{{Short description|Australian record label}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox record label <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Music --> | name = Liberator Music | image = | parent = Mushroom Group | founded = {{start date|2006}} | defunct = {{end date|2024}} | founder = Nick Dunshea<br/>Michael Gudinski | distributor = Universal Music Australia | genre = Various | country = Australia | location = Melbourne, Australia | website = {{URL|liberatormusic.com.au}} }} '''Liberator Music''' was a record label owned by the Mushroom Group. It was founded in 2006 by Nick Dunshea and Michael Gudinski in Melbourne.<ref name=Liberatorfounded>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/1356902/gudinski-sets-up-liberator-to-tap-global-acts|title=Gudinski Sets Up Liberator To Tap Global Acts|last=Eliezer|first=Christie |date=8 March 2006|magazine=Billboard |accessdate=20 August 2019}}</ref> The label was the international recording division of the company<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mushroomgroup.com/company/liberator/|title=Liberator|work=Mushroom Group|accessdate=23 August 2019}}</ref> and is home to artists such as Childish Gambino, CHVRCHES, alt-J, Andy Grammer, FIDLAR, Steve Aoki, Garbage, AJR, We The Kings, Wolf Alice, Kylie Minogue, Gengahr, Faith No More, Day Wave, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Fontaines D.C., and IDLES.
Liberator Music was merged into Mushroom Music in 2024.
==History== Liberator Music was founded in March 2006 by ex-Shock Records employee, Nick Dunshea, and Mushroom Group founder & chairman, Michael Gudinski as the international recording division of the Mushroom Group.<ref name=Liberatorfounded />
Liberator Music went on to set up joint ventures and distribution deals with international labels such as [[PIAS Group|[PIAS]]], Glassnote Records,<ref name=ListOfARIALicensors>{{cite web|url=http://www.aria.com.au/pages/documents/ListofARIALicensors1.03.10.pdf|title=Licensing Copyright Owners|work=ARIA|accessdate=24 August 2019}}</ref> Infectious Music,<ref name=ListOfARIALicensors /> S-Curve,<ref name=ListOfARIALicensors /> Norman Cook's Southern Fried Records,<ref name=ListOfARIALicensors /> Partisan Records,<ref>[https://themusicnetwork.com/liberator-music-partisan-records/ "Liberator Music announces partnership with Partisan Records"], The Music Network (24 June 2020). Retrieved 30 July 2020.</ref> as well as direct artist signings (for Australia & New Zealand) such as CHVRCHES,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/musicnews/chvrches-love-is-dead-feature/9821218|title=Love Is Dead: Chvrches are a cathartic pop beacon in confusing times|last=Newstead|first=Al|date=1 June 2018|work=triple j|accessdate=24 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/230865988?selectedversion=NBD62775845|title=2018, English, Sound, Recorded music edition: Love is dead / Chvrches.|date=2018|work=National Library Of Australia|accessdate=24 August 2019}}</ref> Garbage,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/music/a361596/garbage-to-self-release-comeback-album-on-new-label/|title=Garbage to self-release comeback album on new label|date=23 January 2012|work=Digital Spy|accessdate=24 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://themusic.com.au/article/itOdnJ-egYA/garbage-announce-release-of-sixth-studio-album/|title=Garbage Unveil Track List, Artwork & Release Details For Sixth Studio Album|date=11 March 2016|work=The Music|accessdate=24 August 2019}}</ref> Dizzee Rascal,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.oztix.com.au/news/archive/2014/02/15/dizzee-rascal-tickets--info/|title=Frontier Touring, The Bump, Take 40, Channel [V], Scene, Music Feeds & Spotify Present DIZZEE RASCAL Headlining Tour & Album Announcement!|date=2013|work=Oztix|accessdate=24 August 2019}}</ref> Kaiser Chiefs<ref>{{cite news|url=https://musicfeeds.com.au/news/kaiser-chiefs-releasing-greatest-hits-compilation/|title=Kaiser Chiefs Releasing Greatest Hits Compilation|last=Langlands|first=Alex|date=27 March 2012|work=Music Feeds|accessdate=24 August 2019}}</ref> and Childish Gambino<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/childish-gambino-this-is-america-no-1-australia-singles-chart/|title=Childish Gambino Earns First No. 1 on Australia's Singles Chart With 'This Is America'|last=Brandle|first=Lars|date=22 May 2018|magazine=Billboard|access-date=24 August 2019}}</ref>
As part of a restructure of the Mushroom Group in July 2024, Liberator Music and other labels were consolidated into a new division called Mushroom Music.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brandle |first=Lars |date=2024-07-25 |title=Chris Maund, Linda Bosidis Talk Mushroom Music (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://themusicnetwork.com/mushroom-music-chris-maund-linda-bosidis-talk-exclusive/ |access-date=2024-07-29 |website=The Music Network}}</ref>
===[PIAS] joint venture=== In 2007, the company entered into a 50/50 joint venture deal with European record company, [[PIAS Group|[PIAS]]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/1325207/pias-heads-down-under|title=PIAS Sets Up Down Under|last=Eliezer|first=Christie |date=21 April 2007|magazine=Billboard |accessdate=23 August 2019}}</ref> In early 2013, [PIAS] acquired Cooperative Music (and the Coop-owned V2 Records label) from Universal Music Group, forming the new business division [PIAS] Cooperative<ref>[http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/pias-buyout-of-co-op-cleared-by-ec-regulators/054100 "PIAS buyout of Co-Op cleared by EC regulators"], Music Week (25 March 2013). Retrieved 23 August 2019.</ref> thus giving Liberator Music the exclusive rights to the catalogue in Australia & New Zealand. After almost 10 years, [PIAS] and Liberator Music's partnership came to an end on 23 January 2017 when [PIAS] acquired Australian record label, Inertia Music.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/pias-acquires-inertia-music-in-australia/|title=[PIAS] ACQUIRES INERTIA MUSIC IN AUSTRALIA|last=Ingham|first=Tim |date=23 January 2017|magazine=Billboard |accessdate=23 August 2019}}</ref>
===The return of Garbage to Mushroom=== {{Main|Garbage (band)}} Garbage had originally signed to Gudinski's Mushroom Records for the release of their debut single, "Vow" in 1995, and subsequent albums.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wQkEAAAAMBAJ&q=garbage+%22mushroom+uk%22&pg=PA60|title=With Murdoch's Stake, A Changing Mushroom Grows|last=White|first=Adam|date=14 September 1996|magazine=Billboard |accessdate=24 August 2019}}</ref> In 2003, Mushroom Records was sold to Warner Music and absorbed by the label East West, which was headed up by former Mushroom Records executive, Korda Marshall.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.musicweek.com/news/read/marshall-builds-for-future-as-east-west-absorbs-mushroom/024622|title=Marshall builds for future as East West absorbs Mushroom|date=19 May 2003|work=Music Week|accessdate=24 August 2019}}</ref> With the sale, Warner Music also gained the rights to Garbage's catalogue.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.garbagediscobox.com/2003/06/warner-acquires-mushroom-records-uk/|title=Warner acquires Mushroom Records UK|date=15 June 2003|work=Garbage Disco|accessdate=24 August 2019}}</ref> On 18 November 2011, after an "indefinite hiatus",<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.garbage.com/news/news.php?uid=320 |title=Dear worried and confused |publisher=Garbage.com |accessdate= 24 February 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080210010426/http://www.garbage.com/news/news.php?uid=320 |archivedate= 10 February 2008 }}</ref> the band tweeted that they had "Just signed in Australia with Liberator Music. Our career started in Oz. Twenty years on we are still loving Michael Gudinski."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.garbagediscobox.com/2011/11/garbage-sign-record-deal-down-under/|title=Garbage sign record deal down under|date=18 November 2011|work=Garbage Disco|accessdate=3 June 2024}}</ref> With this deal, Liberator Music took control of the band's catalogue, as well as future recordings. The first album of new material released via Liberator Music was ''Not Your Kind Of People''.
===Childish Gambino=== {{Main|Childish Gambino}} On 15 November 2011, Liberator Music released Childish Gambino's debut album ''Camp''.<ref name="albumrelease">{{cite web|url=https://allaussiehiphop.com/2014/05/11/niche-live-nation-present-childish-gambinos-only-australian-headline-show/|title=Niche & Live Nation present Childish Gambino's only Australian headline show |work=All Aussie Hip Hop|date=11 May 2014|accessdate=5 June 2024}}</ref> This was the start of a long-standing and successful collaboration between Liberator Music and Childish Gambino. Childish Gambino released his second album, ''because the internet'' on 10 December 2013, once again via Liberator Music in Australia/New Zealand.<ref name="albumrelease" /> On 2 October, he released a mixtape titled ''STN MTN'' and the following day an EP titled ''Kauai''.<ref name="Awaken" /> 2 December 2016 saw the release of ''"Awaken, My Love!"''.<ref>{{cite web|author= Strauss, Matthew|url=http://pitchfork.com/news/69717-donald-glover-details-new-childish-gambino-album-awaken-my-love/|title=Donald Glover Details New Childish Gambino Album "Awaken, My Love!"|work=Pitchfork|date=10 November 2016|accessdate=22 December 2016}}</ref><ref name="Awaken">{{cite web|url=https://www.scenezine.com.au/childish-gambino-reveals-redbone-2nd-song-from-awaken-my-love/|title=CHILDISH GAMBINO Reveals 'Redbone' 2nd Song From "Awaken, My Love!"|work=Scenezine|date=21 November 2016|accessdate=5 June 2024}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Record labels based in Melbourne Category:Australian companies established in 2006 Category:Record labels established in 2006 Category:Australian companies disestablished in 2024 Category:Record labels disestablished in 2024