With the approval by European regulators of the purchase of BMG Music Publishing by Vivendi, it will make the Universal Music Group both the largest record company and music publisher in the world.
The purchase of the company came at a cost of $2.1 billion. Once the deal is completed, the company will be the decision-maker concerning what songwriters and artists will make from their music.
Regulatory concerns are more connected to the emerging digital and mobile platforms that music sales are moving toward being predominantly sold through.
In response to concerns about being too powerful, Universal is selling off catalogs from Rondor UK and Zomba music.
As usual, the independent record label trade organization Impala opposes the deal on grounds that it would result in less competition, and big companies working behind-the-scenes together.
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