Warner Music to Launch Elektra Music Group In October

Mike Easterlin, Gregg Nadel

Zac Brown Band, Dave Cobb‘s Low Country Sound, Sturgill Simpson and Paramore will be among the artists and labels under the new Elektra Music Group, a standalone, fully-staffed label group that will be launched under Warner Music on Oct. 1.

The label group, under the direction of co-presidents Mike Easterlin and Gregg Nadel, will also include labels Fueled By Ramen, Roadrunner, and Black Cement Records. Additional artists on the roster will include twenty one pilots, Brandi Carlile, Fitz and the Tantrums, Slipknot, Panic! At The Disco, Coheed and Cambria, Kaleo, Gojira, and more.

Elektra Music Group will boast a 60-plus member team embracing all key music company functions, including A&R, Artist Development, Business & Legal Affairs, International, Marketing, Promotion, Publicity, Sales & Streaming, and Video. The departments will be led and staffed by current members of the Atlantic, Elektra, FBR, and Roadrunner teams, as well as new hires. Personnel details will be announced in the coming weeks.

“Elektra Music Group will be 100% dedicated to developing the careers of authentic artists and helping them realize their visions,” said Easterlin and Nadel. “The company will embody the same independent spirit that is at the root of each of our core labels. Elektra, Fueled By Ramen, Roadrunner, Low Country Sound, and Black Cement were all founded by entrepreneurs who did it for the love of the music and a belief in their artists, and that philosophy will remain the driving force behind everything we do. We’re going to have an extraordinary roster, backed by the most ambitious, innovative team in the business. To have the opportunity to run our own stand-alone company is a dream come true, and we want to thank Julie and Craig for having such great faith in us. We can’t wait to get started.”

“Our whole approach is to create environments that give artists and entrepreneurs the freedom and support to pioneer the future of music,” said Max Lousada, CEO, Recorded Music, Warner Music Group. “From the outset, Elektra Music Group will be a dynamic community of credible artists and distinctive label cultures. Gregg and Mike are a dream leadership team, able to combine adventurous A&R, bespoke artist development, and full-force global marketing. It feels great to be bringing back the iconic Elektra brand as a major, stand-alone company for the first time in 15 years.”

Easterlin has been President of FBR and Roadrunner Records since January of 2016. He had previously served as General Manager of both labels since 2012. Under his leadership, FBR has been behind the breakthrough success of Grammy winners twenty one pilots, Paramore, and fun., as well as artists such as Panic! At The Disco, Young the Giant, and others. Roadrunner remains the world’s premier home for hard rock and metal, with a genre-defining roster including the likes of Slipknot, Theory of a Deadman, Trivium, Coheed and Cambria, and Gojira. Easterlin originally joined Lava/Atlantic as SVP of Promotion in 2005, having previously held posts at Virgin Records and Island Def Jam.

Nadel has been President of Elektra Records since January of 2017, having served as the label’s General Manager since 2015. A 21-year veteran of the Atlantic family, he joined the company straight out of college in 1997. Moving up the A&R ranks, he went on to sign Grammy winners, Zac Brown Band and Sturgill Simpson, acclaimed Icelandic band, Kaleo, and others. As Atlantic’s SVP of A&R & Marketing, Nadel spearheaded all three album campaigns for global superstar, Ed Sheeran. In addition, he forged the partnership between Elektra and Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb’s Low Country Sound label, whose artist roster includes the critically acclaimed Brandi Carlile, Anderson East, Brent Cobb, and others.

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Jessica Nicholson

Jessica Nicholson serves as the Managing Editor for MusicRow magazine. Her previous music journalism experience includes work with Country Weekly magazine and Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) magazine. She holds a BBA degree in Music Business and Marketing from Belmont University. She welcomes your feedback at jnicholson@musicrow.com.

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