Industry Veteran Makes Move After Two Decades at WMG’s Atlantic Music Group
Michael Kushner has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, Business & Legal Affairs for Warner Music Group (Nasdaq: WMG). The widely admired industry veteran moves to the central management team of WMG following more than two decades as General Counsel of the company’s Atlantic Music Group division. Based in New York, Kushner reports to EVP & General Counsel Paul Robinson and will be involved in the full range of WMG’s business and legal affairs activities.
During Grammy Week earlier this month in Los Angeles, Kushner was honored with the 2024 Entertainment Law Initiative (ELI) Service Award, given each year to an attorney who has demonstrated a commitment to advancing and supporting the music community through service.
In making the announcement, Paul Robinson said: “Michael is one of the sharpest legal minds in the business and has earned respect throughout the industry. By bringing him into the center of WMG in this expanded role, the entire company will benefit from his deep knowledge, invaluable relationships, and nearly four decades of music experience as we navigate a rapidly changing landscape filled with new challenges, new technology, and new ways of dealmaking. Michael will be a tremendous addition to our corporate legal team.”
Atlantic Music Group Chairman & CEO Julie Greenwald noted: “It’s been a pleasure and an honor to count Kush as a trusted partner and close friend for the past 25 years. He’s guided countless deals, modernized our contracts, mentored our amazing BA department, and been there for me, Craig, and our Atlantic team morning, noon, and night. Artists and managers love him, because he not only has a brilliant business brain, but a creative brain that allows him to see their point of view. Atlantic wouldn’t be the company it is today without him, and it’s fantastic to see him graduate to this brand-new role.”
Michael Kushner said: “Being at Atlantic these past 23 years has been the most exciting and rewarding experience of my professional life, and I want to thank Julie and Craig for their extraordinary, endless support. The roster and catalog across WMG is unparalleled, and I’m looking forward to working with all the incredible executives and creative talent that are driving this company into a dynamic future. I want to thank Paul for this wonderful new opportunity.”
Michael Kushner began his music career at PolyGram Records in 1987. In 1994, he joined sister company Philips Media as SVP, Multimedia Music. Two years later, he moved to Crave Records, Mariah Carey’s joint venture with Sony Music, followed by a stint as SVP, Business Development at Sony Wonder. In 1999, he became head of Business & Legal Affairs at Island Def Jam. He joined Atlantic Records in 2001 as EVP, Business & Legal Affairs and General Counsel – holding that post until his new WMG appointment.
In 2019, Kushner was honored by the T.J. Martell Foundation with its Lifetime Music Industry Award, and he currently serves as a board member. Since 1989, he has served as a founding board member of Bang on a Can, the New York City-based organization dedicated to commissioning, performing, and teaching adventurous new music, and he is currently the board president.
Kushner holds a BA degree from Franklin & Marshall College and a JD from Columbia University.
