Universal Music Group, and then in 2005 of Universal Music Group International. He served in this position until 2010. On 1 January 2011 he became CEO of Universal Music Group, and then chairman on 9 March 2011, succeeding Doug Morris.

Within his first year as chairman & CEO of Universal, the company acquired EMI's Recorded Music operations. Grainge argued that selling to Universal was the only way to improve EMI, for the benefit of the entire industry. UMG subsequently