WaterTower Music Inc. (formerly New Line Records from 2000 to 2010) is an American record label serving as the Warner Music Group in-house music label run by entertainment company Warner Bros., ultimately owned by Skydance Corporation (previously owned by Warner Bros. Discovery pre-Paramount Skydance merger). The name and logo are based on the iconic Warner Bros. Water Tower.
History It was founded in 2000 as New Line Records by Jason Linn. New Line Records initially signed several rock and pop artists, like with the record labels owned by Time Warner's music division Warner Music Group. It also released soundtrack albums for films from its namesake Warner-studio New Line Cinema, with these albums including songs from artists signed to New Line Records. Artists signed to the label included Swedish indie band The Sounds, American indie bands Paris, Texas, Midnight Movies, Robbers on High Street, trip hop artist The Angel, country singer Allison Moorer, synthpop band Echo, R&B band IMx and metal band The Blank Theory. The Angel composed the soundtrack for the 2000 New Line film Boiler Room, with her 2001 album No Gravity and the soundtrack for this film both being released on New Line Records. Director John Waters, who released many of his films through New Line, was behind a 2004 Christmas album for New Line Records, titled A John Waters Christmas. Waters' 2004 New Line film A Dirty Shame also had a soundtrack album release by New Line Records that same year.
In November 2003, it was announced that Time Warner were selling Warner Music Group to private investors, with the deal being finalized early the following year. New Line Records and its catalog were not part of the sale, as New Line Records was owned by New Line Cinema itself, rather than by Warner Music Group. Time Warner also retained the pre-2004 soundtracks for Warner Bros. Pictures films. In early 2008, New Line Cinema stopped operating as an independent division of Time Warner, and became a label of Warner Bros. Pictures. New Line's film, music and television operations were merged into the wider Warner Bros. Entertainment umbrella. On January 15, 2010, New Line Records changed its name to WaterTower Music with Linn now also reporting to Paul Broucek the president of music at Warner Bros. Pictures. Following the name change, the label stopped focusing on releasing music by rock and pop artists, becoming a label solely dedicated to releasing soundtracks for Warner films and shows. The label also holds the rights to soundtrack albums released on MGM Records (which went defunct in 1982), as Time Warner gained the rights to MGM's pre-May 1986 film library in 1996. However, the rights to the non-film related albums released on MGM Records are controlled by Universal Music Group.
In March 2010, the label switched distribution from Warner Music Group's Alternative Distribution Alliance to Fontana, Universal Music Group's independent distributor.
In 2019, the distribution changed back to ADA, effectively reuniting WMG with former parent Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav was considering selling the company's music assets in early 2023, as part of his aggressive cost-cutting measures. However, the sale was called off after failing to attract an expected sale price of around $2 billion. The best offers were instead at the $1.2 billion to $1.3 billion mark. Potential buyers' offers were lower than expected due to stipulations in negotiations that Warner Bros. Discovery retain control over how certain valuable soundtracks are used.
WaterTower Music Artists
Hans Zimmer Junkie XL aka Tom Holkenborg Howard Shore Benson Taylor Ryan Shore Alan Silvestri Ramin Djawadi Lorne Balfe Steven Price Ludwig Göransson John Powell Daniel Pemberton Andrew Lockington Michael Giacchino Thomas Newman Danny Elfman Joseph Bishara Christophe Beck Alexandre Desplat Rupert Gregson-Williams John Debney Mychael Danna Jeff Danna Mark Mothersbaugh James Horner Max Richter John Murphy Benjamin Wallfisch
Releases New Line Records ArtistAlbumDetails The Angel Boiler Room (Original Motion Picture Score) Released: July 18, 2000 Howard Shore The Cell (Original Soundtrack) Released: September 5, 2000 Trevor Jones Thirteen Days (Original Motion Picture Score) Released: December 1, 2000 The Angel No Gravity Released: May 22, 2001 IMx IMx Released: August 21, 2001 Various Cherish (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Released: June 4, 2002 Echo Echo Released: September 10, 2002 The Blank Theory Beyond the Calm of the Corridor Released: September 24, 2002 The Sounds Living in America Released: November 11, 2002 Rolfe Kent About Schmidt (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Released: December 20, 2002 Various Elf: Music From the Major Motion Picture Released: November 4, 2003 Robbers on High Street Fine Lines EP Released: March 9, 2004 Paris, Texas Like You Like an Arsonist Released: May 4, 2004 Various A Dirty Shame (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Released: September 14, 2004 Rolfe Kent Sideways Released: October 12, 2004 Various A John Waters Christmas Released: November 8, 2004 Various Blade: Trinity Released: November 23, 2004 Various Monster-In-Law (Music From The Motion Picture) Released: 2005 Robbers on High Street Tree City Released: February 22, 2005 Various Wedding Crashers (Music from and Inspired by the Film) Released: July 12, 2005 Various Just Friends Released: November 22, 2005 Rolfe Kent Wedding Crashers (The Score) Released: January 24, 2006 The Sounds Dying to Say This to You Released: March 21, 2006 Chart positions: US #107 Various A Prairie Home Companion: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Released: May 23, 2006 Chart positions: US #160 Various Snakes on a Plane: The Album Released: August 15, 2006 Mychael Danna The Nativity Story (Original Motion Picture Score) Released: December 5, 2006 Thomas Newman Little Children: Original Motion Picture Score Released: December 11, 2006 Midnight Movies Lion the Girl Released: April 24, 2007 Various Hairspray: Soundtrack to the Motion Picture Released: July 10, 2007 Chart position: US #2 Robbers on High Street Grand Animals Released: July 24, 2007 Various Sex and the City: The Movie Released: May 26, 2008 Chart position: US #2 RIAA certification: Gold Various Sex and the City, Vol. 2: More Music Released: May 26, 2008 Chart position: US #2 RIAA certification: — Various Friday The 13th: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Released: February 13, 2009 Chart Position: US #2 RIAA certification Various 17 Again: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Released: April 21, 2009 Nicholas Hooper Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Released: July 14, 2009 Mychael Danna The Time Traveler's Wife (Music from the Motion Picture) Released: August 11, 2009
WaterTower Music {|class="wikitable sortable" |- !Artist !Album !class="unsortable"|Details |- | Various | The Hangover: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: June 9, 2009 |- | Hans Zimmer | Sherlock Holmes: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: January 12, 2010 |- | Various | Valentine's Day: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: February 9, 2010 Chart position: US #20 |- | Ramin Djawadi | Clash of the Titans: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: March 30, 2010 |- | David Hirschfelder | Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: September 21, 2010 |- | Various | Pretty Little Liars: Television Soundtrack | Released: February 15, 2011 |- | Various | Sucker Punch: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: March 22, 2011 Chart position: US #22 |- | Various | Mortal Kombat: Songs Inspired by the Warriors | Released: April 5, 2011 |- | Various | The Hangover Part II: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: May 23, 2011 |- | James Newton Howard | Green Lantern: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: June 14, 2011 |- | Various | Horrible Bosses: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: July 5, 2011 |- | Various | A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: September 6, 2011 |- | Various | New Year's Eve: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: December 6, 2011 |- | Hans Zimmer | Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: December 13, 2011 |- | Various | Project X (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | Released: February 28, 2012 |- | Javier Navarrete | Wrath of the Titans: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: March 27, 2012 |- | Various | Dark Shadows: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: May 8, 2012 |- | Various | Rock of Ages: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: June 5, 2012 Chart positions: US #5 |- | Various | Magic Mike: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: June 26, 2012 |- | Hans Zimmer | The Dark Knight Rises: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: July 17, 2012 |- | Tom Tykwer | Cloud Atlas | Released: November 6, 2012 |- | Ryan Shore | Spy Hunter: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: October 9, 2012 |- |thenewno2 | Beautiful Creatures: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: February 12, 2013 |- | Various | The Hangover Part III: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: May 21, 2013 |- | Hans Zimmer | Man of Steel: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: June 11, 2013 |- | Ramin Djawadi | Pacific Rim: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: July 9, 2013 |- | Kevin Kliesch | Justice League: War – Original Motion PIcture Soundtrack | Released: February 4, 2014 |- | Mark Mothersbaugh | The Lego Movie: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: February 4, 2014 Chart positions: US #37 |- | Hans Zimmer and Rupert Gregson-Williams | Winter's Tale – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: February 11, 2014 |- | Junkie XL | 300: Rise of an Empire – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: February 25, 2014 |- | Josh Kramon | Veronica Mars: Original Motion Picture Score | Released: March 14, 2014 |- | Various | Veronica Mars: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: March 14, 2014 |- | Mychael Danna | Transcendence – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: April 15, 2014 |- | The Wizard of Oz Cast | The Wizard of Oz – 75th Anniversary Soundtrack | Released: April 15, 2014 |- | Alexandre Desplat | Godzilla: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: May 13, 2014 |- | Various | Blended: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: May 20, 2014 |- | Frederik Wiedmann | Son of Batman: Music from the DC Universe Animated Movie | Released: May 20, 2014 |- | Sophia Grace & Rosie's Royal Adventure Cast | Sophia Grace & Rosie's Royal Adventure: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: May 20, 2014 |- | Christophe Beck | Edge of Tomorrow: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: June 3, 2014 |- | Ramin Djawadi | Game of Thrones: Season (Music from the HBO Series) | Released: June 10, 2014 |- | Miklós Rózsa | Ben-Hur: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: June 25, 2014 |- | Bernard Herrmann | North by Northwest: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: June 25, 2014 |- | Jerry Goldsmith | Poltergeist: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: June 25, 2014 |- | Various | Zabriskie Point: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: June 27, 2014 |- | Michael Andrews | Tammy: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: July 1, 2014 |- | Various | Batman: The Animated Series – Original Soundtrack from the Warner Bros. Television Series – Volumes 1-6 | Released: July 22, 2014 |- | Robert J. Kral | Batman: Assault on Arkham – Music from the DC Universe Animated Movie | Released: July 30, 2014 |- | Maurice Jarre | Doctor Zhivago: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: August 3, 2014 |- | Various | Show Boat: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Released: August 8, 2014 |- | Various