1992 was a year of huge change for EMI as it was in this year that the company bought the Virgin Music Group, at the time the largest independent music company in the world with a roster of artists that included Janet Jackson, Lenny Kravitz, Peter Gabriel, Smashing Pumpkins, Massive Attack and, returning to the EMI fold, the Rolling Stones.

This series of deals in the 1990s completely transformed and re-energised EMI, and the company headed into the decade with new momentum.

There were a number of key signings as many of today’s best known artists started their careers. Blur released their first album Leisure in 1991, while two year’s later Radiohead’s debut, Pablo Honey, came out on Parlophone. Virgin Records meanwhile was on a roll with albums from its many established artists as well as new bands such as The Verve and the Chemical Brothers.

From Cliff Richard onwards, EMI has been the home to the UK’s top music stars. In the 1990s this tradition continued with EMI signing and the decade’s most successful British pop band, the Spice Girls, and the country’s biggest male artist, Robbie Williams.

The Spice Girls formed in 1994, signed to Virgin Records in 1995, released their first single Wannabe in 1996, and by the end of that year were a cultural phenomenon all over the globe. Wannabe reached number one in 31 countries and was the first of nine chart toppers for the Spice Girls in the UK. Since their debut came out in 1996, the band have sold 35 million albums and 25 million singles around the world and completely changed the landscape of pop music, and of girl groups in particular.

Robbie Williams joined EMI in 1996 and his first album, Life Thru A Lens, came out the following year. It wasn’t until its 28th week of release that it reached number one in the UK, but from then on it took up almost permanent residence in the top 10, ultimately staying there for 40 weeks. Since then he has sold well over 50 million albums globally and played to sell out crowds all around the world. For his 2006/2007 tour alone he sold over three million tickets.

EMI continued to grow during the 1990s, bringing successful companies and entrepreneurs into the EMI family. Top German independent Intercord became an EMI-owned label in 1994, and two years later 50% of the Jobete music publishing catalogue was acquired by EMI Music Publishing. This catalogue was established by Motown founder Berry Gordy and includes over 15,000 classic Motown songs including I Heard It Through The Grapevine, My Girl, I Just Called To Say I Love You and I’ll Be There. EMI purchased Gordy’s remaining stake in Jobete in 2003 and 2004 but he continues to be involved with the legendary catalogue. EMI Music Publishing expanded further in 1999 with the acquisition of 40,000 song copyrights from the Windswept Pacific catalogue and a majority stake in UK publisher Hit & Run.

Meanwhile in 1996 Priority Records joined the EMI fold. The Los Angeles-based label is one of the top names in American urban music, releasing records from influential artists such as Snoop Dogg, Chingy, Ice Cube and NWA.

To help support future generations of musicians, in 1997 EMI established the EMI Music Sound Foundation, an independent music education charity that has distributed over £2 million to schools, students and teachers throughout Britain and is now the single largest sponsor of specialist performing arts colleges in the UK.

EMI is also very aware of the impact its business has on the wider world. The company has programmes all over the world to support the arts, culture, education and the communities in which EMI operates. In 1991 EMI started a programme to measure the impact of the company’s business on the environment at a time when many companies were at loggerheads with environmentalists on many issues. Now, close to 100% of EMI’s electricity requirements in the UK and over 20% worldwide are met through renewable energy sources.