In the wake of the massive layoffs at EMI and the strategic restructuring of one of the biggest record labels in the world, Rolling Stone’s Evan Serpick spoke to CEO Guy Hands about the future of the label (and the future of the record business as a whole). Remember all the fuss about Hands’ suggestion that bands take on “corporate sponsorships”? He reports that Nordstrom, Victoria’s Secret and the New York Daily News have all paid for the right to put their brand on music from EMI artists, including Joss Stone and the Spice Girls. Hands dismisses managers critical of the move. “Does the Royal Opera in London feel upset that Barclays sponsored a performance?” he asks. “I think it’s very strange that the pop and rock genre is more sensitive than classical music and opera.” For all of Hands’ insight on sponsorship, plus reactions from others in the industry, click here.

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