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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.
Earlier this month, Warner Bros. Discovery and Cutting Edge Group announced they were teaming up to launch a joint venture to generate more money from one of the original Hollywood studios’ catalog of 400,000 movie and television songs.
The blockbuster deal — reportedly worth $1 billion — includes the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings franchises, Friends, Game of Thrones, and Succession, to name a few.
This novel arrangment was inspired by WBD’s need to get more out of its most valuable assets as the rise of streaming shakes the fundamental economics underlying modern media businesses. Cutting Edge Group is a nearly 15-year-old company founded by Philip Moross, a former real estate developer who saw an opportunity to acquire, manage and develop music rights from films and TV shows.
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Now a three-prong company that also includes studios where partnering artists like Timbaland produce music specifically for Cutting Edge projects in the film, TV or wellness space, Cutting Edge is embarking on its biggest project yet.
Billboard spoke with CEG’s Moross about how the joint venture with Warner Bros. Discovery will work, including what Cutting Edge brings to the table and if they other joint ventures between music companies and studios to follow.
What are you aiming to accomplish with this joint venture, and what role will Cutting Edge play do day-to-day?
I put the idea [to WBD] that as we are solely focused on music, we could help make it a larger profit center for them. We are working closely with Warners’s music department … and hope to build a music business within the framework of Warner Bros. Discovery the way that Warner Chappel was in the past. We are a music business. They are a film and television business that incorporates music into their creative process. Our job is to effectively maximize the monetary end of it. But how it’s going to work on a day-to-day basis we are still working out. I will say We have no interest in changing the relationships [Warner Bros. Discovery] has with UMPG and Sony. We’re an independent and we don’t compete with any of them.
This is a massive catalog. How will you manage maximizing its value?
You compartmentalize—pure instrumentals, songs, etc.—and then see what the market wants from each category … and take into account the composers. We understand the composers are the lifeblood of the business. Warner wants to take care of them from a creative point of view.You must balance the economic value of that with the creative process. A composer may not want the main theme to Harry Potter used anywhere else, but the body of the music may be available. On the other hand, the song “Shallow” is a huge song, which is relevant now, that you may be able to get some very big synchs on. We are going to have to work to make sure all parties are involved–because it is not 100% owned by one party and the master is owned by Gaga’s record label. We have the time and inclination to do that whereas Warner is on to the next movie already.
You’ve got 400,000 titles so it’s not going to be quick and easy. If I am advising I’d be saying go for the top 20% that generate 80% of the revenue, but don’t lose sight of the gems in there.
Will Cutting Edge be providing its two cents on films?
We hope to provide input on songs for films in the works. In the core business of Cutting Edge, we’ve done that. We’ve bought catalogs of film rights and suggested to composers … to use the same themes again because creatively it works.
What is so important to Warner Bros. Discovery is maintaining creative integrity. They are never going to tell a director what music to use and what music not to use. … [and] it is not our role to impose any creative ideas. What we hope to do is to suggest [through the Warner Bros. Discovery music department] to the creatives, “If you’re doing Aquaman 3, why don’t you use the same themes from Aquaman 1 and 2 for certain characters?”
Cutting Edge’s Myndstream business does a lot linking music with the wellness industry. Are there opportunities in the wellness space in this catalog?
Absolutely it’s an area of focus for us. We work on [opportunities like these] all the time. There is a Nicholas Britell track called Agape [from the score of If Beale Street Could Talk]. It’s one of the most used tracks on Peloton for their meditation programs. Everything is about the emotional connection and identifying opportunities.
Everyone knows the soundtracks of “Harry Potter” and Friends. But there are music cues in the catalog as well. Can you describe what those are and their potential?
When you are watching a film or television show and you hear the background music, every item of music that sits in that film or television show is a cue. It is the background music that you’ve got right up to the songs. For example, The Rembrandts in Friends — the opening titles can be a cue. It could be the 3 ½ minute version of the Rembrandt song — a full song — or the 1-minute portion of that. That is the cue. The cue that is registered with BMI is earning its revenue from broadcast performance. So when the TV show plays, the network that is paying the royalty will pay the PRO which then pays the publisher, which in this case is our joint venture. We track to make sure nothing is missed.
How much of your day will be devoted to this?
[Cutting Edge’s] operating team will spend the majority of its time on this. It’s certainly the biggest deal that I’ve ever done. It deserves the attention because it is such a big scale.
What kind of return is this JV expected to produce on Warner Bros. catalog?
I can’t give you a number as to how much we will increase revenue.
Tell us about your team.
This is a family affair. My background was in real estate historically; I gave it up in 2010. All three of my kids are in the business; 12 on 12 is run by my daughter Claudia, Freddie runs the MyndStream business, and Tara [Finnegan] runs the bigger picture. Tara has done an exceptional job in this whole process, but we have really navigated together from the beginning. Tim Hegarty and the Cutting Edge M&A team, as well. The deal could not have been done without them.
Do you think more studios will do deals like the one Cutting Edge has done with Warner Bros. Discovery?
I hope so. We are having discussions with various rights owners who are interested in maximizing the value of their music rights either through a sale or a partnership with Cutting Edge. They are driven by different motivations, which include the ability to release equity from ancillary rights that are fully amortized on their balance sheets; or the opportunity to work with Cutting Edge’s team of professionals to help with supervision, exploitation, soundtrack release and marketing.
There should be no major obstacles since we have completed the deal with WBD and proved the value we can add to these types of copyrights. We operate in a very specialist area of the music business and each rights owner has their own specific needs. It takes time to create a bespoke offer to meet these needs, which Cutting Edge is uniquely placed to do.”
Nick Terranova has been appointed senior vp of brand partnerships at Dick Clark Productions (DCP). Based in New York, Terranova will be responsible for developing brand alliances across all media platforms for the production company’s many award shows (Golden Globes, American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards and Academy of Country Music Awards) and other programming, such as Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest.
Terranova brings more than 15 years of experience in media, advertising, and partnerships to the role. Prior to joining DCP, Terranova held senior leadership roles at Fox and Warner Bros.
As svp, ad sales & brand partnerships at Fox, Terranova oversaw the national sales team and led the transition of TMZ’s advertising business following its acquisition from WarnerMedia, contributing to double-digit revenue growth across digital, social, and branded content platforms.
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Prior to Fox, Terranova held key sales leadership roles during his 12-year tenure at Warner Bros., managing numerous advertising portfolios for premium entertainment properties such as Rotten Tomatoes, Flixster, TMZ, Ellen DeGeneres, Extra, and DC Comics—brands that together formed Warner Bros. Digital Media. His work spanned direct and programmatic sales, branded content, and on-air product integrations.
Terranova began his career in media at OMD as a national TV buyer before moving to ad sales at Turner and CBS Interactive. Most recently, he served as svp of sales at Anoki, an AI-driven CTV startup.
The 60th ACM Awards, hosted by Reba McEntire, is set for May 8, live from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. The American Music Awards will return following a two-and-a-half-year hiatus over Memorial Day weekend. The show, live from Las Vegas, will include a tribute to America’s veterans.
DCP is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a Penske Media Corporation (PMC) subsidiary and joint venture between PMC and Eldridge. PMC is the parent company of Billboard.
Shot Tower Capital, a boutique investment brand specializing in the sale of music and entertainment assets, is enhancing its offerings through the launch of RedBrick Advisors, a specialized valuation firm catering to those industries. Sachin Saggar Courtesy Photo As part of that new endeavor, Shot Tower is partnering with RedBrick co-founder Sachin Saggar, a research […]
For more than a year, record labels and publishers have seen investors pour into streaming stocks — namely Spotify — while downplaying the potential benefits rights owners will accrue from rising subscription prices. Now, Universal Music Group (UMG) and Warner Music Group (WMG) are getting some attention as analysts are optimistic about the terms of new licensing agreements Spotify reached with the companies.
WMG shares rose 10.9% to $36.20 a week after the company released fiscal first-quarter results. This week, the stock got a boost when Citi raised its WMG price target to $42 from $34 and upgraded the stock to a “buy” rating from “neutral.” As Morningstar explained last week, WMG is a “primary beneficiary of the ongoing growth” in the music industry. At $36.20, WMG shares have gained 17.0% in 2025 and are only slightly below their 52-week high of $36.64 set in February 2024. WMG shares fell 13.4% in 2024.
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At UMG, shares rose 7.1% to 28.89 euros ($30.32), the stock’s highest closing price since May 27, 2024. Morgan Stanley analysts have been making the case that UMG is undervalued given Spotify’s soaring share price and this week raised its UMG price target to 42 euros ($44.07) from 36 euros ($37.78). Recent licensing deals with Spotify and Amazon “increases our confidence that its subscription growth will accelerate” from approximately 5% at the start of 2025 to “closer to 15%” at the beginning of 2026, they wrote in a Monday (Feb. 10) investor note. After falling 4.2% in 2024, UMG shares are up 20.8% in 2025.
WMG and UMG were among the best performers on the 20-company Billboard Global Music Index (BGMI) this week. The BGMI rose 4.6% to a record 2,755.53, bringing its year-to-date gain to 29.7%. Only two stocks lost ground while one was unchanged and 17 posted gains for the week. The index outperformed the Nasdaq composite (up 2.6%), the S&P 500 (up 1.5%), the FTSE 100 (up 0.4%), China’s SSE Composite Index (up 1.3%) and South Korea’s KOSPI composite index (flat versus the previous week).
Live Nation reached an all-time high of $152.94 on Friday (Feb. 14) before closing at $153.76, up 3.7% for the week. Ahead of the concert promoter’s earnings results on Thursday (Feb. 20,) Wolfe Research increased its price target to $175 from $160 and Goldman Sachs raised it to $166 from $148.
Streaming services fared well, too. Spotify rose another 2.4% to $637.73 and reached a new all-time high of $652.63 on Thursday (Feb. 13). Fewer than seven weeks into 2025, Spotify shares have gained 36.7%. Elsewhere on the streaming front, Cloud Music rose 9.1% to 142.20 HKD ($18.01) and Tencent Music Entertainment gained 8.7% to $13.63.
Music streamer LiveOne had the week’s biggest loss after falling 20.5% to $0.93. On Thursday, the company announced that its revenue fell 6% in the fiscal third quarter. LiveOne also lowered revenue and earnings guidance for its full year, causing shares to end the day down 18.6%. The other streaming loser was Abu Dhabi-based Anghami, which fell 2.7% to $0.71.
Satellite radio broadcaster SiriusXM shares rose 6.6% to $27.11, bringing its year-to-date gain to 21.2%. This week, Deutsche Bank raised its price target to $27 from $25.
Most K-pop companies finished the week in positive territory. HYBE shares rose 5.8% and reached their highest mark since July 2023. SM Entertainment, which reported a 9% increase in revenue this week, increased 5.4%. JYP Entertainment improved 4.2% and YG Entertainment fell 1.3%.
There’s a new category at the Juno Awards this year and for first-time nominee Lowell, it’s been a long time coming.
Lowell (Elizabeth Lowell Boland) has been in the industry for a decade, first as a performing artist and then as a songwriter and artist development expert. In the last two years, she’s helped break Canadian rockers The Beaches internationally and contributed to Beyoncé‘s first-ever album of the year win at the Grammys, co-writing several tracks on Cowboy Carter.
Now, she receives her first-ever Juno nomination, in the inaugural year of the new songwriter of the year (non-performer) category. The introduction of the category means that behind-the-scenes songwriters who would normally get squeezed out of the songwriter of the year category by big names like Abel Tesfaye (a.k.a. The Weeknd) are getting their due.
Last year, Billboard Canada and SOCAN introduced the Billboard Canada Non-Performing Songwriter Award, which Lowell won and accepted at the Billboard Canada Power Players celebration. Lowell was a fitting first winner, as she’s also been pushing the Junos to add the category for years.
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At a Junos media conference this week following the nominations announcement, Lowell spoke about how it’s been a long road to get here, but that songwriters are starting to get some recognition.
“I’m so glad that we have this category now,” Lowell said. “I think that if it didn’t exist I probably wouldn’t be nominated at the Junos — and I always said if I get Grammys before I get Junos you know there’s something wrong.”
Lowell added that in the past, Juno nominations have been bittersweet for songwriters.
“Usually we see a lot of artists that we maybe have developed or written their hits, but know that our name won’t be up there, just kind of having to live in it,” she reflected. “I’m a fighter so I kind of took the lead on it. One thing about songwriters is we’re so used to just being walked all over, we don’t often think we can do anything about it, and I refuse to think that way.”
As songwriter royalties have declined, it’s harder to make a living, Lowell pointed out, making this kind of recognition even more significant.
“All of these labels — Universal Canada, Warner Canada — we could be in L.A. but we’re here, we’re working on your artists, and we’re writing you guys hits and we’re bringing you money and allowing you to sign more artists, so the respect that we need and have earned needs to be at the Junos too,” she continued. “And here we are. It’s good — it’s a good day.”
She’s excited to be nominated in the category alongside Nate Ferraro, her songwriting partner on Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em.” Also nominated are Evan Blair, for work with Maren Morris and Benson Boone (including co-writing the No. 1 hit “Beautiful Things”); Shaun Frank, for work with Dua Lipa and Morgan Wallen; and Tobias Jesso Jr., for work with Camila Cabello, Morris and Lipa.
Producer Aaron Paris and recording engineer/producer Hill Kourkoutis also spoke about the importance of industry recognition for those working behind the scenes. Read more here. – Rosie Long Decter
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Junos and Polaris Prize Release Statements on Buffy Sainte-Marie’s Awards Following Order of Canada Cancellation
Though most focus was on the new Juno nominees this week, one prior winner was also under the spotlight: Buffy Sainte-Marie.
The acclaimed singer-songwriter’s Order of Canada appointment was canceled last week by The Governor General of Canada, Mary Simon. The decision came a year and a half after the CBC’s investigation into her claims of Indigenous ancestry and Canadian citizenship. Since then, there has been scrutiny into other awards Sainte-Marie has earned in the country.
CARAS, the body that governs the Junos, released a statement, saying they are aware of the decision to terminate her Order of Canada.
“We continue to consult with our Indigenous Music Advisory Committee and Indigenous stakeholders on how to best proceed as it relates to Sainte-Marie’s Juno Awards,” the organization said in a statement. “We recognize the importance of Indigenous music as a category and remain deeply committed to promoting, celebrating and honouring the contributions of Indigenous artists to the Canadian music industry.”
In 2023, a group named the Indigenous Women’s Collective called on CARAS to rescind Sainte-Marie’s 2018 Juno for Indigenous album of the year, which she won for the album Medicine Songs. The group pointed to the win over artist Kelly Fraser, who died a year later.
“We invite the Juno Awards Committee to revisit this 2018 category and explore ways of righting a past wrong,” they wrote. “All Indigenous Artists in this 2018 category, including Kelly Fraser, should be reconsidered for this rightful honour.”
Sainte-Marie won the Polaris Music Prize, which awards one album as the best in Canada of the year based solely on artistic merit, for her 2015 album, Power in the Blood. For her victory, Sainte-Marie earned a cash prize of $50,000.
The Polaris Music Prize Board released a statement.
“The Polaris Board is aware of the ongoing conversation around Buffy Sainte Marie’s Canadian status,” they said in a statement. “We have and continue to follow as new information is shared.”
Sainte-Marie has said that she has never lied about her identity. – Richard Trapunski
This Valentine’s Day, show your love by sidling up 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, but first, peruse our second annual list of the most powerful people in sports and music, our weekly interview series spotlighting a single c-suiter and our calendar of notable industry events.
The Bandier Program at Syracuse’s Newhouse School formed a new advisory board to guide the vaulted music business program. This board consists of 13 distinguished alumni who hold leadership positions across the recording and entertainment industries, with a goal to foster innovation, mentorship and career development for students. Notable members include Jon Cohen (co-founder/CEO of The FADER and Cornerstone Agency), Jacqueline Saturn (president of Virgin Music), Joel Klaiman (CEO of ASCEND4M, former evp at Columbia), Alex Coslov (evp of Mercury Records), Justin Shukat (president of Primary Wave) and Margaret Tomlin (vp of A&R at Sony Music Nashville), among others. They’ll work with Bandier program director Bill Werde and managing director Lisa Steele to keep the program aligned with industry trends, promote diversity and overall enhance its reputation. Since its first graduating class in 2011, the Bandier Program has consistently been ranked among Billboard’s top music business schools. This fall, it will expand with a new master’s degree program in music business, a joint effort between the Newhouse School and the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Named after legendary music publishing executive Martin Bandier, the program offers students a multidisciplinary education, industry connections, and practical experience. Newhouse Dean Mark Lodato commended the alums, saying “the diverse skills and career paths of the 13 inaugural members of the Advisory Board shine a light on the legacy of excellence in music business education at Syracuse University and the Newhouse School.”
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Joey Papoutsis ’13, Bill Werde, Caitlin Lytle ’16, Max Weinberg ’12, Michelle Santosuosso, Suryansh Singh ’25, Tamzin Folz ’26, Darius Baharlo ’27, Rachel Kelly ’25, Margaret Tomlin ’13, Bria Lewis ’26, Gabz Landman ’12, Joel Klaiman ’90, Lisa Steele, Grant Palmer ’13, CJ Strock ’00, Jon Cohen ’90, Justin Shukat ’96, Steve Magee ’16
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Sony Music Publishing elevated Henry Naldjian to chief technology officer, reporting to chief information officer Bill Starke. Based in Nashville, Naldjian will oversee technological transformation, drive innovation and ensure global team alignment. With over 34 years of experience at Sony, he has played a key role in SMP’s IT advancements, including developing the Tempo copyright and royalty system and leading cloud computing initiatives. Naldjian, who previously helped build Sony Music Entertainment’s global royalty system, expressed his passion for supporting songwriters: “In a world where technology evolves at the speed of thought, our greatest asset is not the code we write, but the empowerment we provide to our songwriters and clients.”
The MSG Family of Companies — MSG Entertainment, MSG Sports and Sphere Entertainment — appointed Stephanie Andino as executive vp of people practices, effective Feb. 24. Reporting to executive chairman and CEO Jim Dolan, she will oversee benefits, compensation, employee engagement, talent acquisition and policy compliance at the venue and live entertainment giant. Andino arrives from Crate and Barrel, where she served as chief human resources officer, and brings extensive experience from roles at Victoria’s Secret, Legends Hospitality, PepsiCo, Fox, JWT, and Gap Inc. Dolan praised her ability to develop impactful programs in dynamic organizations, adding, “we look forward to leveraging her expertise to lead this critical area.”
Concord Music Publishing nudged Kourtney Kirkpatrick to senior vp of synchronization and Matt Turner to vp of A&R in its Nashville office. Kirkpatrick will continue to lead the television sync division, managing a team across New York, Los Angeles and Nashville, and promoting catalogs from artists like Phil Collins, and John Fogerty. Her team has secured placements in popular shows such as Euphoria and Stranger Things, and trailers for brands like Netflix and Apple. She also leads Concord’s annual Nashville sync camp, which has resulted in over 350 placements globally. Previously, Kirkpatrick worked at Razor & Tie and Big Yellow Dog Music. Turner, meanwhile, will focus on signing and developing talent across country. His efforts have led to multiple radio staples for artists like Morgan Wallen and Dan + Shay, and he has also secured publishing deals for Josh Miller, Andy Albert and other writers. Turner’s previous experience includes roles at Big Loud and Downtown Music Publishing, where he helped launch the careers of Morgan Wallen and Chris Lane.
Jordan Saxemard‘s brief tenure as chief marketing officer of Sonos is over. Saxemard, who joined Sonos last May from Dyson and previously spent a decade at Coty, leaves amid backlash over a poorly received app update that damaged the company’s reputation with customers. His exit, effective immediately according to The Verge, comes a month after Patrick Spence’s resignation as CEO. In the interim, Lindsay Whitworth, a 20-year veteran of Sonos, will take over brand marketing leadership as the company navigates the fallout from the update and works to restore consumer confidence.
The Academy of Country Music made several key promotions and new hires. Christina Bartko joins as vp of accounting and finance, bringing experience from Warner Music Group and Live Nation, and will report to CEO Damon Whiteside. Haley Montgomery has been promoted to head of artist relations and awards, overseeing artist relations, membership, awards voting and governance, and will also report to Whiteside. Steve Mekler is now senior director of creative and marketing, leading marketing campaigns and content strategy, reporting to evp and chief business officer Gil Beverly. Jennifer Davis has been promoted to director of live events and production, managing logistics for major ACM events, and will report to vp of live events and production Ben Carter. Lastly, Karson Leighton joins as executive assistant to the CEO and CBO, handling internal operations.
Entertainment business management firm FBMM announced that Dan Killian is now an owner and shareholder of the company. Killian, who has nearly 15 years of music business experience, and more than a dozen years with FBMM, is now the youngest owner in FBMM’s history. In addition to managing business needs of clients spanning various genres of music, Killian also plays a key role in internal initiatives including creating a health and wellness program, leadership training and mentorship, and business development. FBMM was founded in 1990 and has offices in Los Angeles, New York City and Nashville. –Jessica Nicholson
TuneCore named Kevin Ferguson as senior vp of technology, tasked with driving innovation, scalability and user experience. Reporting to chief technology and product officer Luxi Huang, Ferguson will enhance TuneCore’s platform and programs like TuneCore Accelerator, focusing on digital tools that help artists connect with audiences and monetize their work. Ferguson brings extensive experience from BentoBox, where he scaled operations globally and integrated technology post-acquisition by FiServ. He has also held leadership roles at Audible, Morgan Stanley and the Vanguard Group. Huang praised Ferguson’s ability to lead high-performing teams, saying his “strategic foresight—makes him the ideal leader to further accelerate our innovation and ensure we remain at the forefront of the evolving music industry.” Ferguson expressed excitement about using technology to empower independent artists and strengthen TuneCore’s impact in the music industry, “all while ensuring that every artist has access to the most intuitive and powerful set of tools.”
Merlin appointed Sarah McNabb as director of content integrity, effective immediately. Based in London, McNabb joins from Audoo, where in three years she rose to head of partnerships, enhancing music royalties with advanced recognition technology. In her role at Merlin, she’ll work with members and digital platforms to maintain high content integrity standards. McNabb’s extensive experience with PROs and CMOs while at her last gig make her “uniquely suited to spearhead Merlin’s efforts to combat streaming manipulation and fraud,” the indie digital rights nonprofit said. Previously, she advocated for diversity and inclusion at Tech Talent Charter, a UK not-for-profit promoting gender parity in the IT sector.
RADIO, RADIO: Jenna Weiss-Berman stepped down as evp of podcasts at Audacy to become head of audio at Amy Poehler’s Paper Kite Productions. In her new role, she’ll lead the expansion of the company’s podcasting and digital audio content. Weiss-Berman, who co-founded Pineapple Street Studios before its acquisition by Audacy in 2019, will continue consulting for Audacy … Townsquare created three new upper-management positions and promoted executives to the roles. Cristina Cipolla steps up to chief data officer from senior vp of data and analytics, Matt Kiger rises to chief revenue officer from senior vp of sales, and Kelly Quinn is lifted to the Ignite division’s chief revenue officer from senior vp of sales.
Humanable appointed Tim Wipperman as its first chief executive officer, announced by president Lili McGrady. Wipperman, a Billboard Country Power Player in 2022, has had a distinguished career, starting in Nashville in the 1970s. He has led Vector Music Publishing, Cedarwood Publishing and Combine Music, working with writers like Kris Kristofferson. He notably spent nearly three decades at Warner Bros. Music (later Warner Chappell) and led Equity Music Group, Wipperman Music Group, Rezonant Music Group, and held roles at Anthem Music Publishing Nashville and ONErpm. Humanable’s software certifies that creators’ work is made without Generative AI, reducing fraud in the supply chain. The certification provides a unique identifier to protect against AI-generated music, with 3.4 million songs certified to date. Wipperman emphasized the importance of protecting artists, stating, “Humanable is a first-to-market, author-driven way to mitigate the danger GenAI poses to creators.”
Drew Silverstein joined SourceAudio as president and head of AI strategy. The hire coincides with the launch of SongLab, SourceAudio’s new AI-powered suite of music tools designed to credit and compensate artists for AI-generated works. Silverstein, co-founder and former CEO of Amper Music, is tasked with leading all AI initiatives, focusing on forming partnerships with companies seeking ethically sourced AI training data and ensuring that all 33 million songs in the SourceAudio catalog can be used with full creator consent. Silverstein, a former vp of music at Shutterstock, will report to SourceAudio CEO Geoffrey Harding.
Big Loud Rock named Brooks Roach as senior vp of marketing. In this role, Roach will oversee the label’s marketing strategy, reporting to Big Loud partner Joey Moi and evp/general manager Lloyd Norman. Roach brings extensive industry experience, having previously served as svp of marketing at Giant Music, vp of marketing at Atlantic Records, and head of marketing and brand partnerships for Coldplay at Dave Holmes Management. He began his career at The Agency Group.
Peermusic executive Frank Handy was elected national chair of the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) for 2025-2026 term. In this role, he will work with the executive committee, including chapter brass, to unify all four AIMP Chapters (Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, Atlanta) in educating the independent music publishing community on industry trends. Handy will also serve as president of the LA Chapter. With years of involvement in AIMP’s LA outpost, Handy has previously served as treasurer and vp. Currently vp of catalog royalties administration at peermusic, Handy has held leadership roles at Position Music and AllTrack Performing Rights.
The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY, welcomed back Stefanie May as its marketing director. May, a seasoned live music marketer, previously held various roles at the venue from 2014 to 2022, including marketing coordinator, manager and director. She joins general manager Alyssa Kitchen as part of the Cap’s leadership team. May brings over a decade of industry experience, having worked with Brooklyn Made Presents and the Fairfield Theatre Company. She also played a key role in the National Independent Venue Association’s successful campaign to pass the Save Our Stages Act.
Laura Gonzalez has been promoted to vp of marketing at Disney Music Group. She will lead the Disney-branded marketing team, overseeing music and soundtrack strategies for Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, Marvel Studios, Disney Theatrical and Disney Parks. She’ll also manage marketing for DMG playlists, music franchises, and activations at D23 Ultimate Fan Events. Since joining DMG in 2008, Gonzalez has played a key role in major marketing initiatives, contributing to the success of projects like Encanto, Turning Red, Moana 2, and Frozen on Broadway.
Tape Room Music added Katherine Godwin as manager of A&R, where she will focus on maximizing catalog constructs and managing calendars for writers on the Tape Room Music roster. Godwin began interning with Big Machine Label Group’s publishing arm while completing her undergrad degree at Vanderbilt University. She then worked as a publishing assistant at BMLG’s publishing division before serving as a creative coordinator, managing a catalog of over 14,000 songs for three years. -J.N.
NASHVILLE NOTES: UMG Nashville director of media marketing Jodi Dawes exited the label after a three-and-a-half year run … Mtheory expanded its Nashville office with two new hires. Branden Bosler joins as vp of artist services and business development, bringing experience from Stand Together Music, BMI and Warner Music Nashville. Carine Abraham has been appointed as a day-to-day manager, overseeing the career of Mickey Guyton. She previously worked as a project manager at UMG Nashville … The Touring Career Workshop rebranded as ECCHO, an acronym for Education, Community, Connection, Health and Opportunity.
Calling All Crows, an advocate for feminist actions in the music industry, appointed Ben Whitehair as its new executive director, succeeding Heatherjean MacNeil. Whitehair, formerly the executive vp of SAG-AFTRA, brings nearly two decades of entertainment and leadership experience. Board chair Monica Hinojos-Capes said Whitehair’s “ability to catalyze communities, foster impactful partnerships, and drive meaningful change aligns seamlessly with our mission to mobilize music fans and artists to fuel feminist movements and social activism.” Co-founded by Chadwick Stokes and Sybil Gallagher, the nonprofit engages music fans, artists and venues in activism. It has donated over $1 million and facilitated over 50,000 actions for feminist causes, the org said. Under MacNeil’s leadership, initiatives like Here For The Music, promoting safer music spaces, gained national traction.
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Deborah F. Rutter
In a totally normal move, Donald Trump fired Kennedy Center president Deborah F. Rutter and installed himself as chair … Sony Music Nashville restructured its promo team, appointing Dennis Reese as svp of radio marketing & promo and letting several staffers go … WMG announced Tomás Talarico as new managing director in Argentina and Chile … the label also expanded its corporate development team by appointing Alfonso Perez-Soto as evp of corp dev and Michael LoBiondo as svp of corp dev … and Ronald Day is out at Telemundo. [Keep Reading]
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