An Examination Into The Mega Capitol Records

An Examination into the Mega Capitol Records

Ally Weix

Department of Media, Film & Journalism, University of Denver

MFJS 2210: Introduction to Media and Culture

Dr. Ashley Campbell

February 27, 2023

An Examination into the Capitol Records The popular American record label Capitol Records that has taken the West Coast music industry by storm with the growth of their popular musicians. More specifically, Capitol Records have signed some of the biggest artists and have a wide variety of artists including the “Queen of Camp” Katy Perry, the Swedish supergroup ABBA, The Backseat Lovers, Sam Smith and Paul McCartney. The recording label has grown its company significantly through the process of both Vertical and Horizontal Integration.

By definition, vertical integration is “the process by which one owner acquires all aspects of production and distribution of a single type of media product”(Croteau & Hoynes, 2022, p. 86). The work of vertical integration with a recording label allows for the corporate structure (Capitol Records) to own and have control of each step of the process. According to the company’s webpage “Capitol Studios” they own not only the artists but also “Capitol Studios is housed within the walls of the historic Capitol Records Tower at the world famous intersection of Hollywood and Vine. Events at Capitol Studios offer a truly unique, exclusive space with legendary appeal. Providing premiere event spaces and amenities for hosting formal parties, VIP red carpet events or artist showcases within the setting of the mid-century architecture of Capitol Studios.”(Capitol Studios, 2021). In addition to producing the music in their privately owned studios, Capitol Records has all of the amenities to put on premiere events, red carpet events and artist showcases to grow the artist in a luxurious

This is an explicit example of a conglomerate: “a corporation of several different, sometimes unrelated, businesses''(Chen, J., 2022). In a conglomerate, one company owns a stake in the smaller companies and controls the business operators of the other companies. This allows for the larger company to completely take control of the field of business. In the case of Capitol Music Group, they are owned by an even larger company named Universal Music Group. With the help of Universal Music Group, Capitol Records has “been home to some of the world’s most important and acclaimed recording artists, including The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Nat “King” Cole, Peggy Lee, Linda Ronstadt, Frank Sinatra, and countless others. In the 21st Century, Capitol continues its prominence in helping to define popular music and culture with a diverse array of artists that includes Beck, Halsey, Queen Naija, Katy Perry and Sam Smith, to name only several”(Capitol Music Group,