# EMI Music Canada

> Canadian record label

**Wikidata**: [Q10269529](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q10269529)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMI_Music_Canada)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/emi-music-canada

## Summary
EMI Music Canada was a Canadian record label that operated as a brand and trademark within the phonographic industry, specializing in the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Established in 1993 and operating until September 2012, it functioned as a localized imprint for the global EMI music organization within the Canadian market.

## Key Facts
- **Name**: EMI Music Canada
- **Country**: Canada (a sovereign state and federation in North America)
- **Instance of**: Record label
- **Inception**: 1993
- **Dissolved Date**: September 2012
- **Website**: http://www.emimusic.ca/
- **Wikipedia Title**: EMI Music Canada
- **Wikipedia Languages**: English (sitelink count: 1)
- **Discogs Label ID**: 76974 (retrieved March 4, 2022)
- **MusicBrainz Label ID**: 095b5fc8-724e-4357-9eab-ee89196afc8e (retrieved March 4, 2022)
- **Rate Your Music Label ID**: emi_music_canada (retrieved March 4, 2022)
- **Google Knowledge Graph ID**: /g/121tb_2s
- **Industry**: Phonographic industry

## FAQs

**What is EMI Music Canada?**
EMI Music Canada is a Canadian record label that operated from 1993 until September 2012. It served as a brand and trademark for marketing music recordings and music videos within the phonographic industry.

**How does a record label differ from a record company?**
A record label is a brand and trademark used for marketing music, whereas a record company is the operational entity handling business functions such as production, contracts, and distribution. EMI Music Canada represents the label brand rather than the corporate entity.

**Where is EMI Music Canada documented online?**
EMI Music Canada is cataloged across multiple databases including Discogs (ID: 76974), MusicBrainz (ID: 095b5fc8-724e-4357-9eab-ee89196afc8e), Rate Your Music (ID: emi_music_canada), and Google's Knowledge Graph (ID: /g/121tb_2s). It maintains an English Wikipedia page and an official website at http://www.emimusic.ca/.

**What is the geographic context of EMI Music Canada?**
EMI Music Canada operated within Canada, a constitutional monarchy and federation in North America with two official languages (English and French), a population of over 36 million (as of the 2021 census), and Ottawa as its capital.

## Why It Matters
EMI Music Canada represents a significant regional imprint within the global music industry, illustrating how major labels adapt international branding to local markets. Operating from 1993 to 2012, the label bridged a transformative era in music—from physical formats like CDs to digital downloads and streaming. Its presence in Canada, a country with bilingual cultural policies and a diverse population, highlights the need for tailored marketing strategies in the phonographic industry. The label's dissolution in 2012 coincides with Universal Music Group's acquisition of EMI's recorded music division, marking a major consolidation in the global music landscape.

## Notable For
- **Dual Brand Identity**: Functioned as a record label (brand and trademark) rather than an operational record company.
- **Canadian Market Localization**: Served as the Canadian imprint of EMI, adapting global catalog for a bilingual market.
- **Historical Timeframe**: Operated from 1993 to September 2012, spanning the shift from physical to digital music distribution.
- **Multi-Database Documentation**: Cataloged across Discogs, MusicBrainz, Rate Your Music, and Google Knowledge Graph.
- **Semantic Web Integration**: Mapped to ontologies including DBpedia (`http://dbpedia.org/ontology/RecordLabel`) and the Music Ontology (`http://purl.org/ontology/mo/Label`).

## Body

### Definition and Classification
EMI Music Canada is an instance of a record label—a brand and trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. It operated within the phonographic industry as a commercial name and imprint, distinct from a record company. This classification places it within broader categories including trade name, brand, trademark, and commercial imprint.

### Founding and Dissolution
The label was established in 1993 and ceased operations in September 2012. This 19-year operational period coincided with significant technological evolution in music distribution, including the rise of digital downloads and streaming platforms.

### Geographic and Political Context
EMI Music Canada operated within Canada, a sovereign state and constitutional monarchy located in North America. Canada operates as a federation of ten provinces and three territories, with Ottawa as its capital. The country's official languages are English and French, factors that would influence the label's marketing approach. Canada's population reached 36,991,981 in the 2021 census, with a high Human Development Index of 0.936.

### Digital Presence and Identifiers
The label's official website is http://www.emimusic.ca/. It is assigned the Google Knowledge Graph ID `/g/121tb_2s` and has a single Wikipedia sitelink in English.

### Music Database Cataloging
EMI Music Canada is documented across several authoritative music databases:
- **Discogs**: Label ID 76974, referenced from source Q504063.
- **MusicBrainz**: Label ID 095b5fc8-724e-4357-9eab-ee89196afc8e, referenced from source Q14005.
- **Rate Your Music**: Label ID emi_music_canada, referenced from source Q1145963.
All identifiers were retrieved on March 4, 2022.

### Industry Role
As a record label, EMI Music Canada's primary function was the marketing of music recordings and music videos under the EMI brand. Record labels serve as the public-facing identity for music distribution, managing artist promotion and content commercialization within the phonographic industry.

### Ontological Mapping
The entity is mapped to several semantic web ontologies:
- DBpedia: `http://dbpedia.org/ontology/RecordLabel`
- Music Ontology: `http://purl.org/ontology/mo/Label`
- MusicBrainz: `https://musicbrainz.org/label/MusicLabel`

### Record Label vs. Record Company
The Wikidata classification explicitly distinguishes EMI Music Canada as a "record label" rather than a "record company." This distinction is critical: a record label is the brand under which music is released, while a record company handles operational functions such as production logistics, contract management, and financial operations.

## References

1. MusicBrainz
2. Discogs
3. Rate Your Music