Segment Information - Schedule of Segment Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 841	$ 811	$ 745	$ 849	$ 750	$ 710	$ 677	$ 829	$ 3,246	$ 2,966	$ 3,027
OIBDA									507	436	340
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	(13)	(12)	(12)	(13)	(12)	(14)	(14)	(14)	(50)	(54)	(55)
Amortization expense	(55)	(63)	(63)	(62)	(64)	(63)	(63)	(65)	(243)	(255)	(266)
Operating income	55	$ 45	$ 52	$ 62	37	$ 23	$ 44	$ 23	214	127	19
Total assets	5,369				5,621				5,369	5,621
Capital expenditures									42	63	76
Operating Segments | Recorded Music
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									2,736	2,501	2,526
OIBDA									459	379	267
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment									(32)	(36)	(35)
Amortization expense									(180)	(192)	(201)
Operating income									247	151	31
Total assets	2,584				2,869				2,584	2,869
Capital expenditures									18	19	27
Operating Segments | Music Publishing
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									524	482	517
OIBDA									138	146	166
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment									(7)	(6)	(7)
Amortization expense									(63)	(63)	(65)
Operating income									68	77	94
Total assets	2,365				2,408				2,365	2,408
Capital expenditures									7	7	8
Corporate Expenses and Eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									(14)	(17)	(16)
OIBDA									(90)	(89)	(93)
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment									(11)	(12)	(13)
Operating income									(101)	(101)	(106)
Total assets	$ 420				$ 344				420	344
Capital expenditures									$ 17	$ 37	$ 41