Aaron Bay-Schuck Says Mo Ostin’s Advice Shaped Warner Records at Grammy Hall of Fame Gala

Warner Records was honored at the 2026 Grammy Hall of Fame Gala on Friday, May 8, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, and Aaron Bay-Schuck used the moment to revisit a conversation that helped define his approach to the job.

Bay-Schuck, co-chairman and CEO of Warner Records Group, accepted the label tribute by recalling a lunch he had with longtime Warner executive Mo Ostin shortly before taking the role. Ostin, he said, did not offer a shortcut. He offered a philosophy.

“I asked him how he so successfully kept Warner as the most exciting label in the world decade after decade, hoping he’d give me a cheat code, but instead he said, ‘There is no secret. Create the environment where your artists feel supported and protected, give them the space to experiment, to succeed and to fail, and create a culture at the company where people feel inspired, collaborative and proud to represent.’ So, to receive this honor tonight feels like confirmation that we have indeed done that, and I can’t tell you how proud and gratifying that is for me and our Warner family.”

The evening marked the third year in a row that the Grammy Hall of Fame event has included a label tribute. Atlantic Records and Republic Records were honored at the two previous galas. For Warner’s salute, artists Teddy Swims and Josh Groban each performed two songs.

Bay-Schuck opened his remarks by thanking Tom Corson, his partner and co-chairman and COO of Warner Records Group.

“Tom my brother. It’s been the greatest gift being on this journey with you as my partner,” he said.

He then turned to the label’s history, describing the challenge of leading Warner Records after taking over in 2018. He said the goal was to update the company for the future without losing sight of the artists who made it matter in the first place.

“When we took over the leadership of Warner Records in 2018 we knew we needed to reposition the company for the future, but we wanted first to approach that by acknowledging the past. After all, this is the home to Prince, Madonna, Jimi Hendrix, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Neil Young and so many more,” he said.

“These superstars were fearless, unapologetically themselves. They took risks. They dared to be different, and they stood for something. Whatever shape this new era of Warner Records was going to take, we knew one thing had to remain true. In a time where data and algorithms were sending people in the direction of quick wins and fleeting moments, we were going to demonstrate that talent, quality and vision still mattered the most, that the patience to wait for greatness, rather than settling for good, was the right strategy, and that artist development should still be a top priority, and a value that we as a major label must provide.”

Corson also spoke before Bay-Schuck and emphasized the label’s legacy as a collective one.

“This award belongs the entire Warner family, everyone at Warner Records Nashville, Warner UK, and across the Warner Music Group worldwide, as well as generations of executives, creatives and artists who built this label long, long before us,” he said. “We’re standing on the shoulders of giants tonight. We truly appreciate it. Most importantly, thank you to our artists. Everything begins and ends with them, and we’re especially proud to have two extraordinary representatives of our label here tonight.”

Corson, who previously worked at IRS Records, A&M, Capitol, Columbia, J Records, Arista and the RCA Music Group before joining Warner, added that he had always wanted to work there.

“I always wanted to work at the label. It took me a long time to get hired there, and I’m glad I did. It’s been amazing. But it’s a team sport, right? And to all our team over there, give yourselves a hand,” he said.

Swims and Groban each honored the label in performance. Groban thanked Warner for taking a chance on “a shy kid with a big voice” that other labels did not know how to handle. Swims sang “Mister Know It All” and his Billboard Hot 100-topping breakthrough hit “Lose Control.”

Groban performed two songs from his album Cinematic, released that same day, May 8: “Brucia La Terra,” a Sicilian-language version of “Love Theme From The Godfather” and sometimes called “Speak Softly, Love,” and “Stand by Me,” which appears in the film of the same name. Take 6 joined him for “Stand by Me,” which closed the event.

(L-R) Tom Corson, Co-Chairman, Warner Records, Josh Groban, Teddy Swims, and Aaron Bay-Schuck, Co-Chairman, Warner Records attend the GRAMMY Hall of Fame Gala 2026 at The Beverly Hilton on May 08, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for The Recording Academy