Atlantic Records Group


Atlantic Records Group is an umbrella label owned by Warner Music Group that oversees several labels assigned to its Atlantic Records unit. In total, the label group has nearly three hundred artists on its roster.

History

In 2004, Time Warner sold Warner Music to a group of private investors. As a cost-cutting maneuver, the new owners of Warner Music Group merged Atlantic Records with its Elektra Records sister to form The Atlantic Records Group. Upon the merger, Elektra became giantly dormant, with most of its retained roster absorbed by Atlantic. In the years to follow, Atlantic Records Group would add a host of other labels to its umbrella, including: Roadrunner Records, Fueled by Ramen, Custard Records and Maybach Music Group. Elektra was reactivated as a brand of Atlantic Records Group in 2009. The same year Atlantic's dance and hip hop imprint Big Beat Records, which scored notable success for most of the 1990s was also relaunched.
On June 18, 2018, Warner Music Group announced the formation of Elektra Music Group to be launched as a stand-alone, independently-managed primary label at WMG on October 1. Splitting off from Atlantic Records Group, EMG will take with it five labels that previously operated under the Atlantic group, three label staff, and a handful of major artists. Elektra's independence renews the WEA triad that had for decades mark the original company organization. Elektra co-presidents, however, will answer to Atlantic Records Group Chairman/CEO Craig Kallman and Chairman/COO Julie Greenwald.
In 2020, Atlantic Records announced the relaunching of its original subsidiary label Atco Records, under the authority of its A&R President Pete Ganbarg. This reactivation of Atco Records marks the first time in over 25 years that the label has actively operated under the Atlantic Records umbrella.

Labels

Atlantic Records UK is a British record label used as copyright-holder for UK releases on the Atlantic label. It was founded in June 2004 when Warner Music Group bought East West Records from Time Warner and rebranded its UK operation. The first Chairman was Max Lousada, previously Head of A&R at Mushroom Records UK and, as of June 2019, Chairman and CEO Warner Music UK. In 2011 Atlantic Records UK was named Label of the Year at the Music Week Awards. In the same year The Guardian put Lousada joint 20th in its "Music Power 100" list of influential figures in the UK music industry. He shared his place with John Reid and Christian Tattersfield, both from Warner. In October 2011, the7stars advertising agency announced it had won a pitch to handle Atlantic Records UK's £2 million media planning and buying account, taking over from ZenithOptimendia. In 2014, Ben Cook was appointed President, Atlantic Records UK, reporting to Lousada. In 2019, the label was reconfigured around A&R, Promotions, Marketing, Publicity, Creative and Audience.
By 2010, their artists included Flo Rida, Jay-Z, T.I., Lupe Fiasco, B.o.B, Missy Elliott and Plan B and by 2014 the list included Paolo Nutini, Ed Sheeran, Birdy, Rudimental, Marina and the Diamonds, Rumer, Twenty One Pilots, Lykke Li, Santigold and Clean Bandit. Current and older releases are listed on Discogs.