Minos EMI

Minos EMI is a record company based in Athens and one of the principal holders of Greece's EMI recorded-music heritage. The brand emerged in 1991 when EMIAL, the Greek operation associated with EMI, acquired a controlling interest in Minos Matsas & Son, a major Greek music company founded by the musician and music-industry figure Minos Matsas. The combined business was relaunched as Minos EMI, with Makis Matsas serving as its chief executive at the time of the transaction. The company represents and distributes recorded music for the Greek market, combining local repertoire with selected international releases. Its catalogue is particularly significant for Greek rebetiko and laïko, while also covering a wider range of popular music. The business has historically operated through several related labels and imprints, including Minos, EMI, Columbia, His Master's Voice, Parlophone, Odeon and Harvest. The Minos name functioned chiefly as a domestic A&R imprint, whereas EMI was commonly used for releases connected with the international parent company and, increasingly, for the overall Greek operation. Minos EMI's institutional history reaches back before the 1991 merger. In 1930, British Columbia Graphophone Company and Gramophone Company formed a Greek production partnership with Lambropoulos Brothers Limited. The venture began pressing records in Greece under the name EMIAL in 1931 and later established the country's first recording studio. It became an important foundation of the Greek recorded-music business and issued domestic material through several historic EMI-associated labels. During the 1990s and 2000s, Minos EMI expanded its commercial role in Greece. It combined physical-record distribution, local artist development, international repertoire and catalogue exploitation. From 2002 to 2004, it also distributed BMG repertoire in Greece, although that arrangement ended after Sony BMG re-established a local presence. The label continued to develop and monetize its historical catalogue through remastered editions, compilations, special releases and licensing arrangements. Some recordings were also issued internationally through EMI Group divisions such as EMI Hemisphere and EMI Classics. The company adapted to digital distribution and online video as the recorded-music industry changed. In 2010, it entered a four-year agreement with the Greek edition of Dailymotion under which the service received exclusive premiere rights for new music videos and access to more than 1,000 additional current and archival videos. Around the same period, the Minos imprint became less visible on physical releases, with domestic records increasingly carrying only the EMI branding. Universal Music Group's acquisition of EMI Group in 2012 led to a restructuring of European EMI assets. Unlike several other European EMI operations, Minos EMI was retained in the Greek market as an EMI-branded label rather than being included in the divestiture of Universal Music Group's pre-existing Greek operation. Universal subsequently discontinued EMI as a standalone worldwide corporate structure but preserved Minos EMI as a continuing local EMI-branded label. The business therefore represents both a contemporary Greek record operation and a long-running archive of recorded Greek music.

The roots of Minos EMI lie in the development of recorded music in Greece during the early twentieth century. In 1930, British Columbia Graphophone Company and Gramophone Company formed a partnership with the Greek investment firm Lambropoulos Brothers Limited. The companies began local record production, and in 1931 the first disc pressed in Greece was produced under the name EMIAL. After initially recording in hotel spaces, EMIAL built Greece's first dedicated recording studio. The operation became a leading force in the national music business and used the trade names EMI Greece and, later, EMI Music Greece. Its releases appeared on historic labels associated with the EMI group, including Columbia, His Master's Voice, Parlophone and Odeon. A decisive transformation occurred in 1991, when EMIAL acquired a controlling share of Minos Matsas & Son. That company had been founded by Minos Matsas, an important figure in Greek music and rebetiko, and was being led by Makis Matsas at the time of the acquisition. The merged operation adopted the name Minos EMI. The transaction brought together two substantial businesses: Minos Matsas & Son reportedly held 22 percent of the Greek market and EMIAL held 9 percent, giving the combined company a major market position. Makis Matsas became chief executive, while the organizations consolidated distribution and administrative functions in Athens. The integration also produced organizational changes. The companies combined distribution centers at EMI Greece's historical premises in Rizoupoli, while much of the remaining staff moved to Minos Matsas's offices on Messogeion Avenue. Panayotis Papalimberis remained as chief financial officer. Artistic and repertoire responsibilities were assigned to Minos executives including Achileas Theofilou, Elias Benettos and Vangelis Yannopoulos. Costas Bourmas, formerly managing director of Sony Music Greece, was appointed managing director. Manos Xydous, previously responsible for foreign repertoire at EMI Greece, moved into a domestic A&R role and helped develop Harvest as a local-repertoire imprint. The new company maintained a distinction between the Minos and EMI names, although this distinction was primarily internal and was often visible only through album-cover imprinting. Minos generally signaled the local A&R operation, while EMI was used for releases connected with the broader multinational repertoire. The combined catalogue became an important repository of Greek recorded music, especially rebetiko and laïko, as well as other popular genres. Minos EMI continued to exploit that archive through remastering, compilations, special releases and licensing to external marketing partners. Selected material also reached international audiences through EMI Group labels such as EMI Hemisphere and EMI Classics. In 2001, after Virgin Records Greece closed, Minos EMI became the sole EMI label operation in Greece. The name EMI Music Greece was used internationally for the local business, following the naming convention used by EMI offices in other countries. Between 2002 and 2004, Minos EMI distributed BMG repertoire in Greece. That arrangement ended after the Sony BMG venture led to the re-establishment of a BMG-related local operation through Sony BMG Greece. The company later adjusted its branding and digital activities. MAD TV stopped identifying videos by individual imprint in 2008 and instead used EMI as the common label designation. From late 2010, new physical releases by Minos artists also increasingly omitted the Minos imprint and carried only EMI branding. In October 2010, Minos EMI signed a four-year agreement with the Greek edition of Dailymotion covering exclusive online premieres of new music videos and the addition of more than 1,000 archival and current videos. Universal Music Group completed its acquisition of EMI Group in September 2012. European competition requirements led to the sale of several EMI operations, but Minos EMI was retained in Greece rather than being included in the divestiture of Universal Music Group's existing Greek label operation. Universal subsequently ended EMI's former worldwide standalone corporate structure while preserving several EMI-related labels. Minos EMI continued as a distinct EMI-branded Greek label within Universal Music Group, linking a contemporary local music business with the legacy of EMIAL and Minos Matsas & Son.

• 2012

  Retained in Universal Music Group's post-EMI structure

  [1]Minos EMIen.wikipedia.org

  After Universal Music Group acquired EMI, Minos EMI continued as the EMI-branded Greek operation.

• 2010

  Dailymotion video agreement

  [1]Minos EMIen.wikipedia.org

  Minos EMI entered a four-year agreement granting the Greek Dailymotion service exclusive premiere rights for new videos and access to a large archive.

• 2008

  EMI becomes the common video imprint

  [1]Minos EMIen.wikipedia.org

  MAD TV discontinued its practice of identifying music videos by individual imprint and used EMI as the common designation.

• 2002

  Begins distributing BMG repertoire

  [1]Minos EMIen.wikipedia.org

  Minos EMI handled BMG distribution in Greece during the period from 2002 to 2004.

• 2001

  Becomes the sole EMI label operation in Greece

  [1]Minos EMIen.wikipedia.org

  After the closure of Virgin Records Greece, Minos EMI became EMI's sole label operation in the Greek market.

• 1991

  EMIAL acquires Minos Matsas & Son

  [1]Minos EMIen.wikipedia.org

  EMIAL acquired a controlling interest in Minos Matsas & Son and relaunched the combined operation as Minos EMI.

• 1931

  First record pressed in Greece

  [1]Minos EMIen.wikipedia.org

  The first disc produced in Greece was pressed under the EMIAL company name.

• 1930

  Greek record-production partnership formed

  [1]Minos EMIen.wikipedia.org

  British Columbia Graphophone Company and Gramophone Company partnered with Lambropoulos Brothers Limited to establish record production in Greece.

A mainstream Greek record label built around domestic artist development, international repertoire and stewardship of a historically important Greek music catalogue.

• Recorded music · 1991

  Greek local-repertoire recordings

  Minos EMI develops, releases and distributes recordings by Greek artists. Its local repertoire has historically been associated with the Minos imprint and spans mainstream Greek popular music as well as established national genres. From the late 2010s of the label's historical development onward, many domestic releases were increasingly presented under the broader EMI name rather than a separate Minos imprint.

• Music catalogue · 1991

  Rebetiko and laïko catalogue

  The inherited catalogue contains historically important Greek recordings, with particular depth in rebetiko and laïko. Minos EMI has used remastering, compilations, special editions and licensing to preserve and commercially reintroduce this repertoire for physical and digital audiences.

• Recorded music distribution · 1991

  EMI international repertoire

  The label has served as a Greek channel for selected international recordings associated with EMI and its successor structures. Its historical label portfolio included Columbia, His Master's Voice, Parlophone, Odeon and EMI, allowing international and domestic material to coexist within the Greek market operation.

• Digital media · 2010

  Music-video catalogue

  Minos EMI manages and licenses music-video content connected with its current releases and historical catalogue. A 2010 agreement with Dailymotion provided for online premieres and the publication of more than 1,000 new, older and rare videos.

• 2010Dailymotion exclusive video partnership

  Greece · Worldwide online audience

  Minos EMI partnered with the Greek edition of Dailymotion to premiere new music videos exclusively and make more than 1,000 current and archival videos available to users.

  Outcome. The agreement expanded the label's online video distribution and gave its catalogue a dedicated digital-video outlet.

  Source

• 2012

  Continue Minos EMI after Universal's EMI acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Universal Music Group's acquisition of EMI required the restructuring and divestiture of several European operations for competition-law reasons.

  Action taken

  Universal retained Minos EMI as the EMI-branded Greek operation rather than including it in the sale of other European EMI assets.

  Aftermath

  Minos EMI continued under Universal Music Group after EMI ceased to function as a standalone worldwide corporate structure.

  Source

• 2010

  Reduce use of the Minos imprintStrategy

  Background

  The company was consolidating its market-facing identity around EMI while the music business shifted toward digital distribution.

  Action taken

  From late 2010, domestic releases by Minos artists increasingly used EMI branding alone on CD covers.

  Aftermath

  The Minos name became less prominent as a visible release imprint, although the Minos EMI brand continued as a Greek EMI label.

  Source

• 2002

  Distribute BMG in GreeceStrategy

  Background

  The closure of BMG Greece created a temporary need for local distribution of BMG repertoire.

  Action taken

  Minos EMI handled BMG distribution in Greece from 2002 to 2004.

  Aftermath

  The arrangement ended when Sony BMG re-established a related local operation and exercised its ability to recover distribution.

  Source

• 1991

  Combine EMIAL with Minos Matsas & SonM&A

  Background

  EMIAL and Minos Matsas & Son were two substantial participants in the Greek recorded-music market, with complementary corporate and local-repertoire histories.

  Action taken

  EMIAL acquired a controlling share of Minos Matsas & Son and relaunched the business under the Minos EMI name.

  Aftermath

  The combination created a major Greek label operation and unified important domestic and international catalogues, while also leading to staff reductions and operational consolidation.

  Source

1. 1Minos EMIen.wikipedia.org