal Music signs international license agreement with Concord Music Group.
2005
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Mexico signs distribution deal with Walt Disney's Buena Vista Music Group.
UMPG launches Universal Music Production Library.
Gwen Stefani becomes first artist to sell one million commerical downloads.
UMG launches Universal Music Media.
New label Roc La Familia is formed.
International Music Feed (IMF) is launched.
UMG launches Universal Music Mobile US (UMM-US).
UMG achieves the highest weekly current market share in the history of SoundScan at 43.54%, breaking the old record (also held by UMG) of 43.07% set in November of 2004.
UMG launches Machete Music.
Verve Music Group re-lauches famed "Forecast" label.
2004
Universal Music Group
IDJ acquires remaining 50% ownership of Roc-A-Fella Records.
UMG achieved a 43.07% market share for the week-ending November 14th, the highest in SoundScan history.
UMe Digital, an all-digital download label, is formed.
UMG inks distribution deal with Concord Records.
UMPG forms Universal Christian Music Publishing.
Universal Music Asia Pacific and Shanghai Media Group launch Sum Entertainment.
UMVD creates independent distribution division, Fontana.
2003
Universal Music Group
UMG acquires DreamWorks Records.
UMG teams with eBay to launch "Universal Music Store."
UMG dramatically reduces CD prices to $12.98 for top line releases.
UMG signs distribution deal with Rock Records, Asia’s most prominent independent record label.
Universal Motown inks deal to distribute Casablanca label.
UMVD breaks Latin market share records—achieving year-to-date current market share of 35.19 % of Latin Music Chart, according to SoundScan.
Universal Records signs distribution deal with Bad Boy Records.
UMVD reaches distribution deal with Fonovisa Record.
2002
Universal Music Group
UMG achieves industry milestone -- achieving year-to-date U.S. current album market share of more than 30%, according to SoundScan.
UMG offers music fans largest catalog of digital downloads with more than 75,000 tracks.
New record label Universal South is launched in Nashville.
2001
Universal Music Group
Motown/UMG Fund is established to support former artists.
UMG acquires assets of Latin music company RMM.
UMG forms exclusive distribution and worldwide licensing agreement with Univision Music Group.
2000
Universal Music Group
UMG acquires Rondor Music, International Publishing Company.
1999
Universal Music Group
MCA Music Publishing is renamed Universal Music Publishing.
UMG acquires strategic investment in Latin music website eritmo.com.
Universal Music India launched after UMG increasess its shareholdings to 100 percent.
UMG expands its market presence in Turkey by acquiring additional shareholdings in Universal Music Turkey, Nese Müzik, Mars Müsik and S Müsik.
Universal Music Enterprises (UME), a newly centralized U.S. catalog and special markets entity, is created.
UM3, a division of Universal Music International that covers all areas of strategic catalog marketing outside North America, is launched.
Decca and Philips merge to form Decca Music Group.
UMG partners with BMG to form GetMusic, an internet content and commerce alliance, and the e-commerce site, getmusic.com.
UMG purchases the remaining interest in Def Jam Records.
1998
PolyGram & Universal
Seagram acquires PolyGram, renaming the newly combined music operations Universal Music Group.
1996
PolyGram
PolyGram acquires additional 10% of Def Jam.
Universal
MCA Music Entertainment Group acquires 50% of Interscope Records.
MCA INC. renamed Universal Studios, Inc. and the MCA Music Entertainment Group renamed Universal Music Group.
Hip-O Records established by Universal Music Group.
1995
PolyGram
PolyGram acquires Rodven Records, Latin America's largest independent record company.
PolyGram forms the Leonard Bernstein Music Publishing Company through a 50/50 partnership.
Universal
Seagram acquires 80% of MCA INC.
Rising Tide (to be renamed Universal Records) established by MCA Music Entertainment Group.
1994
PolyGram
PolyGram acquires 50% of Def Jam Recordings.
PolyGram becomes the first western record company to establish a subsidiary in Russia.
1993
PolyGram
PolyGram acquires Motown Records.
PolyGram completes offering of 10 million new shares. Philips now owns 75% of PolyGram shares, with remaining 25% publicly held.
1991
Universal
MCA INC. acquired by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.
1990
PolyGram
PolyGram acquires A&M Records.
Universal
MCA INC. acquires Geffen Records and GRP Records to join the family of labels within the MCA Music Entertainment Group.
1989
PolyGram
PolyGram acquires Island Records.
PolyGram completes initial public stock offering of 35 million shares.
1987
PolyGram
PolyGram becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of Philips.
1986
PolyGram
PolyGram establishes PolyGram Music Publishing.
1985
Universal
MCA INC. acquires Chess Records.
1982
PolyGram
Philips and PolyGram launch the Compact Disc worldwide.
MCA INC. purchases ABC Records, with the company's artist roster and catalog eventually merging into MCA Records.
1975
Universal
Distillers Corporation-Seagrams Limited renamed The Seagram Company Ltd.
1973
Universal
Decca (U.S.) evolves into MCA Records.
1972
PolyGram
Philips and Siemens subsidiaries reorganize as PolyGram.
PolyGram acquires Verve Records.
Universal
Universal Amphitheatre opens in Universal City, beginning Universal's interests in the ownership and operation of concert venues and live entertainment promotion.
1964
Universal
For the first time in 30 years, Universal welcomes visitors onto its Universal City lot for a behind-the-scenes look at film and television production, initiating the company's recreation and theme park business.
MCA Music Publishing begins to take shape with MCA INC.'s purchase of Leeds Music and Duchess Music.
1962
PolyGram
Philips and Siemens establish a record company joint venture with Philips gaining 50% of Deutsche Grammophon and Siemens gaining 50% of PPI.
Universal
MCA INC. and Universal Pictures officially merge when MCA acquires Decca Records, Universal's parent company.
1960
PolyGram
Philips acquires Mercury Records.
1959
Universal
MCA INC. becomes a public company.
1958
Universal
MCA acquires the Universal Studios property and purchases Paramount's pre-1948 film library for its MCA TV division. The company is incorporated as MCA INC.
1952
Universal
Decca acquires controlling interest in Universal Pictures.
