independent label Ministry of Sound aquired by Sony Music UK

by Kristian Brito

Ministry of Sound, the successful UK independent label that’s home to acts like London Grammar, Example, and DJ Fresh, has been acquired by the British division of Sony Music. The deal will see Sony acquire the label’s roster and back catalogue, including its series of best-selling dance compilations, which, according to Billboard, account for a sixth of all UK comp sales. In a statement on the deal, Ministry of Sound CEO Lohan Presencer called Sony “a world-class company that understands our ethos of exceptional curation and developing young talent” with the “scale and strength within the industry to project our artists and music onto an even bigger platform.”

Starting up in 1993 as an outgrowth of the UK’s thriving rave club, the label has since grown to become of the world’s preeminent indie dance imprints, putting up 40 UK number ones and boasting global album sales of over 70 million. In 2013, they sued (and then settled with) Spotify for a alleged breach of copyright, accusing the streaming service of basing their playlists off MoS compilations and into question notions of digital ownership and streaming rights. In 2015, the label launched its own streaming service in an attempt to draw away traffic from competing service, which among other things allowed users to access live sets from the label’s club HQ.

One of the MoS’s more notable chart smashes in recent years came on the backs of pop trio London Grammar, whose 2013 debut album sold 1.5 million copies. Watch the video for their top 40 single “Strong” below.