Following nearly two years of work-from-home, Warner Music Nashville (WMN) and Warner Chappell Music Nashville (WCM) are officially welcoming employees, artists, and songwriters back to newly renovated buildings. The project transformed the longtime 20 and 21 Music Square East headquarters into state-of-the-art facilities, modernizing each space while preserving both companies’ legacies.
Together the two buildings span 52,000 square feet of office space on historic Music Row. The Tennessean covered the project launch, which broke ground in March 2021, highlighting that WMN is the only major label to remain on Music Row.
Redevelopment efforts at Warner Music Nashville, housed at 20 Music Square East, included transforming the lobby into a large-scale performance area equipped with a specialized lighting grid and advanced PA system. Still to come is a mural depicting a multicultural chronology of the history of country music through Warner Music Nashville’s own label icons, which will greet artists as they prepare to perform on the new stage. Other additions include a fully outfitted, multi-purpose audio and video production studio designed by Michael Cronin. The studio, which will allow for Dolby Atmos mixing and playback, features a tracking room for recording and content capture, multiple isolation booths, and more. The project also modernized three floors of traditional offices by introducing a more open, flexible space.
As visible advocates for environmentalism within the music industry, the Warner Music Nashville team ensured that the renovation would utilize sustainable materials. All the new carpet is Cradle to Cradle certified (read more HERE) and all countertops GreenGuard certified (read more HERE). The design team upgraded all light fixtures to LED and added occupancy sensors to conserve energy. In addition, they used low-VOC paint (volatile organic compounds) in order to improve indoor air quality. The building also features five-stream composting and recycling stations, as WMN closes in on its goal of 90% waste diversion.
“Warner Music Nashville artists and employees deserved a label home that could both honor its history and adapt to the modern needs of a creative industry,” John Esposito, Chairman & CEO, Warner Music Nashville said. “I am proud that we were able to bring our vision to life in a way that aligned with our environmental values. We now remain part of the legacy that is Music Row in a more sustainable, future-facing building. The remodeled office space provides our amazing team with updated resources and a crucial degree of flexibility.”
He adds: “Meanwhile, we are also able to provide a world-class tool set to an emerging generation of creators. The design of the new spaces will allow us to tell each artist’s individual story from start to finish – whether it’s live-streaming a full-band concert, capturing high-end video content or recording music from demo to master.”
Located across the street at 21 Music Square East, Warner Chappell Music underwent an entire gut-renovation. The two-story building includes ten technologically advanced writer’s rooms again designed by Michael Cronin with top-end gear and robust acoustics. It also features an indoor stage with a fully stocked bar and an open kitchen, all connected to an outdoor space through a massive garage style door that leads to an additional stage and basketball hoop. For added entertainment, there’s a Led Zeppelin pinball machine and WCM-branded pool table thoughtfully layered into the design. A collaborative effort, the team solicited input from songwriters – everything from what a writer would want in a writer room to putting their favorite books on the shelves.
Ben Vaughn, President & CEO, WCM Nashville said: “Today is extremely special, as we now have an office dedicated entirely to team Warner Chappell and the songwriters who drive music forward in Nashville. A process years in the making, we dreamed this space up in collaboration with our writers and with creativity in mind, to design an environment where everyone who walks through our doors feels inspired and at home. We’re proud of the space and are excited to continue to deepen our roots on Music Row – the true heart and soul of Music City.”
JLL Nashville, along with Turner Construction and Hastings Architecture Associates, supported on the project.
