BMG (Bertelsmann Music Group) was set up in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann. It consists of the BMG Music Publishing company, the world's third largest music publisher and the world's largest independent music publisher, and a 50% share of the joint venture with Sony Music - Sony BMG Music Entertainment - which was set up in August 2004 and which reduced the Big Five of music companies to the Big Four record labels.

The company currently has a 21.5% share in the global music market.