Music

Could Universal's takeover of EMI finally kill the 'Now That's What I Call Music!' series?

by Tyler Munro

There’s a give and take that comes with trying to monopolize the music industry, and in Universal’s proposed takeover of EMI it means that while they’ll have the rights to publish songs by the Beatles, they’re losing out on one part music’s most unkillable staples.

Yes—this might be the nail in Now That’s What I Call Music!‘s coffin. Because the takeover shrinks the music industry by that much more, one condition of it going through is the surrendering of some of EMI’s assets. While Universal’s going to get control of most of the label, it’s losing out on Coldplay, Pink Floyd, David Bowie and some stake in the mass-published compilation, which gets its 83rd edition this November. The Beatles likely more than make up for it, mind you, but this is certainly the end of an era.

The deal has its sceptics, namely the Independent Music Companies Association, which says the deal is a reflection of Universal’s arrogance and “destroys a significant competitor,” but its already been approved by the US Federal Trade Commission, the European Commission and similar sects in Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. [via Pitchfork]