To survive in the music business, the logic dictated just four years ago, the more operations that could be combined the better. Centralization, global superstars,  cost trimming - all were going to be the result of giants merging.
Somehow it worked in 1999 when Universal took over Polygram and made the playing field no longer level; it was one behemoth against four. The creation of Sony BMG, and the non-stop dance between EMI and Warner Music, was pure '90s thinking: manufacture and distribute CDs, promote them on radio and sell them at record stores.
Just four years ago, Sony and BMG still thought it was the '90s. Realizing it wasn't, Bertelsmann offered to sell its share of Sony BMG to Sony Corp. and on Wednesday the acquisition was completed.
Company, now a fully owned subsidiary of the Japanese electronics and entertainment giant, will be known as Sony Music Entertainment. It is the second largest music company in the world with  a 22.8% marketshare in U.S. album sales.
Carp all you want about the majors and their practices - not to mention that they don't produce much with lasting value - but the labels are back to being music companies and not a piece of a vertical integration. Sony now has its hands untied to try to find a way to bring together music, movies and electronics, but its likely that will never be as forced as so some of Time Warner's experiments involving AOL, comics, TV shows and recording artists.
Like the Republicans who rally around the need for change in D.C. as if they have not been in the White House for the last eight years,  Sony's leadership greeted the news that they had finalized their purchase of BMG with words such as "transform"   and "transition."
In a memo to employees, Sony Corp. chairman Howard Stringer wrote "While this will inevitably be a time of transition, it is also a time that holds great promise for us all.  I personally look forward to working with all of you as we continue to develop and transform the music company into an even more vibrant and innovative force in the entertainment industry."
Not sure if reading between the lines means layoffs, reorganization or using the Columbia Records model for  the former BMG properties.  It's highly doubtful it will be   anywhere near as dramatic as EMI's recent transformation.

The latest potential EMI evacuee is one that has grown up considerably in the last two years: Walt Disney Records.
Back in 2005, when EMI signed on to distribute Disney recordings, the value of the kid-label was next to nothing.But with the "High School Musical" and "Hannah Montana" franchises changing that landscape dramatically - not to mention Rascal Flatts' success - Disney is apparently starting to look around at other distribs. The deal expires at the end of the year and Disney is suddenly the hottest "indie" label around. (Yes, as opposed to film and TV, Disney is not a major in music). Disney's cash cows could be tough ones to replace for Guy Hands.