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Segment Information
 9 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2026
Segment Reporting [Abstract]  
Segment Information Segment Information
Based on the nature of its products and services, the Company classifies its business interests into two fundamental operations: Recorded Music and Music Publishing, which also represent the reportable segments of the Company. Information as to each of these operations and further description of these segments is set forth below and can be found in Note 1. The Company’s Chief Operating Decision Maker, which is our Chief Executive Officer, allocates resources and evaluates performance based on several factors, including operating income (loss) and other financial measures.
The accounting policies of the Company’s business segments are the same as those described in Note 2, “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies,” to the consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2025. The Company accounts for intersegment sales at fair value as if the sales were to third parties. While intercompany transactions are treated like third-party transactions to determine segment performance, the revenues (and corresponding expenses recognized by the segment that is counterparty to the transaction) are eliminated in consolidation, and therefore, do not themselves impact consolidated results.
Recorded
Music		Music
Publishing		Corporate
expenses and
eliminations		Total
Three Months Ended(in millions)
June 30, 2026
Revenues$1,488 $377 $(1)$1,864 
Cost of revenue777 235 (2)1,010 
Selling and marketing expense159 2 3 164 
Distribution expense36 — — 36 
General and administrative expense141 34 89 264 
Restructuring & Impairment6 — 1 7 
Amortization expense43 35 — 78 
Net loss on divestitures
— — — — 
Operating income (loss)$326 $71 $(92)$305 
Loss on extinguishment of debt— 
Interest expense, net
49 
Other expense, net
(11)
Income before income taxes
267 
Depreciation expense (a)10 2 21 33 
June 30, 2025
Revenues$1,354 $336 $(1)$1,689 
Cost of revenue706 208 (1)913 
Selling and marketing expense161 1 5 167 
Distribution expense22 — — 22 
General and administrative expense162 33 87 282 
Restructuring & Impairment69 — — 69 
Amortization expense33 34 — 67 
Operating income (loss)$201 $60 $(92)$169 
Interest expense, net43 
Other expense, net137 
Income before income taxes(11)
Depreciation expense (a)14 1 14 29 
Recorded
Music		Music
Publishing		Corporate
expenses and
eliminations		Total
Nine Months Ended(in millions)
June 30, 2026
Revenues$4,348 $1,092 $(4)$5,436 
Cost of revenue2,244 687 (4)2,927 
Selling and marketing expense468 4 14 486 
Distribution expense97 — — 97 
General and administrative expense448 100 251 799 
Restructuring & Impairment34 — 13 47 
Amortization expense114 104 — 218 
Net loss on divestitures
— — 5 5 
Operating income (loss)$943 $197 $(283)$857 
Loss on extinguishment of debt7 
Interest expense, net
135 
Other expense, net
(52)
Income before income taxes
767 
Depreciation expense (a)32 3 60 95 
June 30, 2025
Revenues$3,874 $969 $(4)$4,839 
Cost of revenue1,991 612 (5)2,598 
Selling and marketing expense461 3 18 482 
Distribution expense71 — — 71 
General and administrative expense503 98 241 842 
Restructuring & Impairment110 — (1)109 
Amortization expense96 89 1 186 
Operating income (loss)$642 $167 $(258)$551 
Interest expense, net
119 
Other expense, net
48 
Income before income taxes
384 
Depreciation expense (a)42 4 40 86 
(a) Depreciation expense is a component of general and administrative expense.