Editing Warner Music Australia (section)

==History==
In 1969, [[Warner Bros. Records]] split and [[Warner Music Group|WEA]] was formed. It was first established in Canada and followed by Australia. The Australian operation began in July 1970, by Paul Turner with five staff members. The official launch was held at the Menzies Hotel in [[Sydney]] on 1 October 1970. The company was then based in Riley Street, [[Darlinghurst]], and had three major labels: Warner Bros. Records, [[Elektra Records]], and [[Atlantic Records]]

A year later Warner Bros. Records worldwide (including Australia) changed its name to [[Kinney National Company|Kinney Music]]. The monopoly laws in America at the time did not allow the three labels to trade as one, so the umbrella name of Kinney Music was chosen. For the first two years, the [[Australian Record Company]] (ARC), now known as [[Sony Music]], handled the Australian distribution.

Turner's income for the first year was 1 million dollars. That was achieved in seven months, with the first years sales being just under $2 million. By 1 October 1972, U.S. monopoly laws had changed and WEA, using the first initial of each of the three main labels for its name, was born. From that time, WEA Australia had its own sales and distribution arm.

WEA became a major player in the Australian recording industry, through international successes of artists such as [[Fleetwood Mac]], [[Phil Collins]], [[Eric Clapton]], [[Led Zeppelin]] and [[The Doors]].

The company was renamed Warner Music Australia in 1990 and split into two divisions – WEA and East-West Records. With more focus being placed on domestic signings, phenomenal success was achieved with acts such as [[INXS]], [[Cold Chisel]], [[1927 (band)|1927]] and [[Jenny Morris (musician)|Jenny Morris]].

In the mid-to-late 1990s, Warner Music also invested in [[Brisbane]] bands, [[Regurgitator]] and Pretty Violet Stain. Regurgitator became Warner Music's first direct signing and remained with the company until 2004. In 2005, [[Sire Records]] invested in Brisbane band [[The Veronicas]], who went straight to number two with their debut single "4 Ever" and their album "The Secret Life of the Veronicas".  Later that year, Warner Music Australia bought out [[Festival Records|Festival]]-[[Mushroom Records]] for $12 million and closed the label, while retaining the use of the Mushroom label for a couple of acts such as [[Eskimo Joe]] and [[Gabriella Cilmi]].

{{As of|2010}}, the company has continued with artists such as [[Kerser]], [[Lisa Mitchell]], Kylie Minogue, the New Zealand band, [[Evermore (band)|Evermore]], as well as the newly signed Brisbane act, [[Dead Letter Circus]]. Warner Music also invested heavily in producers such as [[ShockOne]] and [[Matt Lange]].