EMI

The EMI Group is a British music company comprised of EMI Music and EMI Music Publishing. EMI Music is one of the "Big Four" record companies, making it among the largest in the world.

History
The Electric and Musical Industries Ltd formed in March 1931 to manufacture recording and playback equipment and provide music to play on its machines. It briefly diverted into other electronics manufacturing businesses. The legendary recording studios at Abbey Road were opened in 1931.

In 1957, to replace the loss of its long-established licensing arrangements with RCA Victor and Columbia Records, EMI entered the American market by acquiring 96% of the stock of Capitol Records. During the late 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s the company enjoyed huge success in the popular music field. The groups and solo artists signed to EMI and its subsidiaries made EMI the best-known and most successful recording company in the world at that time.

In October 1979 THORN Electrical Industries merged with EMI Ltd. to form Thorn EMI, which bought out Chrysalis Records and Virgin Records in the early 1990s, but in 1996, Thorn EMI shareholders voted in favour of demerger proposals.

On 2 April 2007, EMI announced it would begin releasing its music in DRM-free high-quality digital formats (for a slightly higher price).

EMI and Duran Duran

 * To be expanded

Dave Ambrose signed Duran Duran to an EMI contract in 1980.

EMI ended the band's contract in 1999.