Headline News
WMG Become Full Owners Of Roadrunner Records
Band Photo: Slipknot (?)
It has been announced that Roadrunner Records, one of the industry's longest running metal and hard rock labels, has now been fully purchased by Warner Music Group. Warner had previously bought 73.5% of the company in 2007. An internal memo from label founder and CEO Cees Wessels announcing the changes, as appearing on Billboard's website, can be read below:
"Since joining the Warner Music family, we have enjoyed some of our greatest creative and commercial successes as a label. Most importantly, we have retained our unique identity while also expanding our horizons, thanks in part to the tremendous expertise and experience we can tap into as part of the Warner Music family and the relationships we have built with our Warner Music colleagues around the world.
"I am very proud that Roadrunner is now a fully-fledged stable mate of such iconic labels as Atlantic , Warner Bros. Records, Elektra, Asylum and Rhino, and I believe that we are in this position thanks to our team’s hard work and consistently original approach over the years. The vast majority of our staff around the world will experience little or no change to their roles.
"However after carefully reviewing our operations, we have decided to transfer the support functions across to our Warner Music colleagues in some territories. This is not an easy process to undertake, but we believe that, by making these changes, we can take Roadrunner to the next level by focusing our resources on marketing our existing line-up of acclaimed artists as well as discovering the stars of tomorrow."
Source: Billboard
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56 Comments on "WMG Purchases Roadrunner Records"
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The extremely negative sentiment towards major labels and the whole RIAA setup almost creates the perfect opportunity for a smaller label to step in as the little guy fighting for the artists, and create opportunities for bands. Not that this really affects me, Other than Opeth, i dont like any of the bands signed to them.
Member
"The_Avant_Garde writes:
they DO have Porcupine Tree, Dream Theater and Opeth. Prog's three biggest active bands"
Except Porcupine Tree isnt prog, and blows balls. i dont even believe they should be considered metal, but w/e. the term "metal" now consists of hard rock bands and emo bands trying to have a bandwagon to jump on, cuz those 2 genres are dead, so this label change will make that much easier for ignorant musicians to fall into.
NP: Lord of All Terrors - Sympathy
Writer
I cant tell if your on my side or not Blindgreed BUT, if I were allowed to I would argue against anyone who has anything negative to say about Porcupine Tree all day long. Theyre certainley more progressive than Opeth nowadays.
The whole point of prog is simple, you are meant to PROGRESS as a band. PT have been evolving their sound since 1996. Opeth have been writing in the exact same formula since 1997.
I think that is the first time I've ever seen someone say anything negative about porcupine tree. What the hell.
Anyways, Roadrunner was decent, had a fair few good artists back in the day, but nowadays... Most of the music I find is pretty obscure. So doesn't affect what I listen to much at all :/
Member
My best guess is this:
WMG lets Roadrunner continue on their management as normal, taking advantage of moving their support functions to the leaner WMG. Synergy baby. This would actually help Roadrunner on a stand alone profit basis because some of the overhead would shift away. Roadrunner would look like they are a more profitable arm for WMG. I am sure that some of the less profitable, or smaller bands would be dropped, or moved to a smaller label arm with less support, but that move would be very few.
The real change will be in a few years when WMG needs to continue to show improvements and Roadrunner can't keep up with demands. Then, my guess is the re-release parties and "Roadrunner United" start popping up more.
No change now, but probably 3 years you'll see more commercialization, or more poppy bands.
Completely agree that smaller labels should see this as an opportunity to position the "us against the world" motif to sell up and coming bands on joining the label. As this happens though, you have the same cycle as larger labels.
Arms race to get more bands, but then you need better returns. Eventually it should happen to every label.
Member
TAG: I love the Porcupine Tree. Anyone stating that they "blow" clearly has their head up their arse. I do however disagree about your Opeth statement though. I know people that HATE thier early albums and love the latest and vice versa. I love all prog in general.
Writer
Blindgreed you are my new favourite MU commenter! Im a mixed bag when it comes to Opeth. I love Morningrise, Still Life and Ghost Reveries with a passion, those are 3 of all time favourite albums. But I literally despise every other record they have made LOL. Im assuming youre looking forward to the Mikael Akerlfeldt/Steven Wilson album then??
What other prog bands are you listening to lately?
Member
I really don't see anything good coming out of this. WMG bought the company so theyll do whatever they want, they might toss the more underground bands off and sign more generic "same sounding" main stream bands..... and im pretty sure i know that the average mainstream idiot who knows nothing of good music, or a solo. Will continue to support them.
Founder, owner & programmer
LOL. What's with all the predictions of doom? Why should it be so different than when they were 73.5% owned for the past several years? They do seem to have been going in a more commercial direction for a while as well - either commerical or established bands - ever since the metalcore scene began drying up and wasn't producing enough big bands.
Member
oh RT my brother.....metalblade is the fvcking worst!
so ya, they got metal....but they treat their bands like dogsh!t
too many sad stories to go into here....but will say that i took great pleasure in telling them just where to fvcking stick it when they came snuffling around offering my former band one of their shoddy contracts:
eh, no....i mean, FVCK NO---no fvcking deal....thanks, but don't fvcking bother contacting me again
they would do better to quit signing second rate bands for pennies and redirect those funds to pay their decent bands a decent fvcking wage....
fvcking sleaze label
Writer
Century Media themselves have stated many times that they dont care about any metal genre, they just sign whats trendy and "in." Take a look at thier roster from years ago, and look at it today. They have more 'Core bands now than MetalBlade.....which is shocking.
BG: Oh yeah Cynic counts! You should check out this site, its great for discovering new prog bands of ANY style. www.progarchives.com but the site is pretty much useless for anything else lol
Senior News Correspondent
TAG: the thing with CM is that they actually still try and develop artists! i give them respect for that. while RR and majors just sign a band of a certain sound or "force" a band into a certain sound and then the next thing you know they're touring with kiss or metallica or some huge huge act. RR has been dead in my eyes for a long time... but then again i know many many european metal bands who were/are signed to labels that are owned by universal, but in the US they're signed to NB or CM.
besides- what is that anyway? That just means Roadunner is gonna open the trap for n***** rap once the all blacks b.v. get 'affirmative action' from ted.
Well good for em...
my fear is more for Century Media who is involved in the money chain process...
Its bad enough f'ing ted turner wont let people post king's x vids on youtube...
Monte Connor and Roadrunner have always been a fake tit trend label.
They better drop cradle of filth (satanic scum sh**)
And DevilDriver (let them go on to another label if they are true- DM- they're still Roadrunner puppets converting from coal chamber- to this sh**)
They won't drop sh**-knot but they should have.
Bottom line- roadrunner / r/c records lost all respectability when it lost
Atrophy
Exhorder
Annihilator
Pestilence
Exhorder
and so many other decent acts... but then again- I see the trend- since the 80s 2-3 years is all you get- sell out or conform.
I hope Ted Turner is paying you a lot for that blowjob you are giving him- Monte! f***ing fa**ot!
Well #54, i suppose you read my earlier comment and found the need (being the idiotic douchebag that you are) to write the exact opposite of me, and to that i say that coal chamber was garbage compared to DevilDriver, Dani Filth (singer and lyricist of Cradle of Filth the "satanic sh**") is Hindu, and I've never heard of any of the bands you've listed :)
P.S: and also im jewish so you have fun in your trailer park you skinhead piece of garbage
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Member
What does everyone think of this?
I think it is a good thing for Roadrunner, But it might make them a bit more commercial.