Warner Music buys record label behind Les Miserables and Mary Poppins
Warner Music Group has acquired First Night Records, an independent label specialising in recordings of West End and Broadway hits including Les Miserables and Mary Poppins.
Warner, whose roster of artists includes Ed Sheeran and Cardi B, has snapped up the London-based firm for an undisclosed sum as it looks to build its presence in musical theatre and family entertainment.
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The firm will be overseen by Kevin Gore, president of Warner’s Arts Music Division. First Night co-founder John Craig will join the Arts Music team under a multi-year consulting deal to identify and record new productions in the UK.
“I am pleased that the catalogue is going to Warner Music Group, who in the last few years have shown they want to be in the cast recording business,” said Craig.
“It will be nice to see some of our iconic recordings given a new lease of life through Warner’s aggressive marketing.”
First Night was founded in 1984 and made it first successful call the following year when it took a gamble on Les Miserables, which opened at the Barbican Theatre to largely negative reviews.
Since then, the firm has recorded more than 150 productions, including every show by Sir Cameron Mackintosh, the producer behind hits such as Miss Saigon, Mary Poppins and Oliver!
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The deal is the latest in a series of acquisitions and partnerships by Warner, as the US music giant looks to tap into dedicated core audiences for family-friendly productions.
Musical theatre has also been given a boost by streaming services, which have given casual listeners easier access to niche genres.
Main image credit: Getty