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Former Atlantic Music Group chairman/CEO Julie Greenwald is being welcomed as executive-in-residence at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music (CDI) at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts for the spring 2025 semester, it was announced on Monday (March 3).
In the role, Greenwald will present marketing case studies, hold workshops on business plan development, curate a series of conversations with music industry executives and participate in A&R pitch sessions with students. She will hold office hours at the institute’s Brooklyn campus.
Over her career, Greenwald has played a role in the success of superstars such as Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Cardi B, Charli XCX and Twenty One Pilots, among many others. After attending Tulane University, followed by a stint teaching in the New Orleans public school systems in the Calliope projects through Teach for America, she started her music industry career as Lyor Cohen‘s assistant at Rush Management. Three months later, she was named promotions coordinator at Def Jam Records, where she rose through the ranks. Following the merger of Def Jam, Island and Mercury Records, she and Cohen built Island Def Jam Music Group. She was named Billboard‘s Women in Music executive of the year in 2017.
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“I have always been so fortunate to get my unequal fair share of talented interns from NYU,” said Greenwald in a statement. “I am thrilled to have this opportunity to work so closely with not only the students, but the incredible faculty at the Clive Davis Institute.”
Record producer Nick Sansano, who serves as associate chair, director of production curriculum and co-director of the musicianship and performance curriculum at the Clive Davis Institute, said in a statement that Greenwald’s “presence at CDI is incredibly meaningful in so many ways. As a groundbreaking woman executive in the music business, she is a source of inspiration for the next generation of industry leaders. As one of the most successful music business executives of all time, she is a unique source of a breadth of professional wisdom. Julie has been very clear that she is doing this for no other reason than to pass on all she can to our students; like all laudable teachers, she is setting the groundwork to enable long-term success for our students, and the music making industry at large. Julie won’t be using a textbook, she is the textbook.”
In August, Greenwald announced she would step down from her role at Atlantic Music Group, where she was succeeded by Elliot Grainge following a major restructuring at Warner Music Group.
Employees of DistroKid are still working without a contract 10 months after they voted to unionize — and now their union is hoping to raise awareness of their plight after more than 40% of the company’s staff was terminated and their jobs outsourced to the Philippines late last year.
Bill Bores, chapter president of the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians-Communication Workers of America Local 15 (NABET-CAW) — the union representing the DistroKid employees — estimates that 37 jobs were lost in the recent purge at the New York-based company, which operates virtually with nearly all employees working from home.
At the time of the layoffs, DistroKid management said the cuts were part of a larger effort to fix issues around customer service, specifically “by expanding to 24/7 customer service with faster response times.” The company mostly serves independent artists, acting as a digital music distribution service to help musicians upload and monetize their music through sites like Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube Music. The site was valued at $1.3 billion in 2021 following a recapitalization deal with New York investment firm Insight Partners and reportedly has a customer base of two million artists.
In April, more than 63% of DistroKid employees voted to unionize with NABET-CAW, and the victory was later certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Company management and union officials even sat for their first collective bargaining session in July, but talks have been slow due to a lack of availability to meet, says Bores.
“We finally got something on the calendar with them for October, when the company’s attorney called me and said they’re going to fire half the unit,” says Bores, referring to the 37 employees who were initially placed on “administrative leave” before being terminated. Bores says many of the terminated employees had backed the union efforts and that many had worked in both customer and artist services roles. The employees were eventually replaced by a support team operating out of the Philippines, managed by offshoring company Concentrix.
“My union knows that company very well because they have been involved in providing scabs and people to cross picket lines and thwart union drives,” Bores says. ”So not only did they lay off American workers who are unionizing, they sent their work to the Philippines to workers there that make very little compared to the workers here in New York.”
In a statement to Billboard, DistroKid officials defended the staffing change, writing, “DistroKid remains focused on delivering a best-in-class support experience for independent artists worldwide. Since initiating our ramp-up to 24/7 support late last year, artist response times have improved by 74% over the past three months and 90% year-over-year. In the coming weeks, we’ll also roll out live chat for the highest-volume categories, further enhancing accessibility and efficiency for artists everywhere. Achieving this level of service required making difficult decisions that impacted valued team members, and we are deeply grateful for their contributions.”
Former employee Wilson Rahn, a customer service employee who lost his job during the October purge, says DistroKid’s claims don’t align with what he experienced at the company.
“My perception is that they were not bargaining in good faith,” says Rahn, who is still looking for work. “I worked on their customer support funnel, made it faster and more effective and had a record of showing that I was succeeding in that. So my firing is pretty clearly, in my opinion, just because I was vocally supportive of the union.”
Bores has filed four complaints against DistroKid with the NLRB but said the labor body has effectively been rendered powerless by President Donald Trump. On Jan. 27, Trump fired NLRB member Gwynne Wilcox, leaving the board with only two members — one below the minimum number needed to legally function. The firing has left the NLRB unable to certify union elections or hear complaints from workers. Without an enforcement option from the federal government, Bores says there is little his union can do to force DistroKid back to the bargaining table aside from applying public pressure campaigns.
In the worst-case scenario, says Bores, DistroKid could hold out until the one-year anniversary of the unionization vote, at which point it would be legally allowed to challenge the union’s right to continue representing employees. But he says he’s hopeful it won’t come to that and that the two sides will have a final contract ready to sign by next month.
The Billboard Live Stage is coming to Canada, and it will happen at the site of NXNE’s most beloved performances.
On June 12, 2025, Billboard Canada will present a performance of major chart-topping artists, culminating in a highly anticipated headlining performance by a global music icon. The show will take place at Sankofa Square (formerly Yonge-Dundas Square), the bustling public square at the heart of downtown Toronto.
It’s a fitting return to the place where NXNE presented some of its biggest shows on the festival’s 30th anniversary, and it marks the festival’s first show in partnership with Billboard Canada and its parent company, ArtsHouse Media Group.
“For 30 years, NXNE has been a defining force in Canada’s music landscape, championing talent and shaping the future of live performance,” said Amanda Dorenberg, CEO of ArtsHouse Media Group and Billboard Canada, in a statement. “As Billboard Canada and ArtsHouse Media Group continue to support music’s evolution, we’re proud to celebrate NXNE’s 30th anniversary with the Billboard Live Stage at Sankofa Square, further extending its legacy by giving artists a platform to reach new audiences and make a global impact.”
NXNE is no stranger to the square. It’s been the site of performances by massive acts including The National, The Flaming Lips, Sloan, multiple members of Wu-Tang Clan, Devo, Ludacris and many more, including a legendary blowout free public performance by Iggy Pop & The Stooges in 2010. The festival’s history goes way back to the opening of the public square, remembers co-founding NXNE president/CEO Michael Hollett.
“We were honoured to present the first ever concert in the Square when Gord Downie [of the Tragically Hip] played NXNE in 2003 and we had the biggest crowd ever for Iggy and the Stooges in 2010,” he says. “With Flaming Lips, St. Vincent, Raekwon and so many great shows, we have a great history at Yonge and Dundas, and we are thrilled to return on our 30th anniversary to the freshly named Sankofa Square to again bring incredible, free live music to the city and the world.”
The show will take place on Thursday (June 12). As previously announced, NXNE will also be home to this year’s Billboard Canada Power Players event.
NXNE has already unveiled its first wave of showcasing artists, which includes more than 100 emerging acts from Canada and across the globe. The festival will take over 23 venues throughout Toronto. – Richard Trapunski
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Drake & PARTYNEXTDOOR Debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Canadian Albums Chart with ‘$ome $exy $ongs 4 U’
Drake is back on top of the world — or, at least, the CN Tower.
The Toronto superstar and his collaborator PARTYNEXTDOOR have the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart dated March 1 with their new R&B album, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U.
It’s Drake’s first full-length release since his reputation took a beating during his beef with Kendrick Lamar in 2024. The latter went on to win record and song of the year at the 2025 Grammys for his Drake diss track “Not Like Us,” which went to No. 1 in Canada when he performed it at the Super Bowl halftime show.
The joint album has flooded the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 this week, with every single one of the album’s 21 songs charting on the tally, as they did on the U.S. Hot 100.
The upbeat flip phone nostalgia track “Nokia” is charting highest at No. 5, followed by the high energy (and disconcertingly titled) “Gimme A Hug” at No. 10.
While Drake is leading the albums chart, Kendrick has fallen off the top of the Billboard Canadian Hot 100, where his song “Not Like Us” rose to No. 1 for the first time last week. On the Hot 100 in the U.S., Kendrick Lamar’s SZA collab “Luther” has the top spot, but on the Canadian Hot 100 for the week dated March 1, No. 1 belongs to Bruno Mars and ROSÉ’s “APT” — a new peak for the song in its 18th week on the chart.
Read more on the Canadian charts here. – Rosie Long Decter
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Allison Russell Affirms the Power of Community at Montreal’s Folk Alliance International
For Allison Russell, the 37th Folk Alliance International conference was a homecoming.
The annual gathering, which takes place in a different city each year, took over Montreal’s downtown Sheraton Centre from Feb. 19 to 23.
The Nashville-based singer-songwriter gave the conference’s keynote presentation in conversation with NPR’s Ann Powers — which, for the Grammy-winning singer, meant returning to her hometown of Montreal. At a conference themed around the idea of illumination, Russell was a beacon of light.
Russell opened the keynote by sharing that as a teen, she would sleep in the pews of a cathedral less than a kilometre away from the conference centre where the gathering was held. Her high school was just down the road, too.
“We bring with us every version of ourselves,” Russell said. “All the ages of myself are so present in this town.”
But Montreal wasn’t the only home Russell returned to, as the conference has also been a constant for the singer-songwriter across more than two decades of her professional music career.
Speaking with Billboard Canada after the keynote, Russell recalls that her first Folk International Alliance conference was the 2001 edition in Vancouver. At the time, she was a roadie for Canadian folk group The Be Good Tanyas, who were having a breakout year.
“I was still in the closet as a songwriter,” she remembers.
That conference was where Russell would meet JT Nero — her partner in life, child-rearing and music-making. And now, 24 years later, she’s one of Canada’s most celebrated contemporary songwriters.
Russell was still coming down from Hadestown, the musical she’s been starring in on Broadway — 15 weeks, 8 shows a week, without missing a day — when she landed in Montreal. At the conference, she spoke about the danger that comes from living in denial of trauma and hardship on a micro and macro level.
“We are going through a phase of unfortunately a fascist resurfacing, rooted in fear, rooted in denialism, rooted in trying to hide the past or re-write it instead of simply facing it,” she said in her keynote. “Nothing can be changed unless it’s faced.”
She linked the current American administration to her performance in Hadestown, a musical about an authoritarian leader who builds a wall to keep newcomers out.
“These fearful demagogues who root their hoarding of power in fear, in othering, in scapegoating,” she said, “they are not originals. They are following a very, very boring and terrible playbook.”
Russell currently has a third solo album in the works, with singles coming soon. Titled In The Hour of Chaos, Russell says it’s an album for her community, inspired by mutual aid during tough times. In the studio with Nero and her Returner collaborators, she says she’s having a blast working on new material.
“It’s my community that has been uplifting and upholding me,” she says. “I hopefully do the same for them.”
Read more from Russell’s Folk Alliance International keynote and interview with Billboard Canada here. – RLD
HYBE shares closed the week up 4.9% to 245,500 won ($167.94) after the company teased the return of BTS in 2025 during its fourth-quarter earnings release on Tuesday (Feb. 25), effectively leading a strong week for K-pop stocks amid an overall down period for both music stocks and markets in general. Among other K-pop companies, YG Entertainment gained 8.8%, JYP Entertainment improved 2.4% and SM Entertainment rose 0.9%.
HYBE partially attributed its 38% decline in 2024 operating income to the BTS hiatus that began in 2023 when several of the group’s members were forced to step away to complete South Korea’s required military service. But the company said it believes operating profit will improve in 2025 “through the comeback of 21st-century icons BTS” and payoffs from investments in the company’s social media-superfan platform, Weverse.
The K-pop giant’s revenue increased 4% to $1.58 billion last year, with recorded music revenue, the company’s largest source of income, dipping 11.3% but concerts revenue jumping 25.6% as the number of performances rose from 125 in 2023 to 172 in 2024. HYBE’s South Korean labels generated 15% more streaming revenue internationally even as streaming fell 17% at home. Revenue from U.S. labels (Big Machine and Quality Control) fell 16%.
The 20-company Billboard Global Music Index (BGMI) had more losers than winners this week as it fell 2.3% to 2,613.79. Just seven of the index’s stocks finished in positive territory, and outside of K-pop stocks, none gained more than 2%.
Markets had a rough week owing to inflation and recession fears. Amidst talks of U.S. tariffs on foreign imports, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta is now predicting U.S. gross domestic product, a measure of the country’s economic activity, will decline 1.5% in the first quarter. The S&P 500 finished the week down 1.0% to 5,954.44 while the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite, weighed down by Nvidia’s weaker-than-expected first-quarter guidance, fell 3.5% to 18,847.28. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 was an outlier, gaining 1.7% to 8,809.74. South Korea’s KOSPI composite index sank 4.6% to 2,532.78. China’s SSE composite index dropped 1.7% to 3,320.90.
Live Nation shares fell 4.1% to $149.48 — the concert promoter’s second consecutive weekly decline. Wolfe Research lowered its Live Nation price target to $165 from $175 and Citigroup raised Live Nation to $175 from $163. Despite those declines, the company’s shares are up 10.6% year-to-date and 47.5% over the last 52 weeks.
Universal Music Group (UMG) and Warner Music Group (WMG) fell 4.2% and 4.2%, respectively, with UMG slated to report fourth-quarter earnings on Thursday (March 6). Sphere Entertainment Co., which reports quarterly earnings on Monday (March 3), dropped 7.0% to $46.90, lowering its year-to-date gain to 2.8%.
Chinese music streamer Tencent Music Entertainment (TME) fell 15.3% to $14.40. On Friday (Feb. 28), the company announced a change on its board of directors, as Matthew Yun Ming Cheng retired from the board and was replaced by Wai Yip Tsang, the current financial controller of Tencent Holdings. In announcing Tsang’s appointment, Cussion Pang, executive chairman of Tencent Music Entertainment, said Tsang’s “deep financial background, extensive experience and business insights will be a tremendous asset to TME.”
iHeartMedia shares fell 15.3% on Friday and ended the week down 16.1% following the company’s fourth-quarter earnings release on Thursday (Feb. 27). The radio company said it expects first-quarter revenue to fall in the low single digits and forecasts full-year revenue will be flat compared to 2024.
The largest decline of the week came from Cumulus Media, which fell 20.0% on Friday and finished the week down 19.1% after the radio company released fourth-quarter earnings on Thursday. Cumulus’ revenue fell 1.2% in the fourth quarter and was down 2.1% for the full year.
Though the RIAA has yet to release revenue numbers for recorded music in the U.S. in 2024, early returns from a handful of international markets are in — and they show that digital revenue maintained or gained momentum last year while physical sales slowed from 2023.
In Germany, the world’s fourth-largest recorded music market, total revenue grew 7.8% to 2.38 billion euros ($2.53 billion) in 2024, trade group Bundesverband Musikindustrie announced earlier this week. That was an improvement on the 6.3% gain seen in 2023 and the 6.1% gain in 2022. Notably, audio streaming, which accounted for 78% of total revenue, grew 12.6% to 1.86 billion euros ($1.98 billion), an improvement on the 7.9% gain in 2023 but below the 14.0% spike seen in 2022.
The full year ended with the same momentum Germany established in the first half of 2024. Through June, total revenue was up 7.6% and audio streaming was up 12.7%, while physical sales — which were down 11.9% through June — improved in the second half of the year, leading to a less-drastic 7.4% drop below 2023 revenue.
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On the physical front, Germany’s vinyl sales improved 9.4% to 153 million euros ($163 billion) in 2024, accounting for 6.4% of total revenue — though they cooled a bit from 2023, when sales increased 12.6%. However, CD sales fell 17.1% to 207 million euros ($220 million) last year, a markedly steeper decline than the 5.9% drop seen in 2023.
In Spain, recorded music revenue grew 9.4% to 569 million euros ($606 million), according to Promusicae, the country’s trade association for the record industry. That was down from growth rates of 12.4% and 12.3% in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Audio streaming totaled 376 million euros, up 14.1% year over year, and accounted for 66% of total revenue. But just as in Germany, physical sales plummeted. Total physical sales fell 13.3% to 54 million euros ($57 million), with vinyl sales sinking 4% after jumping 19.4% in 2023. Meanwhile, CD sales dropped 25.4%, a much sharper decline than in 2023 (when they were down 1.3%) and comparable to 2022 (down 29.2%).
The Spanish market slowed considerably in the second half of the year, leading to end-of-year gains that were six to seven percentage points lower than mid-year results. Through June, total revenue was up 16.6%, while the year finished with a smaller 9.4% gain. Digital revenue fell from an 18.8% gain at the mid-year mark to a 12.6% gain at the end of the year, and vinyl sales were up 11.9% in June but finished the year down 4% — a nearly 16-percentage point swing.
In Japan, the world’s second-largest recorded music market, physical audio sales rose 2% to 148.96 billion yen ($985 million), a worse showing than in 2023 (when they were up 8%) and 2022 (up 5%), according to the RIAJ. And physical music video sales fell 21% to 90.5 billion yen ($598 million), which brought the total physical market down 8% from 2023.
The RIAJ has not yet published year-end digital numbers, though total digital revenue was up 5% and streaming revenue was up 7% through the third quarter. Japan is unlike most music markets in that physical formats remain the dominant moneymakers. Through September, streaming revenue accounted for 35% of total revenue while physical sales — mostly audio formats — accounted for the remaining 65%.
In the U.S., another data point arrived Thursday (Feb. 27) when ASCAP announced that revenue increased 5.7% to $1.84 billion in 2024, with domestic royalties up 5.3% to $1.4 billion and foreign receipts growing 6.8% to $483 million.
As for U.S. recorded music numbers, RIAA figures are likely to be released in March, assuming the organization sticks to prior timings of its release. Mid-year RIAA data showed the U.S. market increased 3.9% to $8.69 billion, with paid streaming improving 5.1% to $5.22 billion. Physical revenue rose 12.7% and was driven by a 17% increase in vinyl sales. Year-end numbers should benefit from Spotify’s U.S. price increase in July.
The IFPI’s release of 2024 global figures, with a country-by-country breakdown, will offer a more complete picture of global trend lines and reveal how the U.S. fared against other nations. That report is typically released each March.
Janet Jackson is taking immersive audio to new heights with her new Las Vegas residency at Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas.
The two-hour show runs through 43 of Jackson’s biggest hits, including tracks “What Have You Done For Me Lately,” “Nasty” and “When I Think of You,” the single from her 1986 Control album that became her first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Powering the show is L-Acoustics’ most advanced loudspeaker deployment to date, with 242 speakers spread out across the stage and proscenium to evenly deliver high-quality sound to each of Resorts World Theater’s 5,000 seats.
The brains of L-Acoustics’ loudspeaker systems is L-ISA, the pioneering immersive audio platform that utilizes patented acoustic algorithms and proprietary technology to create ultra-high-resolution spatial audio with precise sound placement. By utilizing L-ISA, Jackson’s audio team was able to develop a carefully detailed soundscape for the show that’s designed to reinforce the artist-audience connection.
Started in 1984 by French physicist and Pink Floyd fan Christian Heil, L-Acoustics is best known for creating the modern speaker line array, a configuration for evenly distributed amplified sound that came to replace the stacked sound configuration rock bands relied on during the 1980s. L-ISA is an extension of that technology, equipping sound engineers with tools to sonically place any of the show’s 99 channels into specific locations throughout the theater. In using L-ISA for Jackson’s show, sound engineer Caram Costanzo was able to sonically space out instruments for better sound clarity, send other sounds in loops around the audience and enable Jackson’s vocals to follow her across the stage — with her voice even rising in height for one scene in which she utilizes a lift to hoist her atop the stage.
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“Whether you’re seated right in the middle or on the right or the left, the sound draws the audience in and creates greater intimacy,” says Scott Sugden, director of project management at L-Acoustics. “And as an artist on stage, [they] notice the audience is more captivated and engaged and it leads to a better experience for both the artist and the fan.”
This is far from the first time L-Acoustics has had a presence in Las Vegas. Adele used the company for her Weekends with Adele residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, as did fellow Resorts World alums Katy Perry, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan for their respective residencies at the hotel and casino. But Jackson’s show represents the company’s most advanced deployment on the strip to date.
Resorts World Theater — named the world’s highest-grossing venue with a capacity of less than 5,000 on Billboard’s annual Top Grossing Venues list for 2023 — boasts the first fixed install of L-ISA in Las Vegas, powered by seven line arrays across the front of the stage, each outfitted with 14 of the company’s k2 loudspeakers and complemented with a complex mix of out-fill and center hung arrays, subs, coaxials and processors.
“This theater is very unique in terms of sound design,” says L-Acoustics CEO Laurent Vaissié, noting the intimate interior design by Quebec theatrical architecture firm Scéno Plus at the venue, where the furthest seat from the stage is just 150 feet away. However, he adds, “It’s L-ISA that creates the show’s unique soundscape and brings it into three dimensions.”
Sugden says that while many audio aficionados have described the L-ISA system as immersive audio because of its ability to fully immerse the listener with sound, he prefers the term “hyperreal” because it “enhances the reality of the show.”
“It’s localizing her voice and making sure that it’s really intelligible and separated from the rest of the instruments we can localize on stage,” he said. “It’s much more than just surround sound; it’s the ability to position sound and the artist’s voice in ways that make the most sense. We have this canvas which allows the engineer and the artist to paint sound in three dimensions, and what they do with that is completely a creative choice.”
Janet Jackson: Las Vegas runs through May 31 at Resorts World Theater. For more information, visit rwlasvegas.com.
This article was created in partnership with HarbourView Equity Partners.
The lead-up to Hollywood’s biggest weekend was even more exciting this year with the addition of Las’ Lap: Legacy Experience. The celebration of R&B’s music, culture and influence, hosted by HarbourView Equity Partners and Adam Blackstone, brought together key players across the entertainment industry and showcased a remarkable lineup of performances.
Event co-host Adam Blackstone personally curated the artist lineup with excellence in mind. Blackstone is a Grammy-winning bassist, musical director and producer who has orchestrated numerous culturally significant live performances, with stages ranging from the Super Bowl Halftime Show to the Grammys. He and his band backed stunning performances by artists including Toni Braxton, SiR, Estelle, James Fauntleroy and Kenyon Dixon.
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“I couldn’t be more thrilled about this partnership with HarbourView for our Pre-Oscar celebration,” said Blackstone. “The Legacy Experience began several years ago and has since become a must-attend event in the industry. Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of showcasing both emerging talent and legendary figures. And also we continue to always celebrate our wins, this past season being a GRAMMY WIN and an NAACP IMAGE AWARDS WIN. So partnering with HarbourView is the perfect alignment, as they are a company that truly supports and invests in creators & visionaries like myself.”
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Industry movers pose for a group photo at Las’ Lap: Legacy Experience in Los Angeles, CA. L to R: Deborah Renteria, Mitchell Huckstepp, Whitney Gayle-Benta, Sherrese Clarke, Rodney Shealey, Lisa Bashi, Vincent Searcy, Lucinda Martinez
Mark Clennon
In addition to industry movers and cultural tastemakers, the star-studded event welcomed Grammy-winning R&B artists Muni Long, Melanie Fiona, Jimmy Jam, and Eric Benét. With its emphasis on artistic excellence and cultural impact, Las’ Lap: Legacy Experience proved to be a defining moment in celebration and recognition of the creatives shaping the industry.
HarbourView Equity Partners is always looking toward the future of the industry. The investment firm, founded by Sherrese Clarke, focuses on opportunities to support premium content across entertainment, media and sports. Reflecting upon The Legacy Experience, Clarke shared: “At HarbourView, we are proud to support and uplift these incredible creatives, ensuring that their voices and influence continue to resonate for generations to come.”
LONDON — Proper Music Group, the U.K.’s leading physical distributor for independent labels and artists, has been acquired by Netherlands-based Artone, bringing an end to a tumultuous three-year period during which the firm was owned by Swiss fintech company Utopia Music.
Completion of Artone’s acquisition of Proper Music Group was announced by the company Friday (Feb. 28), one day after Proper was placed in administration (roughly equivalent to Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection).
The new ownership structure sees Proper’s longstanding managing director, Drew Hill, take a minority stake in the British firm, which handles physical distribution for more than 5,000 indie labels, as well as provide a range of digital distribution, publishing and artist and label services for artists and music companies.
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Proper’s clients include Absolute Label Services, Believe, Cherry Red, Concord, Epitaph, FUGA, The Orchard in addition to Warner Music Group-owned ADA and Sony Music Group-owned AWAL. The company says its clients collectively make up around 13% of the United Kingdom’s physical music market, which totaled £330 million ($412 million) in 2024, up 6.2% on the previous year, and accounting for nearly 14% of music revenues, according to figures from the Digital Entertainment and Retail Association (ERA).
Announcing the acquisition of Proper, Artone CEO Jan Willem Kaasschieter said the company plays “a vital role in the supporting independent labels and artists in the U.K. By bringing Proper Music Distribution into the Artone family, we ensure its continued success and provide stability for its partners.”
“We now have some certainty about the future,” a relieved Hill tells Billboard. He describes the past three years of Proper being owned by Swiss fintech firm Utopia as being like a “pantomime rollercoaster” that has seen the company often existing “under a cloud” of negativity. “I’m glad it’s finally over,” says Hill, who continues as managing director of Proper Music Distribution.
Got records? A wide view of the Proper warehouse in Dartford.
Proper Music Group
Utopia Music had originally acquired Proper for an undisclosed sum in January 2022 as part of a frenetic buying spree that saw the Swiss fintech firm rapidly acquire 15 companies spanning music tech, finance, publishing, marketing and distribution over a two-year period.
A just-as-quick downsizing followed, encompassing multiple rounds of job cuts, company divestments, numerous legal actions and successive executive departures, including the exit of co-founder Mattias Hjelmstedt.
Early last year, Utopia rebranded as Proper Group AG, named after its core physical music distribution business, but the widespread changes failed to turn the company around. In September, the firm was placed into bankruptcy by a Swiss court over an unpaid debt of 23,000 Swiss Francs ($25,000).
As a result of the court action, Utopia’s two main U.K. physical distribution businesses were placed up for sale with both attracting multiple bidders. Utopia Distribution Services, which was formerly known as Cinram Novum and whose clients include Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and [PIAS], was acquired by DP World Logistics for an undisclosed sum in December.
Artone and Hill’s subsequent joint acquisition of Proper Music Group is “fantastic news for the independent community,” says Gee Davy, CEO at U.K. trade body the Association of Independent Music (AIM).
“Drew’s 18 years’ experience at the helm of Proper Music Distribution combined with Artone’s pan-European expertise will no doubt ensure that the U.K.’s physical music sector continues to thrive,” says Davy in a statement.
“It’s an ownership structure absolutely rooted in what is our core business,” Hill tells Billboard, pointing to Artone’s range of physical music solutions, which includes its own vinyl pressing plant, the Netherlands’-based Record Industry, capable of pressing 40,000 to 60,000 records per day, as well as Bertus Distribution, one of Europe’s largest independent distributors. Artone additionally operates several indie labels, including Music On Vinyl and V2 Benelux, and last year acquired U.K. D2C e-commerce music retailer and distributor Townsend Music.
The production line at the Proper warehouse in Dartford.
Proper Music Group
“Utopia never really understood what Proper was or what we did or maybe even why they bought us,” says Hill. “Day-to-day, operationally nothing really changed under their control but what was always difficult was the negative association. It just became a PR disaster and I was constantly having to reassure labels that whatever they were reading about the parent company, their money and their stock was safe. It’s great that I no longer have to do that.”
Hill says the financial losses suffered by Proper Music Group, which was a profitable company prior to 2022, over the past several years are spun out of Utopia’s kamikaze approach to business, which prioritized turnover over profit. According to its most recent Companies House figures, Proper made a loss of £1.9 million in the year ending Dec. 31, 2022. There will be further losses to be reported in 2023, says Hill.
“Now we can go back to making sure we’re growing as a sustainable business rather than just growing for growth’s sake,” he states. “The physical music business is in a very healthy place right now and Proper will continue to be right at the heart of it.”
Welcome to the latest Executive Turntable, Billboard’s weekly compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across the music business. There’s a full slate of personnel news this week, so let’s hop to it.
EMPIRE‘s global expansion is afoot with the appointment of Guillermo Ramos as managing director of Europe, and Ted May as senior vice president of international marketing, both based in its London headquarters. Ramos will oversee European operations, including France and German-speaking regions, while May will lead global marketing strategies across six continents. Their roles aim to drive EMPIRE’s rapid international expansion and artist success. “Our London operation is integral to this as the centerpiece between the Americas, Africa and Asia,” said EMPIRE COO Nima Etminan. “With Guillermo and Ted, we feel confident to have found two seasoned, yet motivated individuals who will understand how to solidify our presence in Europe and expand our global footprint in international territories.” Ramos, formerly GM at Virgin Music Group, brings 18 years of experience, having worked with artists like Rema, Hozier and The Weeknd. May, with over 25 years, previously led MNRK/eOne’s UK and international operations, supporting acts like The Streets, Cher and The Lumineers. Ramos commented that “steady and meaningful expansion in Europe – and the globe – is a priority for our next chapter, driven by our leadership in the independent sector, at a time when an industry-wide paradigm shift is underway.”
Brian Wagner will take on the role of executive director for the International Entertainment Buyers Association, or IEBA, effective March 1. Wagner replaces Pam Matthews, who retired following 12 years leading the Nashville-based booking trade group. Wagner’s nearly three-decade career includes his work founding Flashpoint Entertainment (which launched Nashville venues Mercy Lounge and Cannery Ballroom). He also led marketing for the Ryman Auditorium, including curating the venue’s annual bluegrass series and the “Sam’s Place” series. In 2015, Wagner took on the role of assistant commissioner of marketing for the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, forging the “Soundtrack of America, Made in Tennessee” campaign. –Jessica Nicholson
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Merlin announced several key promotions within its team. Marta de la Hoz, with over seven years at the company, is now senior director of business analytics. Matt Rose was promoted to senior manager of strategy and growth. Nick Cashmore, instrumental in enhancing reporting, is now director of reporting. Pavan Vasdev steps into an expanded role as senior director of strategy and growth. Lastly, Tom White, a key player in advancing data analytics, is now senior data analyst.
The Syndicate hired veteran music publicist Sue Marcus from Stunt Company Media as vp of publicity, where she will co-lead the department with Brendan Bourke. Marcus brings her entire roster from Stunt Company and will be joined by publicist Anna Jenkins and new hire Cassidy Berstler, expanding the press team at the marketing agency to nine members. All three are based in Weehawken, NJ. Jeff Kilgour will now lead business development as svp, alongside Rob Gross. Marcus, with over 30 years of experience, worked at director levels at Roadrunner Records, Mercury Records and Island Def Jam before founding Stunt Company in 2001. She has led media campaigns for a wide range of artists and festivals, including Monica, Ra Ra Riot, Tom Verlaine, and Moon River Music Festival, among others. Her current roster includes Drew & Ellie Holcomb, JOHNNYSWIM, XiXA and Mayday Parade. “Sue’s incredible expertise, passion for storytelling, and the powerhouse roster she brings from Stunt Company will strengthen our expanding publicity department,” said Kilgour.
The Music Fights Fraud Alliance selected Michael Lewan to lead the anti-fraud collective. As executive director, Lewan will lead the MFFA’s strategic initiatives from Washington, D.C. Previously, he served as managing director of state and federal advocacy at the Recording Academy. Founded in June 2023, MFFA unites major music companies, including Downtown (CD Baby and FUGA), Believe (TuneCore), Amazon Music, Spotify, EMPIRE and United Masters, to combat fraud through cross-platform collaboration. The Alliance has mobilized working groups to address fraud identification, mitigation, and enforcement across distributors, labels and DSPs. Andreea Gleeson, CEO of TuneCore, emphasized Lewan’s role in strengthening the industry’s fight against fraud, citing his expertise in government relations and policy advocacy. “His leadership and vision will be crucial as we continue working toward a more equitable and transparent music industry,” she said.
NASHVILLE NOTES: The W.O. Smith Music School appointed Valerie Cordero, Ph.D. as its new executive director. Dr. Cordero succeeds Jonah Rabinowitz, who led the school, which provides vital music education to Nashville’s underserved youth, for nearly 30 years. A Nashvillian since 2012, Dr. Cordero joins from Families for Depression Awareness, where she served as co-executive director, leading fundraising and marketing efforts and advocating for affordable mental health care … Black River promoted Ally Roden to publicity manager from coordinator … Red Street hired Patrick Waters as senior director of country A&R after a run as a Red Light artist manager. The company also crowned Kelly King vp of publishing.
Huskins-Harris Business Management rebranded as Harris, Huelsman, Barnes & Company, with John Huelsman and Morgan Barnes joining Becky Harris as principals at the company. Together, Harris, Huelsman and Barnes have over 40 years of experience, with the company’s current clients including Chris Young, producer James Stroud, Drew Baldridge, Frankie Ballard, Austin Brown, Scotty Hasting, Angie K, Alexandra Kay, Julian King, Nicotine Dolls, Michael Ray and American Idol winner Noah Thompson. –J.N.
AEG Presents is opening a new office in Oslo, Norway, led by industry veteran Peer Osmundsvaag starting March 1. Osmundsvaag, with 35 years of experience, was a founding partner at All Things Live and began his career as a DJ and party promoter in 1989. He founded Atomic Soul in 2001 and has worked with major artists like Eminem, Prince, and Justin Bieber. He also co-founded Norway’s Hove Festival and established Oslo’s PiPFest in 2014. Recognized for his contributions, he received Oslo’s Culture Prize in 2017. Notably, he promoted Norway’s two largest ticketed concerts to date: Eminem at Voldsløkka (55,000 attendees) and Rammstein at Bjerke Travbane (60,000 attendees). He’ll report to Adam Wilkes, president and CEO of AEG Presents Europe and Asia-Pacific.
Catch Point Rights Partners promoted Annie DeConto to director of business development, reporting to co-founders Richard Conlon, PJ Miklus and Patrick Riordan. Since joining in 2020 from stints at Morgan Stanley and Warner Music Group, she has played a key role in acquisition sourcing, marketing, and catalog analysis. “Her work underscores the firm’s dedication to developing data driven, creative liquidity solutions in collaboration with music creators, rights holders and the firm’s investors,” the founders said. Catch Point acquires rights and royalties from various music entities, offering liquidity solutions to copyright and royalty owners. Its portfolio includes thousands of sound recordings and musical works, including songs by The Smashing Pumpkins, Black Eyed Peas, Nine Inch Nails and Lil Wayne, among others.
RADIO, RADIO: Brian Kelly stepped down as vice president of Top 40 programming at Audacy. A 29-year veteran of the company, Kelly was also operations manager in Milwaukee, where he helped launch 103.7 Kiss FM and programmed 99.1 The Mix … European audio branding company PURE Jingles appointed Ilja Volkers as its new chief commercial officer. He joins with experience from BMG, Sony Music and Warner Music.
Breakaway Projects, the newly launched label and management division of Breakaway Music Festival, has announced its leadership team. Jaime Neely, a former Warner and BMG exec, will serve as president, bringing experience working with Lewis Capaldi, 5 Seconds of Summer and Monsta X. Harrison Bamel has been named vice president, also continuing his role leading Breakaway’s artist management team, where he oversees emerging electronic acts like Night Tales and Mojave Grey. Bamel will focus on A&R and artist development for the label. Matt Oliver joins as director of PR, leveraging over a decade of experience working with Facebook, Wu-Tang Clan, DMX and dirtybird records, among others. His role will center on increasing Breakaway Projects’ brand visibility across digital platforms.
Major Bob Music made three key leadership changes, promoting Andy Friday to chief operating officer and Emily Hasty to creative director, while bringing in Aubrey Daniels as head of publishing. Friday, who has worked with Bob and Mike Doyle for over 15 years, will now oversee all Doyle-owned companies while continuing his role as day-to-day manager for Treaty Oak Revival. Previously head of publishing, he played a key role in signing Zach Top and Treaty Oak Revival to Major Bob Music/Bob Doyle & Associates. Daniels joins as head of publishing, bringing extensive experience from Bluewater Music, SNG Music, and KP Entertainment. A Belmont alum, she was nominated as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence in 2021. Hasty, now creative director, first joined Major Bob as an intern in 2022 before working her way up to creative coordinator. She signed her first writer, Anslee Davidson, in 2023. Major Bob Music, founded by Garth Brooks’ longtime manager Bob Doyle, said it has notched over 70 No. 1 singles in its 39-year history.
DawBell, a UK-based communications agency, reappointed Lewis Fromberg as account director to lead brand, sports and popular culture communications and commercial strategy. Fromberg previously spent six years at DawBell, working with major artists and brands and earning the PR Campaign of the Year award for work on a Lewis Capaldi album. After a period at Red Bull, he returns in an expanded role. Additionally, DawBell promoted Rachael Chinery and Charlie Brun to associate PR directors for music. Both have played key roles in campaigns for top artists and events, including Elton John, Dua Lipa and The BRIT Awards.
BOARD SHORTS: The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame welcomed DJ Johnny “Juice” Rosado to its board of directors. Juice (class of 2008) said he aims to enhance the diversity of artist representation in the hall. Known for his roles as a composer, producer, turntablist, and educator, Juice has contributed to some of hip-hop’s greatest works, thanks to a longtime association with Public Enemy and other acts … Los Angeles College of Music is introducing 370 Music Group, a non-profit, student-run record label and music licensing company aimed at supporting and showcasing talent from the LACM community. The initiative is guided by LACM’s Faculty Advisory Board, which includes industry pros Erin Workman, Adam LaRue, Jennifer Smith, Karla Ortiz and Michael Chrysanthou. The label will officially launch at this weekend’s inaugural Music Industry Summit at the college in Pasadena.
ICYMI:
Katie Fagan
Jukebox, a music platform where investors can buy royalty shares, appointed Mike Coppola to be its new CEO. He succeeds Scott Cohen, who led Jukebox since its launch in 2022 … Mom+Pop Music is the latest coastal label to sink roots in Music City, appointing Katie Fagan as president of Mom+Pop Music Nashville. Previously, Fagan clocked years as head of A&R at Prescription Songs in Nashville, where she launched the company’s first office outside of LA. [Keep Reading]
Last Week’s Turntable: SiriusXM Hires Ex-Airbnb Legal Chief
Titan Content formed a strategic partnership with Imperial Music (a division of Republic Records) to collaborate on its upcoming girl group, AtHeart. The group — which released a new teaser video and launched official social media channels alongside the announcement — will share a “pre-debut introduction song and video” on March 14, according to a press release. AtHeart consists of seven members: Michi, Katelyn, Seohyeon, Aurora, Bome, Arin and Nahyun. The group’s formation was led by former SM Entertainment CEO Nikki Semin Han.
Spotify began accepting audiobooks from ElevenLabs, an AI software company that provides voice narration technology. Authors can now distribute their ElevenLabs content to Spotify and other audiobook retailers via audiobook distributor Findaway Voices. According to a blog post, all digitally narrated titles will be “clearly marked in the metadata on Spotify” and other platforms, while the book description “will be prepended with the first sentence stating, ‘This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice.’”
Korean entertainment group Starship Entertainment struck a copyright partnership with Chinese music platform NetEase Cloud Music. The deal brings Starship’s entire catalog, including Korean girl group IVE, to Chinese audiences. According to a press release, NetEase Cloud Music boasts 206 million monthly active users.
Universal Music Japan acquired a majority stake in A-Sketch, a Japanese artist management business and record label that boasts acts including Saucy Dog, Flumpool and Ayumu Imazu on its roster. A-Sketch is also home to Mash A&R, a rock management company in Japan that manages The Oral Cigarettes, FREDERIC and Saucy Dog. Under the deal, Universal Music Japan will acquire the stake in A-Sketch that’s currently owned by Amuse. A-Sketch will now operate as a label division within Universal Music Japan and continue to be led by A-Sketch representative director/president Nobuyuki Soma, who will report to Universal Music Japan president/CEO Naoshi Fujikura. “The acquisition will further bolster Universal Music Japan’s in-house artist management capabilities and expand its ability to drive new creative and commercial opportunities for its artists,” as stated in a press release.
Reservoir Media acquired U.K. dance and electronic label New State. The deal includes New State’s entire recorded music catalog consisting of more than 13,000 tracks by artists including Zero 7, The Beloved, Paul Oakenfold, Dirty Vegas, D:Ream, Double Trouble, Rebel MC and Congo Natty. Reservoir will continue marketing and releasing new music by New State artists via its Chrysalis Records label.
Create Music Group announced a strategic catalog acquisition and go-forward venture with Pack Records (a.k.a. Pack.), a New York and New Orleans-based indie record label, publisher and artist partnership company co-founded by Sky McElroy, Jett Wells and Gavin Chops. The companies previously established a publishing joint venture. Under the deal, Pack. and its artists will have access to Create’s proprietary technology, global distribution, data-driven marketing insights and monetization tools. Pack.’s roster includes aldn, CONNIE, Blood Cultures, daine, Dava and Godly the Ruler. Its catalog boasts recording and publishing rights “at the heart of internet and gaming culture viral moments,” according to a press release, including aldn’s “icantbelieveiletyougetaway,” Ezekiel’s “help_urself,” Godford’s “Downtown,” and Internet Girl’s “PULL UP,” as well as the CONNIE-produced “DIVE IN!” by JELEEL! and “Stupid” by Lexa Gates.
Hook, the AI-powered platform that allows users can legally remix songs and earn income for doing so, signed a strategic partnership with digital music distributor Too Lost. More than 300,000 artists and labels will be brought to Hook through the deal, including Teddy Swims, Tommy Richman, Ty Dolla $ign, Fivio Foreign, Kodak Black, Justin Beiber, Playboi Carti, James Blake, Pink Sweats and Emei. This is Hook’s fourth distribution partnership following deals with FUGA/Downtown, Revelator and Gyrostream.
iHeartMedia and the government communications office of the State of Qatar signed a multi-year partnership that aims to develop a state-of-the-art podcast studio in Qatar and release both original and existing podcast content to Arabic audiences. Under the agreement, iHeart will also offer specialized masterclasses to develop local podcasting talent and host global industry events, including annual Web Summit gatherings — the partnership was announced at this year’s Web Summit in Qatar — in an effort to position the Middle Eastern country as a regional podcasting hub.
Synch platform SourceAudio struck a deal with the Wolfman Jack estate through which the company will repurpose and discover new monetization opportunities for the radio legend’s shows. Through the AudioGenius tool on SongLab — SourceAudio’s AI-powered suite of music tools — the Wolfman Jack estate will be able to “reuse, repurpose, control, and monetize their valuable content archives across today’s digital platforms and ecosystem,” according to a press release. According to Tod Weston Smith, son of Wolfman Jack and president of Wolfman Jack Entertainment, AudioGenius “has significantly streamlined our process, allowing our Wolfman Jack team to access and retrieve clips from our extensive digital archives in seconds, rather than spending hours searching, and we are now able to generate additional revenue from previously underutilized or unused content.”
SoundCloud partnered with Ticketmaster and its self-serve event ticketing and marketing platform Universe in an integration that will allow SoundCloud’s Artist Pro users to create and manage events; sell tickets and share shows directly on the streaming platform; and enjoy amplification opportunities across SoundCloud, Ticketmaster and Universe. They will also have the ability to use Universe to manage and track ticket sales.