CMT News

Waves from the recent corporate merger of the Universal Music Group and Polygram Records (both now under the Seagram umbrella) have made their way to Nashville. Decca Records, home to nine country acts, closed its doors on Thursday. It has been reported that Decca's sister label, MCA Nashville, will pick up the contracts of Mark Chesnutt, Gary Allen and Lee Ann Womack. Still no word on the fate of Decca's remaining roster, which includes Rhett Akins, Dolly Parton, Chris Knight, Shane Stockton, Danni Leigh and Rebecca Lynn Howard. The merger of UMG and Polygram reduces the number of major labels from six to five, and Seagram is now said to account for nearly a quarter of the music market. The New York Times recently reported that as many as 3,000 employees (worldwide) are expected top lose their jobs, important (subsidiary) record labels will disappear and executives at the labels estimate that anywhere from dozens to 200 bands will be released from their labels.