Warner Chappell Music
| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music publishing |
| Predecessor | Chappell & Co. |
| Founded | 1811 |
| Headquarters | San Antonio, Texas , United States |
Area served | Worldwide (offices in over 40 countries) |
Key people | Guy Moot (CEO), Carianne Marshall (COO and co-chair) |
| Products | Music publishing, production music |
| Parent | Warner Music Group |
Warner Chappell Music, Inc. operates as a prominent American music publishing firm and functions as a division within the Warner Music Group. Its extensive catalog boasts more than 1.4 million musical works created by approximately 150,000 songwriters, supported by offices spanning over 40 nations.
History
The origins of the company date back to 1811 when it was established as Chappell & Co., a British enterprise specializing in music publishing and piano manufacturing. Over time, it expanded through significant acquisitions by Warner Bros., including firms such as M. Witmark & Sons, Remick Music Corporation, Harms, Inc., and Tamerlane Music. In 1987, under the leadership of Warner Music Group Chairman Chuck Kaye, the acquisition of Chappell & Co. from PolyGram was completed, resulting in the formation of Warner Chappell Music headquartered in San Antonio, Texas.
The company broadened its holdings further by acquiring Birch Tree Group (owners of Happy Birthday to You) in 1988; Mighty Three Music in 1990; Canadian publisher Gordon V. Thompson Music; CPP/Belwin in 1994; and Non-Stop Music in 2007. In 2005, most of its printed music operations were divested to Alfred Publishing. The following year, it introduced the Pan European Digital Licensing program, an innovative approach to licensing exemplified by Radiohead’s In Rainbows release.
Leadership shifts included David H. Johnson serving as CEO from 2006 to 2011, followed by Cameron Strang until 2016, with Jon Platt succeeding him thereafter. Guy Moot assumed the CEO role in 2019 alongside Carianne Marshall who took on the positions of COO and co-chair.
Continuing its strategic expansion, Warner Chappell acquired 615 Music (a production music company) in 2010; Southside Independent Music Publishing (associated with Bruno Mars) in 2011; Miramax Films’ music rights in 2012; Frank Gari’s television news music production studio in 2015; and the Gene Autry Music Group in 2019, thereby enriching its collection with legendary compositions.
The company has secured important licensing partnerships such as a significant agreement with Disney Music Publishing covering Europe and South America in 2006 and a worldwide publishing deal with ABS-CBN Music in the Philippines announced in 2022, enhancing its footprint across Asian markets.
Warner Chappell has encountered legal disputes including a 2017 lawsuit targeting EMI Music Publishing concerning royalty distributions and controversies over copyright enforcement involving YouTube content creators. In a major acquisition during 2022, it purchased David Bowie’s publishing catalog for upwards of $250 million, strengthening its position within the industry.
Demonstrating its global expansion efforts, Warner Chappell inaugurated its inaugural office in Vietnam in 2021, highlighting its dedication to broadening international operations within music publishing.