EGREM

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]

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

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]

Sub-labels

Until 1996, EGREM distributed music recorded at its Havana studios under the imprint Areito. Between the early 1980s and 1996, music from its Santiago de Cuba studios were released under the imprint Siboney.[8]

During the mid to late 1960s, the international distribution of Areito LPs and EPs was handled by Palma, a short-lived imprint organized by EGREM. In the 1970s, Palma was replaced by Guamá, an imprint launched by EGREM to commercialize Cuban music around the world.

EGREM also manages live venues throughout Cuba under the name Casa de la Música.[5][8]

Roster

Since its foundation EGREM has recorded the vast majority of artists that remained in the island. Many others, such as Celia Cruz, Bebo Valdés and Cachao, went into exile. Starting in the late 1990s, EGREM runs an agency called Musicuba to manage its artists in Havana.[4][8] A second agency called Son de Cuba operates since 2012 in Santiago de Cuba.[8]

The following artists have recorded material released by EGREM:

See also

References
  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. 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.
  8. Tilford, Bill (November 29, 2014). "EGREM: 50 años de excelencia". Timba.com (in Spanish). Retrieved October 19, 2015.
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