Universal Music Group’s fourth-quarter results have been posted by parent company Vivendi, capping a big year and leaving any potential buyers with more information about what the label has to offer. UMG’s revenue for the period totaled €6.023 billion, up 10% at constant currency from the year-ago period. Recorded music revenue increased 9.8% and music publishing revenue rose 14.5%. Streaming and subscriptions were responsible for some of the recorded music growth, with 37.3% increased revenue. That growth helped offset declines in downloads and physical sales, which dipped 23.5% and 16.1%, respectively.
Vivendi is planning to sell a 50% stake in UMG this year, which would put the major label under new ownership.
I just bought a new family car recently. Unlike our previous family car, there is no CD player. You have to play your music either using your iPod or your smart phone.
Another option our car has is a free trial of Sirius XM. We’re liking the variety of stations so much that we’re thinking about subscribing.