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As the world marks International Women’s Day 2023, a new study is illuminating the pervasive and ongoing barriers to gender equality in the music industry — and how to combat them.
Out Wednesday (March 8), 2023’s BE THE CHANGE: Gender Equality in the Music Industry study was conducted by Luminate, Tunecore and Believe. This study (available in full here) synthesizes the responses of more than 1,650 creators, industry professionals and executives from 109 countries and includes male, female and gender-expansive perspectives.
The globally distributed online survey considered respondents’ ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability status, parental status, location and age, among other factors.
Primary findings include that in the past year, 34% of women in the music industry had experienced sexual harassment or abuse, 60% of women and 62% of nonbinary individuals felt that discrimination based on age was a significant problem and 53% of respondents felt that cisgender men are paid more than others in the music industry.
The report also highlights a perception gap around these issues, stating that “the music industry has a clear disconnect in how we assume industry professionals and artists experience the industry and the reality.” The survey indicates that 60% of respondents believe gender discrimination is a major issue in the music industry. Women and nonbinary individuals are likelier to see gender discrimination as an issue as compared to men.
The report also found “alarming” rates of sexual harassment and abuse in the music industry, often against women and gender-expansive individuals. Many respondents reported that they did not find adequate resources for survivors or consequences for offenders. Thirty-four percent of women, 42% of trans individuals and 43% of nonbinary individuals who participated in the survey report being sexually harassed or abused at work.
The study also found that gender discrimination in the music industry is compounded by the discrimination of other marginalized groups, with inadequate representation and tokenism complicating women and gender expansive individuals’ experience in the industry. “Minority women, for example, are 114% more likely than average to feel that their hiring decision was, in part, based on their racial, ethnic, tribal background, or country of origin,” the report states.
The industry wage gap also remains a significant problem. Fifty-three percent of respondents agreed that cisgender men are paid more than others, while half of the surveyed women report “having their or another’s professional or career experience discredited, which impacts earning potential in the industry.”
These issues are also compounded by an ongoing lack of equal leadership, with 30% of women, 30% of underrepresented ethnic groups and 74% of transgender individuals reported being passed on for a promotion. Furthermore, 42% of women and 98% of trans people are said that they don’t have access to professional training/development opportunities.
Given these issues, it’s perhaps unsurprising that 76% of women, 82% of trans individuals and 89% of nonbinary individuals reported struggling with their mental health since entering the music industry.
The report also offers statistics on equality in streaming by determining the percentage of female and nonbinary artists represented in the top 50 artists by combined streams in multiple countries last year. South Korea ranked highest in equality, with 48% of the top 50 artist spaces occupied by female and nonbinary artists, while Colombia ranked lowest with just 10%. In the United States and Canada, 21% of the top 50 positions are occupied by women and nonbinary artists.
Beyond outlining the challenges, the report also suggests straightforward solutions. These include creating more transparent dialogues around pay within organizations, the creation of employee resource groups that help advance gender equality, the creation of diverse hiring committees, the creation and implementation of policies that protect survivors of sexual harassment and the removal of NDAs that often prohibit those that have experienced sexual harassment from speaking out.
Respondents reported that they believe executives, companies, major labels and artists are in the best position to create such changes.
“The good news is that BE THE CHANGE is now in its third year and we’ve seen the study’s impact,” TuneCore CEO Andreea Gleeson said in a statement. “It’s been quoted by the United Nations and widely discussed in creator and executive circles across the industry. But here’s the bad news – we need more change. We, as individuals and as an industry must heed the calls to action and do just that – take action. Small changes add up and if we each do something different each day, week, month, year, we will see a sea change in the industry. So let’s go!”
Chuck D, the leader and founder of Public Enemy, will receive NAMM’s inaugural Impact Music & Culture Award at the 2023 NAMM Show, which is being held April 13-15 in Anaheim, Calif.
The rapper will be on hand to accept the award, which will be presented at the TEC Experience on Thursday, April 13 from 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. PT. The award will be presented by Brian Hardgroove, Public Enemy’s bassist and bandleader and founder of Resonant Alien.
“TEC honors the pioneers, the innovators, those who have moved us forward, and the products and technologies which have advanced music-making,” TEC committee member Tony Baraz said in a statement. “As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, we recognize the impact that pioneers like Chuck D and others have had on music, music products, the music industry, and culture as a whole.”
Public Enemy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy in 2020.
NAMM’s Impact & Culture Award was conceived by Hardgroove as an opportunity to recognize individuals who move culture through the power of music.
The recognition comes as part of The NAMM Show’s Hip-Hop@50 celebration, a curated slate of sessions and events throughout the conference. Also planned is a music video montage of the history of hip-hop from music/video mashup creator, producer, and director Mike Relm and a performance by Resonant Alien, the new band featuring Hardgroove and DJ Johnny Juice of Public Enemy.
Additional Hip-Hop@50 events planned during the 2023 NAMM Show include a Friday, April 14 session from 5-8 p.m.: “Chuck D on Hip-Hop at 50, Hosted by Brian Hardgroove,” presented by Black to the Future and showcasing an historical look at the American music and cultural phenomenon.
On Saturday, April 15 from 3-5 p.m., the Yamaha Grand Plaza stage will come alive with the MIDI@40 celebration showcasing a performance by Resonant Alien. The performance will recognize the impact that hip-hop and MIDI — as an underlying, enabling technology — have had in breaking down barriers. MIDI drum machines, sequencers, synths, and turntables are at the heart of many of the iconic records that made hip-hop the cultural phenomenon that it is today. Learn more about MIDI@40 and Hip-Hop@50 events here.
Additionally, awards will be given to TEC Experience finalists in 21 technical achievement and one studio design project categories. View the complete list of finalists here.
The NAMM TEC Experience is a communal reception that gathers the crossroads of the industry to applaud the achievements of the researchers and developers, product designers, marketers, and innovators behind the innovations in pro audio.
The TEC Experience, MIDI@40 and Hip-Hop@50 join the return of industry events, including the Parnelli Awards and the She Rocks Awards, as well as other event gatherings and networking opportunities, including the Top 100 Dealer, Pro Audio Pool Party, Women of NAMM and NAMM Young Professionals receptions, and more. View the schedule here.
Registration for the 2023 NAMM Show is now open here.
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers on Wednesday (March 8) posted a 14% increase in collections to $1.522 billion while also reporting its fund available for distributions to songwriters and publishers grew 10.7% to $1.388 billion in 2022. In the prior year — 2021, when the economy was still impacted by the COVID pandemic — the performance rights organization disclosed revenues of $1.335 billion and distribution funds at $1.254 billion.
Moreover, the double-digit percentage increase for collection and distribution funds represents a significant bump from the pandemic-scarred 2021 when ASCAP posted a less than 1% increase in collections from 2020’s $1.327 billion and a 3.4% increase in distribution funds from $1.213 billion.
The PRO attributed its rebound and continued growth to its 2015-launched strategic growth plan, which focused on revenue growth, technological innovation and operational efficiency.
“It is our technical innovation coupled with an unparalleled work ethic that grew our domestic revenue 16.5% in 2022 and yielded a 6% compound annual growth rate since the inception of our strategic plan eight years ago,” ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews said in a statement. Beyond that, ASCAP also noted the organization had achieved a 7% compound annual growth rate for total distributions to members over the same time period.
In an apparent reference toward ASCAP’s competitors — BMI, SESAC and GMR — Matthews continued her statement by noting it is “the only US PRO that operates on a not-for-profit basis which is a key differentiator among PROs. ASCAP creator and publisher members are the sole beneficiaries of this growth because we invested years ago in cloud computing, enabling us to address the challenges of digital streaming efficiently, and because we only pay songwriters and publishers, not private investors.”
Breaking out collections, ASCAP said its domestic receipts grew 16.5% to $1.178 billion from 2021’s $1.011 billion; while foreign receipts grew 6.3% to $344 million from the prior year’s total of $323.5 million. It attributed the discrepancy in growth rates to “challenges due to foreign currency exchange volatility.”
Moving over to funds available for distribution, ASCAP said domestic distribution funds totaled $1.048 billion — a 14.9% increase over the prior year’s total of $912.6 million, and further noted that it was the first time those funds had surpassed the $1 billion mark.
“We are elated to share these historic financial revenue and distribution results for 2022 with our songwriter, composer and publisher members, who are the foundation of the music we all love,” ASCAP chairman and president Paul Williams said in a statement. “In the US, we have competition, meaning that creators have a choice, and that choice should be ASCAP. It is in ASCAP’s DNA to ensure that we operate in the best interest of all our members. Our financial success for over 100 years, and a singular commitment to nurture their careers and maximize the value of their music, prove that our not-for-profit model of collective licensing works.”
Meanwhile, foreign revenue funds available for distribution totaled $340 million, or $1 million less than 2021’s total of $341 million. The latter total was larger than the $323 million reported for 2021 foreign receipts, and ASCAP attributed the unusual occurrence to “technological and distribution process efficiencies and timing.”
Finally, the organization said it delivered 90 cents on the dollar back to its members and affiliates, thus implying its expense structure costs 10% of revenue — and that’s down from 12.3% of collections in 2015 — the last time ASCAP publicly revealed detailed financials including a breakdown in its expense structure.
In its latest results, ASCAP said that it grew every major category of performance licensing, reporting general licensing revenue increased by 40%, radio by 32%, audio streaming by 16% and audio-visual by 7%, without breaking out the actual revenue numbers those income streams achieved in 2022 or 2021.
Silvio Pietroluongo has been promoted to executive vp of charts & data partnerships at Billboard, it was announced Tuesday (Mar. 7).
The New York-based Pietroluongo, who was previously senior vp of charts & data development, is a 30-year veteran of the brand who has led Billboard‘s chart operation since 2008. In his new role, he will recruit new data partners for chart inclusion while collaborating closely with various departments within Billboard and PMC to create content and further business initiatives for the Billboard brand domestically and across the globe.
“Silvio’s contributions to Billboard and its charts is undeniable. Throughout the years, Silvio has been an exceptional operational leader among us and someone whose passion, commitment, and relationships shapes our daily team culture,” said Billboard president Mike Van in a statement on Pietroluongo’s promotion. “We are beyond thrilled to be able to recognize him and honor his commitment to making the ‘Billboard Charts’ what they are today.”
Under Pietroluongo’s leadership, the Billboard charts have evolved to reflect the ever-evolving digital and social media age, optimizing the comprehensive data sets that accurately and definitively measure success in music. During his tenure, Billboard’s charts were the first globally to include audio and video streams to measure song and album consumption. More recently, Billboard launched the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Excl. U.S. charts to measure worldwide song popularity as well as expanded its menu of international song ranking under the Hits of the World banner to over 40 territories.
Pietroluongo started his Billboard career as an intern and moved up the ranks from there, serving in various leadership roles including research supervisor. He was promoted to associate director of charts in 2006, director of charts in 2008, vp of charts & data development in 2014 and senior vp of charts & data development in 2018.
Paramount is exploring a potential sale of a majority stake in its BET business, which includes BET, VH1, and the BET+ streaming service, a source familiar with the matter tells The Hollywood Reporter.
The source cautioned that the discussions are still in the early stages, and there is no guarantee of any transaction taking place. They added that if a deal closes, Paramount expects to maintain a minority stake in the business, as well as a commercial relationship. Scott Mills serves as BET’s CEO.
BET is also unusual within Paramount’s portfolio in that some of its divisions have minority investors of their own. BET+, for example, counts Tyler Perry as an investor, while BET Studios counts Kenya Barris and Rashida Jones as stakeholders. Those deals would complicate any effort to merge BET+ or BET Studios into Paramount+ or one of the company’s other studios.
Such a deal, if it happens, would give Paramount cash as it continues to build out its main streaming offering, Paramount+, and as it reviews its holdings and figures out where things piece together in its strategy moving forward.
In January, the company announced plans to merge its Paramount+ and Showtime businesses.
Founded in 1980 by former cable lobbyist Robert Johnson and his wife Sheila Johnson, the BET channel was the first cable network to specifically cater to African American audiences. Paramount (then known as Viacom) acquired BET in 2000 for $2.3 billion.
While it is too early to say who potential buyers could be, given BET’s status in the African American community, high-net-worth Black individuals, or a Black-led company, would make some sense. A number of high-profile advertisers, including General Motors and Coca-Cola, have committed to significantly increase their ad spend on minority-owned media companies. While BET targets a minority audience, its Paramount ownership would not fit that bill.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the discussions.
This story originally appeared at THR.com.
Amazon is pausing construction of its second headquarters in Virginia following the biggest round of layoffs in the company’s history and its shifting plans around remote work.
The Seattle-based company is delaying the beginning of construction of PenPlace, the second phase of its headquarters development in northern Virginia, Amazon’s real estate chief John Schoettler said in a statement. He said the company has already hired more than 8,000 employees and will welcome them to the Met Park campus, the first phase of development, when it opens this June.
“We’re always evaluating space plans to make sure they fit our business needs and to create a great experience for employees, and since Met Park will have space to accommodate more than 14,000 employees, we’ve decided to shift the groundbreaking of PenPlace (the second phase of HQ2) out a bit,” Schoettler said.
Schoettler also emphasized the company remains “committed to Arlington” and the local region, which Amazon picked – along with New York City – to be the site of its new headquarters, known as HQ2, several years ago. More than 230 municipalities had initially competed to house the projects. New York won the competition by promising nearly $3 billion in tax breaks and grants, among other benefits, but opposition from local politicians, labor leaders and progressive activists led Amazon to scrap its plans there.
In February 2021, Amazon said it would build an eye-catching, 350-foot Helix tower to anchor the second phase of its redevelopment plans in Arlington. The new office towers were expected to welcome more than 25,000 workers when complete. Amazon spokesperson Zach Goldsztejn said those plans haven’t changed and the construction pause is not a result – or indicative of – the company’s latest job cuts, which affected 18,000 corporate employees.
The layoffs were part of a broader cost-cutting move to trim down Amazon’s growing workforce amid more sluggish sales and fears of a potential recession. Meta, Salesforce and other tech companies — many of which had gone on hiring binges in the past few years — have also been doing the same.
Amid the job cuts, Amazon has urged its employees to come back to the office. Last month, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said the company would require corporate employees to return to the office at least three days a week, a shift from the prior policy that allowed leaders to make the call on how their teams worked. The change, which will be effective on May 1, has ignited some pushback from employees who say they prefer to work remotely.
Goldsztejn said the company is expecting to move forward with what he called pre-construction work on the construction in Virginia later this year, including applying for permits. He said final timing for the second phase of the project is still being determined.
When Virginia won the competition to land HQ2, it did so less with direct incentives, and more with promises to invest in the regional workforce, particularly a graduate campus of Virginia Tech that is currently under construction just a couple of miles from Amazon’s under-construction campus in Crystal City.
Still, there were significant direct incentives. The state promised $22,000 for each new Amazon job on the condition that the average worker salary for those new jobs is $150,000, annually. But those incentives — about $550 million for 25,000 projected jobs — are not supposed to be paid out until 2024 at the earliest. Goldsztejn, the Amazon spokesperson, said the company “has not received any incentives to date related to the construction of HQ2 and the 8,000 jobs that we’ve created in Arlington since 2018.”
Arlington County also promised Amazon a cut of its hotel-tax revenue on the theory that hotel occupancies would increase significantly once Amazon builds out its campus. That incentive, projected initially at about $23 million, is dependent on how many square feet of office space Amazon occupies in the county.
The county said in a statement it “values the ongoing partnership” it has with Amazon throughout the creation of the second headquarters, which it noted has always been a multiyear project.
“We’re confident Amazon remains committed to the second phase of the project – PenPlace – and its benefits to the community,” it said.
Amazon had previously said it planned to complete the project by 2025.
Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) appointed Shirin Foroutan as senior vp and GM of Universal Music Publishing Europe, succeeding Simon Baker — who will continue in a senior management capacity at the company — in the role. Based in London, Foroutan will work closely with the company’s European managing directors as well as C-suite leadership in Santa Monica while reporting to UMPG COO Marc Cimino. She was previously vp of creative at BMI.
Downtown Music Holdings promoted Manan Vohra to chief technology officer, Harmen Hemminga to vp of product and services strategy and Gareth Mellor to vp of global marketing and communications. The Amsterdam-based Vohra was previously chief technology officer at Downtown subsidiary FUGA but will now lead product and technology strategy for the parent company. Also based in Amsterdam, Hemminga’s new role is an elevation from his previous role of head of partnerships and strategic projects at FUGA. In his new position, he will be responsible for identifying and creating strategic product, services and business tracks within the Downtown Music vertical. Mellor’s previous role was also based at FUGA, where he worked as global head of B2B. He will now oversee the marketing efforts for Downtown’s portfolio of businesses.
Decentralized music community and discovery platform Audius named Shamal Ranasinghe chief business officer, a newly created role. Ranasinghe will oversee the company’s relationships with the music industry, taking the lead in developing new innovations as well as reporting, analytics and other tools to empower artists, labels and rightsholders. He arrives at Audius from SiriusXM/Pandora, where he served as vp of product management, catalog and creators. He has been an advisor to Audius since 2018.
Wasserman Music promoted seven members of its global team to agents. They include responsible agents Eli Gelernter, Logan Handelsman, Lindsay McDowell and Yitzi Peetluk; fairs & festivals agent Jess Bumsted; and tour marketers Mary Kate Carragher and Kaela Ismael. Elsewhere, Sara Pullman was elevated to vp of operations and Chappel McCollister was upped to senior vp of business development. Gelernter can be reached at egelernter@teamwass.com, Handelsman can be reached at lhandelsman@teamwass.com, McDowell can be reached at lmcdowell@teamwass.com, Peetluk can be reached at ypeetluk@teamwass.com, Bumsted can be reached at jess.bumsted@teamwass.com, Carragher can be reached at mcarragher@teamwass.com, Ismael can be reached at kismael@teamwass.com, Pullman can be reached at spullman@teamwass.com and McCollister can be reached at cmccollister@teamwass.com.
Prescription Songs/Amigo Records GM Ashlee Gibbs was promoted, adding director of operations to her title. In her expanded role, Gibbs will oversee administration of the company’s offices in Los Angeles and Nashville. She can be reached at ashlee@prescriptionsongs.com.
The Syndicate promoted Amy Tremmel to senior vp of marketing & events, Brendan Bourke to vp of publicity and Joe McGinnis to vp of radio promotion. Tremmel can be reached at amy@thesyn.com, Bourke can be reached at brendan@thesyn.com and McGinnis can be reached at joe@thesyn.com. All three work out of the company’s Weehawken, New Jersey office.
Mayowa Arogundade was named creative director at multidisciplinary media company EVGLE, which houses a record label, production company, clothing brand, publishing division and investment arm. In the role, Arogundade will lead EVGLE’s big-picture initiatives, creating a strategy and brand imprint for the company. He has worked with Roc Nation, Red Bull Records, OVO Sound, Kelly Rowland, Saweetie and more. Arogundade can be reached at mayowa.a@evglemusic.com.
Warner Music Nashville promoted Brianna “Bri” Small to director of digital content strategy & partnerships, a newly created role spanning the interactive, publicity and business development departments. Claire Russo was promoted from coordinator of interactive marketing to fill Small’s previous role of manager of interactive marketing.
Music and technology company Too Lost opened a Hollywood office to better serve its expanding client base on the West Coast and hired Aldo Davalos to serve as the company’s new head of business development. Davalos, formerly the head of A&R at Dim Mak Records and Publishing, was most recently on Migos‘ management team. Elsewhere, former Create Music Group executive Dan Mody was named head of A&R and Courtney Young (Create Music Group, Dim Mak Records) has been named head of label services; both will work out of the Hollywood office. Additionally, Too Lost hired Conner Davis to serve on its leadership team out of the company’s New York City headquarters. Davis was previously at beatBread and Universal Music Group.
Nick Barrie was hired as talent buyer at The Bellwether, a 1,600-capacity venue from Another Planet Entertainment and Michael Swier of Teragram Presents that’s slated to open in Downtown Los Angeles this spring. Barrie will lead a team charged with bringing a variety of music and entertainment to the venue, described as a music room, private event space and restaurant/bar. He’s worked for Another Planet since 2005 when he was hired as a security guard at the company’s San Francisco venue The Independent. Barrie can be reached at Nick@thebellwetherla.com.
Independent publisher Minds on Fire hired Tom Currie as A&R manager. Based in London, Currie will sign new talent and bring creative and promotional opportunities to the company’s existing songwriter roster. He was most recently head of DJ promotions at music promotions company Your Army. Currie can be reached at Tom@mindsonfire.co.uk.
American Express continued its commitment to supporting women in music by honoring Becky G with the American Express Impact Award at the 2023 Billboard Women in Music Awards, recognizing her profound dedication to uplifting communities and advocating on behalf of women everywhere. Building on their support, American Express is continuing to raise awareness of the importance of shopping small by using the Billboard Women in Music Awards to feature multicultural, women-owned small businesses in the custom reusable tote bags given to attendees. Learn more about the businesses and their top products below.
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The Old Town Soap Company’s Signature Soap
Nicole Albrecht for Billboard
The Old Town Soap CompanyThe Old Town Soap Company is a Black-owned, woman-owned, and veteran-owned and operated wellness brand. Founded in 2012 by Ernestine Brown, the company sells all-natural products. Brown originally used the art of soap making as a form of mental therapy while serving on active duty in the United States Navy. She now educates consumers on the connection between all natural ingredients and mental health. The Old Town Soap Company’s signature soap, gifted to Billboard Women in Music attendees in a variety of scents, is made of butters and oils that contain anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant properties.
Sukie’s Candle Co. Travel Size Candle in Golden Rose
Nicole Albrecht for Billboard
Sukie’s Candle Co.Sukie’s Candle Co. is an eco-conscious Black woman-owned business established with relaxation in mind. Founder Sukie Jefferson sees candles as a tool with which users can come to know deeper levels of relaxation, self-love and sensuality. Her extensive background in cultural anthropology and global health informed the essence of her high-quality candles, carefully crafted to burn evenly with no residue. American Express included Sukie’s travel size candles in its gift bags so that recipients can experience handcrafted bliss wherever they go.
Flatbush Granola flavor Cranberry Classic
Nicole Albrecht for Billboard
Flatbush GranolaFlatbush Granola is a Black woman-owned business that infuses culture into healthy granola blends. Founder Tracy Solomon pays homage to different regions across her flavors: take the blend “Say Olé” for example, a granola that celebrates the flavors of Mexico by incorporating regional crops like bananas and peanuts. Solomon seeks to increase representation for the BIPOC community in outdoor recreational activities like camping. Her granola blends are available in REI locations around the U.S.
Treslúce Beauty Forever Brilliante Metallic Liquid Shadow
Nicole Albrecht for Billboard
Treslúce BeautyTreslúce Beauty is a vegan-friendly, cruelty-free makeup brand founded by this year’s American Express Impact Award winner Becky G. The company is inspired by Becky G’s Mexican roots, designs on every package are created in collaboration with Latinx artists and LatinX sourced ingredients. The American Express gift bags included a variety of Treslúce Beauty’s best-sellers including the Bold y Atrevida Liquid Lip Tint, Lips B Like… Plumping Lip Gloss, and Forever Brillante Metallic Liquid Shadow.
Mented Cosmetics Lipstick
Nicole Albrecht for Billboard
Mented CosmeticsMented Cosmetics is a Black woman-owned business that makes makeup for women of all skin tones. Co-Founders KJ Miller and Amanda E. Johnson developed their brand with inclusivity in mind so that no one is made to feel like an afterthought. Their top-selling Red Rover Matte Lipstick blends browns and pinks to be flattering on multi-hued lips. If you’re looking for other beauty products, Mented’s website includes a shade finder to help you find foundation to match your skin tone.
Def Jam Recordings announced on Friday (March 3) a joint venture with Philadelphia-based entertainment company Stack or Starve Records. The full service label will help develop the careers of their growing roster and newest signees D Sturdy, the Philly Goats and Saadi Four.
“Def Jam is one of the greats, I want Stack or Starve to be recognized in the same vein one day. With this partnership, I want to help our artists build wealth, understand financial literacy and most importantly, I want them to be able to help others and pay it forward,” said Curtis “Boonah” Brinkley, CEO of Stack or Starve. “We aim to do this by connecting them with financial advisors and wealth coaches, building real estate portfolios and helping them diversify their assets. The strategic moves that will be put in place for our artists and team will put them in a position that began with music but elevated them in all realms of life. Personally, I want them to be able to take care of their kids and families.”
The primary focus of the venture will be empowering, teaching and expanding Stack or Starve’s roster by leveraging Def Jam’s robust resources including A&R, marketing, PR, distribution, creative, touring, management, promo and more.
Stack or Starve Records was founded by Philly natives Brinkley and Shana Sherman, Def Jam’s director of A&R. Sherman has a history of working with major labels such as RCA and BMG alongside executives like L.A. Reid and Tunji Balogun. She has also aided in breaking and developing viral artists such as Armani White and Raveena and has worked with Maxwell, K. Michelle, India.Arie, Ledisi, and more.
The company was founded with the belief of improving the lives of young people in Philadelphia and its surrounding neighborhoods. With that goal in mind, the label strives to become a global name as it seeks to grow and empower artists around the world.
“We want to change the culture of music from this era of trending and virality to a movement that’s being spurred right out of Philly,” said Sherman. “The kids on our roster have created sounds and cultural moments that cannot be duplicated; we’re working with kids who have started their own waves, built their own organic followings, and we’re helping them achieve their goals and accomplish their vision, seeing this come to life puts the fun back into my job and the joy back in music.”
Coinciding with today’s news is the announcement of D Sturdy and the Philly Goats signing with Def Jam via the Stack or Starve partnership, joining label mate Saadi Four. In 2018, D Sturdy and the Philly Goats got their start as a Philadelphia dance and music collective comprised of D Sturdy, Sou and Spence.
“We, as a team, always speak of ownership, so the joint venture was something that we all wanted from day one. In doing that, Def Jam recognized and gave us a great opportunity to come together,” said Brinkley.” “I have a great partner, Shana Sherman, and we have a team of young and dedicated individuals working extremely hard. We invested a lot of time and resources into finding and developing several hot young artists and providing them with the platform to be recognized. We are definitely building something special here, and it’s all based on the grind, hard work and great talent.”
Max Lousada, CEO of recorded music for Warner Music Group, will sit down for a keynote interview at this year’s electronic music conference IMS Ibiza. The keynote will mark Lousada’s first appearance at the annual event, which is slated for April 26-28 at Destino Pacha Ibiza Resort.
For the summit’s 14th edition, co-hosted by BBC Radio 1 broadcasters Pete Tong MBE and Jaguar, the theme will be Face the Future. Topics will range from the complexities of AI and Web3, diversity and inclusion and ageism in electronic music. Further, conversations are scheduled to explore music rights management, understanding neurodiversity, the ever-changing dynamic between agents and promoters, an analysis of music journalism and the unveiling of the IMS Business Report.
Lousada is one of the first 10 speakers announced for the 2023 conference. IMS Ibiza will also welcome TaP Music co-founder Ben Mawson, who will discuss spearheading the lawsuit that led to house legends Larry Heard and Robert Owens winning a major court battle to reclaim the rights to their back catalogs after decades of struggle.
Across the three days, there will also be a live podcast recording of Takin’ Care of Lady Busine$$ with Justice Department founder/CEO Jennifer Justice and TOKiMONSTA, who will discuss SONA, a new Web3-based music protocol she co-founded that aims to put artists in control of the culture they create.
BBC Radio 1 resident and Hooversound label boss Sherelle will be joined in conversation with Fabio & Grooverider, while DJ Fat Tony will share the journey of his rise to become a kingpin of the ’80s and ’90s club scene in London.
“IMS returns to open the Ibiza season with a powerful and diverse mix of carefully considered content focused on the key issues facing our industry today. In 2023, we no longer have the luxury of speculating about the future: AI has fully arrived, and things will move fast from this point forward,” said IMS co-founder Ben Turner in a release. “As a tidal wave of AI-generated content sweeps in, some welcome a new era of creative possibilities, while others lament the loss of another aspect of humanity in music, all while a cornucopia of unanswered questions are created concerning the control of rights. It’s time for us to collectively ‘Face the Future.’”
Additional speakers include Femme House founder and music director for W Hotels LP Giobbi, manager Cristiana Simon of Alegria Agency, Wasserman music partner Tom Schroeder, iii Points founder David Sinopoli and artist Yellow Squares.
Check out a full list of events and speakers here.