Big Loud Records
It’s time for another spin around the Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music. Also be sure to check out our weekly interview series spotlighting a single executive and a regularly updated gallery honoring many of the industry figures we’ve lost throughout the year.
Wasserman hired Steve Murray as executive vp of mergers & acquisitions and strategy, effective July 15. He joins the company from Providence Equity Partners, where he served as a principal on the investment team. At Providence, he collaborated with companies and organizations including Warner Music, the NFL and Major League Soccer and helped lead the firm’s strategic investment into Wasserman in November 2022. He was also a key player in Wasserman’s acquisitions of CSM Sport & Entertainment and Brillstein Entertainment Partners, both last year.
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Independent live music company Mammoth unveiled its new touring division, which will be led by Rob Owens and Angela Brown. Owens, who is based in Mammoth’s new touring office in Nashville, was named president of global touring at Mammoth in April 2023; Brown, who previously held several roles at Live Nation, joined the company last September as president of global tour marketing. Along with the executive announcements, Mammoth revealed it’s set to produce JT‘s City Cinderella Tour and Jamaican dancehall artist Buju Banton‘s U.S. tour alongside AG Entertainment Touring.
Rob Stratton was promoted to vp of visual & media rights at Sony Music Publishing UK. In the role, he will be tasked with leading the publisher’s visual & media efforts in the U.K., maintaining relationships with broadcasters and media production companies, and delivering opportunities for the company’s partners. He will continue working with Cathy Merenda and the U.S. visual & media rights team to expand the business worldwide. He has been with the company since 2014 and was previously director of visual & media rights.
U.K. record executives Nick Burgess and Jack Melhuish launched Artist Theory, a new independent label, in collaboration with U.K. indie label and publisher B-Unique. The label’s roster boasts U.K. rocker Sam Ryder along with emerging artists H.LLS (an electronic/R&B/hip-hop collective) and Emily Jeffri (Gothic pop singer). Both executives hail from Parlophone, where Burgess was co-president and Melhuish was GM/head of marketing.
Big Loud Records promoted Jess Anderson to senior director of media, effective immediately. Anderson has worked with the Big Loud Roster since late 2018. She came in-house with the label in 2021 and helped to create the label’s internal publicity roster in 2022 as director of media relations. The Big Loud roster includes Morgan Wallen, HARDY, ERNEST, Stephen Wilson, Jr., Charles Wesley Godwin, Lauren Watkins and Kashus Culpepper. Anderson’s prior career stops include Sweet Talk Publicity, The Press House and Big Machine Label Group. – Jessica Nicholson
Linlin Chen, the group vp of Tencent Music Entertainment Group (TME), among other roles, will resign all of her positions at the Chinese company for personal reasons on Sept. 30. “On behalf of the Company, we would like to extend our gratitude to Ms. Chen for her dedicated service at TME,” said Cussian Pang, executive chairman of TME, in a statement. “We appreciate her continuous hard work and commitment, which greatly contributed to the success of Kugou Music, one of China’s leading music streaming platforms. We respect her decision and wish her all the best in all her future endeavors.”
Artist management company, music publisher and record label Blue Raincoat Music named Roman Tagoe director of streaming for Chrysalis Records. He will be based in the company’s London office and report to senior vp of marketing James Meadows. In the role, Tagoe will be responsible for driving success on streaming platforms for the company’s frontline and catalog artists. He was previously at BMG, where he served as director of streaming for global catalog recordings.
BOARD SHORTS: The California Copyright Conference announced its 2024-25 officers and board of directors. The new officers are president Rene Merideth (Exploration), vp Carolyn Soyard (Disney Music Group), treasurer Alexandra Guzman (SESAC), secretary Sarah Brockman (Bardic Inspiration Music Services) and assistant secretary Jean Montiel (peermusic). Re-elected board members include Reggie Calloway (Sound Royalties), Debra Delshad (creative music strategy and licensing consultant), Cheryl Dickerson (music industry consultant) and Paula Savastano (Seeker Music Group). Newly-elected board members include Tara Austin (Austintatious Tunes), Rhonda Bedikian (Heavy Harmony Music), Janelle Hawkes (independent publishing administrator), Brandon Jarrett (TV/film composer/music producer/songwriter) and Wayne Josel (ASCAP). Serving their second board of director terms are Kristina Benson (Sweet On Top) and Jonathan Lane (Clearly Music Services); first alternate is James Jacoby (A Bun Dance Production) and second alternate is Sherry Orson (Star Vibe Group).
Abby O’Neill was named head of cultural programming & strategy at Summit Series, an organization that hosts invite-only events for entrepreneurs, artists, philanthropists and more, including Summit At Sea and the forthcoming Subbmit Baja. O’Neill previously served as an NPR executive producer and strategist, curating and producing more than 100 Tiny Desk Concerts and helping realize a 3,000% viewership increase for the series, among other successes. Through her own company, Key Bridge Entertainment, she co-created the free dance music festival Rock the Park DC in Washington, D.C.
Ralph Kink joined German collecting society GEMA as head of digital transformation, effective Sept. 1. In his new role, Kink will spearhead GEMA’s technological development and serve on the company’s executive board. He previously worked at Microsoft for 25 years and is also the co-founder/CTO of digital.fwd, a management consultancy that specializes in digital transformation and artificial intelligence.
Publicist Nicole Govel launched a new company, Goldfinch Marketing, which will offer PR, influencer marketing and music video promotion services to clients. Govel previously spent eight years as a publicist at Trendsetter Media and Marketing.
Last Week’s Turntable: BMG Europe Exec Exits
Welcome to a steamy edition of Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music. Check out this year’s Pride List of top LGBTQ+ executives in the industry. We also have a weekly interview series spotlighting a single executive and a regularly updated gallery honoring many of the industry figures we’ve lost throughout the year.
Big Loud Records promoted Stacy Blythe to executive vp of promotion, effective immediately. Much like her fellow recent promotee Patch Culbertson, she reports directly to partners Seth England, Joey Moi and Craig Wiseman at the Nashville-based label. Blythe joined Big Loud in 2015 and most recently held the position of svp of radio promotion. She and her promo team are credited with pushing two dozen No. 1 singles to radio during her nine-year stretch, starting with Chris Lane’s “Fix” and most recently hitting the mark with Post Malone and Morgan Wallen’s “I Had Some Help.” In addition to Wallen, Big Loud’s roster includes ERNEST, HARDY, Lauren Alaina, Lily Rose, Maggie Rose, HIXTAPE and others. Blythe is a fixture in assorted Billboard lists of influential executives, including Women In Music, Indie Power Players and Country Power Players. “Stacy is a day-one believer in Big Loud,” England said. “She is not only a radio expert, but a relationship builder and an investor in people, as well as a trailblazer within the industry at large that helped us build this company from the ground up. Stacy is integral to the success of our organization, and on behalf of all of the partners, we are honored to continue growing with her.”
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After roughly 18 years in the thick of Japan’s music industry, first at MTV, then Universal and Amazon before spending the last two years in the C-suite at Warner Music Japan, veteran executive Kazuhiro Shimada is taking a break. Shimada said earlier this week that Tuesday (July 9) was his last day as WMJ’s chief operating officer, a post he took on in late 2022 following a celebrated two-plus years as director and general manager of Amazon Music Japan. Prior to that he clocked a decade overseeing business affairs at UMG, and in the aughts was a vp of strategy at MTV Networks Japan. “I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all my colleagues whom I have worked with, business partners, artists and artist managers who have supported me throughout the time,” he said. “I plan to take a break for a while to recharge myself and look forward to the next challenge in the near future.”
Guitar Center appointed Adolfo Rodriguez as executive vp and chief technology & information officer, effective immediately. Reporting to CEO Gabe Dalporto, Rodriguez will harness the senior leadership experience he acquired at companies such as Advance Auto Parts, Citrix and IBM to develop and execute innovative technological advancements at the musical instrument retailer. Guitar Center’s biggest competitor in online retail is Sweetwater, but in the brick-and-mortar game — it has 300-plus stores in the U.S. — the company is about to be the only major player following the pending closure of all Sam Ash stores. “I am thrilled to join Guitar Center at such a pivotal time in its history,” said Rodriguez. “As a passionate musician and advocate for leveraging technology to drive business growth, I am eager to blend my professional expertise with my personal experience.”
Sony Music Latin-Iberia promoted Sergi Reitg to vice president of premium content, a role in which he’ll oversee various audiovisual initiatives throughout Spain and Mexico. Based in Spain, Reitg reports to Fernando Cabral, SML-I’s evp of strategic partnerships. Reitg has spent the last six years leading the company’s premium content team in Spain — recent productions include the documentary Sintiéndolo Mucho and the MAX series Acoustic Home — and will now broaden his remit overseas to North America. “Sergi’s vast experience and innovative approach to the film and television space makes him the perfect creative for this role,” said Cabral.
The Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum said longtime executive director Chris Joslin will step down later this month. Joslin, who joined the Owensboro, Ky.-based organization in 2015, is headed to suburban Nashville to oversee development and fundraising for Mission Lazarus, a faith-based nonprofit with operations in Honduras and Haiti. During his tenure, the Hall moved offices, rebranded, launched a magazine during the pandemic and grew its signature ROMP Festival into a premiere destination event for bluegrass fans. “Chris led our organization through a crucial era, and under his stewardship the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum has flourished into a destination point for bluegrass music fans from all over the world,” said Chris Love, board chair of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum.
NASHVILLE NOTES: Red Street Records promoted Cambria Sojka to creative director, serving both country and Christian rosters at the Jay DeMarcus-founded label. Working closely with Sojka is newly hired Gianna Robinson as the label’s digital content coordinator. Both report directly to vp Michael Steele … Former RCA Nashville svp of promotion Dennis Reese joined artist management company Neon Coast. Their marquee artist? RCA Nashville superstar Kane Brown … Business management firm FBMM promoted Nashville-based Beth Tyson and New York-based Brian Gordner to associate business manager from account manager.
There’s been a C-suite shuffle at Muse Group, home to musician-focused digital tools like Ultimate Guitar, MuseScore and Audacity, as well as sheet music publisher Hal Leonard. Joining the company as chief growth officer is Sven Ahrens, who will oversee a team driving acquisition, engagement and retention of Muse’s apps and products. He arrives from Spotify, where he ran the streaming giant’s subscription growth team. Sliding over from Hal Leonard is the publisher’s longtime chief financial officer Debbie Diekelman, who is now CFO of the whole shebang. Finally, Mo Chahdi joined Muse as COO following a 20-year career that has included stops at AI company Aspen and Dell Technologies. “Sven, Mo and Debbie bring deep and diverse experience to our senior leadership team,” said Eugeny Naidenov, CEO of Muse Group. “Their visionary approach, proven success in scaling businesses and passion for our mission will be invaluable as we continue to evolve to best serve our global community of musicians, educators and learners.”
Nielsen hired advertising veteran Akhil Parekh as its chief solutions officer of digital product, responsible for overseeing the audience measurement company’s ads products, as well as forging strategic partnerships. He arrives from French ad conglomerate Publicis Groupe, where he was most recently executive vp and managing director … Nielsen also announced that former Snapchat, Chime, AOL, Spotify and HuffPost executive Jaren Grusd has joined the company as CEO of its metadata unit Gracenote. The data firm was previously led by Sujit Dasmunshi, who now assumes the role of chief operation officer.
Cinq Music promoted Diana Schweinbeck from director of marketing to senior director of artists and label services. In her new role, Schweinbeck and company will focus on optimizing the end-to-end release process for Cinq artists and labels. Prior to joining the Los Angeles-based distributor, label and publisher, Schweinbeck ran Schweinbeck, LLC, where she offered branding and management services to new artists. “Diana is a seasoned operator with artist management experience and a strong network, making her the perfect fit for understanding artist needs and running this department,” said Barry Daffurn, Cinq Music president and co-founder.
Evelyn Ingram joined Austin-based venue booking software company Prism.fm as senior director of strategic partnerships. Ingram is a veteran of the business, most recently at EventBooking and earlier at Ungerboeck and Momentum Technologies, and has carried on a “very friendly rivalry” with Prism.fm CEO Matt Ford for years, he said. “One of my favorite parts of running a company is building out an awesome team and Evelyn certainly adds to that,” Ford added. “Her experience, her love for life, the intelligence in her approach… Very excited for the future!”
Ex-Directors Guild of America general counsel David Korduner joined KM&M as partner in Los Angeles in the firm’s entertainment and labor practice. Most recently, Korduner served as svp and associate general counsel of labor relations at indie studio Fifth Season. “David’s impressive experience in union relations, contract negotiations, and overseeing legal and labor issues in the entertainment industry complements our entertainment labor practice,” said Bill Zuckerman, KM&M’s managing partner and entertainment group leader.
ICYMI:
James Dolan
Universal Music U.K. reorganized operations into what CEO David Joseph called “two new powerhouse frontline label groups” — Island EMI Label Group, headed by Louis Bloom as president, and the newly formed Polydor Label Group, led by Ben Mortimer … James Dolan got a three-year contract extension to continue running Sphere Entertainment … and BMI welcomed Tom Kershaw as chief technology officer and Justin Rohde as chief transformation officer.
Last Week’s Turntable: Bertelsmann Boards Up BMG Boss
Big Loud Records has promoted Patch Culbertson to executive vp/GM. With the appointment, Culbertson becomes the company’s first executive vp, reporting to Big Loud partners Seth England, Joey Moi and Craig Wiseman.
Culbertson joined Big Loud Records as vp of A&R in 2017 and rose to senior vp/GM of the label in 2021. In his new role, Culbertson will continue to oversee day-to-day operations, strategize on commercial tactics and help to expand the creative development of the Big Loud Records roster. Big Loud artists incude Ashley Cooke, Charles Wesley Godwin, Dallas Smith, Dylan Gossett, ERNEST, Griffen Palmer, Hailey Whitters, HARDY, HIXTAPE, Jake Worthington, Larry Fleet, Lauren Alaina, Lauren Watkins, Lily Rose, MacKenzie Porter, Maggie Rose, Morgan Wallen, Shawn Austin, Stephen Wilson Jr. and Zandi Holup.
Prior to joining Big Loud, Culbertson served for eight years at Republic Records, rising to director of A&R at the company’s New York headquarters. His work at Republic included signing and/or developing artists including Aminé, Florida Georgia Line (via Republic Nashville), SoMo and The Naked and Famous. He also led releases from Colbie Caillat, Florence + The Machine, Mat Kearney and more.
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“Patch has been a critical part of Big Loud’s success for over seven years now,” England said in a statement. “He’s a brilliant strategist with an unmatched ability to process information and make sound decisions. Patch is a true leader that’s continued to invest in this company with his time and expertise, and his impact can’t be underestimated. This promotion is well-earned.”
“I am immensely proud of the accomplishments of our roster and staff these past seven years,” Culbertson added. “It is a privilege to serve these artists and work alongside a best-in-class team that is writing its own chapter in music history. A special thank you to Seth, Joey, Craig, and (Big Loud COO) Austen (Adams) for their support and leadership. They continue to show the world how to win with integrity, and I’m honored to be part of it.”
“What sets Patch apart as a GM is that he — like all of us at Big Loud — continues to keep songs first,” Moi added. “He applies his analytics brain and his firsthand understanding of artists and how they work best to every circumstance, while balancing the growth of our company. We’re grateful for his continued leadership.”
Following her departure from longtime home Sony Music Nashville last year, Miranda Lambert has signed a new deal with Republic Records. Nashville’s Big Loud will provide country radio promotion and marketing efforts as part of its partnership with the Universal Music Group-owned label.
As the first salvo in the new deal, Lambert will release the new track “Wranglers” on May 3. It will mark her first new music since the release of her 2022 album, Palomino. “’Wranglers’ is a tale of a woman taking her power back. I think we can all identify with the character in this song, because we have all had a time in our life that we needed to find a way to find our strength and also get a little revenge on someone that did us wrong or hurt us,” she said in a statement. Lambert will likely premiere the song during the seven-time CMA female vocalist’s headlining Stagecoach Festival appearance this Saturday (April 27).
Lambert’s affiliation with Republic comes as the New York-based label has moved more into country music and further into its partnership with Big Loud; in March, Big Loud inked a multi-year distribution deal with Mercury Records/Republic for all of its acts. Previously, only releases by Big Loud acts Morgan Wallen, Lily Rose and Dylan Gossett had gone through the partnership. Notably, Gossett is signed to Big Loud Texas, an imprint Lambert and Jon Randall started last year through Big Loud.
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“Being in Texas with Jon, recording where I cut my teeth as a young artist, felt like coming home. I thought about the women — and men — who’ve lived, loved and found power in my music, and I wanted to get back to the root of those spaces,” continued Lambert, who is managed by Marion Kraft. “Talking to [Republic founder/chairman Monte [Lipman], [Republic founder/vice chairman] Avery Lipman and the team at Republic, as well as [Big Loud CEO] Seth [England] and the Big Loud folks who are leaning in, everyone understood my desires and vision for this next era of my music. Aligning like that is empowering; it gives you a license to really chase it. Signing with Republic has inspired me to find the sweet spot for me and all the people like me. I can’t wait for everyone to hear ‘Wranglers,’ and the rest of this record.”
“Miranda Lambert’s legacy as both a consummate storyteller and legendary performer speaks for itself. Her new music is spectacular and we are thrilled and honored to welcome her to Republic Records in partnership with Big Loud,” added Monte Lipman.
Lambert added that the move has been inspiring. “Having a new home has given me a hunger I didn’t realize I still had inside me,” she said. “This song feels like it could be on the same record as ‘Gunpowder & Lead’; it has that same fury. I can’t wait to get out there with this new label and this new music… Monte Lipman and his team fire me up!”
“Gunpower & Lead,” featured on Lambert’s second album, 2007’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, became her first top 10 hit on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart.
There’s no word on when Lambert will drop a new album, but Republic president/COO Jim Roppo said in a statement, “As she puts the final touches on her fantastic new body of work, it has all the hallmarks of her signature sound, yet she continues to push herself as a songwriter, producer and performer. We’re all at the beginning of a very special moment, and we’re grateful to be on this journey with her.”
Lambert, the most awarded artist by the Academy of Country Music Awards, recently wrapped her residency in Las Vegas and will be on the road through September, during which time she will headline several music festivals.
As Big Loud Records experiences global successes with its artists, the Nashville-based label is expanding its footprint by opening offices in Australia and the United Kingdom and bolstering its presence in its Toronto office, which opened in 2015.
Big Loud senior vp of global marketing and strategy Brianne Deslippe will oversee the effort. Reporting to her will be newly named label managers Cayleigh Shepherd in London, who joins from U.K.-based imprint Snakefarm Records; and Johnno Keetels in Brisbane, Australia, where he most recently worked in Universal Music Australia’s media and editorial department. Meanwhile, Toronto-based employee Justin Clark rises from international coordinator to manager of national promotion/associate label manager.
“We started in year one with our Canadian office, and it has been a long-term goal of ours to have direct Big Loud representation in both Australia and the U.K.,” Big Loud CEO Seth England tells Billboard. “We waited for the best strategic time, but now makes the most sense with how we’ve grown as a company. We continue to keep an eye on other emerging markets as well.”
Deslippe adds, “With 25-plus artists now across multiple imprints and genres, it was important for us to have strong voices on the front lines, finding opportunities and making connections for them around the world. Having key experts in the field will be a valuable resource for our wider teams, staff and managers as well.”
Over the last few years, Big Loud has ramped up its global presence with artists including Morgan Wallen, HARDY, ERNEST, Hailey Whitters, MacKenzie Porter, Stephen Wilson Jr., Lauren Alaina and Griffen Palmer all playing dates outside the United States.
Cayleigh Shepherd
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A number of Big Loud artists are experiencing faster gains globally as they build domestically, including a handful of Canadian artists that label has signed.
“[MacKenzie] had multiple No. 1s in Canada and Australia before breaking through in the U.S.,” notes Deslippe of the Medicine Hat, Canada native. “Ashley Cooke, Hailey Whitters, and MacKenzie have also made inroads in the U.K. over the past 18 months, playing C2C Festival and receiving mainstream radio, press, and DSP support. Stephen Wilson Jr. has done four U.K. visits in the past year. Morgan, HARDY and ERNEST did a sold-out run this spring in Australia/New Zealand, and Morgan celebrated his first #1 ARIA album and single while we were in market. [Canadian artist] Dallas Smith continues to break every country record in Canada and will also spend more time in the U.S. during this next album cycle.”
Big Loud may sign artists specifically for release in Australia and the United Kingdom, but England adds, “It needs to be fantastic, something we love and where we see growth.”
Johnno Keetels
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While Big Loud has a global partnership with Republic/UMG for Wallen and Lily Rose, the rest of its releases are distributed internationally by Stem. This move will enhance the label’s strength in Australia and England, where they have also relied on third parties to help promote their artists.
With leaders in place in the three territories, Deslippe says Big Loud will continue to scale up as needed. “There is so much growth potential in these markets, I feel like we’ve just scratched the surface,” she says. “For a long time, I was the only international team member having moved to Nashville from Canada, but I’ve always been made to feel like a valued member of the core team. I’m excited to pay this sentiment forward and invite some more unique and different voices to the table.”
England says he’s taking a page from music executive Clive Calder, who in the ‘80s and ‘90s built Jive Records into an independent powerhouse before selling it to Bertelsmann Music Group in 2002.
Justin Clark
James Ramsay / skytography
“[Calder] expanded internationally and made it to where all their records were being worked globally by them,” England says. “And Jive, to my understanding, was the last great label who did this level of international expansion as an independent. And you know it’s no secret we’ve been a fan of studying those who have come before us.”
He also hints that there’s more to come with more partnerships down the road. “That’s why getting these international pipes, if you will, set up now, has never been more important or timelier for us,” England says. “This is the next logical step; be ready for the ones to come and stay prepared for the ones we have.”
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