Sony Music Philippines, Inc. is a record label based in the Philippines, which was founded in 1995[2] as an imprint[3] of the international music label Sony Music Entertainment and a part of its Asia-Pacific chain. After the closure of the local label caused by widespread piracy problems in the Philippines in 2012,[4] it resumed its operations in 2018.[5]
History
In 1995, after OctoArts International (now PolyEast Records) signed a distribution deal with EMI, Sony Music Philippines was established with its first office on Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong.[2] In 2005, as an after-effect of the Sony BMG merger (which happened a year earlier), it merged with Bertelsmann's local label BMG Records (Pilipinas) Inc. (itself founded in the early 1990s) to become Sony BMG Music Entertainment Philippines.[6] A few months later, its offices were transferred from the Equitable Bank Building in Cubao, Quezon City to the Taipan Place in Ortigas, Pasig for even lower taxes and better work amenities. In 2009, the label was renamed Sony Music Entertainment Philippines, and also began partnering with GMA Records for releases of some artists like Aljur Abrenica and La Diva.
Ivory Music and Video (formerly Ivory Records) began handling distribution for Sony Music's catalog in the Philippines on July 1, 2011, and in February 2012, the label closed its office at the Taipan Place in Ortigas, Pasig after a long battle with widespread piracy.[5] This was the first time since the early 1990s (under OctoArts) that international Sony Music releases were licensed by an independent Philippine label. The distribution contract expired in late 2017, and Ivory was eventually acquired by independent entertainment company Viva Communications through its music unit on the day of what could have been the twelfth anniversary of the date they started to handle the Sony catalog.
Sony Music Philippines started to re-open in 2018 (and since then it became fully independent since early 2011), and in July 2019, the label held a press event in Pasig marking its formal re-launching, announcing the new roster of artists signed to them which includes Ben&Ben, The Vowels They Orbit, Alex Bruce, Syd Hartha, and the band Nathan & Mercury.[7]
In late 2019, Filipino boy band SB19 signed a recording contract with the label.[8] In March 2022, Filipina girl group 4th Impact also signed a recording contract.
In 2020, artists from Balcony Entertainment, including its founder Rico Blanco and actress/singer Maris Racal, signed an agreement with Sony Music Philippines to distribute single/album releases from the Balcony roster.
In 2023, Sony Music Philippines formed a partnership with Ely Buendia's label Offshore Music, allowing SMP to distribute Offshore's music catalogs worldwide.[9]
