Mushroom Group Consolidates Rights Into ‘Powerhouse’ New Division Mushroom Music

After celebrating its 50th year with a bang, Mushroom Group unleashes more fireworks with the formation of a “powerhouse operation” that gathers the music company’s recording, publishing and neighbouring rights activities.

Mushroom Music will house an impressive roster of artists and writers from across those businesses, including Vance Joy, Kylie Minogue, The Teskey Brothers, Jimmy Barnes, Childish Gambino, Kehlani, Julia Jacklin and many others.

“It’s the most significant change to how Mushroom supports Australian artists since the sale of Mushroom Records in 1998,” Mushroom Group CEO Matt Gudinski tells The Music Network.

Matt Gudinski

As part of the changes, announced today, July 25, the reimagined recording division consolidates the group’s record labels, including Liberation Records, Ivy League Records, Bloodlines, Liberator Music, Soothsayer and 100s + 1000s, all under the Mushroom Music brand.

I OH YOU and Valve Sounds will remain standalone label partners of Mushroom Music.

Leading Mushroom Music are the newly-appointed co-CEOs Chris Maund (formerly COO Mushroom Labels & Publishing) and Linda Bosidis (formerly managing director Mushroom Music Publishing), both reporting to Gudinski.

Susan Cotchin continues to lead the growing neighbouring rights division as managing director, Good Neighbour, which struck a joint venture with Mushroom Group in 2019.

Susan Cotchin

Bosidis will remain focused on the publishing division, Maund on recordings, neighbouring rights and “new opportunities,” reads a statement.

“It’s very exciting and it’s a big part of the next era of Mushroom,” says Gudinski. “We’re committed to investing in Australian talent for the long-term and a big part of that is ensuring we have more Australian artists having global success in the future.”

The new structure, years in the making, he says, will create a “united, stronger business that can stand up globally.”

Mushroom Music brings “our strengths together,” adds Gudinski, by “aligning everyone’s priorities and also creating greater pathways for people and a greater set-up to attract the best people to be part of Mushroom’s infrastructure.”

Chris Maund and Linda Bosidis

Mushroom Music’s restructured executive team includes Damian Slevison (managing director, A&R and commercial), Dan Baker (managing director, strategy & audience), Julia Hill (director, media & artist relations), Dean McLachlan (senior director, iconic artists and catalogue), Korda Marshall (managing director, world ex-ANZ), Erol Yurdagul (senior director, A&R and creative), Layne Buckley (manager, A&R), Johann Ponniah (founder, I OH YOU Group), Nick Dunshea (senior director, international & operations) and Madeleine O’Gorman (general manager, UK/Europe).

Each division of Mushroom Music maintains necessary autonomy, though the integrated approach enables the divisions to share personnel and resources, for a result that’s greater than the sum of the parts, its leaders say.

“The new setup aims to streamline our operations and broaden idea-sharing within the company,” Bosidis tells The Music Network. Working closely with Maund, “we will collaborate closely on vision, strategy, and company culture for Mushroom Music. We have differing yet complementary leadership skills – I have an A&R and creative background. Chris’ background in legal, business, and label management will help us drive the company forward.”

With neighbouring rights, adds Maund, “there is a lot of crossover with our recording division, so we share analytics, royalties and other back-end staff and resources.”

Mushroom Group’s year-long 50th anniversary party culminated last November with Mushroom 50 Live, an all-star tribute to the musicians and songs that helped build the independent juggernaut, established by the late Michael Gudinski. 

Along the way, Mushroom celebrated its milestone in 2023 with the release of reimagined singles, featuring stars covering Mushroom classics; retro merch; and the theatrical release of Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story, a ratings hit when it aired earlier this year on the free-to-air Seven Network.