EGREM

EGREM
Founded1964 (1964)
GenreCuban music
Country of originCuba
LocationCalle San Miguel No. 410, Centro Habana, Havana
Official websitewww.egrem.com.cu

EGREM (Empresa de Grabaciones y Ediciones Musicales, Spanish for Enterprise of Recordings and Musical Editions) is the national record label of Cuba. It is headquartered in Centro Habana, where its main record studios (Estudios Areito 101 & 102) operate. It was founded in 1964 after the nationalization of the Cuban music industry, absorbing the assets of Panart.[1] EGREM had a monopoly on music production activities from 1964 until the late 1980s when independent labels reemerged.[2] EGREM's archive comprises "the most extensive catalog of Cuban music in the world".[3]

Since 2002, EGREM has a commercial director, a public relations department and a web site.[4] Although the label had a history of international licensing deals, direct distribution of EGREM's music did not occur until August 2004, when several agreements were made between the label and European record companies.[5] In 2005, the SGAE (Spanish copyright agency) began to distribute online part of EGREM's catalog.[6] On September 15, 2015, Sony Music announced that it would distribute EGREM's recordings internationally.[3][7]

  1. ^ Schlicke, Cornelius (2003). Tonträgerindustrie und Vermittlung von Livemusik in Kuba (in German). Berlin: LIT Verlag. pp. 238–253.
  2. ^ Cubadisco: Cuba's premier music awards show Cuba Absolutely. April 2013.
  3. ^ a b Cobo, Leila (September 15, 2015). "Sony Enters Historic Agreement to License Egrem's Catalog of Cuban Music". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
  4. ^ Quiroga, José (2005). Cuban Palimpsests. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press. p. 250.
  5. ^ Williamson, Nigel (August 7, 2004). "EGREM Ready for the World". Billboard. 116 (32): 53.
  6. ^ Llewellyn, Howell (June 25, 2005). "Cuba's Online Boost". Billboard. 117 (26): 18.
  7. ^ "Sony to distribute Cuban music to world". Business Insider. September 15, 2015. Retrieved September 27, 2015.