The Spin Zone: EMI-style

With all the news swirling around EMI's financial woes last week, the label's press release does a remarkable job of spinning its restructuring into a positive response to the needs of consumers and artists. In fact, Guy Hands (EMI Group's Chairman), referred to the move as "a new revolutionary structure..."

Is that why all their marquee artists are leaving?

EMI to Cut 1/3 Jobs; Drop Artists; Restructure

EMI, the "major" label behind such artists as The Beatles, Norah Jones, and Coldplay, announced that it will cut 1/3 of its work-force and begin dropping artists. A major label, DROPPING ARTISTS!

Once Terra Firma, the private-equity group that bought EMI last year for £3.2 billion ($6.26 billion), acquired the label, this move seemed inevitable. But ultimately, how far back can this restructuring of the music business be traced? Napster? Has this been in the works since 1995, with the commercial release of the first Internet web-browser (Netscape)?

OTCS invites any employee of EMI to post comments regarding the move, and what life at EMI has been like since Terra Firma took over.