EMI was once home to some of the biggest names in pop, the crown jewels of British music from the Beatles, Pink Floyd and Queen, to Coldplay, Kate Bush and Radiohead, and surfing the wave of Brit Pop in the 1990s.

As a new millennium dawns, internet piracy and file sharing capsize the entire record industry. EMI is sold to a city Mogul named Guy Hands. Better known for turning around German motorway toilets than running a record label, his arrival triggers an all out war between the forces of money and art, as the one of London’s feistiest financiers struggles to save Britain’s coolest company.

Host: Chris Atkins

Producer: Max Bower

Assistant Producer: Mohamed Ahmed

Editor: Jo Wheeler

Researcher: Zeyana Yussuf

Additional production and story development: Sonny Marr

Sound design and Mix by Daniel Kempson.

Original music by Vincent Watts

Production Managers: Cheree Houston, Charlotte Wolf, Sarah Tobin

Executive Producers: Ian Neil, Max O’Brien & Craig Strachan

Produced by Novel in Association with Cart Before Horse & BBC Studios, the BBC's commercial subsidiary.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Record label EMI is riding high on decades of success from the Beatles and Pink Floyd, to Pet Shop Boys, Blur and Coldplay, the company can seemingly do no wrong.

The company grows fat on the bottomless profits, but the arrival of the internet brings a legion of online pirates who want to download everything for free. The EMI party is over, as huge artists start to jump ship. Just as the company is about to go under, a financial hotshot rides over the hill to save the day. What could possibly go wrong? Featuring interviews with Neil Tennant, Tony Wadsworth and Caryn Tomlinson.

Host: Chris Atkins
Producer; Max Bower

Assistant Producer: Mohamed Ahmed

Editor: Jo Wheeler

Researcher: Zeyana Yussuf

Additional production and story development: Sonny Marr

Sound design and Mix by Daniel Kempson.

Original music by Vincent Watts

Production Managers: Cheree Houston, Charlotte Wolf, Sarah Tobin

Executive Producers: Ian Neil, Max O’Brien & Craig Strachan

Produced by Novel in Association with Cart Before Horse & BBC Studios

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One of the richest men in Britain, Guy Hands, has ridden over the hill promising to save ailing music company EMI.

Guy has bet the farm on the takeover, in the middle of a global financial crisis, and is taking the biggest gamble of his life. As he takes the keys he is appalled by the corporate waste and extravagance and starts to swing the axe. This triggers an almighty clash between

the money men and the musical old guard. The suits and the creatives dig in for a long war… Featuring interviews with Guy Hands, Neil Tennant, Tony Wadsworth, Caryn Tomlinson, David Kassler

Host: Chris Atkins
Producer; Max Bower

Assistant Producer: Mohamed Ahmed

Editor: Jo Wheeler

Researcher: Zeyana Yussuf

Additional production and story development: Sonny Marr

Sound design and Mix by Daniel Kempson.

Original music by Vincent Watts

Production Managers: Cheree Houston, Charlotte Wolf, Sarah Tobin

Executive Producers: Ian Neil, Max O’Brien & Craig Strachan

Produced by Novel in Association with Cart Before Horse & BBC Studios

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One of EMI’s biggest band’s, Radiohead, are now out of contract. Record executive Tony Wadsworth is hoping to get them to re-sign with the label they have been with for years. But the band’s famously anti-capitalist ethos soon collides with hard-nosed financier Guy Hands.

Sparks fly in the boardroom and we hear the untold story of the battle between the achingly cool musicians and the achingly uncool city suits. The band makes a shock announcement online about their new album. Guy retaliates with an unexpected bombshell.

Host: Chris Atkins
Producer; Max Bower

Assistant Producer: Mohamed Ahmed

Editor: Jo Wheeler

Researcher: Zeyana Yussuf

Additional production and story development: Sonny Marr

Sound design and Mix by Daniel Kempson.

Original music by Vincent Watts

Production Managers: Cheree Houston, Charlotte Wolf, Sarah Tobin

Executive Producers: Ian Neil, Max O’Brien & Craig Strachan

Produced by Novel in Association with Cart Before Horse & BBC Studios

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In the aftermath of the Radiohead bombshell, Guy Hands inflicts radical changes at record label EMI. His new regime comes up with more wild ideas to “sweat the assets” including a musical toothbrush and a Rolling Stones talent show. His desperate gambit to make EMI triggers a rebellion from some angry pop stars and one very dirty protest, and he realises he’s bitten off more than he can chew.

Host: Chris Atkins
Producer; Max Bower

Assistant Producer: Mohamed Ahmed

Editor: Jo Wheeler

Researcher: Zeyana Yussuf

Additional production and story development: Sonny Marr

Sound design and Mix by Daniel Kempson.

Original music by Vincent Watts

Production Managers: Cheree Houston, Charlotte Wolf, Sarah Tobin

Executive Producers: Ian Neil, Max O’Brien & Craig Strachan

Produced by Novel in Association with Cart Before Horse & BBC Studios

BBC News 2007, BBC Today 2008, BBC News 2008, ITN 2008

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Guy Hands hires a new CEO to run EMI. Elio Sceti, aka Mr Cillit Bang, and his right hand man Ernesto Schmitt, hatch new plans to milk the crown jewels, EMI’s vast back catalogue, and its biggest cash cow The Beatles. The pair’s brutally commercial tactics bring in some huge financial successes, but many of the EMI old guard revolt against their new corporate methods. There’s also another enemy at the gates - a multi billion dollar debt - and Guy Hands is facing financial armageddon.

Host: Chris Atkins
Producer; Max Bower

Assistant Producer: Mohamed Ahmed

Editor: Jo Wheeler

Researcher: Zeyana Yussuf

Additional production and story development: Sonny Marr

Sound design and Mix by Daniel Kempson.

Original music by Vincent Watts

Production Managers: Cheree Houston, Charlotte Wolf, Sarah Tobin

Executive Producers: Ian Neil, Max O’Brien & Craig Strachan

Produced by Novel in Association with Cart Before Horse & BBC Studios

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The pressure is too much for EMI CEO Elio Sceti. He and his right hand man Ernesto are out, leaving the management in chaos. Another huge band has walked and the debt mountain is piling up. Guy Hands ends up in court for the battle of his life, and the writing is on the wall for this once great music company.

Host: Chris Atkins
Producer; Max Bower

Assistant Producer: Mohamed Ahmed

Editor: Jo Wheeler

Researcher: Zeyana Yussuf

Additional production and story development: Sonny Marr

Sound design and Mix by Daniel Kempson.

Original music by Vincent Watts

Production Managers: Cheree Houston, Charlotte Wolf, Sarah Tobin

Executive Producers: Ian Neil, Max O’Brien & Craig Strachan

Produced by Novel in Association with Cart Before Horse & BBC Studios

Bloomberg, CNN, BBC News 2010, BBC Breakfast 2010, BBC News 2012, BBC News 2023

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.