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FYI

Those Warner Bros. Records Are Now Collectables

Founded in 1958 as the recorded music division of the American film studio Warner Bros., the company's music assets were acquired by Time Warner and, in 2011, the Warner Music Group was acquired by

Those Warner Bros. Records Are Now Collectables

By FYI Staff

Founded in 1958 as the recorded music division of the American film studio Warner Bros., the company's music assets were acquired by Time Warner and, in 2011, the Warner Music Group was acquired by current owner Access Industries. As per an earlier agreement, the company has now lost the use of the Warner Bros. Records name and logo.


At various times the imprint has been home to such notable artists as Madonna, Prince, Cher, kd lang, James Taylor, Goo Goo Dolls, Sheryl Crow, Lil Pump, Gorillaz, Green Day, Grateful Dead, Blur, Duran Duran, Fleetwood Mac, Liam Gallagher, Fleet Foxes, Tegan and Sara, Nile Rodgers, Black Sabbath, Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Black Keys, My Chemical Romance, and Van Halen.

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A history of the label can be found on its own Wiki page, Variety offers its own deeper spin and MBI offers its own version that includes the background to who designed the new logo and how it came to be selected.

In a press statement, U.S. Co-Chairman/CEO Aaron Bay-Schuck and co-chair/COO Tom Corson said, “For the first time in the label’s history, we’ve had the opportunity to create a distinct, modern identity entirely of our own. The timing couldn’t be better since we all feel the label is at a moment of reinvention that builds on our legacy, while moving into a future driven by fearlessness and creativity. We have a growing roster of world-class artists, a rejuvenated team, and an incredible new location. It’s a new day for Warner Records, an iconic label that was born in the California sun, and is at home everywhere on earth.”

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Val Blavatnik
Courtesy WMG

Val Blavatnik

Business News

Val Blavatnik to Oversee Warner Music Canada in New Role at Warner Music Group

Blavatnik will oversee Warner Music Canada as managing director of Warner Music North America, U.K. and Corporate Development at WMG. As part of a slew of executive announcements, Simon Robson will be leaving the company, while Alejandro Duque takes the top international role.

Val Blavatnik, the 28-year-old son of Warner Music Group majority owner and vice chairman Len Blavatnik, has been named managing director of Warner Music North America, U.K. and Corporate Development at the Warner Music Group, the company announced Friday (Sept. 25). In his new role the younger Blavatnik, who has held several roles at the company in recent years, and has been a board member since 2023, expects to “unify and drive business and operational strategy across these markets while guiding the company’s investment strategy to support growth,” according to a press release.

The Blavatnik announcement is part of a flurry of new executive announcements that CEO Robert Kyncl made this morning. In addition, Atlantic Music Group chairman/CEO Elliot Grainge will take on ADA in the U.S. as its new chairman, while Alejandro Duque, who has held the dual roles of president of Warner Latin and president of ADA since last July, has been named president of Warner Music International, adding Asia-Pacific and Europe, the Middle East and Africa under his oversight. (Duque will continue to oversee ADA outside the U.S.) Zach Friedman, currently COO at Atlantic Music Group, will add the title of vice chair of ADA U.S. to his resume.

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