SonyBMG's UK division has confirmed that the group will be organised around two 'frontline music divisions' as of the end of the month. The move completes the restructuring that took place at the label after the merger of Sony and BMG, and uses one of the main 'label brands' from each of the former music companies - Sony brand 'Columbia' and BMG brand 'RCA'. The other SonyBMG labels, including US labels like Epic, Jive and J Records, and UK labels Cheeky, Deltasonic, Modest, Phonogenic and Syco Music, will operate as imprints of the main two divisions.
It's not entirely clear how the announcement will affect the workforce at SonyBMG's London HQ. Historically both Sony Music and BMG in the UK split their operations around two labels (Columbia and Epic at Sony, Arista and RCA at BMG), but by the time of the merger both majors ran integrated operations where label distinctions were less relevant. Since the merger SonyBMG seem to have been running similarly integrated operations, with staff grouped around informal genre groups.
Confirming the new divisions, SonyBMG Music UK CEO Rob Stringer told reporters: "In less than a year we have successfully merged two large UK companies. This has been greatly the result of a huge internal effort by our staff. We now want to give our company and its phenomenal roster a greater external identity through two distinct label groups. We want to become the definitive music entertainment company, therefore we are expanding our creative sources in many areas and the label structuring is part of this process. Over the coming months there will be more creatively based ventures announced as we grow our business"
The major has recruited Craig Logan, former Bros bass player (yes, that Craig Logan) and more recently the manager for the likes of Tina Turner, Sade, Joe Cocker and Pink, to the post of MD of the RCA Label Group. Mike Smith, formerly a senior A&R player at both EMI's record and publishing companies, will be MD of the Columbia Label Group.
Confirming those appointments, Ged Doherty, President of the SonyBMG UK Music Division, told reporters: "I'm excited about reactivating two of the most successful music brands in history with Columbia and RCA, and delighted about the calibre of people we've brought in to lead them."