Universal-EMI merger catches in The Voice

Here's some fun: the ill-fated deal to funnel off the acts from the UK version of The Voice to Universal hasn't just lumbered the label with a barn full of unsaleable singers; it's a mighty spoke in the deal to bring Universal and EMI together, too. MediaGuardian explains:

The European commission document is understood to have raised the spectre of "over exposure" that the enlarged Universal Music will get across all manner of media platforms and markets. If combined, the two companies would distribute 41% of music sold worldwide.

A particular concern of the commission's is the share of airtime Universal artists would get on radio and key TV shows – it is understood that the Universal-dominated BBC talent show The Voice is raised as an example – where three of the four judges, will.i.am, Jessie J and Tom Jones, are signed up to labels owned by the company.

Obviously, there are plenty of other examples of how one company dominating the music industry is bad for everyone (effectively, the way they sing with the one note of the RIAA-IFPI cartel proves how rotten that is), but how amusing if the attempt to hammer a super-major falls down in part because of The Voice.

Executives haunted for all time, when they close their eyes, by a vision of Jessie J spinning round on a chair yelling "this is how Team Jessie does it" over and over and over.