NEW YORK, NY and AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS, Jan 29, 2007 -- Warner Music Group Corp. (NYSE: WMG) today announced the completion
of its acquisition of 73.5 percent of Amsterdam-based Roadrunner
Music Group B.V., which includes Roadrunner Records, one of the
leading hard rock and heavy metal labels.
The Roadrunner acquisition was originally announced on December 18,
2006. The transaction was subject to regulatory approval in Germany,
which has now been obtained.
Roadrunner will operate as a freestanding label group within WMG's
Atlantic Records Group. Roadrunner Managing Director, Cees Wessels,
continues to run the company he founded.
About Roadrunner Music Group
Initially founded in the Netherlands in 1980, Roadrunner Records has
earned its place as one of the most prominent international
independent record labels. The Roadrunner catalog boasts early
releases from such seminal artists as King Diamond, Type O Negative,
Sepultura and Annihilator. More recently, the label has experienced
unprecedented success with multi-platinum artists Nickelback and
Slipknot, Gold-certified Stone Sour and Killswitch Engage, as well as
modern heavy hitters Black Label Society, Trivium and Machine Head.
Though primarily known as a metal and hard rock label, Roadrunner's
roster also includes acts such as The Dresden Dolls and newcomers
Madina Lake. Still headquartered in the Netherlands, Roadrunner
occupies offices in New York, now the A&R hub for the label, as well
as the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, Japan and Australia.
For more information about Roadrunner, visit:
www.roadrunnerrecords.com
About Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group became the only stand-alone music company to be
publicly traded in the United States in May 2005. With its broad
roster of new stars and legendary artists, Warner Music Group is home
to a collection of the best-known record labels in the music industry
including Asylum, Atlantic, Bad Boy, Cordless, East West, Elektra,
Lava, Maverick, Nonesuch, Reprise, Rhino, Roadrunner, Rykodisc, Sire,
Warner Bros. and Word. Warner Music International, a leading company
in national and international repertoire, operates through numerous
international affiliates and licensees in more than 50 countries.
Warner Music Group also includes Warner/Chappell Music, one of the
world's leading music publishers.