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Billboard Canada Power Players is returning in 2025, and it’s moving to Toronto’s NXNE.
The authoritative ranking of the music business’s most powerful executives — an official extension of Billboard’s Power 100 list — expanded to Canada in 2024. The event brought a who’s-who of industry leaders to a packed celebration at Toronto’s tallest building, the CN Tower. This year, the event will grow even bigger at its new home at NXNE, the beloved music festival celebrating its 30th anniversary amidst a new strategic partnership with Billboard Canada.
Nominations officially opened this week and will close on March 7, 2025.
“We’re thrilled to bring Power Players to the country’s most vibrant music conference and festival,” says Mo Ghoneim, president of Billboard Canada. “Power Players is a crucial spotlight of the executives leading the charge in Canada on a global scale, and we can’t wait to bring it to new heights in 2025.”
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Canada is home to some of the most impactful people in music, both at home and internationally. In 2024, Billboard Canada celebrated Arthur Fogel, Live Nation’s CEO of global touring, at No. 1. The Canadian industry icon who shaped the modern global touring market attended the event and spoke about the impact Canada’s live music scene had on his career.
As Canada’s market for stadium concerts and festivals continues to expand and Canadian Content regulations continue to be debated, there are many factors and stories that could play a role in this year’s Power Players list.
Billboard Canada Power Players celebrates people across the industry, including record labels, publishing, legal, streaming and radio, creative media, and more. The extremely competitive honour reflects market share, industry impact, achievements and other metrics.
The Power Players list is peer-nominated and selected by the Billboard Canada team.
Find the submissions form here. It’s also available in French here. – Richard Trapunski
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Canadian Independent Music Association Pulls Out of SXSW Amidst ‘Instability’ In the United States
One of the top showcase opportunities for Canadian musicians at SXSW will not take place this year.
The Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) has canceled its Canada House event at the upcoming Austin music festival amidst rising political and economic tensions between Canada and the United States.
Andrew Cash, CIMA’s president and CEO, describes the decision as a confluence of various factors, mostly related to the relationship between the two countries since Donald Trump began his second term as U.S. President.
That includes the 25% tariffs placed on goods from Canada set to kick in on March 12, which falls during the dates of this year’s SXSW (which runs from March 7-15), as well as Trump’s repeated threats to annex the country.
“The growing instability of everything in the United States right now, plus the high cost [of putting on events in the United States] and the low [Canadian] dollar — all of these things combined made it so we couldn’t feel confident or good about what we were getting ourselves into at this particular moment,” Cash tells Billboard Canada.
“The timing is not great,” he continues. “We would be going down there just after the 30-day tariff pause has expired. We’re going to have a new Prime Minister [in Canada, following the resignation of Justin Trudeau]. I just didn’t feel comfortable putting CIMA out there in that context of instability.”
For more than a decade, Canada House has been a pivotal exporting opportunity for Canadian bands and artists at the influential American music festival. Taking over the Swan Dive music venue, it offers opportunities for Canadian musicians and entrepreneurs to network and showcase at an event well-attended by members of the local and international music industry. CIMA had planned to host a one-day daytime music showcase on March 12.
CIMA made the decision to pull out of SXSW on Feb. 13, sending emails to partners and invited artists informing them that they would not be producing the event this year.
Applications opened last fall, and four Canadian and Indigenous acts had been sent offers to play CIMA’s Canada House showcase. They learned of the cancellation last week.
“We don’t know what the climate is going to be,” Cash says. “It felt potentially dissonant to be going down to Texas and hosting an event called Canada House while the President of that country is essentially stating his intent to annex our country…We made the decision based on what we could control, because there’s so much about this situation that we can’t.”
CIMA is still offering Canadian bands spots at networking events with other international music offices and export partners from Australia, England, New Zealand and other markets. And though the Canada House showcase is on pause for 2025, they could still bring it back in future years depending on the geopolitical situation.
In the meantime, Cash says CIMA will focus its resources and investments on other international markets and opportunities within Canada. This will not affect the organization’s other Canada House activations at the German festival Reeperbahn, British festival The Great Escape or SXSW Australia.
Cash says he hopes the situation in the U.S. is resolved soon, as the country is Canada’s biggest export market — not just for music but many sectors of the economy.
“I think everyone understands that we’re in unprecedented times,” says Cash. “And I think everyone is unsure exactly how to react.”
For more on the cancellation, and how it affected artists who were invited to play, head here. – Richard Trapunski
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Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ Hits No. 1 In Canada for The First Time After Super Bowl Performance
Kendrick Lamar‘s “Not Like Us” is the No. 1 song in Canada this week — for the first time.
The diss track never managed to claim the top spot on the charts in Drake‘s home country like it did in the U.S. last year during the height of the stars’ heated rap beef. But after a Super Bowl halftime performance that saw record viewership, Canadians have pushed the controversial single to a new peak on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 for the chart dated Feb. 22, 2025.
Going into the Super Bowl, it wasn’t clear if Lamar was even legally allowed to perform the track, as Drake is suing Universal Music Group, the label that released it. But after teasing it throughout the night, Lamar not only played the song, he included the lines that name-drop Drake and accuse him of predatory behaviour. Serena Williams, Drake’s ex, danced alongside Lamar on the field.
Following the success of “Not Like Us” last year, Lamar dropped a surprise album, GNX, which is at No. 2 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart this week. Lamar is also all over the Canadian Hot 100, with 11 of his tracks charting there.
He performed his SZA collab from that album, “Luther,” at the halftime show as well, with the R&B star joining for the duet. That track also got a post-show boost, rising 18-2 on the Canadian Hot 100, as did SZA’s 2017 album Ctrl, which re-enters the Canadian Albums chart at No. 91. SZA’s SOS, meanwhile, drops from 2-3 behind GNX.
The two will perform together on the Grand National tour this summer, which stops in Toronto on June 12 and 13. – Rosie Long Decter
Strong earnings releases from Live Nation, CTS Eventim and Cloud Music clashed with a downturn in the market this week. The most notable release of the week came from Live Nation, which reported record revenue of $23.1 billion in 2024 and forecast a healthy stadium business in 2025.
Still, Live Nation shares fell 1.9% on Friday (Feb. 21) after Thursday’s earnings release and finished the week down 2.8% to $148.48. The stock had gained 19.7% in the first seven weeks of the year, however, and expectations for a strong quarterly report and 2025 outlook were likely priced into the shares. More telling is Live Nation’s 56.8% increase over the previous 52 weeks, suggesting that investors are convinced the company has a winning combination of concerts, ticketing, and sponsorships and advertisements.
A bevy of analysts upped their Live Nation price targets following the company’s earnings release on Thursday (Feb. 20), including Evercore ISI (to $180 from $160), JP Morgan (to $170 from $150), Jefferies (to $180 from $150) and Rosenblatt (to $174 from $146). Ahead of the company’s earnings report, Morgan Stanley raised its price target to $170 from $150 and Seaport Global Securities raised Live Nation shares to $170 from $157. A dissenting voice came from CFRA, which has a “sell” rating on Live Nation shares and this week increased its price target to $135 from $115.
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The 20-company Billboard Global Music Index (BGMI) fell 2.9% to 2,674.34, marking its first decline in seven weeks and only its second weekly loss of 2025. Only six of the 20 stocks gained ground while 14 finished the week in negative territory. Even so, music stocks are performing well this year. Only four of the 20 stocks have lost value in 2025 and the BGMI has gained 25.9% year to date.
U.S. stocks cratered on Friday amidst a drop in consumer sentiment, an uptick in inflation expectations and worries the economy may be slowing. The Dow dropped 1.7%, the S&P 500 also fell 1.7% and the Nasdaq composite sank 2.2%. Summing up the market’s tenuous mood, Steve Cohen, CEO of hedge fund Point72, told the FII Priority Summit on Friday that tariffs, sharp cuts in government spending and slowing immigration will have negative consequences. “It may only last a year or so, but it’s definitely a period where I think the best gains have been had and wouldn’t surprise me to see a significant correction,” he said.
The best-performing music stock of the week was Chinese music streaming company Cloud Music, which jumped 18.1% on Friday and ended the week up 20% after the company’s 2024 earnings release on Thursday showed a 22% jump in music subscription revenue. At 170.70 HKD ($21.97), Cloud Music is up 52.1% year to date. Another Chinese music streamer, Tencent Music Entertainment, rose 5.6% to $14.40.
CTS Eventim shares rose 4.7% to 104.00 euros ($108.83) after the company announced record results for 2024 on Tuesday (Feb. 18). Consolidated revenue increased 19.1% to 2.81 billion euros ($2.94 billion) and adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), a common measure of profitability, jumped 21.9% to 444.8 million euros ($465 million). Live entertainment revenue rose 17.6% to 1.97 billion euros ($2.06 billion) while ticketing revenue climbed 22.7% to 879.9 million euros ($921 million).
Spotify fell 4.8% to $607.36 while Warner Music Group dropped 2.9% to $35.26 and Universal Music Group was down 3.0% to 28.02 euros ($29.32). Sphere Entertainment Co., which will announce quarterly earnings on Feb. 28, lost 2.8% and sister company MSG Entertainment fell 5.0%.
Most K-pop stocks rose this week as South Korea’s KOSPI composite index gained 2.5%. YG Entertainment rose 12.0% to 57,900 ($40.30) following the announcement on Wednesday (Feb. 19) of BLACKPINK’s 10-city 2025 world tour that commences in July and stops in Seoul, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Toronto, Paris, London, Milan, Barcelona and Tokyo. SM Entertainment shares rose 7.8% to 99,500 KRW ($69.25), bringing its year-to-date gain to 37.1%. JYP Entertainment rose 1.6% and HYBE fell 1.0%.
In a new series following the devastating L.A. wildfires of January 2025, Billboard is speaking to impacted members of the music industry about their lives in the wake of the disaster. Affected music professionals who wish to take part in the series can email us at afterthefire@billboard.com.
This installment is with Iyana, an R&B singer, songwriter and instrumentalist who lost her Altadena apartment in the Eaton Fire.
I was at the recording studio when it happened. The power went out and [my neighbor] texted and invited me to over to hang with him and his lady and their dog.
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I wasn’t at home, so I said thank you and passed, and that was it for a few hours. I was doing my thing, hanging out with friends making music in Studio City, which is pretty far from my house. My neighbor checked on me again a few hours later and said “Don’t come back. We’re getting evacuated.” But I had my two cats at home, so I had to go back.
I texted another friend and told him we were getting evacuated and that I was having a lot of anxiety because of the cats at home. I don’t have a car, so he asked if I needed him to come pick me up so we could go rescue the cats. I told him I would love that. He drove all the way from downtown to Studio City to pick me up, then to Altadena.
This was hours after the evacuation notice had gone out, and the power was still off when I came home. It was pitch black and I had to wrangle my two cats. I was using my iPhone flashlight to see, and my brain was just mush. I didn’t really know how to process everything that was going on. I grabbed my laptop and a couple chargers, a little bit of cash that I had stashed away and that was about it. I was there for about 10 minutes.
I could see the fire from my window, but it looked far enough away that if they could get it under control, my place would be fine. I honestly did not think my place was going to burn down, so in my head I just kept telling myself it was going to be okay and that I’d be able to come back tomorrow. It was a crazy feeling to get a message from the property managers the next day telling me that the buildings were destroyed, knowing that I didn’t really get anything out of [my apartment.]
My mom passed away when I was younger, and I had a lot of her artwork and all the things I had left from her. Photos from my childhood, memorabilia from when I was a kid, things I thought I’d share with my future children one day. There were journals that I wanted to keep for my entire life to look back and see where I was at certain times. It’s all gone.
It’s been a lot to process. I feel like I’m doing pretty well accepting that it is what it is. I’m trying my best to practice non-attachment. This is a really huge lesson in non-attachment. It’s kind of crazy not to have anything, but’s a little bit liberating in some ways too, I suppose. I’m trying to see it from that perspective.
My friend who came with me to grab the cats is also a producer, so in the immediate aftermath I went with him to the recording studio and spent two nights there. It wasn’t the most comfortable situation, but I was able to have my cats there, which was really nice. It was a safe place for me to be for a couple of days.
A friend of mine called the next day and asked what I needed. It was just like, “I don’t know what I need. I’m having so many emotions that I can hardly think.” She asked, “Do you need underwear? Do you need toothpaste?” I was like, “Oh my gosh, yes. I actually do need underwear.” These were things that I wasn’t thinking about right after it happened, because I was honestly still in a state of shock. I needed other people to use their brain for me.
I also had a friend who told me I should start a GoFundMe. It’s been helpful. I’m still not sure about insurance, because the insurance company has been wishy-washy and trying to play games with us a bit. Even the FEMA thing, [they said] the National Guard was blocking my area for so long that FEMA wasn’t able to get proof or something. A lot of people have donated stuff to me. I got some clothes and the things I need for hygiene and whatnot. I’m pretty much living out of two suitcases and a duffel bag. I have a friend who’s in India for the month, and she’s letting me stay in her place while she’s gone. Another friend took my cats and she’s willing to [house them] as long as I need her to.
I’ve had a couple studio sessions since it happened, and it’s been really helpful for me to be in the studio and create, just because everything’s so crazy. It gives me a sense of normalcy or just allows me to have a moment of therapy.
I had a whole release schedule before this happened, a whole plan of what I was going to be doing for quarter one, two and three and the singles and projects I was going to release. I love writing love songs, but it feels weird too, because my house just burned down, and then I am going to drop a love song? It just didn’t feel right, so it felt nice to write a song about the situation. I think that will probably be the next song I share with the world.
It’s crazy too, because I’d released a song the day before the fire. I was also planning on this month being a marketing and promotion month for me, but I haven’t really been able to do any promo. It just doesn’t feel right to be like, “Hey guys, listen to my new song” while this is all going on. Instead, it’s been a whirlwind of trying to readjust and figure out how I go back to having a normal life… I typically work at a restaurant, but luckily the donations I’ve gotten are keeping me afloat for now, because to be honest, the idea of smiling in people’s faces and asking them what they want to eat for dinner just does not feel like mentally where I’m at right now.
I feel like I’ve seen this narrative on the internet, from people who aren’t from here and think this only happened to rich people and celebrities, which is silly… If people have the capacity to donate monetarily, that’s helpful for me right now, just in terms of rebuilding.
If people don’t have that capacity, I would love for people to tap into my music and see what I’m doing. It’s hard for me to imagine going back to a regular life after this. Theoretically, it’d be so nice if my music moved and did some numbers. It’s definitely my dream to be able to make money and start a life with music being the foundation, so having people support me on my journey and see my growth would be more than I could ask for. If people are willing to listen to my tunes and share them, that would warm my heart.
ATEEZ has emerged as one of the most popular K-pop groups in the U.S., achieving milestones that defy industry norms. They became the first group unaffiliated with the “Big Four” entertainment companies, such as SM, JYP, YG, and HYBE, to top the Billboard 200 chart. In 2024, they became the first K-pop boy group to perform at Coachella and claimed their second Billboard 200 No. 1 with their 11th mini album, Golden Hour: Part 2. Yet, their name remains curiously absent from Korea’s domestic music scene.
Album sales paint a striking picture. Their 11th mini album sold over one million copies in its first week. However, their Korea streaming performance tells a different story. ATEEZ is nowhere to be found on Korea’s YouTube Music Hot 100 chart or the charts of local platforms like Melon, Genie, Bugs, and FLO. Spotify data reveals their most streamed cities are Jakarta, Bangkok, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore, notably excluding Seoul.
Stray Kids, under JYP Entertainment, face a similar paradox. Their album HOP made history in 2024 as the first to achieve six consecutive Billboard 200 No. 1 albums by a group. This record-breaking achievement prompted the announcement of a 20-stop global stadium tour in 2025, solidifying their global appeal. Yet in Korea, their title track “Chk Chk Boom” failed to claim the top spot on major streaming charts. Like ATEEZ, their strongest Spotify numbers come from Indonesia, Japan, Chile, Brazil, and Malaysia.
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K-pop thrives globally, driven by its fiercely loyal fanbase. According to IFPI’s Global Music Report, SEVENTEEN’s FML and Stray Kids’ 5-STAR ranked first and second, respectively, in global album sales for 2023. In IFPI’s Global Artist Chart, SEVENTEEN, Stray Kids, Tomorrow X Together, and NewJeans all placed in the Top 10. However, this global success highlights a surprising shift: K-pop’s domestic market no longer mirrors its international dominance.
Data from the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute (KCTI) illustrates this disparity. In 2023, K-pop’s overseas revenue reached 1.2377 trillion KRW (approximately $950 million USD), while HYBE reported 63.3% of its earnings from international markets in the first half of 2023. JYP followed with 52.2% and YG at 48.6%. Luminate’s Mapping Out K-pop’s Global Dominance report placed Korea as the fourth largest consumer of K-pop, trailing Japan, the U.S., and Indonesia.
Then why is K-pop less visible in its home country?
To better understand this, one must revisit the mid-2010’s, a period when K-pop began its meteoric rise in the U.S., spearheaded by BTS’s success at the Billboard Music Awards and their domination of Western charts. Back home, K-pop reigned supreme in Korea’s music scene, led by heavyweights like BLACKPINK, TWICE, EXO and SEVENTEEN, while audition programs such as Produce 101 captivated audiences and amplified K-pop’s domestic appeal.
Ironically, as K-pop’s global footprint grew, its local presence waned. The absence of a trusted official chart to represent Korea’s music industry dealt a major blow. Once reliable indicators of popularity, real-time charts on platforms like Melon and Genie fell into disrepute after controversies surrounding chart manipulation and ballot rigging in audition programs. These incidents eroded public trust in K-pop as a genre.
By 2018, the industry shifted its focus from broad audience appeal to catering to core fandoms. Fanbases, in turn drove album sales to record-breaking heights, pushing physical sales to over 116 million units in 2023, a tenfold increase over the past decade. Billboard 200 chart topping acts, which were once a rarity, have now expanded to include a slew of K-pop groups like SuperM, Tomorrow x Together, and NewJeans.
Billboard Korea: Predicting K-pop Companies’ Strategies for 2025
Meanwhile, K-pop’s evolution into a fandom centric business model has redefined its strategy. Entertainment companies prioritize retaining and strengthening existing fanbases over attracting casual listeners and songs are designed to reinforce a group’s identity rather than to appeal to the masses. Global promotions, such as BTS’s and BLACKPINK’s massive stadium tours in the U.S. and Japan, underscore this trend, with groups like Stray Kids and ATEEZ leading the charge in self-produced artistry.
In Korea, K-pop activities increasingly resemble fan service. Despite low domestic ratings, programs like Music Bank, M Countdown, and Inkigayo remain important platforms for launching new songs and generating live performance clips for social media platforms such as YouTube. This demonstrates that while K-pop may no longer be music for everyone, its transformation into a niche-driven, global phenomenon is undeniable.
However, not all groups face this disconnect. Acts like aspea, IVE, SEVENTEEN and NewJeans continue to dominate Korean media and achieve commercial success domestically. Across the board, K-pop’s overall revenues keep climbing, driven largely by its international market.
As K-pop popularity continues to grow around the global, its strategy continues to evolve. English lyrics, international artist collaborations, and streamlined promotional cycles reflect its shift toward the global stage. Circle Chart data shows that the percentage of English lyrics in girl group releases reached 41.3% in 2023, up nearly 19% from 2018. For boy groups, the figure stood at 24.3%. Major comebacks are now followed by world tours, with U.S. talk shows often serving as debut platforms for new releases.
As K-pop increasingly focuses on global markets, can it find a balance between domestic recognition and international acclaim? Will it achieve a universal appeal similar to Latin music, fostering sustainable support both at home and abroad? The dual identity of K-pop, its paradoxical success offers both challenges and opportunities for the industry’s future.
This article is courtesy of Billboard Korea.
Welcome to the latest Executive Turntable, Billboard’s weekly compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across the music business. There’s a full slate of personnel news this week, so let’s hop to it.
Long-time listener, first-time employee Rich Baer joined SiriusXM Holdings as the satellite radio giant’s new executive vp, general counsel and secretary, effective March 3. Baer, who replaces the retiring Patrick Donnelly, boasts over 40 years of legal and business experience, most recently serving as chief legal officer at Airbnb before hanging it up in 2023. “I failed at retirement,” he joked this week. His extensive career also includes roles as chief administrative officer and chief legal officer at Liberty Media, evp and CLO at UnitedHealth Group, and general counsel at Qwest Communications. Baer began his legal career as a homicide prosecutor in Brooklyn before leading the litigation department at a Denver law firm. He’ll report to SiriusXM CEO Jennifer Witz, who highlighted Baer’s background in counseling complex companies and said “his ability to navigate legal issues and balance the needs of a business will enable him to succeed here.” Witz also honored outgoing GC Patrick Donnelly, recognizing his nearly 27 years of dedicated service.
Partisan Records hired Nick Wagner as the indie label’s new chief financial officer, effective late last year. Based in NYC and reporting to president and co-founder Tim Putnam, Wagner will oversee global financial operations, strategic planning, team management and growth initiatives at Partisan, home to PJ Harvey, IDLES and more. Wagner brings extensive experience from his previous role as global vp of business operations at Endeavor, where he improved operational efficiency across the company’s portfolio. He also served as vp of finance at Warner Music Group, focusing on artist-driven growth in digital and social media. Additionally, Wagner led the North America Digital Media division at Vice Media Group, managing finance and operations for brands like Noisey and Vice.com.
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Sony Music Nashville has promoted Mallory Michaels to vice president of radio marketing & promotion. In the new role, Michaels will develop and implement strategic and tactical national radio promotion plans for rostered artists at Sony Music Nashville, supporting both Columbia Nashville and RCA Nashville imprints. Michaels will report to senior vp, radio marketing & promotion Dennis Reese. Michaels joined SMN in 2018 and previously held roles at Warner Music Nashville and Red Bow Records. –Jessica Nicholson
Mike Faul / Courtesy Photo
Dynamic Talent International appointed veteran marketer Mike Faul to lead its newly launched Brand Partnerships division. Based in New York, Faul will spearhead efforts to connect creative talent with top brands across industries like fashion, technology, luxury, lifestyle and media. The division will focus on sponsorship acquisition, co-branded content creation and immersive experiential activations, aiming to craft bespoke campaigns that amplify both brand identities and artistic expression. Faul brings extensive experience to the role, having worked with major names like YouTube, MTV, A24, The North Face and Taco Bell. In 2017, he founded Sub Rosa Curation, driving innovative marketing initiatives across sports and entertainment. Prior to that, he served as marketing manager at Bagavagabonds, curating festival programming for brands like Vans, Toyota and Anheuser-Busch. DTI, a leading talent management firm with offices in Sacramento, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York and Poland, is known for its forward-thinking approach in supporting artists. The firm recently celebrated Taemin’s sold-out show at the Kia Forum and announced new signings, including The Georgia Satellites and Hot 8 Brass Band. “This is an exciting opportunity to bolster what is already one of the most dynamic agencies in entertainment,” said Faul.
Legends appointed Chris Bray as president of Europe for its combined Legends and ASM Global business. Bray will oversee operations across the UK and Europe, managing venue operations and revenue generation for sports, entertainment, conventions and other industries out of the company’s office in Manchester. Previously president of Europe for ASM Global, Bray brings over 30 years of experience in commercial operations and development. Since joining ASM Global in 2022, he has driven growth, enhanced guest experiences, and sealed key contracts with venues like Utilita Arena and Olympia London. Bray also oversaw significant investments in venues, including a major glow-up for AO Arena in Manchester. Before ASM Global, he spent 15 years at Sodexo, where he boosted the firm’s Sports and Leisure division. Following Legends’ acquisition of ASM Global in August 2024, the combined company includes iconic venues like AO Arena and major football clubs such as Arsenal and Liverpool. Legends CEO Dan Levy praised Bray’s leadership, adding, “With a strong presence across the UK and Europe … we’re in an incredible position to set new standards in sports and entertainment.”
Sony Music Publishing promoted Taryn Miller to vice president, IT global copyright and royalties, effective immediately. Based in Nashville, Miller will report to chief information officer Bill Starke. In her new role, she’ll oversee the development and management of SMP’s royalty and copyright systems, including the Tempo platform and client portal SCORE, while collaborating across departments on enterprise applications. With over 20 years at the company, Miller has been instrumental in advancing key systems like Tempo and SCORE. She began her career in North American Royalty Administration before becoming a Tempo migration specialist and later transitioning to the IT team, most recently serving as director, IT global administration systems. Starke praised Miller’s contributions, stating “her work has elevated our services for songwriters.”
Creative Artists Agency promoted five Elevate trainees to agent roles across its music, comedy and theatre departments. In the Music Touring group, Ethan Goldish, based in Nashville, was elevated after joining CAA in 2019 and progressing from floater to booking professional in 2022. Also in Nashville, Cam Jensen was promoted after starting as an assistant in 2022, later becoming a booking professional overseeing the Southeast club territory. In Los Angeles, Dom Valentyn was promoted to Music Touring Agent, having joined CAA in 2019 and previously working in artist management and playlist marketing. In the Comedy Touring department, Marissa Pisterzi in Los Angeles was promoted after starting at CAA in 2021, working with several agents before becoming a booking professional. In New York City, Kennedy Woodard was promoted to Agent in the Theatre department. She joined CAA in 2021 as an assistant to Justin Edbrooke and Ethan Kurtzman, and has worked closely with theatre pros to develop stage and screen projects. All five promotions reflect CAA’s commitment to nurturing talent through its Elevate program, which identifies and advances rising professionals within the agency.
Kobalt appointed Claes Uggla as general manager of Kobalt Scandinavia, overseeing operations from the Stockholm office. With over 25 years of A&R experience, Uggla has shaped the careers of many Scandinavian artists. He joins from RMV, where he worked with acts like Gustaf & Viktor Norén. Previously, at Universal Music Sweden, he licensed hits like Lukas Graham’s “Ordinary Things,” and at Sony Music Sweden, he earned a special A&R award for Alan Walker’s “Faded.” Jeannette Perez, Kobalt’s president, praised Uggla’s track record, saying his “approach to A&R, his deep connections to the creative community and his leadership skills will be an important asset to us as we continue to build upon our success in the region.”
Range Music elevated Jared Cotter to managing partner of the management company, the music division of Range Media Partners. Cotter, who joined Range in 2022 and co-manages Shaboozey, made partner last May and before that was vp of A&R for the company. Outside the Hot 100 juggernaut that is Shaboozey, Cotter manages Paul Russell, whose “Lil Boo Thang” reached No. 14 in 2023. Cotter came to Range after co-founding The Heavy Group in 2016, a management and production company where he first signed Bazzi several years ago. He also co-founded 3AM Entertainment, an indie label focusing on music from the South Asian diaspora.
Celine Hollenbeck and Jenna Akemi Kon are named partners at Carroll Guido Groffman Cohen Bar & Karalian LLP, a leading music and entertainment law firm. Hollenbeck, based in Los Angeles, and Kon, in New York, joined the firm in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Founding partner Michael Guido and Los Angeles managing partner Renee Karalian praised their dedication and industry acumen, adding that their “enthusiasm and passion for music and artistry continue to impress the firm’s clients and partners alike.” They join the firm’s growing partner group, including Paul Gutman, Ira Friedman, Leah Seymour and Dave Keady.
BOARD SHORTS: Grammy Museum Mississippi added three new members to its board: Betsy Aguzzi of Mississippi Limestone Corporation, music publicist and entrepreneur Zach Farnum, and artist manager Gaines Sturdivant. They’ve been elected to 3-year terms, starting last month. The board is responsible for governance, oversight and major decision-making at the Cleveland, Miss. museum … VPL, which licenses music videos for public and TV broadcasts in the UK, made key board appointments: Charlotte Saxe is now VPL chair, with Alison Wenham and Shamus Damani joining as new board directors. The VPL Board, consisting of eight directors, oversees all aspects of music video licensing operations for the PPL sister company.
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum promoted five staff members to key leadership roles. Tess Pardee is now associate director of creative project management, overseeing creative projects and resources. Marshell Ruffier has been named associate director of food and beverage operations, managing the banquet team, the museum café, and sustainability initiatives. Alex Krompic has been promoted to director of production and technical services, leading audio, video and lighting for events. Emily Zirkle is now associate director of events administration and entertainment, managing revenue and public events in the CMA Theater. John Sloboda has been promoted to executive director of exhibitions and curatorial services, overseeing gallery exhibitions.
Red Street Records promoted Kelly King to vp of Red Street Publishing, while Patrick Waters joins as senior director of A&R country for the company’s country roster, which includes Chris Lane, Ryan Griffin, Neon Union, Ryan Larkins and Kaleb Sanders. King, known for discovering and/or developing artists and writers including Rascal Flatts, Brett James and Brothers Osborne, earned a partnership at Teracel Music and Good Girl Music (a co-venture with Sony Publishing), before launching her own King Pen Music (a co-venture with Warner Chappell Publishing) prior to joining Red Street Records in 2022. Waters has previously held roles at Red Light Management, Warner Brothers and Interscope. –J.N.
NASHVILLE NOTES: Gotee Records appointed Jess Loper as its new general manager. Reporting to Joey Elwood, CEO of Bell Partners Christian Music, Loper steps into this role following Gotee’s integration under Bell Partners. Previously, she was vp of brand management at Gotee Records and publishing at Emack Music … The International Bluegrass Music Association made three staff changes. Rebecca Bauer joins as marketing director after working as a marketing manager for City Winery; Elizabeth Dewey was promoted to communications director from administrative manager; and Haley Grimm, who’s in her final semester at Belmont University, took over Dewey’s former position … Publicist Jessica Nall joined Jonesworks, where her country clients include Zac Brown Band, Drake Milligan and Adam Doleac. She formerly was Atlantic director of press and media strategy … Paquin Artists Agency, a booking firm focused on Canadian country acts, hired agent/talent buyer Paul Biro, formerly president/operating partner at Sakamoto.
Killphonic Rights launched a dedicated label division, led by CEO Caleb Shreve and co-head of A&R Syd Butler. This follows the company’s executive expansion and a $3 million investment from Stilwell Creative Capital in 2024. The label’s first release, Heart Of Gold: The Songs of Neil Young, is set for April 25. Butler emphasized the label’s “artist-first” approach, highlighting the team’s industry experience and commitment to artist development. He stressed the importance of community and fair profit sharing, aiming to provide essential support at a time in the industry when it’s being abandoned. We believe artists need a community and a label that has their back as they navigate their future in this business.”
ATC Live has two key staffing updates. Lucy Atkinson joins as a new agent from Earth Agency, bringing her 30-strong roster, including Sega Bodega, Alice Glass and Erika de Casier, to boost the live booking agency’s electronic music prowess. Known for her forward-leaning approach, Atkinson has secured high-profile brand collaborations, such as Deijuvhs for Versace Jeans Couture and Ecco2k with Bella Hadid for Marc Jacobs eyewear, among others. Additionally, Alice Hogg was promoted to head of tour marketing, a new role aimed at integrating tour marketing services within ATC Live. This move will strengthen the London-based company’s approach to live campaigns, focusing on cohesive fan engagement and marketing strategies. Hogg, who joined ATC Live in 2020, has 15 years of experience in the live music industry and has worked with artists like Black Pumas and Aaron Frazer. Her roster will continue to be represented by ATC Live.
Raw Power Management, which like ATC Live is part of the ATC Group, bumped-up Dan Brown to the newly created role of head of A&R. A key figure on the senior management team for over a decade, Brown is currently managing You Me At Six’s farewell tour. In his new position, he will lead talent acquisition, focusing on expanding Raw Power’s diverse roster and signing new acts. The company represents artists like Bring Me The Horizon, Bullet For My Valentine, Jordan Adetunji and Heartworms.
ICYMI:
Jodi Dawes
REPUBLIC Collective announced a big stack of promotions across various departments … Warner Chappell Music elevated Gabz Landman to senior vp of A&R … Fox veteran Nick Terranova joined Dick Clark Productions as its new senior vp of brand partnerships … Ole Obermann is out as TikTok’s global head of music business development … Publicity pro Jodi Dawes landed at Big Machine Label Group … and AEG Presents elevated Andrew Klein to lead its global partnerships division. [Keep Reading]
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HarbourView Equity Partners is buying Grammy award-winning rapper-producer T-Pain‘s publishing catalog and certain master recording rights, the company announced on Thursday (Feb. 20). The Tallahassee, Fla.-born artist known for late-2000s party music hits like “Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin’),” “Bartender (featuring Akon)” and “I’m N Luv (Wit a Stripper) (featuring Mike Jones),” has been […]
Here’s a lede I never thought I’d write: On Tuesday, Feb. 11, I tried to buy a swastika t-shirt from a hip-hop artist.
The artist was Ye, of course, and my interest was purely journalistic. I live in Berlin, where there’s a law against the use or distribution of symbols of “unconstitutional organizations,” including those of the Nazi party, and I wanted to see if West might be enabling the breaking of it by shipping to Germany. It took me a day to make sure I wouldn’t be breaking the law as well, since potential penalties include jail time. By then, the e-commerce giant Shopify had taken down Yeezy.com — which seems like a very reasonable solution.
How seriously does Germany take this law? In 2006, a Stuttgart court fined a company selling anti-Nazi merchandise, with images of a swastika with a red line through it. It’s not clear if the law would apply to a company selling swastika t-shirts from another country, as Ye was, but ordering or wearing such a shirt would be a criminal offense. Nazi symbols are also banned in France, Italy, Poland and more than a dozen other countries, and although Ye performed in Italy last year, it’s hard to believe that he could find a promoter or venue willing to book him in these places anytime soon. If human decency fails, Ye’s unpredictability brings with it too much legal risk.
Over the last few decades, few popular musicians have behaved so badly, so publicly, and so unapologetically for so long without facing serious consequences. (Plenty have done one of these, and a few less popular musicians have done all.) And Ye doesn’t seem to be playing with Nazi iconography just for shock value the way, say, Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious did. (This is not okay either, obviously, but Ye’s assurances that he means this makes him far worse.) And although discussion of the Nazi regime tends to focus on its murderous antisemitism, it also persecuted and murdered people because they were gay, Roma, or Black. This is a regime under which Ye’s marriage to Bianca Censori would have been illegal under racial purity laws. And Ye is endorsing it. (It should be noted that, on Feb. 19, he walked it back “after further reflection.”)
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So far, Ye has avoided serious consequences, partly because he apologized to “the Jewish community,” rather lamely, in December 2023 and perhaps partly because he clearly seems to struggle with mental health issues. (He recently said he was autistic.) There’s also a tendency to see his behavior as so completely absurd that no one could possibly take him seriously. Him saying he wants to be called “Yedolf Yitler” sounds more like something out of a Dave Chappelle sketch than any kind of fascist advocacy.
So then why does this matter so much?
Partly because, in a country without hate-speech laws, like the U.S., it’s important to define the boundaries of acceptable discourse and impose some kind of consequences on those who cross them. And partly because doing so is a good way to start a more serious public discussion about where those boundaries ought to be. So far, Ye’s agent dropped him after he started selling the swastika shirts, and while it’s not clear when he might release another album, no company ought to go into business with him now.
I think it would be foolish to take offline music that Ye released years ago — his rhetoric is hateful but most of that music is great. Obviously, companies make money on that music — Universal Music Group owns the recordings from the early part of his career, and Sony Music Publishing administers his publishing rights — and they have an obligation to pay him. (Sony’s administration of his publishing will end in less than a year, after which the company will no longer have an interest in his catalog.) Both companies made statements that Ye’s behavior is unacceptable.
Since Ye started selling the shirts, the only big executive who has made a major statement is YouTube global head of music Lyor Cohen, in the form of an open letter. That’s important, since it will help make sure other companies take the issue seriously. The day after Ye started selling the swastika shirts, I joked that if he isn’t careful, he’s going to end up as a tenured professor at Columbia University. Of course, Columbia would never tolerate the way he spoke about having “dominion” over his wife. When it comes to antisemitism, however, it seems to be a bit more open-minded. The truth is that some of the tropes Ye espouses about Jewish money and power are not as far from respectable society as we might want to think.
Just look at the new video for the Macklemore song “fucked up,” which has the look of quick-cut propaganda. Macklemore is certainly free to advocate for his politics — I don’t like war, Trump, or Netanyahu, either! But his ideas about how the conflict in the Middle East is driven by the hidden agendas of powerful people — some of whom are in the media! — are creepy. Then there’s his juxtaposition of the Israeli flag and a $100 bill, which seems about as subtle as Elon Musk’s arm movements (which he attacks in the song). Plenty of people don’t seem bothered by the video, and plenty of people move their arms that way. But it’s hard to have a serious discussion about any of this while we’re tolerating outright Naziism. Obviously, Ye’s behavior is cartoonishly extreme. But it’s worth remembering that the symbols of Hamas, which have started to show up at the kind of on-campus anti-Israel protests that Macklemore seems to love so much, are also banned in Germany — just like the swastika.
Sony Music Entertainment is asking a judge to throw out a lawsuit brought against the company by Patrick Moxey‘s Ultra International Music Publishing late last year, claiming the suit was an act of “retaliation” against the major label after it filed its own lawsuit against the publishing outfit two years prior.
Ultra International Music Publishing and Ultra Music Publishing Europe brought the lawsuit against Sony Music Entertainment and its subsidiaries — including Ultra Records, which Moxey sold his remaining 50% share of to Sony in 2021 — last November over allegations of copyright infringement, claiming Sony and its affiliates had been using Ultra Publishing’s compositions without a license. Filed in New York federal court, the complaint alleged that Ultra Publishing had conducted an audit finding that Sony had been underpaying royalties to the publisher and its songwriters “for years” — but that after bringing the results of the audit to Sony’s attention, the major label “failed” and “refuse[d]” to pay Ultra Publishing the royalties it was due.
Ultra Publishing claimed that after Sony’s alleged refusal, it ceased granting the music giant licenses to the company’s compositions, but that Sony nonetheless continued uploading tracks featuring Ultra Publishing-owned compositions to streaming services and selling them as digital downloads and physical releases, among other exploitations. The lawsuit concerned more than 50,000 compositions by artists including Ed Sheeran, Madonna, Rihanna and others.
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In its response, filed on Monday (Feb. 17) by attorney Tal Dickstein, Sony Music called the lawsuit “an ill-conceived effort by Plaintiffs — two music publishing companies owned by Patrick Moxey — to retaliate against” Sony Music for an earlier lawsuit it filed against Ultra Publishing for the continued use of the Ultra name. In that complaint, filed in November 2022, Sony attested that Moxey had signed away his rights to the Ultra trademark after selling the company his remaining stake in Ultra Records, which he founded in 1995.
Sony claims Ultra Publishing attempted to justify the “nefarious timing” of its own lawsuit — which allegedly dropped the day before the trial for the trademark lawsuit began — “by claiming this lawsuit stems from an audit of the music publishing royalties that Sony Music Entertainment paid to Plaintiffs.” However, Sony alleges that the audit in question, “which involved payments made by Sony Music Entertainment to Plaintiffs through 2016,” was in fact “settled in principle years ago for a small fraction of the amount claimed, and Plaintiffs never pursued those audit claims any further.”
Sony’s filing goes on to say that it and Ultra Publishing “continued working together after the audit was settled, with Sony Music Entertainment paying publishing royalties on the musical compositions that were the subject of the audit without objection from Plaintiffs, and working to license and pay the corresponding publishing royalties for well over a thousand other compositions owned in whole or in part by Plaintiffs.”
“Sony Music Entertainment’s licensing practices are both appropriate and entirely consistent with the licensing practices of every other leading record label that releases new sound recordings, including record labels that Moxey himself controlled in the past and currently owns,” the filing continues. “Moreover, Plaintiffs’ own songwriters and producers continue to write songs and collaborate with SME artists with the intention and expectation that the resulting sound recordings incorporating the underlying musical compositions will be commercially released — underscoring the obvious question of whether Plaintiffs’ attempted boycott of SME is in their songwriters’ best interest.”
An attorney for Ultra International Music Publishing did not immediately respond to Billboard‘s request for comment.
Hit songwriter Savan Kotecha has partnered with Universal Music India, Republic Records and Represent to launch an initiative aimed at discovering and developing India’s first globally impactful pop boy band. The nationwide talent hunt seeks to redefine India’s pop landscape by creating a group that reflects the country’s diversity, while also “igniting an unprecedented wave of fandom and paving the way for the Indian Teen Pop economy,” according to the announcement.
Kotecha, a Grammy, Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated native of Texas, has played a pivotal role in shaping modern pop music over the last 15-plus years. His extensive catalog includes hits for Ariana Grande, One Direction, The Weeknd and Maroon 5. With a career that took off in Sweden alongside mentor Max Martin, Kotecha has contributed to chart-topping songs like Grande’s “Problem,” 1D’s “What Makes You Beautiful,” The Weeknd’s “Can’t Feel My Face” and Maroon 5’s “One More Night.” He also served as executive music producer for Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.
Kotecha believes that India has long looked outside its borders for pop and teen idols, and this initiative aims to change that. “Boy bands have shaped generations around the world—now, it’s India’s turn,” he said. “We want to create a group that represents India’s dreams and sparks an unprecedented wave of fandom.”
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Universal Music Group India & South Asia managing director Sanujeet Bhujabal emphasized the project’s significance. “Our i-Pop strategy has focused on cultivating a Gen Z and Gen Alpha-driven sound in India. Partnering with Savan, we’re taking this vision global by launching India’s first true pop boy band. This will be the biggest talent hunt India has ever seen, and we are committed to building a long-term teen pop economy.”
Aayushman Sinha, founder of Represent, echoed this sentiment: “We’re stepping into a new era of talent development, something India has never seen before. More importantly, this project is about fostering sustainable careers for young artists and establishing pop music as a dominant cultural force.”
To shape the eventual band’s identity, the project has also partnered with Jugaad Motion Pictures.
Aspiring musicians can audition by following @greatestindianboyband on Instagram and submitting their entries on the contest’s website. To apply, candidates need to upload a video showcasing their talent and answering a few select questions. After a month-long selection process, shortlisted contestants will advance to the next round, with the final five then participating in what’s described as a “training bootcamp” ahead of their official debut.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ recorded masters catalog is up for sale, and sources say the band is seeking upwards of $350 million from suitors. The catalog includes such hit songs as “Under The Bridge,” “Dani California,” “Snow (Hey Oh), “Californication,” “Otherside,” “Can’t Stop” and “Give It Away.”
Sources say the band owns the 13 studio albums and other releases issued by the Warner Music Group (WMG) in the U.S. Billboard couldn’t determine if the band also owns its first four studio albums, which were issued through EMI in the U.S., although one source says they do. Whatever rights the band owns in those EMI records, those rights are also a part of what’s being offered for sale, sources say.
Billboard estimates that the Red Hot Chili Peppers master recording catalog generates about $26 million in revenue annually, with the bulk of that coming from the WMG portion of the catalog and about $1 million in revenue coming from the EMI portion. While some sources suggest that a potential deal for the recorded music assets has already been reached and that WMG is the most likely buyer, other sources say a deal has yet to be struck.
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The news comes four years after the band sold its music publishing to Hipgnosis for about $140 million to $150 million. That means that if the Red Hot Chili Peppers realizes its $350 million asking price for the recorded music catalog, it will have snared about $500 million for selling its music assets. Sources say Eric Greenspan of the law firm Wyman Greenspan Fox Rosenberg Mobster Younger & Light has been shopping the band’s recorded music catalog deal, just as he did for its publishing assets.
While sources say the deal includes all of the rights for the band’s recorded music catalog, Billboard couldn’t determine if the deal also includes merchandising and name, image and likeness rights.
What’s more, it’s also unclear if all the suitors were shopped the same set of recorded music assets, based on the math involved in the deal. With $26 million in revenue, after subtracting production, distribution, shipping, warehousing and reserve expenses, Billboard estimates that net label share (NLS), or gross profit, for the catalog would be about $20 million. But non-strategic suitors who are aware of the assets say that they hear that the catalog’s NLS is about 3/4 of that, or about $15 million.
While the band is seeking upwards of $350 million, it’s more likely the deal will go for $325 million to $340 million, some sources say. If the band were to achieve $340 million for the sale of its recorded catalog, on a NLS of $20 million, that would imply a 17-times multiple, which is pricey for recorded music assets — even for a steady high revenue earner like the Chili Peppers. Moreover, at the $15 million NLS cited by some sources, a $340 million potential sale price would work out to a 22-23 times NLS multiple, which music asset traders would describe as a “frothy” valuation. Consequently, sources suggest that the deal makes more sense for a strategic suitor, like one of the majors, than a private equity firm or a music asset buyer backed by private equity.
WMG declined to comment for this story. Greenspan, the band’s lawyer, didn’t respond to requests for comment.