Kinney Music Ltd.

UK publishing company operating from the 26th April 1971. (Formerly known as )
The company was renamed on the 25th April 1972.


A division of [b]Kinney Music International[/b] publishing releases from the [l=Warner Bros. Records], [l=Elektra] and [l=Atlantic] labels, prior to the creation of [l=WEA Records Ltd.]
Note: Under Law, the Kinney identity did not operate in the USA.


[b]History:[/b]

[b]Company timeline / name changes since initial incorporation:[/b]
18th Nov 1950 to 5th July 1956 -
5th July 1956 to 4th Sept 1969 -
4th Sept 1969 to 23rd Jan 1970 -
23rd Jan 1970 to 26th April 1971 -
26th April 1971 to 25th April 1972 - Kinney Music Ltd.
25th April 1972 to 23rd Aug 1988 -
23rd Aug 1988 to 26th Jan 1996 -
26th Jan 1996 to present (as of 2017) -


[b]July 1969[/b] Kinney National Service Inc. acquires [l=Warner Bros. - Seven Arts Records] which launches its first company-owned European outlet in UK ([l=Warner Bros. Seven Arts Records Ltd.]), with Ian Ralfini as managing director and general Manager Tony Roberts for the publishing company [l=Warner Bros. Seven Arts Music Ltd.].
Licensing pact with [l=Pye International] expires, but [l=Pye Records (Sales) Ltd.] will continue to manufacture and distribute records.
Publishing deal with [l=Leeds Music] expires.

[b]1970[/b] ‘Seven Arts’ removed from company name. UK branch renamed to [l=Warner Bros. Records Ltd.], publisher now called [l=Warner Bros. Music Ltd.]
[b]July 1970[/b] Kinney National Service Inc. buys [l=Elektra].
[b]November 1970[/b] [a=Nesuhi Ertegun] will be director of newly created international record department [l=Kinney Record Group International] ([b]Kinney Music International[/b] as publisher) with Phil Rose as managing director.

[b]1971[/b] UK branch renamed to [l=Kinney Record Group Ltd.] with [l=Kinney Music Ltd.] as publisher.
[b]Januar 1971[/b] [l=Elektra Records] licensing contracts in all European countries (in UK [l=Polydor Records Limited]) expires. [l=Elektra] joins existing Warner UK branch.
Distributing and pressing switches from [l=Polydor Records Limited] to CBS.
[b]July 1971[/b] [l=Kinney Record Group Ltd.] enters distribution and pressing deal with CBS instead of [l=Pye Records (Sales) Ltd.].
Elektra’s publishing companies [l=Paradox Music (3)], [l=Nipper Music] and [l=Nina Music] are now controlled by [l=Warner Bros. Music Ltd.]. The Kinney Group now has the publishing companies of [l=Atlantic], [l=Elektra] and its own all under one umbrella.
[b]The Use of the prefix 'K' for cat# and/or Matrix starts (not of [l=Atlantic]).[/b]

[b]February 1972[/b] Kinney Services Inc. (formerly Kinney National Service Inc.) renamed to [l=Warner Communications Inc.].
Reflecting of the initials of the parent record companies, [l=Warner Bros. Records], [l=Elektra] and [l=Atlantic],
[b]Kinney Music International[/b] will be called [l=WEA International Inc.].
Similar name changes will be undertaken for all WEA’s subdiary companies.
[b]March 1972[/b] [l=Atlantic] becomes fully part of [l=Kinney Record Group Ltd.] after negotiating the agreements with [l=Polydor Records Limited].
[b]The Use of the prefix 'K' for cat# and/or Matrix start also for Atlantic.[/b]
[b]June 1972[/b] [l=Kinney Record Group Ltd.] ([l=Kinney Music Ltd.]) renamed to [l=WEA Records Ltd.] as part of [l=WEA International Inc.].

[b]June 1974[/b] The [l=Warner Communications] Company began employing the 1974-designed [a=Saul Bass] 'W' logo on covers, and late 1975 on labels; later to become the umbrella brand identity for the [l=Warner Music Group]