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Bertelsmann Music Group
Type	Private
Founded	1987
Headquarters	New York City
Parent	Bertelsmann AG
Subsidiaries	Sony BMG (50%)

BMG (Bertelsmann Music Group) is one of the six divisions of Bertelsmann. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann. It consists of the BMG Music Publishing company, the world's third largest music publisher and the world's largest independent music publisher, and the 50% share of the joint venture with Sony Music, Sony BMG Music Entertainment (Sony BMG).

The joint venture with Sony was set up in August 2004. It reduced the Big Five of music companies to the Big Four record labels. The company currently has a 21.5% share in the global music market. [1]

The chairman and CEO of BMG Music Publishing is Nicholas Firth. The company is headquartered at 245 Fifth Avenue, 8th Floor New York, 10016 and has 36 offices in 25 countries.

Universal Music Group, 100% owned by the French media Group, Vivendi have confirmed the purchase of BMG Music Publishing for 1.63bn euros. The deal is subject to regulatory approval. [2]

BMG Music Publishing, which was not part of the Sony BMG merger and remains wholly owned by Bertelsmann, controls over one million copyrights. Writers/artists signed to the company include Avril Lavigne, Lee Ryan, Coldplay, Powderfinger, Nelly, Britney Spears, Rammstein, R. Kelly, Shania Twain, Ville Valo, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Clannad, Linkin Park, Maroon5, Backyard Babies, Keane, HARD-Fi, Justin Timberlake, Joss Stone, Elvis Costello, Paul Weller, Sara Evans, Ne-Yo, and Westlife.

The company's songwriters have written chart-topping hits for Mariah Carey, Black Eyed Peas, Kenny Chesney, The Game, Mario, Shakira, Rascal Flatts, No Doubt, Jessica Simpson and 50 Cent as well as legends like Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra.

BMG Music Publishing is a global leader in Classical music and is number one in Contemporary Christian music and Production Music.

Through international subpublishing deals, BMG Music Publishing represents the catalogues of Famous Music Publishing, Walt Disney, Leiber & Stoller, Pete Waterman and Malaco in various territories.

Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing is BMG Music Publishing's Christian publisher and owns over 60,000 copyrights.

• List of record labels
• Sony BMG Music Entertainment

• BMG Music Publishing site
• BMG Japan
• Official Bertelsmann Site