EMI’s ongoing troubles - the company’s new city bosses plan to shed 2000 staff - have led to some fascinating insights into the record industry this week.

Only 15% of what EMI does actually makes a profit, the rest being lost to advances for artists and overestimating demand.

For example, the company has over one million unsold copies of Robbie Williams‘ last album Rudebox.

According to The Guardian, they will be sent to China “to be crushed up and used in road surfacing and street lighting.”

Perhaps Williams threats to pull his next album is not as terrifying a prospect as some might think.