Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd and John Esposito, Chairman and CEO of Warner Music Nashville, announced that Warner Music Group (WMG) will expand in Nashville over the next two years, bringing up to 175 jobs in Davidson County.
WMG will bring positions in its U.S. finance team, which will now be located in Nashville. The company has recently leased offices downtown at Nashville City Center.
“Warner Music is already synonymous with Nashville’s storied music heritage,” Haslam said. “Its labels have deep roots in Nashville with the seminal recordings of Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris, as well as modern stars like Blake Shelton, Brett Eldredge and others. Warner Music is one of the world’s most recognizable brands in the music industry and a perfect complement to the host of entertainment businesses that call Tennessee home. I’d like to thank Warner Music for its investment in Nashville as we move closer to making Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs.”
“Tennessee is already home to the world’s most iconic entertainment brands,” Boyd said. “Warner Music’s decision to expand its finance teams in Nashville is further validation of our state’s global appeal in the music and entertainment industry. The music industry supports more than 56,000 jobs in the Nashville area and has a $10 billion economic impact on the region annually. Warner Music’s commitment only solidifies Nashville’s position as a global entertainment capital. On behalf of Team Tennessee, I’d like to welcome Warner Music to Nashville and look forward to the positive impact these jobs will have for Davidson County.”
After undergoing renovations, WMG’s new Nashville office will open in mid-2017. WMG’s longstanding presence on Music Row will remain at its current location.
“As we all know, Nashville is not only home to the best artists and songwriters in the world, but it has a vibrant and growing economy. The top talent in the world can be found here, our company already has a strong presence in the community, and the City and State have been tremendous at helping us establish our new location downtown,” Esposito said. “Nashville is the perfect home for Warner Music’s newly created division, and I look forward to welcoming our colleagues to Music City.”
Nashville Mayor Megan Barry and the Tennessee Valley Authority applauded WMG for its new investment and expansion in downtown Nashville.
“We appreciate this investment by Warner Music in Nashville and look forward to working with the company as it grows here in the years to come,” Mayor Barry said. “This announcement is a testament to the high-quality workforce and the vibrant economy in Nashville. I want to thank Joe Galante and the Music City Music Council, the State of Tennessee, Tennessee Valley Authority and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce for their partnership in building Music City.”
“TVA and Nashville Electric Service congratulate Warner Music on its decision to locate and create new job opportunities in Nashville,” TVA Senior Vice President of Economic Development John Bradley said. “We are privileged to partner with the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, and Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development to assist in the growth of companies like Warner Music in the Valley.”
Nashville and Davidson County are represented by Speaker Beth Harwell (R – Nashville), Rep. Bo Mitchell (D – Nashville), Rep. Bill Beck (D – Nashville), Rep. Mike Stewart (D – Nashville), Rep. Jason Powell (D – Nashville), Rep. Brenda Gilmore (D – Nashville), Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D – Nashville), Rep. Harold Love (D – Nashville), Rep. Sherry Jones (D – Nashville), Rep. Darren Jernigan (D – Old Hickory), Sen. Steven Dickerson (R – Nashville), Sen. Ferrell Haile (R – Gallatin), Sen. Jeff Yarbro (D – Nashville) and Sen. Thelma Harper (D – Nashville) in the Tennessee General Assembly.
About the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development’s mission is to develop strategies that help make Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs. To grow and strengthen Team Tennessee, the department seeks to attract new corporate investment in Tennessee and works with Tennessee companies to facilitate expansion and economic growth. Tennessee is the only three-time winner of “State of the Year” for economic development by Business Facilities magazine. Find us on the web: www.tnecd.com. Follow us on Twitter: @TNECD. Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TNECD.
About Warner Music Group
With its broad roster of new stars and legendary artists, Warner Music Group is home to a collection of the best-known record labels in the music industry including Asylum, Atlantic, Big Beat, Canvasback, East West, Elektra, Erato, FFRR, Fueled by Ramen, Nonesuch, Parlophone, Reprise, Rhino, Roadrunner, Sire, Warner Bros., Warner Classics and Warner Music Nashville, as well as Warner/Chappell Music, one of the world’s leading music publishers, with a catalog of more than one million copyrights worldwide.