Sanctuary Records Group Ltd. (not for release label use, for copyrights use only)

This is a UK-based holding company that grew out of the success of the independent record label Sanctuary Records - named after an Iron Maiden song - which was formed in 1976. Sanctuary Group now is the largest independent record label in the UK, one of the largest independent music management company in the world, and one of the world's largest independent owners of music intellectual property rights (back catalogue). As of May 2013, the Sanctuary catalogue included 170,000 recordings.

Nowadays it controls a huge range of subsidiaries, many of which have been revived after being closed by previous owners. The subsidiaries include Sanctuary Records (UK and US branches), Castle Music, Mayan Records, Pye, Sequel, CMC International, Noise Records and Attack.

Suffering severe financial losses in 2005 and 2006, the group decided to stop releasing new material in the US during 2007. Despite re-organization, the hierarchy of labels and imprints continues to be very complicated.

Sanctuary Group is a holding company (an umbrella organisation showing overall ownership). Releases should not be filed here, but under the proper subsidiary/imprint which issued them.

Note: It was announced in June 2007, that the entire Sanctuary Group will be bought by Universal Music Group/Centenary. This will no doubt lead to further re-organisation, and the likely withdrawal or merging of several of the imprints.

In February 2013, BMG Rights Management agreed to acquire Sanctuary from Universal for £40 million ($62.5 million). BMG completed the acquisition in May 2013.