Former umbrella record company for local WEA branches outside of the U.S.; predecessor of Warner Music International resp. label. It is usually mentioned as an international (outside the US) copyright holder for releases on various Warner Music Group labels. The name is still seen on some recent releases from Warner Music Group (mostly from labels grouped under Atlantic Records Group division), but is going to be deprecated.
The company was founded by Nesuhi Ertegun and Phil Rose on August 25, 1970 under the name label. The legal entity 'WEA International Inc.' was incorporated in 1975.
Sometimes printed as:
. WEA Int. Inc.
· WEA Int'l Inc.
· WEA International Inc
· WEA International, Inc.
Please determine the correct label based on the logos depicted on the release:
For releases with various designs of the WEA logo, use the corresponding brands WEA, WEA Records, WEA Music or WEA International.
Warner Bros. Records and Atlantic are among the other labels commonly administered by WEA International Inc.
In addition to the label and in accordance with what is printed on the release, company branches such as WEA Records Ltd. or label may be added to the company field section.
1970 label operations established in the UK (1972 named WEA Records Ltd.), Canada (1972 label), Australia (later WEA Records Pty. Limited) and Japan (with Pioneer Electronics Corp. as , later and ). Companies established in Germany (1973 ) and France (1972 ). In order to comply with US monopoly laws, Warner Bros. Records changes the name of its non-US operations to Kinney Music. On October 1, US monopoly laws change and the company name becomes WEA Records. The company opens in New Zealand (). Affiliates/companies opened in the Netherlands (), Italy () and South Africa (). The company is incorporated in the US as 'WEA International Inc.' in Delaware on 21 February; branches incorporated in California and New York on 17 March. Company established in Brazil . Company opens in Belgium (). Affiliates established in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Austria. Companies open in Sweden and Greece. Company opens in Mexico. Affiliate established in Ireland. Spain division opens. Company opens in Argentina. Company in Switzerland is established. Affiliate opens in Portugal. Withdrawal from South Africa. US-based company WEA Latina opens. acquires and (both were passed to label group, excluding 's classical music operations, which were transferred to ). Eventually. the company enters into agreements with the French classical music company and a joint venture with the independent UK based . The company acquires in Italy and in Japan (which were also passed to label group). Warner-Pioneer venture in Japan becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of WEA International. Affiliates were created in Denmark, Finland and Korea. French label Carrere Disques () were acquired, without catalog rights, which continued to belong to Carrere family, now being split off into various other companies. changes name to . All affiliate companies followed and changed the name to "Warner Music (Country name)" (e.g. Warner Music France, Warner Music UK etc.).