BMGs

BMG, in most contexts, refers to Bertelsmann Music Group, a major global music company that operated as part of the German media group Bertelsmann. As a record label group and music publisher, BMG managed a wide roster of labels, artists, and catalogs and distributed music worldwide. The company grew through the late 20th century by integrating various labels and catalogs and expanding its international reach.

In 2004, BMG's music operations merged with Sony Music Entertainment to form Sony BMG Music Entertainment, a joint venture equally owned by Bertelsmann and Sony. The merger represented a significant consolidation in the global music industry. In 2008, Sony acquired Bertelsmann's stake in the venture, and the operation was rebranded as Sony Music Entertainment. After the breakup of the joint venture, the BMG name largely withdrew from the ownership of a major label group, though it continued to appear in other parts of the music business.

A notable offshoot still using the BMG name is BMG Rights Management, a separate music publishing and rights-management company founded in 2008 by Hartwig Masuch. BMG Rights Management operates independently of Sony and has grown by acquiring and administering catalogs of songs and publishing rights.

Overall, BMGs historically denote a major force in the music industry through the Bertelsmann Music Group era and its subsequent evolutions. The BMG brand also persists in the broader landscape of music rights through BMG Rights Management and related entities.