Mapping China: Music - Music Companies: Hong Kong and Taiwan

Despite losing its dominant position to Taiwan, Hong Kong is still a major producer of Chinese popular music.

The three companies that dominate global record sales (Universal, Sony, and Warner) also dominate Hong Kong, together with Avex Group, Japan’s second largest record company (after Sony).

International companies

• Universal Music Group Hong Kong. Universal entered the Hong Kong market in 1994 when it purchased Polygram. Polygram (itself a merger of Siemen’s Polydor and Phillips’ Phonogram) was instrumental the emergence of Cantopop in the 1970s, and remained dominant in the 1980s and 1990s. After Universal and Polygram merged in 1998, Universal became market leader in Hong Kong.
• Sony Music Entertainment Hong Kong. Sony Music entered the Hong Kong market in 1978 and BMG in 1986. The two merged in 2008-2009. In 2011 Sony purchased the music department of EMI, itself a reincarnation of Pathé, which entered the Shanghai music industry in the 1920s and moved to Hong Kong in the 1940s. In the 1980s and 1990s EMI was a dominant player and Sony inherited this position, representing Faye Wong and others.
• Warner Music Group Hong Kong. Warner entered the Hong Kong market in 1978. Currently, its largest star is Khalil Fong.
• Avex Hong Kong.

Local companies

• Emperor Entertainment Group (EEG). Established in 1999. Major entertainment company.
• Gold Typhoon Entertainment. Established in 2008. Major entertainment company.
• Star Entertainment. Established in 2007. Major entertainment company.
• East Asia Music. Established in 2004. Representing Andy Lau and Sammi Cheng, among others.
• Music Nation Group 大国. Established in 2002. One of the many smaller entertainment companies based in Hong Kong and active throughout Chinese-speaking areas.
• People Mountain People Sea 人山人海. Established in 1999 by the alternative pop singer Anthony Wong and friends. This company navigates between the mainstream and indie music and has written and produced song and albums for major stars.
• G.E.M is signed with the Hong Kong management agency Hummingbird, which prides itself on investing years in grooming artists—of which G.E.M. so far is the only one to have launched her career.

Taiwan dominates Chinese language popular music. However, around a decade ago South Korea proved more successful at creating idol groups, and currently in East Asia K-pop clearly takes the lead.

The three companies that dominate global record sales (Universal, Sony, and Warner) also dominate Taiwan, together with Avex Group, Japan’s second largest record company (after Sony).

International companies

• Universal Music Group Taiwan. Polygram bought a 60% share in the local Linfair Records in 1992. Linfair then represented Polygram’s label Decca in the Taiwanese market. In 1998 Universal and Polygram merged, and Universal started its own, quite successful Taiwanese subsidiary.
• Sony Music Entertainment Taiwan. Sony and BMG opened subsidiaries in Taiwan in 1991 and 1992. The two merged in 2008-2009. In 2011 Sony purchased the music department of EMI, but did not sign a new contract with pop diva A Mei. Currently Sony Music Taiwan also distributes the albums of Alfa Music and JVR Music, the latter is Jay Chou’s music company.
• Warner Music Group Taiwan. In 1982 Warner entered the Taiwanese market with buying a stake in UFO records. UFO became a dominant player in the Taiwanese record industry. However, after problems in the early 1990s, in 1999 Warner itself entered the market. Currently Warner Taiwan represents the sales in Taiwan and South-East Asia of many artists that are signed to other labels. The company has also signed pop diva Jolin Tsai, among others.
• Avex Group (Taiwan).
• Asia Muse Entertainment Group. Established in 2006. Active in the PRC, Taiwan and Japan.

Local companies

• Rock Records. Established in 1980, Rock Records has since then been a major player in Chinese language pop. In the 1980s the producer, singer and songwriter Jonathan Lee was involved in many of the hit songs. Rock Records gradually became the largest local Chinese music company. In the 1990s they established a subsidiary in Hong Kong and their label Magic Stone also signed a number of Beijing-based rock bands. Although Rock Records has now closed these operations, they were important at the time.
• Linfair. Established in 1961. Linfair was part of Polygram (later Universal) between 1992 and 2002, but continued as a local label after 2002.
• HIM International Music. Established in 1999 and representing S.H.E., among others. 
• Forward Music. Established in 1995.
• Skyhigh Entertainment. Established in 1999.
• Seed Music. Established in 1995. Seed Music publishes a number of albums of EEG artists.
• B’in Music. Established in 2006. Often publishing through Rock Records. Representing May Day and Fish Leong, among others.
• Wind Music. Established in 1988 and specializing in new age and world music.

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