from »p28 Warner Bros.' first significant music signing to come together inside of rock music, and that was the thing that from »p28 was the Everly Brothers in 1960. How did that set the tone a generation of young people used to define themselves. All of that 47 "Ironic," ALANIS MORISSETTE for the label going forward? was captured by these amazing rock musicians who were also poets (Maverick)1996 If you look at that period, the songwriting talent, the singing tal- at the same time. To go from Neil Young to Fleetwood Mac to Jimi 48 "Heart of Gold,"

ent, it was something that stood out. It was different: It was a little Hendrix to James Taylor to Joni Mitchell . . . NEIL YOUNG (Reprise)1972 bit country, it was a little bit pop, a little bit rock, it was all that stuff. 49 "This Used to Be My Playground," What I knew of Warner Bros. was they were always looking for In "Revolutions in Sound," Mo Ostin says that his guiding MADONNA (Sire)1992 something different. They thought songwriting was a key element principal was, "Always music first." Can you think that way 50 "Baby, Come to Me," to being an artist, that you had to have a great voice and you had to in this economy? PATTI AUSTIN WITH JAMES INGRAM (Owest)1983 stand for something, and the Everly Brothers fit all that criteria. Yes, but you have to have the leadership that allows that to happen. 51 "Let's Go Crazy," Warner Bros. was always a mixture of things. So you go from You have to have the strength of personality and an independent PRINCE & THE REVOLUTION Everly Brothers to Bob Newhart to Tiny Tim at some point. It just mind -set to hold on to that principle. (Warner Bros.)1984 came in all different ways. As long as it had an impact on popular 52 "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing," culture, it fit Warner Bros. Although Warner Bros. had a number of British acts on its LEO SAYER (Warner Bros.)1977 roster, it seemed uniquely American in its first 20 years. 53 "Sweet Child O' Mine," GUNS N' ROSES (Geffen)1988 Mo Ostin's signing of Jimi Hendrix to Reprise in 1967 was Yes. It was absolutely a cultural thing. Ifyou talked to Lenny Waronker, 54 "Kiss," PRINCE & THE REVOLUTION (Paisley Park)1986 part of a transition into the rock era for Reprise and Warner there was something about the strain of music culture going all the 55 "Cream," PRINCE & THE NEW POWER GENERATION Bros. How important was that period? way from the '60s backward going into the blues and country and (Paisley Park)1991 It seems to me that was when Warner Bros. really came into its singer /songwriters that that was where they always drew from. It 56 "Name," GOO GOO DOLLS (Metal Blade)1996 own. That's the renaissance period. It was a time for free expres- didn't matter whether you were a rock band or a pop singer or a pop 57 "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'," sion and free art and freedom of speech, and all those things seem writer. Somehow or another, they could feel that sense of writing NANCY SINATRA (Reprise)1966 and musicianship coming from the soul of where Ameri- 58 "Romantic," KARYN WHITE (Warner Bros.)1991

can music came from [and] they would sign it. The Blasters. 59 "When I Need You," LEO SAYER (Warner Bros.)1977 T Bone Burnett. They always had it. Bonnie Raitt. The Del 60 "Change the World," ERIC CLAPTON (Reprise)1996 Fuegos. It defined American rock culture. 61 "Papa Don't Preach," MADONNA (Sire)1986 62 "This Kiss," FAITH HILL (Warner Bros.)1998 During the '70s and '80s, Warner Bros. also included 63 "Live to Tell," MADONNA (Sire)1986 imprints and affiliates that defined certain cultures, 64 "Sailing," CHRISTOPHER CROSS (Warner Bros.)1980 genres and tastes, like Capricorn, Slash and others. 65 "Lean on Me," CLUB NOUVEAU (Warner Bros.) 1987

Most exist in name only now, if even that. Why? 66 "Here I Go Again," WHITESNAKE (Geffen)1987 It's a difficult thing for the labels to maintain their vision 67 "The Way You Love Me," for a long period of time. Sometimes it's money that gets FAITH HILL (Warner Bros.) 2000 in the way of that, sometimes it's a certain taste that actu- 68 "What a Fool Believes," ally runs out. Some of the independent labels were about THE DOOBIE BROTHERS (Warner Bros.)1979 a particular sound, they came out of a place, they were a 69 "Pop Muzik," M (Sire)1979 punk thing or a dance thing or a Seattle thing, and to keep 70 "I Don't Want to Wait," evolving, you have to be in all different kinds of music. PAULA COLE (Imago)1998 TOM WHALLEY (left) at an event with Ticketmaster/Front Line 71 Your Love Management CEO IRVING AZOFF (center) and Warner Music "Let Flow," Group chairman /CEO EDGAR BRONFMAN JR. Speaking of that, the No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 song in BELLAMY BROTHERS (Warner/Curb)1976 the history of Warner Bros. is continued on »p32 continued on »p32

IT IS A FACT: twenty ;ears ago, R.E.Li. was deciding which label to sign with. Peter boiled it down pretty The night before he had pulled out his record collection and realized that most of his favorite and significant artists had one thing in common: The ÿ were on Warner Bros. records. Our decision was made. Essentially.

Our appreciation and congratulations to everyone at Warners, then and now. We are grateful to have played a part in some of your history. - R.E.1ü. Athens, Georgia

30 BILLBOARD NOVEMBER 29, 2008

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