Bloodlines (record label)
| Company type | Independent company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music and entertainment |
| Founded | 1 January 1972 in Melbourne, Australia |
| Founder | Michael Gudinski |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
Area served | Australia, New Zealand |
Key people | Matt Gudinski (CEO) |
Number of employees | 200+ (2013) |
Mushroom Group stands as Australia's foremost independent company in music and entertainment, operating through more than twenty subsidiaries with offices located in Melbourne, Sydney, and Auckland, and employing upwards of 200 personnel.
History
Established in Melbourne in 1972 by Michael Gudinski with the creation of Mushroom Records, the Group rapidly grew to incorporate Mushroom Music Publishing and the Premier Artists booking agency by 1973. Its expansion into the Sydney market occurred in 1978 with the launch of The Harbour Agency. By 2013, Mushroom's workforce in Sydney had surpassed 100 employees across its various subsidiaries.
In 1979, the Group introduced The Frontier Touring Company, which has become Australasia's premier tour promoter and marked its 500th tour milestone in 2010. Australian Touring Merchandise (ATM), founded in 1983, grew to be the nation’s largest producer of music merchandise before merging with Love Police in 2010 to create Love Police ATM.
During the mid-1980s, Mushroom Records enjoyed significant commercial success with artists including Kylie Minogue. The Group also initiated Mushroom Distribution Services and Michael Gudinski Management during this period, securing artists such as Jimmy Barnes.
The year 1995 saw Mushroom expand internationally by opening a London office and launching Mushroom Pictures, which produced films like Chopper and Wolf Creek. In 1998, commemorating its 25th anniversary, Mushroom Records held a record-setting concert in Melbourne before selling its catalogue to Warner Music.
Subsequently, Liberation Music was established as the Group’s flagship label, signing acts such as The Temper Trap, Dan Sultan, Adalita, and Vance Joy. In 1999, Mushroom Marketing was created to offer music services to major brands including Coca-Cola and McDonald's.
Roundhouse Entertainment debuted in 2001 with the A Day On The Green concert series showcasing international performers. Michael Gudinski’s son, Matt, entered the industry in 2002 by founding Illusive Sounds along with its touring division. Ivy League Records became part of the Group in 2003.
Liberator Music was launched in 2006 as an international label featuring artists like Phoenix and Bloc Party. In 2010, I Oh You introduced its label under Mushroom alongside establishing Artist Voice booking agency and Drawing Board merchandise division.
Michael Gudinski received the Melburnian of the Year award in 2012 for his contributions to Melbourne’s music culture. Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2013, Mushroom appointed Matt Gudinski as Executive Director. That year also included acquiring Australian distribution rights for PIAS Entertainment Group and Intellitix technology; Future Entertainment joined the Group, positioning it as Australia’s largest wholly Australian-owned festival operator by ticket sales.
Chris Maund was named COO for labels and publishing in March 2017. Later that year saw the launch of Mushroom Creative House. The labels 100s + 1000s and Reclusive Records were incorporated into the Group in 2020.
Following Michael Gudinski’s death in March 2021, Matt Gudinski assumed the role of CEO the next month. In July 2023, the Mushroom Booking Agency was introduced. A significant reorganization took place in July 2024, merging recording, publishing, and neighbouring rights into a newly formed division called Mushroom Music—bringing together Liberation Records, Ivy League Records, Bloodlines, Liberator Music, Soothsayer, and 100s + 1000s—while also launching a talent management firm named Mushroom Connect.
Subsidiaries
The organization is made up of multiple branches and affiliated companies:
- Mushroom Music – Founded in 2024
- I Oh You
- Illusive
- Reclusive Records – Launched in June 2020
- Frontier Touring
- Love Police ATM
- Premier Artists
- Roundhouse
- Mushroom Marketing
- Mushroom Connect – A talent management and partnership agency started in 2024
- Mushroom Creative House
- Mushroom Music Publishing
- Mushroom Booking Agency
- Mushroom Events
- Mushroom Pictures
- Good Neighbour – Manages rights operations
Former
- Liberation Records – Merged into Mushroom Music in 2024
- Ivy League Records – Established in 1997, integrated into Mushroom Music in 2024
- Liberator Music – Absorbed into Mushroom Music in 2024
- Bloodlines – Incorporated into Mushroom Music in 2024
- Soothsayer – Folded into Mushroom Music in 2024
- 100s + 1000s – Founded in 2020, merged with Mushroom Music in 2024
- Mushroom Records – Previously a subsidiary, later became a Warner Bros. Records label through a joint venture with Festival Records under Festival Mushroom Records.