MCA Music Inc. (Philippines)


MCA Music Inc. is a Philippine regional branch of the multinational Universal Music Group. The company retains the MCA name on legal purposes because of a trademark dispute with an unrelated label known as Universal Records, which preempted the rights to the word "Universal" for recorded music in the Philippines. However, the company has adopted the moniker "MCA-Universal" to simplify identification, even though no formal "Universal" branding is exercised. Despite the naming, the label is known outside the Philippines as Universal Music Philippines.

History

PolyCosmic Records was formed in 1993 as a joint venture between PolyGram Music Group and a consortium of local businessmen including Dr. James G. Dy and Cosmic Records, another local company founded in 1992 by Ramon Chuaying. Universal Records - which would later be involved in the trademark dispute with this company - had the distribution rights, and Chuaying was the company's first CEO. In 1998, PolyGram N.V. was purchased by Seagram's and was merged into MCA Inc., and PolyGram Music Group was merged with MCA Music Entertainment to become Universal Music Group. After the merger, PolyCosmic Records was reincorporated as MCA Music Inc.. In 2006, Ricky Ilacad was named the Managing Director and is currently the CEO.
MCA Music has a partnership with Smart Communications Inc. to make music downloads available to phone users via music service Spinnr.

Artists (past and present)