Atlantic Records President Tapped for Warner Chair : Music: Offer is latest twist in tumult at the label. Sources say Danny Goldberg is likely to take the job at Warner Bros. Records.

The roller-coaster ride at Warner Music Group took another sudden turn Friday with Danny Goldberg, president of Warner’s Atlantic Records label, being offered the chairmanship of Warner Bros. Records.

Goldberg declined to comment. But sources said the 44-year-old former manager of such top acts as Bonnie Raitt and Nirvana was likely to take the job--though he had not made a decision yet.

The job offer follows a tumultuous power struggle at Time Warner Inc.’s New York headquarters that resulted Thursday in Doug Morris being elevated to chairman and chief executive of Warner Music’s U.S. operations.

Morris offered Goldberg the Warner Bros. Records chairmanship less than an hour after wresting control of the $5.4-billion Warner Music Group’s domestic music division away from company Chairman Robert J. Morgado.

Sources say Morgado had planned to hire Britain-based Warner executive Rob Dickins--who flew to New York early Thursday to flesh out contract details--over the objections of Morris. Morgado’s duties are now said to be limited to overseeing Warner Music’s international and record club operations.

If Goldberg accepts the position, he would not report to work at Burbank-based Warner Bros. Records until industry titan Mo Ostin steps down in January. There is speculation that Warner Bros. Records President Lenny Waronker, who Monday turned down an offer to become chairman of the label, will follow Ostin out the door if contract negotiations permit.

Industry reaction to Goldberg’s appointment Friday was mostly positive. Goldberg is respected for his sensitivity to artists and for orchestrating a series of deals with promising independent labels such as Matador, Mammoth and Rhino, thus helping to bolster Atlantic’s rock credentials.

Within Warner Bros. Records, however, there is some resentment toward Goldberg, whom sources accused of orchestrating a campaign to undermine the image of Ostin and the label within the Warner Music Group.

The next item on Morris’ agenda is to complete the purchase of Interscope Records, which would become an equal partner in the Warner Music Group with Warner Bros. Records, Elektra Entertainment and Atlantic Group.