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Music Giant EMI Slashing 2,000 Jobs

Robbie Williams warns he'll withhold album to protest 'bean counters'

By Wesley Oliver, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 14, 2008 6:14 AM CST

(Newser) – The new owners of record company titan EMI are cleaning house, starting with the elimination of 2,000 jobs—a third of its workforce—in a restructuring that could also include dumping artists, reports the Wall Street Journal. The layoffs come as new owner, Terra Firma Capital, tries to rejuvenate the fourth-place company during an industry skid that saw album sales drop 15% last year.

Rocker Robbie Williams has threatened to withhold his next album in protest, while his manager blasted executives as “bean counters.” Terra Firma is announcing plans tomorrow to centralize EMI’s marketing department and trim spending. Artists aren’t exempt, the Journal notes. Close to 30% of the company’s 13,000 artists haven't yet released an album, and some of them could also be cut.

British music group Coldplay's Chris Martin. The band has threatened to withhold its next album in protest of a massive restructuring at its company BMI, the Wall Street Journal reports. (AP Photo/Birdy... (Associated Press)

In this Feb 24, 2003 file picture British singer Robbie Williams arrives for the EMI post Grammy party in New York. Robbie Williams is going on strike in protest against the new owners of his record company... (Associated Press)

Terra Firma Capital, the owner of EMI Music, is expected to cut 2,000 jobs from the company, a third of its workforce, the Wall Street Journal reports. EMI's new owners are unhappy with the relative size... (Associated Press)

EMI music, which boasts top artists like Robbie Williams, Coldplay and Norah Jones, is expected to cut a third of its workforce in a massive restructuring plan. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) (Associated Press)

Robbie Williams will withhold his next album in protest of a massive restructuring plan from Terra Firma Capital, the owners of his label, BMI Music. (Getty Images)

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Music Giant EMI Slashing 2,000 Jobs

Robbie Williams warns he'll withhold album to protest 'bean counters'

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Music Giant EMI Slashing 2,000 Jobs

Robbie Williams warns he'll withhold album to protest 'bean counters'

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

music • layoffs • EMI Music • job cuts • Guy Hands • Terra Firma Capital • Coldplay • Robbie Williams

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Citi Cutting 4,500 Jobs

Bank faces 'extremely challenging' conditions, CEO says

Postal Service Wants to Cut 120K Jobs

It also aims to exit federal health, retirement plans

HSBC to Cut 30K Jobs

But British bank hasn't said where

Sex on First Date? Not for Coldplay Fans

Nirvana fans most likely to jump in the sack

Top Earners U2 Brought in $109M in 2009

Bruce Springsteen finishes 2nd to Irish superstars, and it's not even close

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?