Major labels V Independent labels (in terms of CD's and iPods)

Major record labels

EMI have handled the transition from CD to MP3 very well. Unlike independent record labels, they had the ability to have their artists MP3's put on services such as iTunes and Spotify quickly and easily, generating millions of hits and encouraging sales. They can also advertise their artists on a larger scale than other smaller labels. This is done by a sort of domino effect. For example, one EMI artist releases a new song that is put on YouTube. Underneath the video are details of how to download the track, suggestions of other EMI artists to listen to and so on.

Independent record labels

Finders Keepers have also handled the transition well, but in a very different way to EMI. Instead of moving from CD to MP3 completely, Finders Keepers still sell CD's, but they produce them only when they are ordered. They do this because they realised that, when the popularity of CD's decreased, as would the price of buying and producing the CD's.