Warner Music Poland Acquires Polskie Nagrania

Warner Music Group (WMG) announced that it has finalized the acquisition of Polskie Nagrania, Poland’s longest-running record company. Polskie Nagrania was previously owned by the Polish government, which offered the label up for auction in January of this year.The Polskie Nagrania catalog is one of the country’s most celebrated collections of pop, rock, folk, classical, and jazz, from the 1950s to the present day. The deal includes music from acclaimed artists such as Anna German, Czesław Niemen, Marek Grechuta, Irena Santor, Zdzisława Sośnicka, Breakout, and SBB, as well as world-renowned classical musicians like Witold Lutosławski, Krzysztof Penderecki, Wojciech Kilar, and conductors Antoni Wit and Jacek Kacprzyk.

Warner Music Poland will preserve the prestigious Polskie Nagrania brand and continue to release music from the label’s extensive roster. In addition, following the digitization of the entire catalog, the original master tapes will be returned to the Polish National Digital Archive for preservation.

A leading local record company, Warner Music Poland includes the Pomaton imprint, which has a 25-year history of releasing Polish music, as well as Złota Kolekcja, which specializes in reissues and already works with numerous recordings from the Polskie Nagrania catalog.

Piotr Kabaj, President & General Manager, Warner Music Poland, said, “This acquisition represents a significant milestone for our business, and it will be an honor to represent such influential artists and revered music. We are committed to using our expertise and resources to ensure that the iconic Polskie Nagrania name continues to thrive, and that these legendary songs win new fans in Poland and beyond.”

Stu Bergen, President, International, Warner Recorded Music, said, “Our investment in the incredible music of Polskie Nagrania will bolster our already strong presence in this growing, culturally vibrant market. This is the latest in a series of moves to develop local repertoire in countries where new technology is connecting artists with massive audiences and unlocking new creative and commercial opportunities.”

The deal follows Warner Music Group’s other recent initiatives in emerging markets. As part of its acquisition of Parlophone Label Group in July 2013, WMG welcomed EMI’s affiliates in key markets in Eastern Europe, including Poland. In April 2014, WMG acquired the renowned Gold Typhoon Group, one of the largest and most acclaimed collections of local music from China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. December 2013 saw the launch of Warner Music South Africa, following a buyout of Gallo Records’ share of the joint venture Warner Music Gallo Africa. In June 2013, WMG announced the acquisition of Gala Records Group, Russia’s leading independent music company, and subsequently established Warner Music Russia. These acquisitions coincided with accelerated investment in local repertoire in other high potential growth territories such as Brazil.

Source:
Polskie Nagrania