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When Lee Greenwood released “God Bless The USA” in the spring of 1984, “it was not a massive hit,” the 82-year-old country music icon tells Billboard.
The song peaked at No. 7 in July 1984 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, but it has returned to the charts several times over the decades, including over Fourth of July weekend 2020, the first year of the pandemic — when it hit No. 1 on the Digital Song Sales chart.
The anthem’s enduring appeal has led to it being played in the wake of the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks and the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. It has been covered by Beyoncé, Dolly Parton, and on Friday (Nov. 1), Drew Jacobs released a rock version. And, of course, it is consistently played at political events, including every Republican National Convention since 1988 — Greenwood sang it live at the last one in July — and now as the walk-on music for former President Trump.
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“To be honest, having President Trump use ‘USA’ as the song he walks out to every single place he goes is a dream come true for any artist,” says Greenwood, who adds he wrote the song for all Americans. “Millions of people hear my song on a weekly basis all because President Trump uses it.”
So what is that worth? Billboard spoke with Greenwood and ran the numbers to estimate how much he stands to gain from the Trump bump.
STREAMING
Greenwood says he owns the writer’s and publishing rights to “God Bless The USA,” and that peermusic administers the publishing and synch licensing for it and other songs in his catalog.
Greenwood says he has never charged for the use ‘USA’ at rallies by the former president, whom he knows from his wife Kim Greenwood’s work with the Miss Universe Organization. He says that he did charge the Ronald Reagan campaign $1 to use the song in 1988, but “just because they wanted to have ‘paper on the deal.’
“I don’t look at money as the driver for my music,” he adds.
That said, “God Bless The USA” has earned Greenwood a nice bit of coin this year. The song enjoyed a noticeable increase in consumption, especially in the immediate weeks following Greenwood’s performance at the Republican National Convention.
In the 16 weeks since the RNC, “USA” has averaged over 4,100 song equivalents in the United States, according to Luminate. That’s an increase over the roughly 3,000 U.S. song equivalents it averaged in the 27 weeks of 2024 that preceded the convention.
That post-convention total includes an average of 568,000 U.S. primarily on-demand audio streams compared to 468,000 in the weeks leading up to the convention.
Compared to Greenwood’s “USA”, Sam & Dave’s “Hold On I’m Coming” has seen a smaller average bump. That song is currently the subject of a copyright infringement lawsuit filed in August by the estate of Isaac Hayes, who co-wrote the song. The complaint alleges that the song has been used multiple times during rallies without authorization.
“Hold On I’m Coming” averaged over 5,200 song equivalents in the U.S. since the RNC, just a smidge over the 5,000 U.S. song equivalents it averaged in the 27 weeks before the convention.
Looking at U.S. streaming and download revenue for the songs, the master recording rights for “Hold On” generated more revenue overall than “USA” after the convention — an average of $4,613.81 per week, compared to an equivalent $3,337.24.
However, the bump the songs’ master recording rights netted was bigger for “USA” than “Hold On.” Greenwood’s signature song’s master recording rights generated $744 more per week on average since the convention, compared to $148 for “Hold On.”
That adds up to an estimated Trump bump of an additional nearly $12,000 from the song’s master recordings over the past 16 weeks. These calculations are for label revenue, and Greenwood’s share of that figure would depend on his contract, details of which are not known.
On the publishing side, Greenwood song’s earned an average of about $675 a week from U.S. streams and downloads in the 27 weeks leading up to the convention and $845 a week after. That means the song produced an average of $3,267 a week — master recordings and publishing combined — leading up to the convention and $4,182 a week after the convention.
Billboard estimates Greenwood’s U.S. master recording catalog revenues, not including publishing, brought in $219,000 for his label so far this year compared to almost $184,000 in 2023 — a Trump bump of approximately $35,000 year to date.
THE TRUMP… SLUMP?
Not all songs used at Trump events enjoyed the same post-rally glow. The Foo Fighters‘ “My Hero” was played to introduce Robert Kennedy Jr. at an August rally for the former president in Arizona without permission, according to the band. At the time, a spokesperson for the Foo Fighters said any royalties gained from post-rally plays of the song would be donated to Trump’s challenger, Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign. (A spokesperson for the band did not respond to a request for comment for this story.)
Since “My Hero” was played at the rally, it has declined in popularity, according to data from Luminate. Prior to the convention, the song’s U.S. streams and downloads averaged almost $10,100 in master recording revenue a week. But after the band denounced the song’s use by the Trump campaign, the audio stream counts average weekly plays fell by almost 200,000 from 1.668 million to 1.488 million. Consequently, revenue that had averaged nearly $10,100 a week fell to just below $9,200 a week, a weekly decline of approximately $900.
When Young Thug went free Thursday (Oct. 31) after more than two years in custody, it didn’t come out of nowhere. It was the crescendo of a series of events that started months ago, transforming an endless, oft-delayed trial into a moment of catharsis for the superstar artist.
In June, the trial against Young Thug’s alleged “YSL” gang had been churning along for more than a year, stretching across 10 months of jury selection and five months of testimony. As the prosecutors worked through a vast list of witnesses, there was no clear end in sight — the trial was expected to run well into 2025, but even that was just a guess.
By this week, the state was handing out plea deals to multiple defendants, including offering one to Thug that would have sent him home immediately. He refused to take it, and his attorneys felt bold enough to simply plead guilty and hope the judge would set him free — a gamble that paid off.
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After a whirlwind week, it’s worth asking the question: How on earth did we get here?
The story starts on June 10, when Thug’s attorney Brian Steel made a stunning revelation in open court. He said he had learned of a secret “ex parte” meeting between Judge Ural Glanville, prosecutors and a key witness named Kenneth Copeland, and claimed that it warranted a mistrial.
Up to that point, Glanville’s handling of the case had resulted in an exceptionally slow pace. Though a sprawling racketeering case against many defendants was always going take time, the Glanville approach — featuring an unprecedented 10-month jury-selection process, repeated “comfort breaks,” and other delays in testimony — had put the case on pace to be the longest in state history.
At the June hearing, Steel alleged far more than bad pacing by Judge Glanville. He claimed that during the secret meeting, Glanville had helped prosecutors coerce the uncooperative Copeland into testifying with threats of extended jail time, all without notifying defense counsel.
The revelation set into motion case-changing events. Rather than addressing Steel’s concerns, Glanville repeatedly demanded to know who had told him about the meeting. When Steel refused to do so, the judge held him in criminal contempt and sentenced him to jail time — a ruling that was later overturned on appeal.
In the weeks that followed, Glanville repeatedly maintained that the ex parte meeting had been proper. But amid a barrage of demands that he either declare a mistrial or step aside, he finally referred the issue to another a judge to decide whether he could continue presiding over the trial.
On July 15, Judge Rachel Krause said that he could not. Though she ruled that the meeting did not appear to have been illegal, the judge ruled that Glanville would be removed from the case in order to preserve “the public’s confidence in the judicial system.”
That ruling punted the case to Judge Paige Reese Whitaker, a Fulton County jurist with a reputation for efficiency. She quickly showed why: On her first day on the bench, Whitaker said she wanted to pick up the pace, demanding that prosecutors be more organized in how they were presenting witnesses and testimony. “It should not take another seven months,” Whitaker said at that hearing.
By late September, Whitaker appeared to have reached her wits’ end with the prosecutors trying the case. Visibly frustrated at a Sept. 30 hearing, the judge blasted Chief Deputy DA Adriane Love and other government attorneys for “poor lawyering,” saying that their “haphazard” approach was making the trial more difficult for everyone involved.
“It is baffling to me that somebody with the number of years of experience that you have, time after time after time, continues to seemingly and purposefully hide the ball to the extent you possibly can, for as long as you possibly can,” Whitaker said. “I really don’t want to believe that it is purposeful but honestly, after a certain number of times, you start to wonder how can it be anything but that.”
Weeks later, that same “haphazard” approach led to an incident that set the stage for Thug’s eventual release
During witness testimony on Oct. 23, prosecutors were questioning a witness named Wunnie Lee (aka Slimelife Shawty), a former defendant in the YSL case who signed a plea agreement in exchange for testifying.
While on the stand, prosecutors asked Lee to identify certain defendants by showing him social media posts. While reading one of the posts, Lee read aloud the hashtag #freequa — a reference to a previous prison sentence for Marquavius Huey (aka Qua), one of Thug’s current co-defendants.
That was a crucial error by prosecutors. The jury was not supposed to know which defendants had previously been incarcerated, and defense attorneys argued that the government was supposed to redact the post and prep Lee not to mention it. After the admission before jurors, defense attorneys quickly moved for a mistrial. “We’re not going to be able to unring this bell,” one said.
The misstep quickly drew another sharp critique from Whitaker, who at one point told prosecutors that she was trying to find a way to “fix your sloppiness so that everybody won’t have wasted 10 to 12 months of their lives in this trial.” Though she refused to grant a mistrial that would permanently end the case, Whitaker warned that she might order that the massive trial be started over from scratch.
Faced with that disastrous prospect, prosecutors and defense attorneys quickly began talking about plea deals. Nobody wanted a mistrial: The DA’s office had already sunk years of taxpayer dollars into the costly case, and defendants had already sat in jail for years waiting for a verdict.
Days later, three of Young Thug’s co-defendants — Quamarvious Nichols, Marquavius “Qua” Huey and Rodalius “Lil Rod” Ryan — all reached deals with prosecutors. Two others — Deamonte “Yak Gotti” Kendrick and Shannon Stillwell — who are facing some of the most serious accusations in the case, refused to do so.
Like the other defense attorneys, Thug’s attorneys (Steel and co-counsel Keith Adams) hunkered down with prosecutors over the week to negotiate a potential deal. But at a press conference Thursday, Adams said the DA’s office did not approach the talks in “good faith” and appeared to only be trying to “save face.” Though they offered to let Thug escape the case with only 15 years probation and no prison time, Adams said they also insisted on onerous conditions in which Thug would affirm the state’s accusations against him.
With a judge that had shown herself to be highly skeptical of the prosecutors trying the case, Steel said Thursday that Thug and his legal team made the “excruciating” decision to plead guilty without a negotiated sentence — and to place their faith in Judge Whitaker for a lenient sentence.
“Negotiations totally broke down with the district attorney’s office, horribly broke down,” Steel told reporters. “At that point we believed that justice could be found with the honorable court. Jeffery just wanted to go home.”
The move was extremely risky. Prosecutors promptly told the judge that, in the absence of a negotiated plea deal, they were seeking a draconian sentence against Thug: a whopping 45 years, 25 of which would be served in prison and 20 more on probation.
After that, both Steel and Thug addressed the court, offering impassioned pleas for a light sentence. But before Whitaker handed down her sentence — just 15 years probation, allowing Thug to go home that day — she seemed most swayed by the conduct of the prosecutors themselves.
“It is not lost on the court that the state … was willing to entirely dismiss [several counts] and was willing to give a sentence that permitted Mr. Williams to walk out of the door today,” the judge said. “[The state] does not seem to be particularly worried that Mr. Williams, if on the streets, would be a danger to society.”
Following the sentence, Thug hugged his lawyers. By late Thursday evening, he had been released.
Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” did not infringe the copyright to Marvin Gaye‘s “Let’s Get It On,” a federal appeals court ruled Friday (Nov. 1), saying the two songs share only “fundamental musical building blocks” that cannot be owned by any single songwriter.
In a ruling issued more than a decade after Sheeran’s chart-topping hit was first released, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit rejected an infringement lawsuit filed by Structured Asset Sales, a company that owns a small stake in the rights to Gaye’s song.
The case argued that Sheeran’s song copied a chord progression and rhythm from Gaye’s, but the appeals court said the lawsuit was essentially seeking “a monopoly over a combination of two fundamental musical building blocks.”
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“The four-chord progression at issue—ubiquitous in pop music—even coupled with a syncopated harmonic rhythm, is too well-explored to meet the originality threshold that copyright law demands,” a panel of appeals court judges wrote. “Overprotecting such basic elements would threaten to stifle creativity and undermine the purpose of copyright law.”
Looking at the two songs more broadly, the Second Circuit also ruled that Sheeran’s track was clearly not similar enough to Gaye’s to amount to copyright infringement: “Neither the melody nor the lyrics of ‘Thinking Out’ Loud bears any resemblance to those in ‘Let’s Get It On.’ Undeniable and obvious differences exist between them.”
Sheeran has faced multiple lawsuits over “Thinking,” a 2014 track co-written with Amy Wadge that reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and ultimately spent 46 weeks on the chart. He was first sued by the daughter of Ed Townsend, who co-wrote the famed 1973 tune with Gaye. That case ended in a high-profile trial last year, resulting in a jury verdict that cleared Sheeran of any wrongdoing.
The case decided on Friday is a separate lawsuit filed by SAS, an entity owned by industry executive David Pullman that controls a different one-third stake in Townsend’s copyrights — meaning a one-ninth stake in the rights to Gaye’s iconic track. In May, weeks after the big jury verdict, a federal judge tossed out the SAS lawsuit, ruling that it was seeking an “impermissible monopoly over a basic musical building block.”
In upholding that decision on Friday, the Second Circuit echoed the earlier ruling’s concern about overprotecting copyrights and threatening future songwriting.
The chord progression and harmonic rhythm at issue in the case are “garden variety” elements that had been used in numerous songs, the appeals court said, pointing to evidence that they had appeared in “Georgy Girl” by The Seekers and “Since I Lost My Baby” by The Temptations — two tracks that predated Gaye’s song by years. The appeals court noted that there is a “limited number of notes and chords available” and that “common themes frequently reappear.”
“In the field of popular songs, many, if not most, compositions bear some similarity to prior songs,” the court wrote, quoting from a treatise on copyright law. “So while a similar chord progression and harmonic rhythm may create a similar sound and feel, that is not enough.”
The ruling is a major victory for Sheeran, but the battle over “Thinking” isn’t quite over yet. SAS also has another lawsuit against Sheeran pending, advancing an unorthodox effort to cite a more expansive copyright covering the sound recording to “Let’s Get It On” rather than the written music. That case has been paused while the earlier lawsuit played out.
In a statement to Billboard following Friday’s decision, SAS owner Pullman criticized the appeals court for citing “two songs out of over 60 million registered songs” in its analysis. And he stressed that the decision had not addressed his company’s arguments relying on a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision about federal regulatory power.
Sheeran’s attorney, Donald Zakarin of the law firm Pryor Cashman, told Billboard that he and his clients were “gratified” by the court’s ruling: “This ruling is consistent with the jury’s rejection of any claim of infringement in the [earlier] case, finding that Ed and Amy independently created ‘Thinking Out Loud.’”
This week, one of hip-hop’s rising stars hit a new milestone in his career: With the release of his latest album, LYFESTYLE, Yeat landed his first-ever No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 89,000 equivalent album units, following up on the No. 2 debut of his last album, 2093, back in February.
It’s a big achievement for Yeat, who has seen his career steadily project upward, reaching the top 10 of the Billboard 200 with each of the five albums he’s released since he began working with Field Trip Recordings in 2022. This one also came with another big milestone: In its first week, LYFESTYLE, released in conjunction with Capitol, sold 60,000 units, outstripping the entire sales volume of his prior catalog to date so far (35,000) due to a combination of vinyl albums, his first-ever CD release and exclusive songs on various digital variants. And the success of the album earns Field Trip founder/CEO Zack Bia the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week.
Here, Bia — who has also served as Drake’s tour DJ for the past two years — discusses Yeat’s commercial glow-up since they began working together, what sets this project apart and why they leaned into a sales strategy for the first time with this new album. “Ultimately, it will actually just be the next stepping stone of an achievement that allows us to jump into even bigger live show experiences and wide-reaching ventures outside of just the music,” Bia says.
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This week, Yeat scored his first career No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with LYFESTYLE. What key decisions did you make to help make that happen?
My main role is always just to help bring his vision to life. Making sure that all the elements between the music, the visuals, the live show and the world-building as a whole are synergetic. Creating unique eras for each project that his fans can bask in.
Over the course of his career, each of his albums has debuted higher than the previous one, with February’s release 2093 coming in at No. 2 prior to this new chart-topper. How have you worked to build his career steadily through the years?
The goal is always to elevate with every album. Learn from previous rollouts and apply and adjust to the next one. He’s so prolific and puts out music at such a high velocity it’s just about continuing to go bigger with every release but in a way that stays true to the core audience. Our goal has always been to just add to the burning core fan base and with every release this group just gets bigger and stronger.
What sets this project apart from the rest of Yeat’s catalog, and how does it help you build from here?
This project I think comes at a time where after a meteoric rise he finally decided to lean back into the “lifestyle.” Reaping the rewards of his hard work, and I think the fun he’s having translates into the music. This project is braggadocious and polished and sets him apart and into a next category after reaching No. 1. Ultimately, it will actually just be the next stepping stone of an achievement that allows us to jump into even bigger live show experiences and wide-reaching ventures outside of just the music.
With 60,000 units, this week was Yeat’s biggest sales week of his career and outsold the entirety of the rest of his catalog to date. What was your approach to the sales aspect of this? And why go down the CD road for the first time?
I think the demand was always there, we just didn’t always cater to it. We are so precious with the music oftentimes we didn’t even have the time to make physical product on such short timelines. After putting out a massive project top of the year, there wasn’t a rush necessarily to force this one out. We could finally take our time to build product around it and lean into giving people actual things to collect: large-format vinyl to listen to and hang in their collection, or collaborative merch with designers he’s admired. Also rewarding people for buying into it, exclusive songs and different offerings that only were available to people who really paid attention and wanted to collect them.
What is your approach to digital marketing? And how have you been able to leverage TikTok for Yeat’s singles?
Yeat is so prolific in music making but is reclusive as a human in general. The rest of the internet can do the documenting and interacting for him. We never try to spark anything on TikTok out of the blue; all we can do is let the people pick. It’s very democratic in that sense, whatever song they champion then we can go lean into [it] and try to spread it wider.
How has the music industry evolved over the course of your career?
To echo the answer from the previous question, I believe that every era of social media has been intrinsically tied to the popular music of that era. Whether the music blew up on the platform of that time or it was big culturally and then translated back to that platform. I think in my time we’ve seen the most digitally-native fandoms yet, so learning to balance both living online but then translating it to live experiences and vice versa, real-life moments that then live online. I think in a time of virality we’ve swam the opposite way and tried to just stay true to chipping away piece by piece at growing something. But granted, this is the time of the quickest evolution in music history. When else has it been possible to make a song on your phone, upload it that night, and go viral the next day?
I would like to thank everyone on our team that works tirelessly and selflessly towards this common goal of uplifting a truly amazing artist. I know this is just a little small recognition that I received but I appreciate it and want to share my gratitude to everyone on our internal team and to [Capitol chairman/CEO] Tom March and the entire Capitol Records family. Also, new BNYX music soon.
Strategy, communications, integrated marketing and social impact consulting firm The Lede Company has launched a music division in Nashville, the company tells Billboard. It also has offices in New York, Los Angeles, London and Paris.
Cara Hutchison has been named head of Lede’s music division, which represents artists including Sabrina Carpenter, Post Malone, Rihanna, Pharrell Williams, Rosalía, Shakira and A$AP Rocky. Joining the division is veteran music publicist Jess Anderson, who will report to Hutchison and company co-founder/co-CEO Amanda Silverman.
Most recently, Anderson served as senior director of media at Big Loud Records, founding and building the label’s in-house publicity department and working with artists including Morgan Wallen, HARDY, ERNEST, Charles Wesley Godwin, Stephen Wilson Jr., Ashley Cooke, Dylan Gossett and Kashus Culpepper. Anderson’s prior career stops include Sweet Talk Publicity, The Press House and Big Machine Label Group. She also serves on public relations task forces for the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association.
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“With Nashville at the heart of the music industry, we are incredibly excited to be launching this division,” Hutchison said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to have Jess, a savvy music publicist with deep roots in Nashville, join us for this next chapter. We look forward to leveraging Lede’s relationships, storytelling, and communications expertise to help amplify the careers of such outstanding artists in this community.”
“Nashville has earned its place at the center of the conversation across entertainment because of the quality of talent and authentic sense of community that’s rooted here,” Anderson added. “The opportunity to help introduce a powerhouse agency like Lede to our town is a true thrill. Storytelling is the heartbeat of Nashville, and Lede crafts campaigns that elevate and highlight artistry in all of its forms. There’s no limit to what we’ll be able to accomplish with this partnership, and I’m honored to step into this role.”
Nile Rodgers was unanimously re-elected to serve a third term as chairman of the Songwriters Hall of Fame at its annual board of directors meeting held in New York City on Oct. 15. In a key change, the chairman, officers and board of directors will all serve terms of five years, up from the original three-year terms.
Rodgers, a four-time Grammy winner, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017 (in the musical excellence category) and received a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 2023.
“Having Nile as a partner has been a very special and rewarding experience for me personally and professionally,” Linda Moran, SHOF president/CEO, said in a statement. “Nile is one of the rare ones who is respected and admired by his peers and his fans of all generations for being a musical pioneer with his multi-cross-genre music. With an ever-expanding list of credits and accomplishments and, more importantly, his eloquence in talking about and especially his love of songwriting and its process makes Nile the ideal voice for the songwriting community to the world at large as Chairman of the SHOF.”
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“Serving as the Chair of The Songwriters Hall of Fame has been one of the highest points of my career,” Rodgers said in a statement. “To be re-elected to serve another term makes me prouder than I could have ever imagined. This distinguished organization is one of the most brilliantly responsible groups I’ve ever had the pleasure to just sit amongst. Songwriters are the pillar of the music industry, and we recognize and celebrate these great creators. For this honor I’m beyond elated.”
Re-elected officers with Moran include CFO and treasurer Tom Kelly and senior vps David Israelite, Elizabeth Matthews and Mike O’Neill, secretary Mary Jo Mennella and deputy secretary Linda Buckley.
Elected members to the board of directors are SHOF inductees Desmond Child, Steve Dorff and Paul Williams, 2012 Hal David Starlight Award recipient Schaffer “Ne-Yo” Smith, Martin N. Bandier, Donna Caseine, Samantha Cox, Charlie Feldman, Fletcher Foster, Pete Ganbarg, Randy Grimmett, John H. Josephson, Jody H. Klein, Evan Lamberg, Carianne Marshall, Nancy Munoz, Jon Platt, Irwin Z. Robinson, Harold Stephan, Bob Valentine and John Titta. Barry Slotnick will continue as counsel.
From Oct. 4-6, the girl group 2NE1 held a concert at the Olympic Hall in Songpa-gu, Seoul — marking their first concert in nearly a decade. In attendance were YG Entertainment’s executive producer, Yang Hyun-suk, who launched the group, along with BIGBANG‘s G-Dragon, Daesung, BLACKPINK‘s Jennie, and the company’s former members Gummy and SE7EN. YG Entertainment’s newest girl group, BabyMonster, also performed a tribute to 2NE1, showcasing YG’s past, present and future all in one place. It felt like a reunion for the so-called ‘YG Family,’ who once dominated the K-pop market.
Exactly 10 years ago, in 2014, YG Entertainment was the leading force in the K-pop industry, surpassing SM and JYP Entertainment in market capitalization. However, today, YG has diminished in size compared to HYBE, SM and JYP. The company is particularly lacking in what the industry calls “killer content.” Compared to its competitors, YG has been slower to discover and nurture new talent. As 2NE1’s reunion brings YG back into the spotlight, one can’t help but wonder: will the good old ‘YG Family’ days ever return?
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The Beginnings of Major K-Hip-Hop
Producer Yang Hyun-suk was a member of Seo Taiji and Boys, often referred to as Korea’s “cultural presidents.” In 1996, he sowed the seeds of YG under the name Hyun Planning, launching groups like Jinusean and 1TYM, establishing the company as a hip-hop label. The company later changed its name to Yang Gun Planning, releasing the album YG FAMILY in 1999, and officially adopting the YG Entertainment name in 2001. In its early days, the company focused on vocalists, achieving success with artists like Gummy, Wheesung, and the four-member female vocal group Big Mama. YG Entertainment also launched several solo artists, including SE7EN and Lexy.
YG Entertainment’s journey as a K-pop management company began in 2006 with the launch of BIGBANG. Unlike previous K-pop groups, which were often seen as “projected idols” reliant on company production, BIGBANG differentiated itself by enhancing its production capabilities, with leader G-Dragon contributing to lyrics, compositions and arrangements. Before BTS emerged, BIGBANG’s popularity was so immense that it was referred to as the “BIGBANG era.” In 2009, the hip-hop-based girl group 2NE1 debuted, further solidifying YG’s status as a powerhouse in the industry.
Solo artist PSY joined the company in 2010, and his 2012 hit “Gangnam Style” peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2014, 2NE1 became the first K-pop group to enter the Billboard 200, reaching No. 61. YG was the first K-music company to prove that K-pop could succeed on the Billboard charts.
This period marked a golden era for the YG Family. WINNER debuted in 2014, followed by iKON in 2015 and BLACKPINK in 2016. BLACKPINK broke records, becoming the first Asian female group to top both the U.S. and U.K. charts and the first female artist in the world to hold the No. 1 and No. 2 spots on the U.S. Billboard Global 200.
The Rise of BLACKPINK and the Fall of YG
In 2019, YG Entertainment faced significant challenges, beginning with the so-called “Burning Sun scandal.” A series of violent crimes, including assault, prostitution and drug-related incidents, occurred at Burning Sun, a club operated by former BIGBANG member Seungri. BIGBANG’s activities were suspended, and iKON ultimately disbanded after one member was implicated in a drug case. The fallout reached Yang Hyun-suk, forcing him to resign from all positions, and resulted in the company’s stock price plummeting.
During this turbulent time, YG Entertainment had managed to stay afloat thanks to BLACKPINK’s popularity. In 2023, they held the largest world tour ever for a K-pop girl group, BORN PINK, which attracted over 1.8 million fans. BLACKPINK also became the first Asian artist to headline the Coachella Festival in the U.S. and Hyde Park in the U.K.
But YG encountered obstacles in re-signing BLACKPINK. The members’ seven-year contracts with the company had expired, and while YG attempted to re-sign each of them individually, they struggled to retain members whose market value had skyrocketed. Four members have since started their own companies and are pursuing solo careers with different labels. (Jennie has partnered with Columbia on solo projects; Rosé with Atlantic; and LISA with RCA; Jisoo has not announced a label affiliation.) To continue as BLACKPINK, they will need to negotiate with YG.
The void left by BLACKPINK is substantial for YG. The company’s market capitalization, which soared to around $1.1 billion after BLACKPINK’s world tour, has since been halved to approximately $515 million, widening the gap between YG and its competitors HYBE, SM and JYP.
Will the YG Family Ever Smile Again?
YG Entertainment’s most pressing crisis is the slow growth of its fourth-generation boy and girl groups. TREASURE, which debuted in 2020, is gaining popularity but has yet to achieve the same level of success as SM’s NCT, JYP’s Stray Kids, or HYBE’s TOMORROW X TOGETHER and ENHYPEN. It’s difficult to consider them successors to BIGBANG.
BabyMonster, introduced in November last year to fill BLACKPINK’s void, has struggled to generate the initial buzz that BLACKPINK received. The absence of core member Ahyeon from the debut album was unfortunate, but she has since rejoined the group. BabyMonster’s first full-length album, set for release in November, is anticipated as a measure of their growth potential. The title track, “DRIP,” features G-Dragon as the composer, marking a significant gamble. Yang Hyun-suk expressed confidence, stating, “It’s a song that makes you want to dance, regardless of your age or gender. Please look forward to BabyMonster’s passionate performance.”
While finding a new group is essential, YG Entertainment’s challenge also lies in identifying a suitable successor to renowned songwriter and producer, Teddy. As the producer behind BLACKPINK’s success and a defining figure at YG, Teddy has since started his own independent label, THEBLACKLABEL, where he launched the girl group MEOVV. Consequently, Teddy, who played a pivotal role in BLACKPINK’s rise, has become a significant competitor for BabyMonster. To address this challenge, YG Entertainment is expected to bring in several high-profile producers for BabyMonster’s first full-length album, in addition to G-Dragon, who remains their “trump card.”
They must also acknowledge that hip-hop and soul music is no longer their exclusive domain in K-pop. In the days of BIGBANG, YG Entertainment was synonymous with major hip-hop and soul music in South Korea. However, with BTS taking the world by storm as hip-hop idols, as well as Stray Kids also embracing the genre, the landscape has shifted. BabyMonster should strive to avoid being seen as a pseudo-BLACKPINK. The market is now dominated by girl groups such as (G)I-DLE, LE SSERAFIM and aespa, all of which embody the “girl crush” image. BabyMonster will need to carve out its own identity to compete effectively, including facing off against MEOVV.
However, the outlook is not entirely bleak. Next year, BLACKPINK is expected to resume their “full team” activities under YG Entertainment, marking the return of the “K-Pop Queens.” As their global fan base eagerly anticipates BLACKPINK’s reunion, interest in YG Entertainment is also likely to grow.
According to the 2025 roadmap presented by Yang Hyun-suk, a number of YG Family artists will be active next year. In addition to BabyMonster, TREASURE is preparing a new album, and WINNER will be reactivated once Mino and Kang Seung-yoon are discharged from military service later this year. 2NE1, currently embarking on an Asian tour, will also release a new album next year, while AKMU, YG’s signature act which debuted in 2014, is coordinating the timing of their comeback.
The most encouraging news is that a new rookie group is in the works. Yang stated, “The tentative title ‘NEXT MONSTER’ is being developed,” adding, “We will definitely introduce a rookie group next year. Given that BabyMonster is in its first year of debut, the prospect of a boy group is very likely. If this occurs, it will mark the first new boy group in five years since TREASURE.” In other words, 2025 is anticipated to be a pivotal year for YG Entertainment, determining its direction for the next decade. If it rebounds, the company could once again become one of the “Big Four” K-pop labels.
YG PLUS, a subsidiary of YG Entertainment that holds the top distribution share in the Korean album market, is also showing signs of recovery. While its parent company focuses on artists and content, YG PLUS specializes in entertainment infrastructure and intellectual property (IP) businesses. Due to their different business models, even if YG Entertainment faces difficulties, YG PLUS can improve its profits if the albums of other K-pop companies it distributes perform well. This indicates that YG Entertainment is expanding its platform business alongside its primary focus on producing K-pop groups.
This story is part of a series produced in partnership with Billboard Korea.
Time to drop the needle on the latest Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music.
Read on for (mostly) good news and also check out Billboard‘s annual list of top executives leading the live sector, plus our weekly interview series spotlighting a single c-suiter, our helpful calendar of notable events, and have you ever wanted to look at tchotchkes inside the office of an executive while reading their in-depth answers to the most important questions facing the biz? From the Desk Of is probably your jam.
Daniel Lang was elevated to senior vp of global society relations and digital rights at Warner Chappell Music, reporting to CEO Guy Moot. Based in London, Lang will manage relations with U.S. and international collection societies, focusing on optimizing digital income flow and ensuring timely payments to songwriters. He’ll also represent Warner Chappell in negotiations with DSPs including Spotify and YouTube, among others. Since joining Warner Chappell in 2017, Lang has held key digital licensing roles, strengthening relationships with partners and modernizing practices with collection societies. Promoted to vp in 2021, his efforts have improved payment processes for songwriters. WCM CEO Guy Moot praised Lang’s management of both digital licensing and society relations, adding, “It was an experiment to combine these remits and it paid off handsomely. I’m delighted that he’s agreed to take on this expanded global role as I know our writers will continue to benefit from his proactive, collaborative and inventive approach.”
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Mavin Global chief operating officer Tega Oghenejobo has added president to his title at the Nigerian record label, effective immediately. Oghenejobo, who joined Mavin in 2012, has been instrumental in Mavin’s rise as an African music powerhouse, fostering talent development — the label’s roster includes Rema, Tyra Starr and others — and securing strategic alliances, such as with Universal Music Group, which purchased a majority stake in the compny earlier this year. Under Oghenejobo’s guidance, Mavin’s international wins include Rema’s “Calm Down” remix with Selena Gomez, which became the first Afrobeats track to reach over a billion Spotify streams, while Ayra Starr’s album “The Year I Turned 21” made her the first Nigerian female artist to chart on the Billboard 200. As president and COO, Tega aims to elevate Mavin’s global reach and boost its roster. Mavin CEO Don Jazzy praised Tega’s leadership and is confident in his vision to propel the company further. “Tega has been a cornerstone of Mavin’s success since day one,” said Jazzy. “His leadership, vision, and deep industry insights have been vital in shaping the label’s growth. His promotion to President and COO is a testament to his remarkable achievements, and I am confident he will continue to lead Mavin to even greater heights.”
Warner Chappell Music Korea appointed Sophia Hong as managing director, effective immediately. Reporting to WCM APAC president Arica Ng, the Seoul-based Hong will lead the company’s South Korean music publishing operations, focusing on market presence and business growth. Her role includes developing strategic initiatives, leading teams and identifying growth opps. Hong brings experience from roles at companies like Kakao Corp, MTV, Nickelodeon and Sesame Workshop in both the U.S. and Asia. “Her unique insights, fresh perspective and curiosity about new approaches will enrich our work,” praised Ng. “We are committed to empowering songwriters and fostering collaboration, and with Sophia on board, we are well-positioned to create deeper connections with fans. We will collaborate closely to ensure that their voices are heard and their stories leave a lasting impact globally.”
Jayce Varden joined SongVest as chief strategy officer to spearhead the development of Songshares, a platform that enables fans to purchase fractional royalty shares in songs. Varden, who co-founded PledgeMusic and raised over $100 million through its crowdfunding campaigns, brings experience in fan engagement and artist support to the royalty investment platform. Additionally, Varden co-founded channl, a platform focused on audience engagement, and contributes as an advisor at Berklee Online. SongVest CEO Sean Peace praised Varden’s expertise in fan experiences and his alignment with the company’s mission to democratize music ownership. “Jayce’s pioneering work with PledgeMusic set a new standard for fan engagement, and his expertise in building unique fan experiences aligns perfectly with SongVest’s vision,” said Peace. “Together, we are taking the next step in democratizing music ownership for fans while empowering artists.”
TuneCore appointed Atticus Shelley as vice president of finance, reporting to chief financial and strategy officer Matt Barrington. Shelley will lead the company’s financial strategies, manage the finance team, boost efficiencies and will also provide financial insights to guide expansion efforts and other top-level decisions. Shelley brings extensive experience from roles at Hulu, Spotify, and Investi Financial Inc., where he recently served as executive director of finance. At Spotify, he was the founding director of the company’s financial planning and analysis team and was instrumental in the DSP’s rapid global expansion. In announcing the appointment, Barrington highlighted TuneCore’s focus on scaling its offerings and supporting independent artists, expressing confidence in Shelley’s leadership to drive financial operations and “act as a key partner to the business around our artist development and growth strategies.”
The Country Music Association‘s senior director of integrated marketing Michelle Kirk will transition to the CMA Foundation as senior director, effective Dec. 1. In the new role, Kirk will be instrumental in the strategic planning, program development, operational oversight and directing of the foundation’s inititatives. Kirk first joined the CMA in 2012 as strategic partnerships coordinator, and moving into a senior manager role before transitioning to WME as a brand partnerships agent in 2015. Kirk rejoined CMA in 2019 and was promoted to the senior director, integrated marketing role earlier this year. –Jessica Nicholson
Music industry veteran Latoya Lee joined Berklee as the director of industry and employer engagement. In the role, she’ll support students’ talent development and help them establish connections within the industry, promoting both creative and professional growth. Lee launched her industry career at Konvict Muzik/BuVision ENT, advancing from an assistant to an A&R executive. During a six-year run at Warner Music Group, where she rose to senior director of A&R, Lee contributed to Trey Songz albums, Flo Rida’s “GDFR” and the Furious 7 and Suicide Squad soundtracks. She also collaborated with Berklee grad Charlie Puth on his hit “See You Again” and signed Xenia Manasseh to a publishing deal. Later, as vp of creative at Atlas Music Publishing, Lee supported Grammy-winning projects, including Nas’s King’s Disease III.
Downtown Music‘s direct-to-creator division, CD Baby, promoted Nicholas Salomone to senior vp of business development and revenue, overseeing strategic partnerships and revenue growth across CD Baby and its services. He began his tenure at CD Baby in 2017 as senior content ID analyst, rising through the ranks to his more recent role as vice president of business developments and partnerships. Based in Seattle, Salomone reports to CD Baby president Molly Neuman, who said his “deep understanding of independent artists and their needs, along with his ability to foster strong relationships with our key revenue partners, make him the perfect leader for this role.” –J.N.
Leif Janzen joined Red Bull Records as vp of digital marketing, reporting to chief marketing officer Nikki Cox. In this role, Janzen will lead fan engagement and music discovery, focusing on platform development, partner management, paid media strategy and content creation for the label, home to Blxst, Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. and others. With over a decade of digital marketing experience, Janzen previously served as senior director of digital marketing at Capitol Music Group, working with artists like Aidan Bissett and Young Miko. He also held roles at Warner Music Group’s ADA, Victory Records, and worked as a talent buyer/media manager in Chicago.
Killphonic Rights strengthened its leadership team after securing funding from Stilwell Creative Capital. Industry veterans Syd Butler and Michelle Fantus join as co-heads of A&R. Butler, founder of Frenchkiss Records, has experience developing artists like Passion Pit, while Fantus brings over 18 years in senior A&R roles at Sony/ATV, Razor & Tie, Concord, and OneRPM, with recent work in creative partnerships at Spotify. Chelsea D’Amico becomes head of sync and creative licensing, adding a decade of experience from Mad Decent and Concord, where she worked with artists like Diplo. Michael Grubbs, previously head of A&R, shifts to head of creative, utilizing his background as an artist, producer, and composer. Jill Pedone, former head of sync, is now head of operations, leveraging her expertise from Lava Publishing and Sumerian Records and her longstanding collaboration with CEO Caleb Shreve.
Prodigy Artists promoted Eric Bindman to director of operations, supporting the LA-based music management firm’s growth and expansion. Previously a senior manager at Prodigy, Bindman has managed artists such as Audien, Elephante, Niiko x Swae, and Mattilo. With over 15 years of industry experience, he brings a multi-disciplinary background in artist management, touring, publishing, marketing and logistics. His prior work includes tour-managing acts like Deorro, Two Friends and Gareth Emery. Founded by Steven Haddad and Will Runzel, Prodigy Artists’ roster includes SLANDER, NGHTMRE, HEKLER, Wolfgang Gartner, and Bekon. Haddad and Runzel praised Bindman’s dedication and expertise since joining the company, calling him a “meticulous and skilled artist manager” who’ll “bring invaluable expertise to this next stage of growth.”
Better Noise Music unveiled key promotions and hires to enhance its artist development efforts. Jackie Kajzer has been promoted to senior vice president of radio promotion and artist development, recognized for discovering artists like Five Finger Death Punch. April Ginns is now tour marketing manager, responsible for strategic tour marketing plans. Victor Lang, promoted to managing director of Europe, will oversee BNM’s European initiatives. Finally, Frank Ehlers joined as senior label manager for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (GSA), bringing 20 years of industry experience to support artist growth in the region. BNM president/COO Steve Kline and GM Paul Cormack highlighted the positive impact of these changes, emphasizing the value of Frank’s expertise and the expanded roles of Victor, Jackie, and April. This restructuring reflects BNM’s commitment to a growing roster, which includes From Ashes to Ashes, Bad Wolves and The Hu.
SeatGeek appointed Mike Shane as executive vp of enterprise partnerships to enhance its growth and innovation strategy. Shane brings over ten years of experience from roles with the Washington Nationals, Philadelphia Flyers, and Wells Fargo Center. Reporting to co-founder and president of supply Russ D’Souza, Shane will focus on expanding enterprise partnerships and advancing ticketing technology. D’Souza praised Shane’s industry insight and growth-driven innovation, highlighting his strong track record. “Mike has sat in the chair that our current and future clients are in, and knows the challenges they face as well as their ambitions,” he said.
ICYMI:
Boyd Muir
Universal Music Group’s CFO, Boyd Muir, shifted over to the newly created role of COO … EMPIRE hired Jeffrey Yoo as senior vp of East Asia … Over in Australia, Simone Schinkel stepped down as CEO of Music Victoria … UTA appointed Kirk Taboada, a veteran in the live Latin music scene, as an agent within its music division … Goldenvoice unleashed a new round of promotions within its talent buying group … and Dick Clark Productions appointed Diana Miller as evp of talent. [KEEP READING]
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Independent music publisher Primary Wave Music has partnered with the estate of country/folk singer-songwriter Jerry Jeff Walker on Walker’s music publishing catalog, recording copyrights and artist royalties. The partnership provides the Walker estate access to Primary Wave’s marketing team and publishing infrastructure to work on new marketing, branding, digital, synch opportunities and film/TV projects. The deal also features an agreement for Walker’s recorded masters, in partnership with his label Tried & True Music, to be released and distributed through Sun Records; Sun Records will provide overall catalog marketing strategy, including streaming, social media marketing and physical releases. The deal includes some of Walker’s biggest hits, including “Mr. Bojangles,” “Railroad Lady” and “Sangria Wine.” – Jessica Nicholson
AI-powered social music app Hook partnered with Glassnote Records to add new tracks from artists including Tors, bby, Hayes Warner and Dylan Cartride to its library, with more acts to be added soon. Glassnote’s roster also includes Mumford & Sons, Childish Gambino and Phoenix. Hook allows users to remix existing songs by speeding them up, slowing them down, mashing them up with other songs and more to post on social platforms, effectively opening up another revenue stream for participating artists. In a statement, Glassnote founder/president Daniel Glass called Hook “a comprehensive solution to the use of remixed music across social platforms in a way that emphasizes artists’ control and compensation.”
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Leading music licensing platform Slipstream acquired Anthem Entertainment‘s production music businesses, including U.S.-based Jingle Punks and 5 Alarm Music and U.K.-based Cavendish Music. The acquisition encompasses more than 650,000 tracks along with music production capabilities. The purchase was made possible by financing and expertise offered by Pollen Street Capital, while Moelis & Company served as the exclusive financial advisor to Anthem on the negotiation. The acquisition represents a full-circle moment for Slipstream co-founders Dan Demole and Jesse Korwin; Demole co-founded Jingle Punks and previously served as president of Anthem Music Group, while Korwin served as Jingle Punks’ MD. Anthem Entertainment will make an investment in Slipstream as part of the deal.
Reactional Music, which allows video game developers to create interactive music soundtracks in their gaming titles, struck a global licensing partnership with Naxos, a leading rights holder of classical and regional music. The two companies are also exploring a collaboration on the composition of interactive soundtracks that would allow gamers to personalize Naxos-owned music in real time while playing, without affecting the master recording. Reactional has previously struck licensing partnerships with companies including Beggars Group, Hopeless Records, Hipgnosis Music Group and production music groups like APM Music, Soundstripe and Alibi.
Global investment firm CVC has invested alongside KKR to support live entertainment group Superstruct Entertainment in its next phase of development. KKR acquired Superstruct, which owns and operates more than 80 music festivals across Europe and Australia, in June 2024. CVC’s previous investments include Stage Entertainment, Formula One, Women’s Tennis and LaLiga.
SoundExchange and the Societies’ Council for the Collective Management of Performers’ Rights (SCAPR) announced that SoundExchange has become the first non-member collective management organization (CMO) to be able to create and issue international performer numbers (IPNs) — unique universal identifiers associated with performers, created and administered by SCAPR, that are used to identify them in data exchanges with other CMOs globally. Through the deal, SoundExchange will create and assign SCAPR’s IPNs to further link performers to their recordings, thereby improving identification of their creative contributions. “IPNs represent another tool in our expanding arsenal helping to get the right people paid the royalties they deserve,” said SoundExchange president/CEO Michael Huppe in a statement.
Downtown-owned business to business distributor FUGA partnered with Manila, Philippines-based management and production company ASINTADA while announcing new hires across the APAC region, including Noorcahyo Istyabudi and Jaya Singh, who will lead business development in Indonesia and South Asia, respectively. FUGA will provide global distribution and bespoke marketing services to ASINTADA, which will also have access to FUGA’s trends and analytics platform. ASINTADA represents some of the biggest hip-hop artists in the region, including Filipino rapper Gloc-9 and rising OPM (original Pilipino music) talent including Shanti Dope, Flow G and Skusta Clee. FUGA also announced a partnership with the Jesuit Communications Foundation, the media arm of the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus; Crown Studios Inc., a full-service talent and management agency; and record label and production house 314 Studios.
Global children’s audio platform Yoto secured a $15 million funding package from HSBC UK‘s Growth Lending Fund to support its international growth. The funding will allow Yoto, which is based in the U.K. and currently operates in five countries, to extend its reach beyond those markets. Yoto additionally plans to expand the manufacture of its audio players and content cards to satisfy growing demand. The company says it expects to double its revenue with the funding.
Legendary hip-hop producer Madlib has filed a lawsuit against his former manager Eothen “Egon” Alapatt, alleging the executive abused his role to claim undue profits from Madlib’s music and merch companies, among other accusations.
In a complaint filed Thursday (Oct. 31) in Los Angeles court, attorneys for Madlib say Alapatt began managing Madlib’s business affairs around 2010 when the famed producer left his deal with Stones Throw Records — where Alapatt worked as an executive — in an effort to “own and control his music.” Around that time, the complaint alleges that Alapatt was fired from Stones Throw.
According to the lawsuit, Madlib trusted Alapatt to set up and manage two business entities (“Madicine Show” for his music interests and “Rapp Cats” for his merchandise) in Madlib’s name, with profits from the businesses to be shared between the two parties. However, Madlib allegedly discovered only recently that Alapatt was not only failing to properly run those businesses but was “also engaged in rank self-dealing, concealing information from and repeatedly breaching his duties to Madlib, and otherwise engaging in persistent and pervasive mismanagement.”
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The complaint further alleges Alapatt abused his position by taking “a fee off the top” of all income generated by Madlib’s label, Madicine Show, and that he “refused to account to Madlib” about his compensation and failed to provide any written agreements to the producer. Madlib’s lawyers additionally claim that Alapatt refused to allow an audit of his own business, Now-Again — which they say Alapatt inserted under false pretenses as a go-between for Madicine Show and its distributor, Ingrooves — to ascertain what proceeds it earned from Madicine Show.
Elsewhere, the complaint alleges that Alapatt “directed a single lawyer and single accountant to represent him” as well as Madlib, Madicine Show, Rapp Cats and Now-Again without Madlib’s “informed consent” and then “directed that lawyer and that accountant to refuse to cooperate with Madlib” and the new professional team Madlib had assembled after his relationship with Alapatt went south.
The complaint states that Madlib only discovered the extent of Alapatt’s alleged malfeasance in April 2023, when he finally managed, through “forensic accounting,” to learn more about the financials of Madicine Show and Rapp Cats during the period of 2018 to mid-2022. His lawyers claim this revealed “several accounting irregularities” and “a lack of any backup documentation” for several hundred thousand dollars in “‘consulting,’ ‘commissions,’ ‘fees’ or ‘reimbursements’” for Alapatt as well as a second named defendant, Jeffrey Carlson, a.k.a. Jeff Jank — an alleged associate of Alapatt’s who formerly worked as an art director at Stones Throw and is described in the complaint as “a member of Rapp Cats.”
The complaint further claims that Alapatt took “tens of thousands of dollars for personal expenses” from the two business entities, and that there was no documentation of employee payroll, inventory or artist royalty statements.
Alapatt also allegedly “captur[ed] half of Madlib’s producer royalties and advances for himself” while locking Madlib out of his Ingrooves, Apple Music, Bandcamp, YouTube and Facebook accounts; the complaint also claims he locked Madlib out of the Instagram account for his trademarked alter-ego Quasimoto, a cartoon character that the producer used throughout his career for merchandise and music.
“Madlib has since demanded that Madicine Show and Rapp Cats be wound up and dissolved and that any contractual relationship with those entities…be terminated,” the complaint reads. “[Alapatt] refuses to do so.” Instead, it claims, Alapatt told Madlib that he’s welcome to “‘buy him out’ of his interest in those entities or the underlying intellectual property.”
Thursday’s lawsuit is the second lawsuit to be filed against Alapatt over the past year. Last October, the manager was also sued by the estate of Madlib’s late collaborator MF DOOM for allegedly stealing the rapper’s notebooks full of lyrics. In response to that suit, attorneys for Alapatt called the case “baseless and libelous,” and characterized it as “the continuation of a year-long smear campaign.”
Madlib’s team is seeking a jury trial and a judicially supervised wind-up and dissolution for Madicine Show and Rapp Cats, “to include a full and complete accounting of the assets and liabilities of the entities [and] a determination of any unauthorized remuneration,” among other requests. Madlib is also seeking damages from Alapatt and Now-Again.
Alapatt and his attorney did not immediately respond to Billboard‘s requests for comment. Carlson also did not immediately return a request for comment.