Sony Music Entertainment

Background
Sony Music Entertainment was originally known as the CBS Records Group until it was sold to Japanese conglomerate Sony Corporation on January 5, 1988, when Sony licensed the CBS name. On New Year's Day 1991, it was renamed to "Sony Music Entertainment".

On July 20, 2004, Sony Music Entertainment and Bertelsmann Music Group merged their 50% of their music enterprise to form "Sony BMG Music Entertainment", which was approved by the European Union. On October 1, 2008, Bertelsmann AG agreed to sell the rest of the Sony BMG stake to Sony, renaming the enterprise back to Sony Music Entertainment as a wholly-owned subsidiary in early 2009.

The labels under SME as of currently consist of Columbia Records, Epic Records, RCA Records, Arista Records, Alamo Records and the Orchard. It previously had their own video and film divisions: Sony Music Film, Columbia Music Video, Epic Music Video and Zomba Films.

1st Logo (2009-)


Logo: On a white background, we see a simple paintbrush swoosh drawing downward and the text "SONY MUSIC" in the respective Sony font appears in. The swoosh looks like the motion of a guitar pick going across the strings of a guitar. The logo would slowly zoom in afterward.

Variant: An in-credit version appears on reruns of Victorious and Big Time Rush.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Music/Sounds:
 * On Big Time Rush, the end theme of the show plays over the logo.
 * Victorious has a "swoosh" sound when the paintbrush draws, followed by a random quote that varies on each episode of the show.
 * Split-screen credits (later generic) airings of both shows have this logo silent.
 * On most Nickelodeon UK airings of Victorious, there is no quote.

Availability: Seen on music video releases. It also appeared on Victorious and Big Time Rush on Nickelodeon and TeenNick.

2nd Logo (2016-)
Logo: We first see a sphere reflected over a white background, which multiplies into several other spheres that move back in three jumpcuts. We then see a line made out of these spheres, which moves as a visualizer while several other grouped spheres appear moving out quickly in sync to the beat. The visualizer then morphs into a / ripple. The camera turns as a red ring moves above the ripple. We then cut into three of these red rings forming, and air appears moving through them. We then cut into a group of and black ribbons waving, and the camera changes perspective as the ribbons move back into a red circle, which changes into the paintbrush swoosh from the previous logo with the "SONY MUSIC" text appearing below. and waves appear from the sides as the logo zooms in while a few black particles appear, then the logo zooms in close for another instance.

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: Several drumbeats along with a few whooshing sounds.

Availability: Uncommon. It often appears before several Indian movies from the late 2010s.