Company History

WARNER MUSIC AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Street Address

  • 39-47 Albany Street
  • Crows Nest
  • NSW 2065
  • Australia

Postal Address

  • PO Box 500, Crows Nest
  • NSW 1585 Australia
  • Telephone: (02) 9950 1500
  • Fax: (02) 9950 1520

WARNER MUSIC NEW ZEALAND LTD

Street Address

  • Warner Music Building
  • Level 2
  • 14 Jervois Road, Ponsonby Auckland

Postal Address

  • PO Box 2915
  • Auckland, New Zealand
  • Telephone: +64 9 361 4848
  • Fax: +64 9 361 4849

A.C.N: 000 815 565 * A.B.N: 35 000 815 565

Company History

The long and illustrious history of Warner Bros Records is far too long to be included here, but suffice to say that WBR was America's most respected and successful record company of the 60s and 70s. An amalgamation of the greatest independent labels of the 60s - including Elektra, Asylum and Reprise - WBR was home to some of the greatest rock, soul and jazz music ever recorded. In 1970 Warner Bros Records, tired of administering individual distribution agreements around the world, decided to create an international record company - and Warner Music International was born.

The first territory established was Canada, the second Australia.

Founding CEO Paul Turner began the company with five staff members in July 1970, the official opening party being held at the Menzies Hotel. The company was then based in Riley Street, Darlinghurst and had three major labels - Warner Bros, Elektra and Atlantic. A year later Warner Bros Records worldwide (including Australia) changed names to Kinney Music. The monopoly laws in America at the time did not allow the three labels to trade as one, and so the 'umbrella' name of Kinney Music came into being.

For these first two years, the Australian Record Company (ARC), later known as CBS, then known as Sony Music, handled the Australian distribution.

By October 1, 1972, US monopoly laws had also changed and WEA (the first initial of each of the three main labels) Records was born. From this time, WEA Records Australia had its own sales and distribution arm. Adding a warehouse to the offices forced a location change to George Place, Artarmon, New South Wales. WEA Records went on to become a major player in the Australian recording industry, through international successes of superstar artists such as Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, Phil Collins, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin and the Doors.

In 1983 WEA moved to new offices (designed in the then-fashionable Stalinist "Neo-Brutalist" style) in Albany St Crows Nest - a site the company continues to inhabit to this very day. The company was renamed Warner Music Australia in February 1988, and split into two divisions - WEA Records and East West Records. More focus was being placed on domestic signings, and phenomenal success was achieved in the 80s by INXS, Cold Chisel, Richard Clapton, 1927 and Jenny Morris, to name a few.

In 1992 Paul Turner retired as CEO after 22 years in the company. He was replaced by Brian Harris - formerly CEO of EMI - who led the company from '92 until 1999. In addition to the role of Chairman of Warner Music Australia, Brian Harris also concurrently served as VP, Warner Music Asia Pacific between 1995 and 1998. Following the departure of Brian Harris, former Promotions and Marketing Director Shaun James was appointed Chairman - a position he held from 1999 to 2004.

In January 2005 Ed St John was appointed President and CEO of Warner Music Australia, having previously held the position of Managing Director, BMG Australasia.

WMA has always had a strong commitment to providing outsourced distribution solutions to smaller labels. In the 1990s and early 2000s Warner Music Australia distributed Roadshow Entertainment, and our distribution agreement with Liberation Records, first established in 2002, continues to this day. WMA distributed ABC Contemporary Music between 2005 and 2008 and distributed Festival Mushroom Records from 2003. In 2005 Warner Music acquired FMR from News Ltd and following a part-acquisition of Roadrunner Records in 2007 we also distribute that label internationally.

In the 21st Century, Warner Music Australia is the third-largest music company in Australia with an annual average market share of 21%. Warner Music sells music in digital and physical formats across a wide diversity of musical genres. Today, our domestic roster includes Gabriella Cilmi, The Veronicas, Eskimo Joe, Evermore, Kylie Minogue, Gyroscope, The Galvatrons, Shihad, Thirsty Merc, The Whitlams, Cold Chisel, and Scribe.

Our international acts include Michael Buble, James Blunt, Linkin Park, Madonna, Disturbed, My Chemical Romance, k.d. lang, Panic at the Disco, R.E.M, Matchbox 20, Green Day and Red Hot Chilli Peppers alongside heritage artists such as Led Zeppelin, Doors, Frank Sinatra, Fleetwood Mac, Otis Redding and many more.