UMG Philippines Inc.
is a record label based in the Philippines and served as its regional branch of the multinational music corporation,
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
.
[ Formerly known as MCA Music, the record label previously retained the now-discontinued MCA name on legal purposes because of a trademark dispute with an unrelated label known as ]Universal Records
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
, which preempted the rights to the word "Universal" for recorded music in the Philippines. However, the company adopted the moniker
A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement, it can also be used to express defamation of character. As a concept, it is ...
"MCA/Universal", much like Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...
' home video unit from 1990 to 1997, to simplify identification, even though no formal "Universal" branding is exercised. Despite the naming, the label is known outside the Philippines as Universal Music Philippines.[
The record label then changed to its current name on November 3, 2021.]
History
PolyCosmic Records was formed in 1993 as a joint venture
A joint venture (JV) is a business entity created by two or more parties, generally characterized by shared ownership, shared returns and risks, and shared governance. Companies typically pursue joint ventures for one of four reasons: to acces ...
between PolyGram Music Group (Universal Music Group's predecessor, which has 30% of the company's stocks) and a consortium of local businessmen including Dr. James G. Dy (founding chairman of Dyna Products, Inc., which was the local distributor of PolyGram before) and Cosmic Records, another local company founded in 1992 by Ramon Chuaying. Universal Records
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
- which would later be involved in the trademark dispute with this company - had the distribution rights, and Chuaying (who is now an executive at Universal) was the company's first CEO
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
.[ In 1998, PolyGram N.V. was purchased by ]Seagram
The Seagram Company Ltd. (which traded as Seagram's) was a Canadian multinational conglomerate formerly headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. Originally a distiller of Canadian whisky based in Waterloo, Ontario, it was once (in the 1990s) the lar ...
's[ and was merged into ]MCA Inc.
MCA Inc. (originally an initialism for Music Corporation of America) was an American media conglomerate founded in 1924. Originally a talent agency with artists in the music business as clients, the company became a major force in the film ind ...
,[ and PolyGram Music Group was merged with MCA Music Entertainment to become ]Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
.[ After the merger, PolyCosmic Records was reincorporated as MCA Music Inc. (Philippines). In 2006, Ricky Ilacad was named the managing director and CEO.][
MCA Music has a partnership with Smart Communications, Inc. to make music downloads available to phone users via music service Spinnr.][
In 2020, UMG formally appointed Sindikato Management founder and former Sony Music Philippines A&R consultant Enzo Valdez as managing director, replacing Ilacad.] The same year, UMG launched Def Jam Philippines and Island Records Philippines.[ In 2021, UMG signed a distribution agreement with Off the Record, a local independent label owned by Ilacad.
On November 3, 2021, after 23 years as MCA Music Inc., the record label was renamed as UMG Philippines Inc.] On the same day, UMG Philippines formally launched its digital consumer-facing brand known as UMUSIC Philippines (umusic.ph).
On July 8, 2022, UMG launched its third label Republic Records Philippines.[
]
Artists (past and present)
UMG Philippines (formerly MCA Music)
Def Jam Philippines
Island Records Philippines
Republic Records Philippines
Off the Record (distribution only)
See also
* Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
* Universal Records (Philippines)
Universal Records Philippines, Inc. is a Filipino record label founded in 1977 as part of Warner Music Group. Since 1992, it is an independent label.
The label is currently a member of the Philippine Association of the Record Industry.
Hist ...
* Dyna Music
Dyna Music Entertainment Corporation is a Filipino record label. It is one of the major record companies in the Philippines; in the 1960s, it was the country's largest licensee of foreign labels. The first independent record label in the Philippi ...
* PolyEast Records
PolyEast Records (formerly Canary Records, OctoArts International, OctoArts EMI Music Inc. and EMI Philippines) is a record label in the Philippines. It is a member of the Philippine Association of the Record Industry and from 2008 until 2013, ...
* Sony Music Philippines
Sony Music Philippines, Inc. is a record label based in the Philippines, which was founded in 1995 as an imprint of the international music label Sony Music Entertainment and a part of its Asia-Pacific chain. After the closure of the local labe ...
* Warner Music Philippines
Warner Music Philippines (WMP) is a record label in the Philippines. It is a regional branch of the multinational music conglomerate Warner Music Group.
Founded in 1977, the company gained its self-distributed status and has since began release ...
* List of Universal Music Group labels
Universal Music Group owns, or has a joint share in, many of the record labels listed here.
According to UMG official site, the main labels are Abbey Road Studios, Bravado, Capitol Music Group, Decca Records, Def Jam Recordings, Deutsche Grammopho ...
References
External links
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{{Authority control
Philippine record labels
Universal Music Group
Companies based in Mandaluyong
Record labels established in 1993
1993 establishments in the Philippines