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Nikki Semin Han is back in business, leading TITAN CONTENT, a new U.S.-based K-pop specialist which has ambitions to disrupt the game.
Headquartered in Los Angeles, with studios there and in Seoul, TITAN is led by a leadership team that’s launched the likes of BoA, Girls’ Generation, SUPER JUNIOR, EXO, The Boyz, TWICE, ITZY and others.
Announced today (Nov. 28), TITAN’s founders and executive team includes K-pop luminaries Semin Han as chairman of the board; CEO Katie Kang; chief performance officer Lia Kim; chief visual officer Guiom Lee; and chief business officer Dom Rodriguez.
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The soon-to-be-launched venture plans to manage artists, develop new K-pop groups, and, in time, produce a raft of music festivals. TITAN will also combine “traditional K-pop training and artist development with Web3 and metaverse innovation,” reads a statement, “ushering in a new era in music and entertainment.” First signings have not yet been revealed.
“Think of TITAN like the Avengers of the K-pop community joining forces to redefine the industry,” comments Semin Han. “With a proven record of elevating global superstars, TITAN’s founders and executives have played key roles in helping shape K-pop and making it a global lifestyle with passionate fans across the world.” Together, “we’re creating a company where artists thrive, fans come first, music takes center stage, and industry disruption reigns supreme.”
K-pop is, of course, riding a global wave. Taking into consideration ticket sales, streams and online chatter, few genres have blown-up quite like it. “It’s undeniable that the genre is having a big year in music,” declares Luminate in its Mapping Out K-Pop’s Global Dominance report. Global on-demand streams (audio and video) of K-pop music topped 90.4 billion in the year to date, up 42.2% from 2022. Japan leads the way with 9.7 billion, according to the report, followed by the U.S. at 9.2 billion.
“By connecting the East and the West, TITAN plans to lead the K-pop revolution on a global scale,” adds Kang. “Not only will we utilize our vast experience and expertise to develop and create beloved K-pop artists and brands, we will also push the industry forward through savvy Web3 disruption.”
TITAN’s initial seed round was led and closed by RW3 Ventures and Raptor Group with Dreamus Company serving as a co-lead investor. Co-investors include Animoca Ventures, Sfermion, Bell Partners AB, Heros Entertainment, Infinity Ventures Crypto, Scrum Ventures, Planetarium, and Avalanche.
Have some more turkey, have some more pie — it’s time for another Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings (and all things in between) across the music industry.
Sony Music Publishing UK promoted a trio of executives in its A&R department: Felix Canetty-Clarke to vp of UK A&R strategy & international research; Sarah Gabrielli to senior director of A&R, UK & Europe; and Saul Fitton to senior director of A&R, UK, effective immediately. Cannety-Clarke joined SMP in 2018 with a focus on research and analytics, and in his new job will continue those data-driven A&R initiatives and extend his focus across operations and strategy, the company said. Gabrielli and Fitton, whose start dates at the company were 2016 and 2020, respectively, will keep on keeping on in terms of driving opportunities for the company’s writers and artists. Since joining, Gabrielli’s portfolio has included beabadoobee, Baby Queen and Jim Legacy, while Fitton’s signees include Pablo Bowman and Bastille, among others. “Sarah, Saul and Felix are the very best talents in the UK,” said David Ventura, president and co-managing director of SMP UK. “Their passion for music, their drive and their unique daily dedication for our songwriters are exemplary. Together they bring the future of our company and with Tim we have been inspired to see everyone recognising their successes and achievements.”
Joshton “Peas” Harris joined Spotify as the head of hip-hop and R&B, artist partnerships, overseeing a team handling artist and manager relationships in those key genres. Harris previously held a similar marketing role at Amazon Music, which he joined in April 2020 following several years in talent management, marketing and other creative work during stops at Cinematic Music Group, Cashmere Agency and EQT Recordings. Over in playlists land at the music streaming giant, Cecilia Winter is the new global hits editorial lead, overseeing programming, editorial strategy and content brand extensions across Spotify’s family of ‘Global Hits’ playlists, including ‘Today’s Top Hits,’ ‘Pop Rising’ and the all-powerful New Music Friday. Previously at YouTube Music, where she rose to music programming manager in her five years there, Winter now reports to J.J. Italiano, the head of global music curation and discovery.
All In the Family: Billboard parent Penske Media Corporation promoted Brooke Jaffe to senior Vice President of public affairs and strategy, effective immediately. Over the span of four years, Jaffe has held a number of roles at PMC, including contributing editor, head of public affairs and communications, and, most recently, vp of public affairs and strategy. In her elevated position, she’ll keep driving impactful communications strategies on behalf of the PMC portfolio, which also includes Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, and she’ll continue to focus on public policy and external relationships. In recent years, Jaffe added oversight of the PR team for Dick Clark Productions and is a core leader for the LA3C festival. Prior to joining PMC, Jaffe held senior roles at fashion tech startup Eight and Bloomingdale’s. Jaffe continues to be based out of LA, where she reports to PMC CEO, chairman and founder Jay Penske.
ICYMI: While the week leading up to Thanksgiving is typically a slow week for HR departments, that was not the case at ChatGPT creator OpenAI, which fired its co-founder and leader Sam Altman under undefined circumstances, then hired him back a few days later after hundreds of employees threatened to quit … In less dramatic news, former CD Baby CEO Tracy Maddux announced he has stepped down from his role as chief commercial officer at Downtown Music Holdings.
Neon Records co-founder Patrick “Smiley” Cleary stepped down as CEO of the UMG-owned dance music label in order to focus on his Peppermint Blue Publishing company. The announcement, first plucked by The Music Network, was made in a memo to staff from Universal Music Australia and New Zealand chief Sean Warner, who noted that UMA’s “long standing partnership with Smiley has been significant and fruitful.” Founded by Smiley and Carl West as a label under Warner Music, the Australian imprint later went to Universal and over the years has worked Milky Chance, Skrillex, Rudimantal and Timmy Trumpet. Neon’s current roster includes Young Franco, Chloe Wilson and Nia Archives, among others. In his memo, Warner said Neon “has become an iconic label in ANZ thanks to [Smiley’s] vision, creativity, and passion, and we will take great pride in continuing to expand and enhance the Neon legacy, that we have all built together.”
Warner Records promoted Atticus George Carroll to vp of business and legal affairs, reporting to head of b&la Julian Petty out of Los Angeles. The Austin native joined WMG in June 2019 as director of business & legal affairs, and got her start in music as an artist before pivoting to practicing law on the business side of things. The move was first reported by Hits.
Nashville-based TV production company C.A.M.P. 615 added Shanna Strassberg as vp of development and strategy. Strassberg arrives from CMT, where she was vp of music and talent. Formed by producer/director Robert Deaton alongside Red Light Management’s Mary Hilliard Harrington and Coran Capshaw, C.A.M.P. recently scored a multi-year deal with CBS to produce its New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash, which this year will feature Lynyrd Skynyrd, Thomas Rhett and Lainey Wilson. C.A.M.P. partner Mary Hilliard Harrington said Strassberg’s “relationships run deep and her instincts are always dead on. We just have an incredible level of trust with her, and I’m so happy she wasn’t scared to jump into the unknown with us as we build out C.A.M.P.” She can be reached at shannastrassberg@camp615.com.
Last Week’s Turntable: There Was a Minor Adjustment at the Emmys
SYDNEY, Australia — After posting another year of growth, and record revenue and distributions, APRA AMCOS is doubling-down on its call for a tax-offset to kick-start live music.
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The PRO last month posted “very strong” financials for the full-year 2023, with record gross revenue of A$690.5 million ($453 million), up 12% from the 2022 result, and net distributable revenue paid to songwriter and publisher members, affiliates and rightsholders up 11.4% year-on-year to A$595.2 million ($390 million), also a new benchmark — gains that are “indicative of a post-pandemic recovery.”
Those healthy results came with a gut-punch.
Since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, the organization found that 1,300-plus live music venues and stages across Australia were lost, or roughly one-third fewer licensed premises where artists can perform medium to smaller gigs.
At the presentation of those annual results at the APRA AMCOS HQ in Sydney, the organization’s CEO Dean Ormston urged the federal government to commit to a live music venue tax offset to act “as a catalyst in jump-starting live music nationally.”
This week, Ormston and APRA AMCOS reiterated those calls.
“For the current wave and the next generation of music creators to develop their skills and become export-ready, we need to provide them with the resources at home and build a sustainable live music ecosystem,” says Ormston.
A live music venue tax offset, he continued, would revitalize the country’s network of small live music venues.
Meanwhile, the music rights management body has confirmed the make-up of its board, following held two annual general meetings held Tuesday (No. 21) in Sydney.On the APRA board, writers Mark Callaghan and Jonathan Zwartz and publishers Jaime Gough (Concord Music Publishing ANZ) and Matthew Capper (Warner Chappell Music Australia) retained their positions. Jenny Morris and Damian Trotter (Sony Music Publishing) were named as chair and deputy chair of the APRA board, respectively.On the AMCOS board, directors Trotter and Heath Johns (BMG) retained their positions. Karen Hamilton (120 Publishing) is a new director appointment to the AMCOS board, while Philip Burn, chairman and CEO of Hal Leonard Australia, stepped down following ten years as a director, and was thanked for his service and expertise.
APRA and AMCOS board directors are elected by their respective memberships through a secure ballot. The process and results of the elections are audited and verified by APRA AMCOS’ independent auditors, KPMG.
Those elections were held in light of the society’s “Year In Review,” which reported a “dramatic” 400% year-on-year gain in license fees for concerts and festivals to A$31.9 million ($20.9 million), an all-time high, while international income from affiliate societies spiked 17.7% to A$70 million ($45 million), a new record.
Despite inflation and the rising cost of living, Aussie and Kiwi music fans flocked to shows. Notable tours included internationals Ed Sheeran, Elton John and Harry Styles, notes APRA AMCOS, plus Grammy-winning Sydney-EDM act RÜFÜS DU SOL, Crowded House, award-winning NZ acts L.A.B., SIX60 and more.
APRA AMCOS represents over 119,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher members. Click here for its “Year In Review.”
Phil Quartararo, the former EMI, Virgin and Warner Bros. record mogul who helped break Paula Abdul, the Spice Girls, Linkin Park and numerous other pop megastars, died Wednesday morning in Los Angeles of cancer. He was 67.
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“I loved helping an artist’s dream come true,” Quartararo told an interviewer in 2021. “I cannot press upon you the satisfaction of doing that.”
Known as “Phil Q,” the gregarious, Brooklyn, N.Y.-born Quartararo was a ubiquitous figure in the record industry, helping to break U2 on pop radio in the mid-’80s as senior vp of promotion at Island Records, engineering the Spice Girls’ marketing plan in the ’90s as CEO/president of Virgin Records America, and working over the years with Madonna, Coldplay, The Smashing Pumpkins, Faith Hill and Green Day. “Phil believed in me like no other,” Paula Abdul said in a statement. “His ceaseless support for me during my time at Virgin was unparalleled. I will miss him.”
In the early 2000s, when Napster, MP3s and digital piracy threatened to destroy the business, Quartararo was one of the executives in Steve Jobs’ office when the late Apple CEO promised to shift the business from $10 CDs to 99-cent downloads. “At the end of the day, 99 cents for a track is better than nothing for a track,” Quartararo would say.
Virgin Records’ founder, Richard Branson, recruited Quartararo to help launch his American label in 1986, and over the years Quartararo rose to president and CEO. In 1997, according to The New York Times, Quartararo helped “turn Virgin into EMI’s crown jewel,” generating most of the parent label’s $5.9 billion in yearly sales.
Quartararo left Virgin that year to become president of Warner Bros. Records, where he worked with Madonna, Linkin Park, Josh Groban, Cher and Wilco, among others. In 2005, he made his way back to EMI, Virgin’s owner, as an executive, helping to shift the label’s focus from physical sales and distribution to marketing and launching Coldplay, Norah Jones, Keith Urban and others.
After leaving EMI in 2005, Quartararo became an entrepreneur and consultant, working with music-distribution startups, streaming services and talent managers and managed acts such as Japanese composer Yoshiki and metal band X Japan. He also ran Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation Records from 2016-2019. “Phil approached everything with a kind heart and a light spirit and sense of humor,” says Taylor Jones, a co-owner of music-focused multimedia company The Hello Group, where Quartararo was president and chairman. “He was incredibly stress-resistant. His values have been instilled in the very core and ethos of our company.”
Adds Evan Lamberg, president of Universal Music Publishing North America: “Phil Q was arguably the ‘’Mayor of Goodwill’ in our industry for decades. There is no one that he touched that was not better for having known him.”
In 2013, Quartararo told Billboard he didn’t miss major labels, but “I miss dealing with the artists. I miss sharing with young people, teaching them the music business. That’s the part I loved the most. I don’t miss the big company, per se. Because the big company is cumbersome and unfortunately can’t move as quickly as the consumer or artists need to move. It’s not as nimble as it used to be.”
The digital age has democratized both the production and the distribution of music, but getting paid for it, especially on the songwriting side, is still confusing. Some of the information gets complicated – neighboring rights don’t actually involve the rights of neighbors, for example – and much of it is biased.
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Now the Music Rights Awareness Foundation, a Sweden-based nonprofit founded by ABBA songwriter Björn Ulvaeus, producer-songwriter Max Martin and songwriter Niclas Molinder, has teamed up with WIPO – the World Intellectual Property Organization, which operates as part of the United Nations – have teamed up to create CLIP (“Creators Learn Intellectual Property”) a website that will educate songwriters.
“I know firsthand how important it is for creators to know and manage their IP rights,” Ulvaeus said in the announcement. “Today, it is an essential foundation for a successful career in the music industry.”
Music Rights Awareness launched years ago, with the mission to empower songwriters with knowledge about the business. But CLIP, which offers an array of information and resources, took some time. “We started this work four years ago but the actual platform took a bit over a year,” Molinder told Billboard. “The audience is music creators around the world, but the plan is to grow it to creators in other areas.”
Billed as offering “everything you need to know about your rights as a creator” and introduced by Ulvaeus in a video, the site offers explanations of rights that are accessible as well as smart. The resources on songwriting, for example, include information about composers, topliners, arrangers, as well as explanations of their rights and how they interact.
The site is in English, but there are also plans to translate it into the five other official UN languages – Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish.
WIPO plays a largely unseen but important role in regulating patents, trademarks and copyrights – although mostly as a place where treaties can be negotiated, rather than as a top-down lawmaker. It often plays a role in explaining intellectual property but rarely in such an accessible way.
“Creators draw on their talent and artistic vision to give us music, art, song and dance,” said WIPO director general Daren Tang in the announcement. “We must do what we can to ensure they are recognized and fairly rewarded, so that they can thrive in their work and contributions to society.”
Ulvaeus, Martin and Molinder are also behind the app Sessions Studio, free software that allows music creators to assign and track songwriting credits to make sure they get paid. But CLIP and the Music Rights Awareness Foundation operate separately.
Brazilian DJ, producer and entrepreneur Vintage Culture has signed with WME for global representation.
Known for creating house and techno blends, Vintage Culture has played festivals including Coachella and Tomorrowland and recently completed the second year of his residency at Hï Ibiza. This year, he also launched Vintage Is a Festival, an event that has rolled out to five major cities in Brazil and will hit São Paulo next month. He founded his own record label and festival brand, Só Track Boa, and also has a partnership with electronic music and lifestyle brand Born of Music Addiction.
Earlier this year, Vintage Culture announced his forthcoming debut album and released “If I Live Forever” featuring Izzy Bizzu, the first single off the LP. Elsewhere, he’s collaborated with and remixed artists including the late Maxi Jazz, Rufus Du Sol, John Summit, Meduza, The Martinez Brothers & Louie Vega, Diplo, Roland Clark, Aurora, Sonny Fodera, Claptone, James Hype, Annabel Englund and Solardo.
Vintage Culture is managed by Guga Arthuri at Entourage Management and Jay Pidgeon at Purple Wall Management.
Country singer-songwriter Charlie Worsham signed with UTA for global representation in all areas. Worsham is signed to Warner Music Nashville, which released his latest project, the EP Compadres, in October. He continues to tour as part of Dierks Bentley’s band and was recently nominated for the CMA award for musician of the year.
Nettwerk signed a trio of new artists: singer-songwriter-guitarist Lily Meola (America’s Got Talent), singer-songwriter-producer Bryce Fox and Scottish duo SAINT PHNX (brothers Alan and Stevie Jukes). Meola is managed by Blaike Ford and Jordy Dettmer at Range Media Partners and Jeffrey Evans and Jackson Lauer at Buskin Entertainment, with booking by Corrie Martin at Wasserman; her A&Rs at Nettwerk are Eric Robinson, Marshall Altman and Meg Tarquinio. Fox is managed by Scott Sheldon, Berko Pearce and Peyton Marek at RM 64; his Nettwerk A&Rs are Dan Fraser and Mark Jowett. Saint Phnx are managed by Marc Fineman and Hannah Coles at Fine Group Entertainment and Alistair Goldsmith at Chosen Music, with booking by Tom Windish at Wasserman. Their Nettwerk A&R is Eric Robinson.
Country artist LECADE (real name Cade Brinkley) signed with 10th Street Entertainment (which also represents Bailey Zimmerman) for management. An independent country artist with hip-hop roots, LECADE released his debut album, Chasing Ghosts, in 2022. He is signed to Big Machine Records, which recently released his debut on the label, “Next Town Over.” Elsewhere, he’s represented by Joey Lee, Alex Luebbert and Kevin Meads at WME for booking and FBMM for business management.
U.K.-based brother-sister duo Wasia Project (William and Olivia Hardy) renewed their label deal with AWAL, which will release their upcoming debut album. The alt-pop duo previously released their debut EP, how can i pretend?, which featured the single “ur so pretty.” They are managed by Rob Swerdlow and booked by Tom Windish and Zac Bluestone at Wasserman Music for the United States, where they’re planning to headline shows next year.
Boeckner, the new solo project from Daniel Boeckner (who has played in Wolf Parade, Operators, Divine Fits and Handsome Furs), signed with Sub Pop for the release of his debut album in early 2024. He is booked by in the United States by Trey Many at Wasserman and in Canada by Steven Himmelfarb at The Feldman Agency.
Rapper TyFontaine signed with MNRK Music Group, which will release his new mixtape, 264, on Dec. 1. He joins MNRK after a period of releasing music independently; he was previously signed to Internet Money. His new single, “DOS,” is a collaboration with Summrs, Joony and TTM Dawg. He is managed and booked by Taryn “P” Smith.
Genre-fluid artist GARZI signed with Sumerian Records, which dropped his new single, “GrowinUp” featuring Memphis May Fire’s Matty Mullins. He is managed by Sean Chapman and Sid Sodin at The Sakai Group; his booking agent is Daniel McCartney at UTA. GARZI was previously signed to Outlast Records, an imprint of Sumerian.
Loren Kramar signed to Secretly Canadian, which released his latest single, “Hollywood Blvd.” He is booked by Erik Selz at Arrival Artists.
Tracy Maddux, chief commercial officer at Downtown Music Holdings, is stepping down from his role effective immediately, the company announced Sunday (Nov. 19). Maddux was previously CEO at CD Baby, whose parent company, AVL Digital Group, was acquired by Downtown in 2019. According to a press release announcing his exit, Maddux most recently contributed to […]
While most music stocks have posted gains over the last two months, or at least have treaded water, K-pop stocks are floundering in the closing stretch of 2023.
Four South Korean music companies — HYBE, SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment and JYP Entertainment — had an average loss of 13.3% this week and have fallen an average of 21.4% in the last eight weeks. SM Entertainment has performed particularly poorly, falling 29.4% in eight weeks. Those losses occurred despite a rally two weeks ago after South Korean regulators’ ban on short selling until 2024 sparked a surge in the country’s stock prices.
Elsewhere, music stocks are generally surging in late 2023. Non-Korean stocks in the Billboard Global Music Index have gained an average of 9.1% over the last eight weeks. Only two of those 18 stocks — iHeartMedia and Deezer — have suffered double-digit losses, and 11 of the 18 have posted gains over those eight weeks. Companies’ latest earnings reports have been mostly positive. Stocks also reflect both investors’ enthusiasm for music industry trends and larger macroeconomic trends such as a slowdown in inflation and an expectation that central banks will stop hiking interest rates.
While South Korea’s KOSPI composite index has held steady over the last 8 weeks with a 0.2% gain, South Korean music companies have suffered from a string of headline-grabbing news that appears to have dampened demand for their stocks and eroded what were large year-to-date gains. This week, a Kakao executive was arrested for allegedly manipulating SM Entertainment’s stock price to help Kakao beat out HYBE to become the K-pop agency’s largest shareholder. In previous weeks, K-pop stocks faltered when a member of the group EXO broke away from SM Entertainment, and also when G-Dragon, a member of the YG group BIGBANG, was arrested on charges of illegal drug use.
Even after the eight-week decline, the four K-pop companies have an average year-to-date gain of 20.2%. Non-Korean stocks in the Billboard Global Music Index have an average gain of 6% this year (excluding Madison Square Garden Entertainment, which spun off from Sphere in April).
The Billboard Global Music Index rose 2.6% to 1,426.49 this week, falling just 1.4% shy of the all-time high of 1,447.32 set on July 21. The index has had a remarkable three-week run, gaining 9.3% since Oct. 27 and erasing most of a 9.9% decline since the July 21 peak. Its year-to-date gain stands at 22.1%.
Music stocks outperformed many other major indexes this week. In the United States, the Nasdaq composite gained 2.4% and the S&P 500 improved 2.2%. In the United Kingdom, the FTSE 100 gained 2%. South Korea’s KOSPI composite index rose 2.5%.
One of this week’s biggest gainers, iHeartMedia, rose 25.4% to $2.52 after the company announced a multi-year podcast partnership deal with Global, a U.K.-based media company, that will make iHeartMedia’s podcasts available on Global’s podcast player and its digital advertising exchange. Perhaps more importantly, CEO Bob Pittman purchased 100,000 iHeartMedia shares on Tuesday (Nov. 14), according to an SEC filing, at an average price of $2.06 per share. At Friday’s closing price, Pittman’s investment has already gained over 22%.
Abu Dhabi-based music streamer Anghami gained 27.2% to $1.17 — the latest in a series of large fluctuations since September. In October, the company was warned of a potential de-listing for failing to trade above $1. At the time, Anghami shares were trading at $0.82. Over the next five weeks, the share price gained 42.2% without an earnings report, news release or management change that would typically coincide with such a large swing.
Shares of SiriusXM rose 9.7% to $5.08 after Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway revealed on Tuesday that it purchased nearly 9.7 million shares with a market value of approximately $44 million. Investors pay close attention to the famous stock picker, who is known for seeking undervalued companies with competitive advantages (Berkshire Hathaway has large stakes in Apple, Coca-Cola, Bank of America and Kraft Heinz, among other public companies). In May, Capital One Financial shares jumped 13.5% on news that Berkshire Hathaway bought a $900 million stake.
Warner Music Group fell 2.6% to $31.81 after reporting earnings for its fiscal year on Thursday. Tencent Music Entertainment, which announced it had reached 103 million subscribers in its third-quarter earnings on Tuesday, gained 13.6% to $8.37.
Coming, up German concert promoter CTS Eventim will report third-quarter earnings on Tuesday (Nov. 21).
For artists who choose not to sign with a record label, some may be independent and others will be do-it-yourself independent.
What’s the difference? Take Laufey, the Icelandic jazz artist whose latest album, Bewitched, reached No. 23 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in September. Laufey is signed to AWAL, the Sony Music-owned company that provides marketing and distribution services for independent artists. She hasn’t signed away the rights to her music, but AWAL helps promote her recordings at digital service providers and retail.
Oliver Anthony Music, on the other hand, is DIY independent. By all appearances, the “Rich Men North of Richmond” singer, whose real name is Christopher Anthony Lunsford, has left his recordings on autopilot without any kind of marketing behind them since he broke into the national consciousness in August and topped the Hot 100 for two straight weeks. Following the success of “Rich Men,” Lunsford has released more songs without the usual promotional muscle required to get new music noticed. As he told Billboard earlier this week, he manages himself and is avoiding record labels as he prepares to record an album.
He’s clearly getting some help. Lunsford has a basic but professional website and an e-commerce store that sells a handful of variations on Oliver Anthony Music hats, T-shirts, bumper stickers and beer koozies. For concerts, Anthony signed with UTA for representation and has a year of touring ahead of him, starting in February with dates in Europe and the Eastern half of the United States. He has an informal publicist who helps with media requests. And he told Billboard he has encountered “many artists,” such as country star Jamey Johnson, who have lent support and guidance.
Comparing “Rich Men” to other tracks to reach No. 1 on the Hot 100 this year, though, suggests being DIY creates some missed opportunities. Combined sales and streams of Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers,” Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero,” Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” and SZA’s “Kill Bill” dropped between 17% and 55% over the 10-week period after the last date those tracks were No. 1. “Rich Men,” in contrast, dropped 83.4%. It makes sense: A major label marketing machine is better than an independent artist’s system in helping a track get hot and maintain momentum over months and years.
With a little help, “Rich Men” could arguably have far more sales and streams. As a DIY artist, Lunsford uses social media activity to keep listeners engaged and depends on the continued interest of journalists to keep him in the public eye. As he told Billboard this week, becoming a full-time musician means “you’re essentially a business owner and an entrepreneur and a lot of other things, too. And those are things I’m not quite used to yet.”
But Lunsford has done extremely well taking the DIY route. Billboard estimates that “Rich Men” has grossed $2 million from recorded music and publishing royalties from U.S. sales and streams since its release in August. While his weekly download sales are down sharply from their peak in August, our estimates still put the track’s royalties at an impressive $60,000 per week. And because Oliver Anthony Music is a DIY independent artist who retains the rights to his master recording and publishing, he should be pocketing nearly all that money (less any fees for distribution and publishing administration).
Besides, Lunsford seems content being a DIY artist — even if that means leaving money and celebrity on the table. There’s something to be said about saying “no” to the usual impulses to staff up and scale a business as fast as possible. Lunsford can ease into stardom at a comfortable pace rather than jump headfirst into the music business’ shark-filled waters. Read through the YouTube comments to his videos and you sense that listeners put value in Lunsford not being an industry insider — it adds to his authenticity. At the end of the day, not being too much of a business is probably good for Lunsford’s business.
Surprisingly, “Rich Men” has held up better than a couple of other No. 1s in 2023: Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town” and Jimin’s “Like Crazy.” Track sales and streams for “Try That” dropped 91.1% in the 10 weeks after it was No. 1. For “Like Crazy,” the first No. 1 for a solo member of superstar K-pop group BTS, track sales and streams dropped 92.9% over the same period. Although “Rich Men” has fallen far from its peak, its 83.4% drop in track sales and streams is considerably better than those other two hits.
There are obvious parallels between “Try That” and “Rich Men.” Both reached No. 1 because of widespread media attention. Both started conversations about social issues: race for Aldean, class for Lunsford. Both were celebrated as conservative anthems, although Anthony has distanced himself from political partisanship. Both are country tracks — Aldean’s a mainstream song built for maximum radio play, Lunsford’s a more old-fashioned slice of Appalachian roots music.
What’s more, both “Try That” and “Rich Men” did brisk business in track sales. As Billboard noted when “Rich Men” ascended the chart, artists popular with conservatives often have strong download numbers. In a typical week, the No. 1 track on the Hot 100 might sell 15,000 downloads, but when the culture wars stoke demand, the No. 1 will sell ten times that many. “Try That” sold 175,000 downloads in the week it was No. 1, while “Rich Men” averaged 132,000 weekly downloads in its two weeks atop the Hot 100.
Download buyers don’t offer the same consistency as streamers, though, and both “Rich Men” and “Try That” lost 99% of their track sales in the 10 weeks after they topped the chart. And because download sales were a big reason why those tracks reached No. 1, their total consumption (measured in both download sales and streams) dropped more than No. 1s that relied more on streaming. But heavy download sales were instrumental in getting each track to No. 1, and “Rich Men” still sells well, too: Last week, the track was the No. 41 most purchased track in the United States., according to Luminate.
Lunsford could easily ditch the DIY approach and assemble a team, but he’s in the rare position of not necessarily needing one. “Rich Men” succeeded without help from a marketing expert, social media guru or even a manager. Instead, Lunsford benefitted from an unprecedented groundswell of interest that gifted him an immense online following. His 1.15 million YouTube followers give him a similar audience as more established country musicians Kenny Chesney and Zac Brown Band, and twice as many as Grammy winner Kacey Musgraves. He has about as many Spotify followers as Bailey Zimmerman, a rising country star signed to Warner Music Nashville and Elektra Records.
When Lunsford eventually releases a new album, he won’t need many resources to instantly reach millions of fans — and he prefers it that way. “I think the most special thing about it being on the chart at all,” he told Billboard, “is that it made it to the chart without some big, corporate schmucky schmuck somewhere pumping a bunch of money into making it get there.”
Friday funday, it’s time for another Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across the music industry.
UMG hired Gary Chan to take on the dual role of managing director of Universal Music Hong Kong and senior vice president of Universal Music Greater China, effective immediately. Chan hangs his hat in Hong Kong and reports directly to UMGC chairman and CEO Timothy Xu. Chan was until very recently the chairman of IFPI Hong Kong and arrives to Universal from Media Asia Group Holdings Limited, where he was executive director for 15 year. In year’s past he also held MD roles at both Warner Music Hong Kong and EMI Music Hong Kong. The UMHK artist roster includes Alan Tam, Eason Chan, Xu Zhian, Jiang Haijia, JNYBeatz and others. “Gary’s remarkable contributions to the entertainment industry extend far beyond Hong Kong, marking his dedication and visionary approach,” said Xu. “His leadership will be instrumental in driving the next wave of growth for Chinese music culture and unlocking greater global success.”
Rickey Minor was elected 2nd vice chair of The Television Academy. He’ll serve a two-year term running from Jan. 1, 2024 through Dec. 31, 2025. Minor has won two Primetime Emmys for outstanding music direction and has received 15 Primetime Emmy nominations, including three nods each for music direction of The Oscars and the Kennedy Center Honors, and two for the Grammy Awards. He was the musical director and bandleader on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno from 2010 to 2014, and before that was musical director for American Idol for several years. In other election results, Cris Abrego was elected to a two-year term as chairman of the Television Academy, succeeding Frank Scherma. Other incoming officers are Sharon Lieblein, vice chair; Allison Binder, secretary; and Ann Leslie Uzdavinis, treasurer. Sherri Chung was elected governor to represent the music branch for a two-year term. Jeff Russo is the other governor representing the music branch. He is in the middle of a two-year term. —Paul Grein
Kobalt Music promoted Melissa Emert-Hutner to senior vp of creative, a role with oversight of the NYC creative team and a remit that includes signing more quality artists and writers. Since joining Kobalt in 2016 as vp of creative, Emert-Hutner has worked with a slew of talent, including IDLES, Bon Ever, Conor Oberst, First Aid Kit, Del Water Gap and others. Prior to Kobalt, she held senior roles at Nettwerk Music Group, Sneak Attack Media and Sanctuary Records. “Melissa’s hard work, diligence, teamwork, and passion for music makes this promotion very well deserved,” said Kobalt head of global creative, Alison Donald. “I have no doubt under her leadership, the NY creative team will continue to thrive.”
The Association of Independent Music (AIM) named Ruth Barlow as its new chair at the org’s 2023 annual general meeting on Thursday (Nov. 16). Barlow, a 21-year veteran of Beggars Group, where she is director of live licensing, will work closely with AIM CEO Silvia Montello and the board to support the UK indie music trade group over a two-year term. She replaces outgoing chair Nadia Khan. AIM, based in London, also named four new board members: Tim Dellow (Transgressive), Jackie Joseph (Chrysalis Records / Blue Raincoat Music), Peter Quicke (Ninja Tune) and Chloé van Bergen (Secretly Group). “As AIM’s new chair I want to make all members feel valued and heard and help strive for consensus, increasing engagement among all members of our community,” commented Barlow. “Above all I want to support AIM’s efforts to attract new members, particularly from regional and under-represented groups, and to help arm a new generation of independents with a shared sense of community and knowledge.”
Warner Chappell Music promoted BJ Hill to senior vp of A&R. Throughout his career, Hill has worked with songwriters and artists including Nicolle Galyon, Jordan Reynolds, Charles Kelley, Dave Haywood, Dan+Shay and more. Hill began at Warner Chappell as an associate catalog manager in 2002 and moved to the A&R department in 2005, working his way through the ranks over the past 18 years. He’s played a key role in songs including Dan+Shay’s 8x Platinum-RIAA certified “Tequila” and Lady A’s 11x Platinum RIAA-certified “Need You Now.” Ben Vaughn, president and CEO of Warner Chappell Music Nashville said: “I’ve been lucky enough to work with BJ for over a decade, and he’s always been an unwavering supporter, resource, and friend to our songwriters and the whole Warner Chappell team.” —Jessica Nicholson
ICYMI: Kakao’s chief investment officer was indicted for allegedly manipulating SM Entertainment’s stock price to ward off HYBE’s rival bid for a stake in the K-pop company … Warner Music Latina appointed Brenda Carrasco as vp of marketing and artist strategy … and WMG chief Robert Kyncl laid out the label’s three-pronged approach to AI.
SESAC Music Group hired Ali Hernandez as chief human resources officer. Based in New York, Hernandez is tasked with leading HR strategies and initiatives across SESAC’s family of businesses, including The Harry Fox Agency, Rumblefish, Audium and Mint Digital Services, as well as the namesake performing rights org. She previously as CHRO at TIME and held roles at the Knight Foundation and the Miami Herald Media Company. John Josephson, chairman and CEO, said of Hernandez: “Her passion and expertise in driving business results through collaborative and inclusive solutions centered around people will be a key element of our ongoing drive to build a global organization and to elevate and develop our team around the world.”
Sound Future Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to accelerate climate innovation for the live event industry, appointed Kelci Zile as chief development officer. Zile, who is treasurer of the Sound Future board of directors, will use her new role at the org to lead fundraising efforts and also identify sustainable technology solutions for the live events industries. She is also a director of venture community at EnVest, and a venture partner at SNØCAP. “Live events are a phenomenal testbed to demonstrate that sustainability can be as good for the Earth as it is for the bottom line,” said Zile. “We need solutions that meaningfully cut emissions and increase profit to come to market as soon as possible.” Sound Future also elevated co-founder and chief marketing officer Brandy Schultz to president.
Nashville Notes: Jordan Josephs joined Nashville-based business management firm FBMM in a move to “help take our LA office to the next level.” Josephs works closely with FBMM’s director of West Coast operations, Paul Barnabe … The Country Music Association and CMA Foundation added new staff and promoted a pair of staffers. Ryan Nelson joined from Yamaha to be senior director of event operations; LeighAnn Rodd came from Cracker Barrell to be director of insights; and Victoria Rutledge departed NAMI Tennessee to join the CMA Foundation as director of major gifts. CMA also promoted Justin Randall to senior director of IT and Megan Wise to senior director of brand partnerships … Provident Entertainment, Sony Music’s Christian music label, promoted Charles Van Dyke to vice president of promotions. In his new role, Van Dyke will lead the radio promotions team for both Provident and Sony’s other gospel music label RCA Inspiration.
Last Week’s Turntable: Atlantic A&R Veteran Heads Home