Editing EMI Classics (section)

{{Short description|Record label founded by EMI in 1990}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2013}}

{{Infobox record label <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Music -->
| name          = EMI Classics
| image         = [[File:EMI Classics logo.svg|150px]]
| parent        = {{ubl|[[Thorn EMI]] (1990–1996)|[[EMI]] (1996–2012)|[[Parlophone|Parlophone Label Group]]<br>(independent operation; 2012–2013)|[[Warner Music Group]]<br>(2013–present)}} 
| founded       = {{Start date and age|1990}}
| defunct       = {{End date and age|2013}}
| founder       = 
| status        = Defunct
| distributor   = 
| genre         = [[Classical music]]
| country       = [[United Kingdom]]
| location      = 
| url           = 
}}

[[File:EMI Classics old.jpeg|thumb|140px|EMI Classics logo used until 2003]]
'''EMI Classics''' was a [[record label]] founded by [[Thorn EMI]] in 1990 to reduce the need to create country-specific packaging and catalogues for internationally distributed [[European classical music|classical music]] releases. After Thorn EMI demerged in 1996, its recorded music division became the [[EMI Music Group]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/vote-solid-for-thorn-demerger-1310081.html |title=Vote solid for Thorn demerger |website=The Independent|location=London |date=17 August 1996}}</ref> Following the [[European Commission]]'s approval of the takeover of [[EMI Music Group]] by [[Universal Music Group]] in September 2012, EMI Classics was listed for divestment.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/sep/21/universal-emi-takeover-approved |title=Universal's £1.2bn EMI takeover approved – with conditions |date=21 September 2012 |quote=Full list of divestments...EMI Classics/Virgin Classics artist and composers |work=The Guardian}}</ref> The label was sold to [[Warner Music Group]], which absorbed EMI Classics into [[Warner Classics]] in 2013.

Classical recordings were formerly simultaneously released under combinations of [[Angel Records|Angel]], [[Seraphim Records|Seraphim]], [[Odeon Records|Odeon]], [[Columbia Graphophone Company|Columbia]], [[His Master's Voice (British record label)|His Master's Voice]], and other labels, in part because competitors own these names in various countries.  These were moved under the EMI Classics umbrella to avoid the [[trademark]] problems. Prior to this, [[compact discs]] distributed globally bore the Angel Records recording angel logo that EMI owned globally. Releases created for distribution in specific countries continued to be distributed under the historical names, with the exception of Columbia, since EMI had sold the Columbia name to [[Sony Music]] Entertainment. The red logo harkens back to the Red Seal releases, introduced by EMI predecessor the [[Gramophone Company]] in 1902: His Master's Voice classical releases were issued with red labels. EMI Classics was also responsible for managing [[Pye Records]]' classical recordings acquired by Thorn EMI in 1990.

EMI Classics also included the [[Virgin Classics]] label, both of them were formerly managed under [[The Blue Note Label Group]] in the U.S. until 2013.

With the sale of [[EMI Music Group]] to [[Universal Music Group]] in 2012, European regulators forced [[Universal Music Group]] to divest itself of EMI Classics, which was operated with other European EMI assets to be divested as the [[Parlophone]] Label Group.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news168.co.uk/news/parlophone-label-groups-kassler-were-effectively-a-mini-major |title=Parlophone Label Group's Kassler: 'We're effectively a mini major' |website=News168 |date=27 March 2011 |access-date=28 February 2013}}</ref> In February 2013, [[Universal Music Group]] sold the [[Parlophone]] Label Group, including EMI Classics and [[Virgin Classics]], to [[Warner Music Group]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical-music-news/warner-to-buy-the-parlophone-label-group |title=Warner to buy the Parlophone Label Group |publisher=gramophone.co.uk |date=7 February 2013 |access-date=28 February 2013}}</ref> The [[European Union]] approved the deal on May, and [[Warner Music Group]] took control of the label on 1 July.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/legal-and-management/1561787/warner-music-groups-acquisition-of-parlophone|title=Updated: Warner Music Group's Acquisition of Parlophone Approved by European Commission|magazine=Billboard|access-date=4 November 2014}}</ref> It was then announced that the EMI Classics artist roster and catalogue would be absorbed into the [[Warner Classics]] label and [[Virgin Classics]] would be absorbed into [[Erato Records]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.classicfm.com/music-news/latest-news/emi-classics-and-virgin-classics-join-warners/|title=EMI Classics and Virgin Classics to join Warners|date=19 July 2013|work=Classic FM|access-date=4 November 2014}}</ref><ref>[http://www.emiclassics.com/various_artists/news/716]  {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726132522/http://www.emiclassics.com/various_artists/news/716 |date=26 July 2013 }}</ref>