HMV

Sunrise Records and Entertainment Limited
HMV
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryMusic & film retail
Founded20 July 1921; 103 years ago (20 July 1921)
HeadquartersLondon, England, UK
Number of locations
120 shops (as of April 2024)[citation needed]
Area served
United Kingdom
Ireland
Belgium
Japan
Canada
Key people
  • Neil Taylor
    (CEO)
  • Phil Halliday
    (managing director)
ProductsMusic
film
television
merchandise
technology
video games
books
OwnerSunrise Records (United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland and Belgium)[a]
Lawson (Japan)
Number of employees
1,600 (as of 2019)[1]
SubsidiariesFopp
Websitewww.hmv.com Edit this at Wikidata

HMV is a British music and entertainment retailer, founded in 1921. The brand is owned by JD Sports and operated by Sunrise Records, except in Japan, where it is owned and operated by Lawson.[2]

The retailer was opened by the Gramophone Company on London's Oxford Street, named after the Francis Barraud painting, His Master's Voice.[3] In 1998, it was divested from EMI (successor to the Gramophone Company), to form what would become HMV Group plc.[4] In August 2007, HMV bought rival retailer, Fopp.[5] In April 2013, HMV Group plc was bought by Hilco UK for an estimated £50 million after falling into administration, with some international divisions divested off.[6] In February 2019, British retailer JD Sports acquired the HMV brand,[7] and the Canadian retailer Sunrise Records acquired HMV's stores, to operate under license.[8]

In May 2023, Sunrise Records announced the retailer would return to Ireland, followed by an announcement in November 2023 that the retailer would also enter the Belgian market.[9][10] In February 2024, Sunrise Records announced HMV would re-enter the Canadian market as an in-store concession within Toys "R" Us locations.[11]


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  1. ^ "Sunrise Records Chief Doug Putman Talks Rescuing UK's HMV Music Chain, Plans to Bring It Profitable". Billboard. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  2. ^ "Our Group Companies | ABOUT US | Lawson". www.lawson.jp. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  3. ^ Holden, Jake (23 November 2023). "HMV to return to its iconic Oxford Street location after four-year closure". My London. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  4. ^ Barlow, Alastair (29 January 2020). "HMV's top dog could be in the kennels once again". AccountingWEB. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  5. ^ Allen, Katie (1 August 2007). "Fopp lives again after HMV buys six shops and online operation". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  6. ^ "HMV is sold to Hilco in rescue deal". BBC News. 5 April 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  7. ^ "Trade mark number UK00002460933 - Event history". trademarks.ipo.gov.uk. Intellectual Property Office. 4 November 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2024. Full Assignment RC000162070 received on date 06/10/2020 has been recorded, resulting to the change of ownership from HMV (Brands) Limited (id: 588693, country: GB) to JD Sports Fashion Plc (id: 30760, company number: 01888425, country: GB). The effective date of assignment is 22/02/2019.
  8. ^ "HMV sold to Sunrise Records". The Bookseller. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  9. ^ "HMV to return to Irish Republic with Dublin flagship store". www.musicweek.com. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  10. ^ "HMV starts European expansion in Belgium". RetailDetail EU. 9 November 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  11. ^ "HMV making comeback through Toys "R" Us locations in Ontario | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 13 September 2024.