Warner Chappell Music Buys Non-Stop

Warner/Chappell Music, the music publishing arm of Warner Music Group has acquired Non-Stop Music, a leading production music library. The move enhances WCM’s presence in a high-margin segment of the publishing business that includes music for film, television, Internet and corporate outlets. (press release after the jump.)

NEW YORK, NY, Aug 06, 2007 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX News Network) — Warner/Chappell Music (WCM), the global music publishing arm of Warner Music Group Corp. (NYSE: WMG) today announced that it acquired Non-Stop Music, one of the industry’s leading production music library companies. The move enhances WCM’s presence in a fast-growing, high-margin segment of the music publishing business and underscores the importance of film, television, Internet and corporate outlets to the music publishing industry. WCM will immediately begin joint marketing of the Non-Stop library to an expanded base of synchronization customers and Warner/Chappell’s other musical properties.

Warner/Chappell Music Acquires Leading Production Music Library Non-Stop Music
Acquisition Gives Warner/Chappell a Key Presence in a Growing Segment of the Music Publishing Business
NEW YORK, NY, Aug 06, 2007 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX News Network) — Warner/Chappell Music (WCM), the global music publishing arm of Warner Music Group Corp. (NYSE: WMG) today announced that it acquired Non-Stop Music, one of the industry’s leading production music library companies. The move enhances WCM’s presence in a fast-growing, high-margin segment of the music publishing business and underscores the importance of film, television, Internet and corporate outlets to the music publishing industry. WCM will immediately begin joint marketing of the Non-Stop library to an expanded base of synchronization customers and Warner/Chappell’s other musical properties.

Formed by musicians in 1981, Non-Stop is a leader in the production music library business and has built a library of more than 35,000 song titles that it licenses to film, television, Internet and corporate clients. Non-Stop also operates its own state-of-the-art recording studio and has a stable of musicians it draws upon to compose original film scores, music for film trailers, television theme songs, theme music for corporate films and commercial jingles.

"We are thrilled to have this chance to expand WCM’s vibrant synchronization business with this exciting acquisition," says Dave Johnson, CEO of Warner/Chappell. "Publishing has been one of the most stable areas of the music industry in recent years and with the rapid proliferation and ubiquity of traditional and digital media, this deal is an essential part of our strategy to create a more robust revenue stream."

"This is truly one of the brightest moments in our 26-year ride in the production music library business," says Randy Thornton, co-founder of Non-Stop. "We have been continually surprised and thrilled by the strong reception we have gotten for our library from our growing client list and look forward to being part of one of the more forward-thinking music companies in the world."

"When Randy and I started this project so many years ago, we were just two musicians with a crazy idea," says Non-Stop co-founder Bryan Hofheins. "To be recognized this way and brought into the fold of such a legendary publishing company takes us into the ‘beyond our wildest dreams’ realm."

"We are thrilled to be part of the Warner Music family," says Mike Dowdle, co-founder of Non-Stop Music and CEO of WCM’s new production music library division. "We look forward to building WCM’s production music business on Non-Stop’s solid foundation, through organic growth and additional acquisitions. WCM is the perfect partner with whom to make a truly global impact in the production music industry."

Non-Stop Music co-founders Randy Thornton, Brian Hofheins and CEO Mike Dowdle will run Non-Stop as a division of Warner/Chappell Music and will report to Dave Johnson.

About Non-Stop Music

For the past 26 years, Non-Stop Music has been providing original music and world-renowned fully administered library selections to the professional world of movies, TV shows, commercials, trailers, radio — in fact to anyone who needs quality music that fits just right.

From the company’s HQ in Salt Lake City complete with its state-of-the-art recording complex — LA East — and offices in New York, LA and London along with affiliates’ offices throughout Europe, Australia, Asia and the Near and Far East, Non-Stop Music is among the most influential music production and licensing companies in the world — a world where its music can be heard everywhere. The company has just celebrated consecutive Number One Hollywood hits with its music heard in the trailers and movies of "Pirates of the Caribbean," "Harry Potter," "Shrek 3," "The Simpsons," "Transformers" and more.

For more information, please go to www.nonstopmusic.com

About Warner/Chappell Music

Warner/Chappell Music is WMG’s award-winning global music publishing company. The Warner/Chappell Music catalog includes standards such as "Happy Birthday To You," "Rhapsody in Blue," "Winter Wonderland," the songs of Cole Porter and George and Ira Gershwin, as well as the music of Dido, Dr. Dre, Eric Clapton, Green Day, Led Zeppelin, Madonna, Nickelback, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sheryl Crow, T.I. and others. Warner/Chappell Music is a leader in creating innovative strategies for marketing and promoting its songwriters and their music. The company’s extensive catalog makes it a natural first stop for A&R executives and record producers, feature film and television production companies, and others looking to record or license some of the world’s greatest music.