New Line Records
An American record label founded for New Line Cinema that was renamed WaterTower Music in 2010.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
New Line Records was an American record label established in 2000 by Jason Linn as the music imprint of New Line Cinema. It combined two related activities: signing and releasing recordings by rock, pop, indie, electronic, R&B, country, and metal artists, and issuing soundtrack albums connected with films distributed or produced by New Line Cinema. The label therefore occupied a position between a conventional artist label and an in-house film-studio soundtrack operation. Its roster included artists and groups such as The Sounds, Paris, Texas, Midnight Movies, Robbers on High Street, The Angel, Allison Moorer, Echo, IMx, and The Blank Theory. The label also released music associated with New Line productions, including The Angel's work for Boiler Room and a soundtrack album for the 2000 film. Other notable film-related releases included John Waters's A John Waters Christmas and the soundtrack to Waters's A Dirty Shame, both issued in 2004. These releases reflected New Line's practice of using music to extend the identity and commercial life of its film properties while also developing a separate artist catalog. New Line Records remained distinct from Warner Music Group even after New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. operated within the same broader Time Warner structure. When Time Warner sold Warner Music Group to private investors in the early 2000s, New Line Records and its catalog were not included because the label belonged to New Line Cinema rather than to Warner Music Group. This distinction also affected the handling of soundtrack rights associated with Warner film libraries. New Line Cinema's corporate position changed in 2008, when it ceased operating as an independent Time Warner division and became a label within Warner Bros. Pictures. Its film, television, and music activities were subsequently integrated into the wider Warner Bros. Entertainment organization. On January 15, 2010, New Line Records was renamed WaterTower Music. Jason Linn continued in the reorganized music operation and began reporting to Paul Broucek, then president of music at Warner Bros. Pictures. The 2010 rebranding marked a strategic change as well as a change of name. WaterTower Music moved away from the earlier emphasis on signing and releasing standalone rock and pop acts and focused primarily on soundtracks for Warner Bros. films and television programs. The successor label also administered certain soundtrack rights connected with MGM's pre-May 1986 film library, which Time Warner had acquired in 1996, although non-film MGM Records albums remained controlled by Universal Music Group. Distribution moved from Warner Music Group's Alternative Distribution Alliance to Fontana in March 2010 and returned to ADA in 2019. New Line Records consequently survives as a historical label identity and catalog lineage rather than as an active standalone brand.
History
New Line Records was created in 2000 by Jason Linn as the in-house record label of New Line Cinema. Its initial model was broader than a conventional soundtrack division. The label signed and released recordings by a range of artists, including Swedish indie band The Sounds and American acts such as Paris, Texas, Midnight Movies, Robbers on High Street, The Angel, Allison Moorer, Echo, IMx, and The Blank Theory. At the same time, New Line Records issued albums associated with films from its parent studio, allowing songs and scores connected with New Line productions to reach the market through a label carrying the studio's name. The label's film connection was particularly visible in releases tied to New Line projects. The Angel contributed to the soundtrack of the 2000 film Boiler Room, and New Line Records also released the artist's 2001 album No Gravity. In 2004, director John Waters was associated with the holiday release A John Waters Christmas, while the soundtrack to his New Line film A Dirty Shame was issued by the label during the same year. These projects demonstrated how the imprint could support both artist-led releases and marketing around New Line's film catalog. New Line Records was not part of Warner Music Group when Time Warner divested Warner Music Group in the early 2000s. Although both businesses operated within the wider Time Warner environment, the label was owned by New Line Cinema itself. This corporate separation meant that New Line Records and its catalog stayed with the film studio. Time Warner also retained certain pre-2004 Warner Bros. film soundtrack interests rather than transferring them with Warner Music Group. In 2008, New Line Cinema stopped functioning as an independent Time Warner division and became a label of Warner Bros. Pictures. The company's film, television, and music functions were folded into the broader Warner Bros. Entertainment structure. On January 15, 2010, New Line Records changed its name to WaterTower Music. Linn continued with the reorganized operation and reported to Paul Broucek, Warner Bros. Pictures' president of music. The transition replaced the original hybrid artist-and-soundtrack strategy with a more focused soundtrack mandate. WaterTower Music concentrated on albums for Warner Bros. films and television programs rather than continuing New Line Records' earlier emphasis on signing rock and pop artists. The successor also held rights to soundtrack albums connected with MGM's pre-May 1986 film library, acquired by Time Warner in 1996; ownership of MGM's non-film recordings remained with Universal Music Group. Distribution changed from Warner Music Group's Alternative Distribution Alliance to Fontana in March 2010, shortly after the rebranding. In 2019, distribution returned to ADA. The New Line Records identity is therefore defunct as an active label name, but its catalog and historical role continue through WaterTower Music and the Warner Bros. entertainment organization.
- 2019
Distribution returns to ADA
[1]WaterTower Music moves distribution back to ADA.
- 2010
New Line Records becomes WaterTower Music
[1]The label is renamed and adopts a soundtrack-focused strategy within Warner Bros.
- 2010
Distribution moves to Fontana
[1]The newly renamed operation changes distribution from ADA to Fontana.
- 2008
New Line Cinema is integrated into Warner Bros.
[1]New Line ceases to operate as an independent Time Warner division and becomes a Warner Bros. Pictures label.
- 2004
John Waters projects are released
[1]The label releases A John Waters Christmas and the soundtrack associated with A Dirty Shame.
- 2001
The Angel releases No Gravity
[1]New Line Records releases The Angel's album No Gravity.
- 2000
New Line Records is founded
[1]Jason Linn establishes New Line Records as the music label associated with New Line Cinema.
- 2000
Boiler Room soundtrack is released
[1]The label issues music connected with New Line's film Boiler Room, including work by The Angel.
Products and positioning
A studio-linked label combining artist development with soundtrack releases for New Line Cinema properties; after its 2010 renaming, the operation became a dedicated Warner film and television soundtrack label under the WaterTower Music name.
Music recordings · 2000
Artist recordings
New Line Records released albums and other recordings by a mixed roster of rock, pop, indie, electronic, R&B, country, and metal artists. Artists associated with the label included The Sounds, Paris, Texas, Midnight Movies, Robbers on High Street, The Angel, Allison Moorer, Echo, IMx, and The Blank Theory. This artist-development activity was later reduced when the operation became WaterTower Music.
Soundtrack albums · 2000
Film soundtracks
Soundtrack albums were a core part of the label's business and connected the New Line Records identity directly to New Line Cinema's film slate. Releases included music associated with Boiler Room and A Dirty Shame. After the 2010 renaming, soundtrack publishing and release activity became the successor label's principal focus.
Holiday album · 2004
A John Waters Christmas
A 2004 Christmas project associated with filmmaker John Waters and released by New Line Records. It represented the label's willingness to develop special projects linked to creative personalities and New Line's film relationships.
Artist album · 2001
No Gravity
The Angel's 2001 album released through New Line Records. The release complemented the artist's contribution to the Boiler Room soundtrack and illustrates the label's practice of connecting individual artist albums with film-related music activity.
Brand decisions
2010
Rebrand as WaterTower Music and narrow the label's remitStrategyBackground
New Line Cinema had been integrated into Warner Bros. Pictures, making the original New Line Records identity less aligned with the studio's wider corporate structure.
Action taken
On January 15, 2010, the label was renamed WaterTower Music and shifted away from signing rock and pop artists toward releasing soundtracks for Warner Bros. films and television programs.
Aftermath
New Line Records ceased to operate as the active label name, while its soundtrack and catalog functions continued through WaterTower Music.
2010
Change distribution from ADA to FontanaOtherBackground
The label was reorganized at the same time as its New Line Records-to-WaterTower Music rebranding.
Action taken
Distribution moved from Warner Music Group's Alternative Distribution Alliance to Fontana in March 2010.
Aftermath
The successor label later returned to ADA distribution in 2019.
Sources1 sources
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