Warner Records has launched a joint venture with record producer Tony Berg.
The new label, Crime & Punishment Records, has signed singer-songwriter Elle Bramhall as its first artist.
The venture, announced on Thursday (October 22), will focus on developing new artists, according to the company.
Berg has worked as a producer, musician, and A&R executive across a career of more than five decades.
“Crime & Punishment Records is intended to champion young, ambitious artists. Right now, I’m seeing a return to lyric content, harmonic ambition, and musical curiosity.”
Tony Berg
On launching the label, Tony Berg said: “Crime & Punishment Records is intended to champion young, ambitious artists. Right now, I’m seeing a return to lyric content, harmonic ambition, and musical curiosity. It’s as exciting a time as I can remember, and I hope we can be at the forefront of discovering the best new music.
“I’ve been lucky enough in the past 8 years to work with Aaron Bay-Schuck, Tom Corson, and Chris Morris at Warners, much as I did when I produced records in the label’s previous heyday for Mo Ostin, Lenny Waronker, and Michael Ostin. When the new crew expressed interest in a joint venture, I leapt to it. How could I not?
“And I’m thrilled that Elle Bramhall is our debut signing. She is an extraordinary young artist with a point of view that is at once fresh and timeless.”
Commenting on the venture, Warner Records Group Chairman and CEO Aaron Bay-Schuck said:
“Tony Berg is in rarified air as an elite producer. Not only does he have incredible taste, but he also possesses a real gift for bringing out what makes an artist special. What he’s accomplished with Warner Records’ star SOMBR has been pure magic.
“Not so much by putting his fingerprints all over it, but by showing restraint and knowing exactly what pieces needed to be put around SOMBR to help him fully realize his vision.
“Bringing Tony’s JV to Warner Records was an easy decision. He’s already signed an incredibly promising young singer-songwriter, Elle Bramhall, and we’re so excited about what he’s building and what’s to come.”
“Tony Berg is in rarified air as an elite producer. Not only does he have incredible taste, but he also possesses a real gift for bringing out what makes an artist special.”
Aaron Bay-Schuck
Berg co-produced SOMBR‘s 2025 debut album I Barely Know Her, released via Warner Records. The album was written entirely by SOMBR.
SOMBR, born Shane Boose, was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2026 Grammy Awards.
In the past two years, Berg has also produced Phoebe Bridgers‘ Lost Weekend, Sarah McLachlan‘s Better Broken, and Bruce Hornsby‘s Indigo Park.
Lost Weekend, released in 2026, is Bridgers‘ third solo album.
Berg began his career composing with Jack Nitzsche and serving as Bette Midler‘s musical director, before becoming an A&R executive at Geffen and Virgin.
There, he helped sign Beck, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, A Perfect Circle, and At The Drive-In.
As a producer and studio musician, he has worked with Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, Fiona Apple, Aimee Mann, and Andrew Bird.
He co-runs Los Angeles’ Sound City Studios with producer Blake Mills, and has mentored engineers including Shawn Everett.
Crime & Punishment Records is the latest venture launched by Warner Records under Aaron Bay-Schuck, who was named Co-Chairman and CEO of the label in 2017.
The launch follows the label’s July partnership with music executive Sickamore’s three times LOUDER, which named artist Laila! as its first signing.
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