Warner Music Group Corp.
Warner Music Group Corp., commonly abbreviated as WMG, is an American multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It is one of the "Big Four" recording companies and the third-largest in the global music industry, after Universal Music Group, Sony Music Group and BMG of Sony Music Entertainment.
Basic company information
Each field links to its source. Financial figures retain their reporting periods; background references are identified in the source list.
- Business sectors
- music industry [1]
- Company / filing name
- Warner Music Group Corp. [2]
- Headquarters location
- Paramount Plaza; New York City [1]
- Founded
- 1958-04-06 [1]
- Legal form
- Delaware corporation [1]
- Leadership in background record
- Stephen Cooper [1]
- Founders
- Warner Bros. Entertainment [1]
- Official website
- www.wmg.com ↗ [1]
- Employees
- 4,520 · reported year 2017 [1]
- Annual revenue
- USD 6,037,000,000 · reported year 2023 [1]
- ISIN (reported securities)
- US9345502036 [1]
- CIK
- 1319161 [2]
- Country in background record
- United States [1]
- Symbols / exchanges
- WMG (Nasdaq) [2]
Company positioning and business
Warner Music Group Corp., commonly abbreviated as WMG, is an American multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It is one of the "Big Four" recording companies and the third-largest in the global music industry, after Universal Music Group, Sony Music Group and BMG of Sony Music Entertainment. [3]
Formerly owned by Time Warner, the company sold WMG in 2004 to a group of private investors led by Edgar Bronfman Jr., in a move to alleviate Time Warner's debt load related to its merger with AOL. WMG was publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange from 2005 until 2011, when it announced its privatization and sale to Access Industries. It later had its second IPO on Nasdaq in 2020, once again becoming a public company. As of 2025, Access Industries remains the company's largest shareholder, owning 72% of the equity and controlling 98% of the voting power. With a multibillion-dollar annual turnover, WMG employs more than 4,500 people and has operations in more than 50 countries throughout the world. The company owns and operates some of the largest and most successful record labels in the world, including Elektra, Reprise, Sire, Warner (formerly known as Warner Bros.), Parlophone (formerly owned by EMI), and Atlantic. WMG also owns Warner Chappell Music, one of the world's largest music publishers. [3]
Background text: Wikipedia contributors, Warner Music Group. Selected introductory paragraphs, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Official filing data is cited separately.
Management and corporate governance
The Wikidata background record identifies Stephen Cooper in the chief-executive role. This background entry is not an official confirmation of the current board or executive roster. [1]
Understanding company scale
Employees: 4,520 · reported year 2017. [1]
Annual revenue: USD 6,037,000,000 · reported year 2023. [1]
Financial year, securities and disclosures
Listed securities: WMG (Nasdaq). Multiple symbols may represent different share classes or securities of the same registrant. [2]
History and key events
Founding / inception date recorded in Wikidata. [1]
Financial results and regulatory disclosures
No individual financial documents have been indexed yet. Open the source to consult company disclosures. [2]
Related entities and concepts
Frequently asked questions
When was Warner Music Group Corp. founded?
Founded: 1958-04-06. The linked source provides the background record. [1]
Where is the headquarters of Warner Music Group Corp.?
Headquarters location: Paramount Plaza; New York City. The linked source provides the background record. [1]
Which business sectors are recorded for Warner Music Group Corp.?
Business sectors: music industry. The linked source provides the background record. [1]
Sources and review dates
- Wikidata — company background record (CC0) ↗
- Company identity and profile data ↗
- Wikipedia contributors — Warner Music Group (CC BY-SA 4.0) ↗
Reviewed 23 October 2026. Financial periods and historical event dates are shown separately. Figures reflect their stated source dates; this page is not a live quote or investment recommendation.