It was 29 years ago that one of America's most respected and successful record companies, Warner Bros Records, decided to branch out - and Warner Music International was born.

The first territory established was Canada, the second Australia.

Paul Turner began the company with five staff members in July 1970, the official opening happening at the Menzies Hotel, Sydney on October 1 1970. 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), now known as Sony Music handled the Australian distribution.

Paul Turner's first year budget was one million dollars. This was achieved in seven months, with the first year's sales coming in at just under two million dollars - the company has been on a roll ever since!

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, Phil Collins, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin and the Doors.

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 by INXS, Cold Chisel, 1927 and
Jenny Morris, to name a few.

Our leading International artists include:

- Linkin Park

- Madonna

- Smashing Pumpkins

- R.E.M.

- New Order

- Green Day

- Neil Young

- Red Hot Chilli Peppers

- Cher

- The Corrs

- Alanis Morissette

- Frank Sinatra

Warner Music Australia's key local artists include:

- Shihad

- Thirsty Merc

- The Whitlams

- Evermore

- Eskimo Joe

- Kylie

WMA has always had a strong involvement in providing outsourced distribution solutions to third parties. In the 1990's and early 2000's Warner Music Australia was proud to sell and distribute Roadshow Entertainment records, including in particular Savage Garden and Killing Heidi.

Following the cessation of the Roadshow Agreement, Warner Music Australia has sold and distributed Liberation Records product since 2002 and Festival Mushroom Records product since late 2003, giving us a combined sales figure of over A$100 million per annum and making us Australia's largest providers of outsourced sales and distribution services in the music industry. More recently, Warner Music Australia was proud to wine the distribution of ABC Contemporary Music.

WMA has a long and proud history of presenting the world's best music.

Under President and CEO Ed St John, Warner Music Australia has its head office in Crows Nest, Sydney, New South Wales, has branches in all capital cities (except Tasmania) and has 85 full-time employees.