Capitol Christian Music Group (Capitol CMG) (formerly known as EMI Christian Music Group) is an American music group that, since 2013, is under the ownership of

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 ...

. It is based in

Brentwood, Tennessee Brentwood is a city in Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 45,373 as of the 2020 United States census.Sparrow Sparrow may refer to: Birds * Old World sparrows, family Passeridae * New World sparrows, family Passerellidae * two species in the Passerine family Estrildidae: ** Java sparrow ** Timor sparrow * Hedge sparrow, also known as the dunnock or hed ...

and

ForeFront Records ForeFront Records is a contemporary Christian music and Christian rock record label founded in 1987 by Dan R. Brock, Eddie DeGarmo, Dana Key, and Ron W. Griffin. It was purchased by EMI in 1996 from Dan R. Brock and Eddie DeGarmo, and is a divi ...

as well as the industry's distribution company and a publishing company. Capitol CMG features artists such as

Chris Tomlin Christopher Dwayne Tomlin (born May 4, 1972) is an American contemporary Christian music singer, songwriter, and worship leader from Grand Saline, Texas, United States, who has sold over 7 million records. He is a member of Passion Conferences an ...

TobyMac Toby McKeehan (born Kevin Michael McKeehan; October 22, 1964), better known by his stage name TobyMac (styled tobyMac or TOBYMAC), is an American contemporary Christian music singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He was first known ...

Amy Grant Amy Lee Grant (born November 25, 1960) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. She began in contemporary Christian music (CCM) before crossing over to pop music in the 1980s and 1990s. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christia ...

Jeremy Camp Jeremy Thomas Camp (born January 12, 1978) is an American contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter from Lafayette, Indiana. He has released eleven albums, four of them RIAA-certified as Gold, and two live albums. Camp's original music ...

Michael W. Smith Michael Whitaker Smith (born October 7, 1957) is an American musician who has charted in both contemporary Christian and mainstream charts. His biggest success in mainstream music was in 1991 when " Place in This World" hit No. 6 on the '' ...

Newsboys Newsboys (sometimes stylised as newsboys) are a Christian rock band founded in 1985 in Mooloolaba, Queensland, Australia, by Peter Furler and George Perdikis. Now based in Nashville, Tennessee, the band has released 17 studio albums, 6 of which ...

Matt Redman Matthew James Redman (born 14 February 1974) is an English Christian worship leader, singer-songwriter and author. Redman has released 16 albums, written 8 books, and helped start three church-plants. He is best known for his two-time Grammy Aw ...

Matthew West Matthew Joseph West (born April 25, 1977) is an American contemporary Christian musician, singer-songwriter, and actor. He has released five studio albums and is known for his songs "More", "You Are Everything", and " The Motions". He was nomin ...

, and

CeCe Winans Priscilla Marie Winans Love, known professionally as CeCe Winans, (born October 8, 1964) is an American gospel singer. She rose to prominence as a member of the duo BeBe & CeCe Winans; before launching an acclaimed solo career. Winans has been ...

History

The music group was founded by

Billy Ray Hearn Billy Ray Hearn (April 26, 1929April 15, 2015) was the founder and chairman of the Capitol Christian Music Group (formerly EMI Christian Music Group) the world's largest Christian music label.McNeil, W. K. Encyclopedia of American gospel music. ...

in February 1976 as

Sparrow Records Sparrow Records is a Christian music record label and a division of Universal Music Group. History Sparrow Records was founded in 1976 by Billy Ray Hearn, then artists and repertoire (A&R) director at Myrrh Records. Purchased by Thorn EMI in ...

. Sparrow was acquired by EMI in 1992. Formerly known as EMI Christian Music Group, Capitol CMG is a division of

Capitol Music Group Capitol Music Group (CMG) is an American front line umbrella label distributed by Universal Music Group which oversees handling of record labels assigned to UMG's Capitol Records division. It was inherited from UMG's acquisition of EMI's catalog ...

, which is now a Universal Music Group company. Over the years, the venture has grown from a scrappy family-owned independent music label to a multi-faceted business that includes Capitol CMG Label Group (Sparrow Records, ForeFront Records, sixstepsrecords, Hillsong and Credential Recordings), Capitol CMG Publishing,

Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...

Gospel (formerly EMI Gospel) and Capitol Christian Distribution. The company's roster features names in the Christian and gospel communities, among them

Smokie Norful Rev. W.R. "Smokie" Norful, Jr. is an American gospel singer and pianist, best known for his 2002 album, '' I Need You Now'' and his 2004 release, ''Nothing Without You,'' which won a Grammy at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards for Best Contemporary ...

Tye Tribbett Tyrone "Tye" Tribbett (born January 26, 1976) is an American gospel music singer, songwriter and keyboardist. He is choir director and founder of the Grammy-nominated and Stellar Award-winning gospel group Tye Tribbett & G.A. (short for 'Greater ...

Britt Nicole Brittany Nicole Waddell, better known by her stage name Britt Nicole (born August 2, 1984) is an American vocalist, songwriter and recording artist. She has mainly charted as a Christian pop artist, but in 2012 found her debut mainstream single, ...

Crowder Crowder may refer to: Places in the United States * Crowder, Oklahoma * Crowder, Mississippi * Crowder, Missouri *Crowder College * Fort Crowder Other uses *Crowder (musician), contemporary Christian musician * Crowder (surname) *Crowder, someone ...

Tasha Cobbs Leonard Natasha Tameika Cobbs Leonard (born July 7, 1981) is an American gospel musician and songwriter. She released the extended play ''Grace'' in 2013 with the hit lead single " Break Every Chain". The EP reached No. 61 on the ''Billboard'' charts. ...

, Kierra Sheard-Kelly, Sheri Jones-Moffett,

Colton Dixon Michael Colton Dixon (born October 19, 1991) is an American singer-songwriter and musician from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He placed seventh on the eleventh season of ''American Idol''. Early life Colton Dixon was born Michael Colton Dixon on Oct ...

Brian Courtney Wilson Brian Courtney Wilson is an American gospel and contemporary Christian music singer. Biography Wilson was raised in the Chicago area. In his childhood, Wilson began singing with the adult male chorus with his father at the Rock of Ages Baptis ...

, Mandisa,

Paul Porter Paul Porter (born c. 1954) is an American public address announcer best known for his work for the Orlando Magic of the NBA, and the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League. Porter has served as the arena voice for the Magic since the ...

Kari Jobe Kari Brooke Jobe (born April 6, 1981) is an American contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter. Since her first album in 2009, she has received two Grammy Award nominations and ten Dove Award nominations, six of which she won. Biograp ...

, The Young Escape,

Merry Clayton Merry Clayton (born December 25, 1948) is an American soul and gospel singer. She provided a number of backing vocal tracks for major performing artists in the 1960s, most notably in her duet with Mick Jagger on the Rolling Stones song " Gimme S ...

, Riley Clemmons and Social Club Misfits.

Labels

* Capitol Christian Distribution (formerly EMI CMG Distribution) * Capitol CMG Group (formerly EMI CMG Group) ** Credential Recordings **

** Motown Gospel (formerly EMI Gospel) **

** Worship Together * Capitol CMG Publishing **Brentwood-Benson **Meadowgreen Music *

Hillsong Music Hillsong Music is Christian music produced by Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia as well as offshoot churches, Hillsong London, and Hillsong Kiev. Hillsong albums are released and distributed by Hillsong Music. The main groups are Hillsong ...

(distribution) *

sixstepsrecords Passion Conferences (also referred to as Passion and the 268 Generation, originally named Choice Ministries) is a Christian organization founded by Louie Giglio in 1997. The organization is known for its annual gatherings of young adults betwee ...

(distribution)

References

External links

* 1976 establishments in Tennessee American record labels Capitol Records Christian record labels Labels distributed by Universal Music Group {{US-record-label-stub

History

Labels

See also

References

External links