Executive of the Week
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This week, all eyes have been on one of the biggest stages in the world: the Super Bowl. And while Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show rightfully has had many people talking, he wasn’t the only performer that stole the show at the NFL’s main event — New Orleans native Jon Batiste kicked off proceedings with a stirring, emotional rendition of the National Anthem, seated behind a multicolored piano on the Super Dome field.
And that was just the most high-profile moment for Batiste, the seven-time Grammy winner and former bandleader for The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. The day before the main event, Batiste also put on the Love Riot festival in New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward neighborhood, which featured performances by him, Ledisi, Preservation Hall band, Flavor Flav, Dee-1 and more. And helping knit all that together was Culture Collective founder/CEO and Batiste’s business partner Jonathan Azu, who earns the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week.
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Here, Azu — a Superfly and Red Light Management veteran, who also teaches music business at USC and is a governor of the Los Angeles chapter of the Recording Academy, among other endeavors — explains his role in helping Batiste secure those events during Super Bowl weekend, as well as the other projects he and Batiste have in the works. “When you’re working with someone as innovative as Jon,” Azu says, “the best thing you can do is give them the freedom to create and then support them and lead our internal team in bringing that vision to life.”
This week, Jon Batiste performed the National Anthem prior to Super Bowl LIX. How did that come together?
We received a call from the team at Roc Nation, which selects all Super Bowl performers, asking if Jon would be interested in performing the National Anthem in his native New Orleans. I was thrilled that he said yes — there’s truly no one better suited for the moment than him. Additionally, the other co-producers on the halftime and pregame performances, Diversified Production Services and Jesse Collins Entertainment, were teams I had recently collaborated with on NBC’s Live From Detroit: The Concert at Michigan Central in May of last year. Having just worked closely with them on a major live broadcast, I was excited to reunite for another high-profile moment only months later.
How did he want to present his rendition differently from others, and how were you guys able to pull that off?
Reimagining the National Anthem is always a challenge because it has been performed — at the Super Bowl alone — 57 times before. The goal was to create something that would not only stand out but also move people in a way they hadn’t experienced before. Jon is the perfect artist to take on this challenge, bringing a blend of musicality, storytelling and emotional depth. My role was to provide him with the tools, resources and space to develop and execute his vision. When you’re working with someone as innovative as Jon, the best thing you can do is give them the freedom to create and then support them and lead our internal team in bringing that vision to life.
The day before, he put on the Love Riot Festival in New Orleans. What key decisions did you make to help make that happen?
When Jon committed to performing at the Super Bowl, it was important to both of us to integrate a meaningful community outreach initiative into the weekend. Jon is from New Orleans, and my mother is as well, so I spent a lot of time there growing up. While most visitors during Super Bowl weekend stay in or near the French Quarter, we wanted to ensure we were making an impact in communities that don’t always receive the same economic boost — particularly the Lower 9th Ward.
To bring this vision to life, we sought a partner who shared our commitment to community engagement. We were fortunate to connect with He Gets Us, a faith-driven media campaign that was already involved in this year’s Super Bowl advertising. They became an invaluable partner in helping us realize the festival. My role was to work closely with their team to execute Jon’s vision seamlessly — overseeing guest talent coordination, production logistics, sponsorship integration and advising on the overall audience experience.
What were some of the toughest aspects of putting together that festival on Super Bowl weekend?
One of the biggest challenges was assembling available production teams and securing guest talent in the middle of one of the busiest entertainment weekends of the year. Super Bowl weekend brings an influx of major events, making it difficult to lock in resources and availability. However, we were able to navigate these hurdles and successfully produce the festival.
The end result was incredible — we had over 5,000 people come out for what turned into a beautiful day. The festival featured performances from guest artists like Ledisi, Tarriona ‘Tank’ Ball, Preservation Hall, Flavor Flav and Dee-1, creating an environment that was both celebratory and impactful. From an executive producer standpoint, my role was to ensure everything came together in the right way, including logistical planning for artists to seamlessly move in and out of the festival while keeping the focus on community engagement.
You’ve worked at Superfly and Red Light before beginning to work with Jon. How has that past experience helped you to help grow his career?
Superfly and Red Light laid a strong foundation for me, both in terms of skills and relationships. Being among the first handful of employees at Superfly, the co-founders of Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival and Outside Lands Music Festival, equipped me with the skill set, knowledge and relationships essential for organizing large-scale events in a city. My time at Red Light, where I operated as general manager, provided me with a deeper understanding of representing talent on significant stages, whether at festivals or high-profile events like the Super Bowl. Both experiences were instrumental in preparing me for the multifaceted demands of supporting Jon’s career.
He’s been a staple on late night television and won a Grammy for album of the year. How do you keep pushing his career forward?
Jon is the ultimate multi-hyphenate, and there’s truly no limit to where his career can go. I’m incredibly excited about what lies ahead for him, not just in music, but in business as well. We’re working closely to develop intellectual property and dynamic business opportunities that go beyond the stage. A great example is the launch of the new Jon Batiste Jazz Club at Baha Mar in Nassau, Bahamas. Jon and his programming team are curating what happens on those stages 365 days a year, and Jon is involved in all aspects of the consumer experience — from what they see on stage to the artwork within the venue to the dining experience. This holistic approach ensures we’re not only expanding his artistic footprint but also building a lasting legacy.
What do you have in the works moving forward?
Like many of the talented individuals I work with, I’m a multi-hyphenate in the business world. In addition to Culture Collective, where I’m focusing on developing artists like Leon Thomas — whose album MUTT is skyrocketing — I have multiple business ventures on and off the stage. I partner with Jon Batiste and his company, JBI, to build out his multi-layered ecosystem around the world. In my partnership with Joe Killian, we are forging groundbreaking collaborations through our consultancy, Killian + Co., where we’ve spearheaded innovative, high-impact campaigns with artists like Olivia Rodrigo, Tyler, the Creator and Eminem for global brands like Ford, American Express and Julien’s Auction House.
In the academic space, I’m dedicated to cultivating the next generation of music executives. This includes my four-year tenure as an adjunct professor at USC’s Thornton School of Music, where I teach music business. I also serve on the Board of Trustees at Drake University, my alma mater, where I first started in music as president of the concert committee. Additionally, I help steer the Recording Academy into the future by serving as a governor of the Los Angeles chapter.
After the holiday period subsided, Atlantic Records kicked the year off with a bang, and are now setting records and breaking barriers because of it. The chief reason: the runaway success of Rosé and Bruno Mars’ “APT.,” which this week spends its second week atop the Pop Airplay chart after becoming the first song by a K-pop artist to top that particular chart.
It’s a remarkable achievement for an artist, and a genre, that has been making waves in the U.S. for years now, first with BLACKPINK and now as a solo artist. And it’s not just on the U.S. pop airwaves that the song has been a massive success — this week, “APT.” spends its 14th week at No. 1 on the Global Excl. U.S. chart, tying the record for the longest-running No. 1 in that chart’s history, while also returning to No. 1 on the Global 200 for a 12th week, making it officially the No. 1 song in the world once again. And it helps Atlantic Music Group executive vp of promotion Brady Bedard earn the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week.
It’s not just “APT.” fueling this hot streak; Mars, despite not having released an album since the Silk Sonic team up with Anderson .Paak An Evening With in 2021 and without a solo album since 2016, has three songs in the top 20 of the Hot 100: “APT.,” (No. 3), “Die With a Smile” with Lady Gaga (No. 2) and “Fat, Juicy & Wet” with Sexyy Red (No. 17). It’s another big moment for Mars, who just took over as the artist with the most monthly Spotify listeners, passing 150 million in January.
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Here, Bedard talks about the success of “APT.,” how the global numbers have boosted domestic radio efforts and why Mars is having such a moment right now. “He’s one of the most talented, important, versatile artists of this century who continues to build one of the best catalogs in music,” Bedard says. “He continuously elevates both popular music and popular culture with hit after hit after hit — and judging by the world’s reaction we can all agree we are all better for it.”
This week, Rosé and Bruno Mars’ “APT.” spends its second week atop the Pop Airplay chart. It’s the first-ever song by a K-pop artist to reach that mark on that chart. What key decision(s) did you make to help make that happen?
It was the sum of all the parts. Rosé was in prime position to finally break out as a solo artist, and with the iconic touch of Bruno Mars it marked for a perfect collaboration. There was, unanimously, an irresistible energy to the song which translated in the immediate huge metrics in the U.S. and globally. Programmers ear-picked it from the start, as did their audience. Starting with our chart debut until reaching No. 1, the weekly airplay growth was textbook. It’s almost never a straight line to get to the top of any airplay chart, but this one was as close as it gets to perfect.
Has K-pop become more accepted at pop radio now, or was there something in particular about this song and campaign that made it particularly effective?
The answer really is both. Now more than ever K-pop is seen as part of the pop pantheon. Beata Murphy at KIIS in Los Angeles created a two-hour specialty show — iHeartKPOP with JoJo — that now runs across every iHeart Pop airplay station on Sunday nights. That didn’t exist a year ago.
In the specific case of Rosé, genres get “labeled” a lot in the pop airplay sphere based on the type of artist — that’s a K-pop artist, or that artist is a country or rock artist, etc — and while “APT.” is by a K-pop artist and that rightfully should be celebrated, when all those labels are stripped away at its core it’s just a really great pop song by an incredible rising pop artist.
At the same time, the song ties the record for the longest reign at No. 1 on the Global Ex-U.S. chart, at 14 weeks. How does that tangible global success help you in the promotions world?
The work the core team at the label provides is essential to what we do in promotion. Of course, starting with the music, Rosé’s Atlantic A&R Gelareh “G” Rouzbehani and then on to [VP of marketing] Jackie Wongso running point on the crucial marketing efforts, [executive vp of streaming and sales] Drew Maniscalo on the commerce side working in tandem with Liz Drummey and the global marketing team. With [Atlantic senior manager of digital] Kyle Viti pushing the massive digital footprint, and [Atlantic senior director of media] Ted Sullivan on the press side rolling out strategic media appearances all with identifiable eye-popping creative integration from [vp of creative] Trevor Newton in partnership with THEBLACKLABEL is nothing short of invaluable. The massive success their teams did here in the US and globally armed us with the information and positioning our promotion team needed to give our radio partners the confidence in this record week after week. We couldn’t have maximized what we did on the airplay charts without their expertise and insight.
Between “APT.,” “Die With a Smile” with Lady Gaga and the Sexyy Red-assisted “Fat Juicy & Wet,” Bruno has three songs in the top 20 of the Hot 100, even without having put out a solo album in almost a decade now. What makes him such an enduring hitmaker, and how do you help boost that on radio?
And look at the sonic array of those three songs! Radio is drawn to him in the same way everyone else is. He’s one of the most talented, important, versatile artists of this century who continues to build one of the best catalogs in music. He continuously elevates both popular music and popular culture with hit after hit after hit — and judging by the world’s reaction we can all agree we are all better for it.
How has the job of promotions at a record label changed over the course of your career?
Having great music and strong relationships remains core to the art of promotion. The shift is really in the strategy. In general, when I started 25 years ago, promotion teams pushed a song on the radio to work toward breaking an artist or song. Radio airplay drove the consumer into the malls and retail record outlets to buy the music — a model that worked for decades. In today’s dominant streaming and social media climate, once an artist or song is identified and verified as a winner inside of the various forms of data and metrics, then we amplify with the radio audience to take it to another level — bigger and with a long-tail effect. How much audience and how many formats can we reach in a campaign? How many songs can we reach with chart topping success? And then, once we get there, how long can we stay there? That makes the promotion work navigating radio and its hundreds of millions of weekly audience impressions as important as it has ever been.
What predictions do you have or trends are you keeping an eye on in the music business for 2025?
I predict we will continue to see a rise in more genre-bending hit songs finding their way across multiple airplay charts.
At this point in his career, Bad Bunny is way beyond breaking records. In 2020, he became the first artist to notch a No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with an all-Spanish album, and he’s the only one to repeat the feat — not one, not two, but four times.
Now, Bad Bunny’s latest album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos, has spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 — and it currently seems poised to notch a third consecutive week atop the tally. Of his four No. 1 albums on the all-genre chart, it’s now the second longest running at the top spot; his 2022 set, Un Verano Sin Ti, collected the most weeks there with 13 non-consecutive weeks.
This week, Debí Tirar Más Fotos is also No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart, and the song “DtMF” is No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 chart for the second consecutive week. Bunny, in fact, occupies more than half the top 10 on the Global 200. On Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, nine of the top 10 songs are Bunny’s, including “DtMF” at No. 1.
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It’s an astounding showing, even for an artist as big as Bad Bunny. It’s also worth considering that Debí Tirar Más Fotos debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 following an incomplete debut tracking week due to his decision to release the album on a Sunday — Jan. 5 — in anticipation of the Jan. 6 celebration of Three Kings Day, which is a big deal in Puerto Rico and ties with the album’s love of Puerto Rico theme.
But Bunny quickly made up for lost time with a blitz of finely-tuned and very creative publicity efforts that ping-ponged from the U.S. to Puerto Rico, including his stint co-hosting The Tonight Show alongside Jimmy Fallon, playing a surprise concert at a New York subway station, co-hosting a morning news show in Puerto Rico and surprising local podcaster Chente Ydrach with Puerto Rican parranda.
The final flourish was announcing a 21-date residency at Puerto Rico’s Coliseo de Puerto Rico, with the first several dates available exclusively to Puerto Rican residents.
A major architect in Bunny’s marketing and promotional strategy is Monica Jiménez, director of marketing and brand partnerships at Rimas’ Bad Bunny Division.
Jiménez, who worked with brands like Coty and Procter & Gamble before joining Bunny’s label and management company, works together with Rimas CEO Noah Assad on everything Bad Bunny and was pivotal in executing the artist’s complex vision. The success of Debí Tirar Más Fotos earns her the title of Billboard‘s Executive of the Week.
What exactly was your role in this album’s roll-out?
One of my duties is understand and bring to life the vision of the artist for the album. Benito is an artist who fully immerses himself in the many facets of a release process, including marketing, and it’s crucial to achieve what he visualizes for the project. I usually bring together the amazing ideas of the entire team and also look for new ideas to ensure a robust and strategic plan. I also focus on implementing the plan so it meets expectations, but above all, so it truly represents Benito’s essence as an artist and conveys the message of the project.
So, what was this message? And what was the overlying strategy for the album?
The strategy was telling a story through nostalgia and taking a message of love and appreciation for our upbringing, regardless of where or what that upbringing was. With this album, we underscored our pride for Puerto Rico, and we wanted the whole world to feel this same pride. That’s what we’ve presented in all our storyline and in everything we’ve done inside and outside the island. I think that’s what’s pushed such a special connection between the album and its listeners.
We’re closing in on a third consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, more than any other of Benito’s albums except for Un Verano Sin Ti. What do you attribute that success to?
DEBí TiRAR MáS FOToS has been a very special project. I think the entire world has seen and understood the essence of what the album wanted to communicate: Benito’s love for his culture and for his Latin people. I believe this has made the reception to the album different [from other albums].
This feels like more of a passion project than any of Benito’s previous albums. Do you think that has had an impact on people’s obsession with it?
Definitely. Benito has always been very vocal about his commitment and love for Puerto Rico. But here, he’s devoted an entire project to his island — not only conceptually but also musically, betting on root genres and on young, local talent like Los Sobrinos [the band on the album, made up of students from Puerto Rico’s Escuela Libre de Música] and Los Pleneros de La Cresta. It’s made people look at the project from another point of view and value it even more.
Benito did more promo for this album than any other. Why? And how did you convince him to do it?
I truly think his connection with the project made everything flow easier. He wanted to do it that way, to support the release in the way he did. The key is ensuring that what we do resonates with him, with his personality as an artist and with his vision. Once we have that, everything is easier.
Can you give me examples of marketing strategies that you thought were particularly effective?
Our strategy to reveal the song names generated a lot of buzz. We collaborated with Google Maps and Spotify, and as part of the collaboration, coordinates for each song on the album’s tracklist were revealed on Spotify, encouraging fans to dive into Google Maps for hidden clues. We not only looked for a different, interactive way to do this, but it led to many people discovering different places on our island.
Another major effort was the short film released prior to the album. The story it told [of an older man, played by filmmaker and actor Jacobo Morales, who reminisces of his life and love for Puerto Rico] was a great preamble to the album. It was an emotional, well-done piece [directed by Bad Bunny himself] that connected with many people in and out of Puerto Rico. Plus, those short previews of different tracks that were included in the video opened up an enormous conversation on social media on what people could expect from the album.
Does it surprise you that such a Latin album is the most consumed in the U.S.?
More than a “Latin” album, it’s about the [Puerto Rican] rhythms that make up the album. I’m definitely positively surprised, and as a Puerto Rican, it fills my heart. It’s a huge step for music as a whole.
What’s next with this album?
We never stop. There are many things coming up around the album. Plus the residency in Puerto Rico, which is something historic and will definitely be special for everyone who comes to visit and enjoy.
Country radio is a notoriously tough nut to crack: Song campaigns can often last a year or more, and the journey to the top can be arduous — only to maybe taste a week or two at the summit. So when a song sticks atop the chart for a month or more, it’s worth noting.
That’s what’s happened with Koe Wetzel and Jessie Murph’s “High Road,” which this week spends its fifth week atop the Country Airplay chart — making it one of just six songs by artists with their first Country Airplay entries to spend five or more weeks atop the tally, and the first time two debutantes shared the honor. That’s a significant achievement on its own for RECORDS Nashville, the country imprint of Barry Weiss’ Columbia Records-affiliated label. But “High Road” reached the top immediately after a one-week No. 1 for George Birge with “Cowboy Songs,” another hit by the same label, giving RECORDS Nashville a run of six straight weeks atop the Country Airplay chart — and earning executive vp of promotion and commercial strategy Josh Easler the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week.
Here, Easler talks about the success of “High Road,” the difficulty of running two chart-topping radio campaigns simultaneously and how the Country Airplay format has evolved during the course of his quarter-century in the music business. “It’s been wild to watch the format diversify in sounds over the last 25 years, and especially in the last decade,” Easler says. “The radio side of things has changed so much it’s hard to even know where to start there.”
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This week, Koe Wetzel and Jessie Murph’s “High Road” spent its fifth consecutive week at No. 1 on Country Airplay. What key decisions did you make to help make that happen?
The first key decision that led to “High Road” being a five-week No. 1 goes back to the summer when we agreed on a partnership with Columbia Records to be the promotion arm for this song at country radio. We are grateful that Ron Perry, Peter Gray and the leadership team at Columbia came together with Barry Weiss and trusted us to take this song to country radio. Another key decision was the timing for the record to peak. We knew that if we could get into No. 1 ahead of the holidays, we would likely have a multiweek run at the top due to how few playlist changes happen over the holidays. It worked out perfectly.
The run for “High Road” came immediately after another RECORDS Nashville release, George Birge’s “Cowboy Songs,” spent a week atop the chart, giving RECORDS six straight weeks at No. 1. How significant of an achievement is that for the label?
Having the songs go back-to-back was a very significant achievement for the label, especially because it was the first Billboard No. 1 for all of the artists. It’s certainly the greatest airplay achievement for RECORDS Nashville so far. No. 1 airplay singles are difficult, so having back-to-back No. 1s is really special.
How difficult is it to run concurrent radio campaigns at country radio for different artists like that?
Great question. Part of what made concurrent singles doable was how different the artists and songs are. Although George Birge and Koe Wetzel are both from Texas, they are very different, both sonically and where they are in their careers. Koe was already a headliner when this project came out. His footprint in the musical landscape was already significant, and this No. 1 is another chapter in a robust story. George, on the other hand, is emerging as one of the most consistent hitmakers at country radio after the success of “Mind On You” in 2023 and “Cowboy Songs” in 2024.
Overall, only six songs by artists with their first Country Airplay entry have spent five or more weeks at the top. Why is that such a difficult feat, and what goes into keeping a song atop that chart for so long?
Getting to No. 1 is difficult; staying there for five weeks is very difficult and only happens if the song is a true bonafide smash hit record. Power rotations at radio are sacred. If a record spends multiple weeks at No. 1 it means the stations are leaving it in power for a long time, and that only happens for big hit records. What makes staying there so difficult is how hot the country format is right now. There were multiple monster records last year in our format. We were fortunate to have the timing we did, and it’s a testament to country radio supporting one of the biggest hits of the year.
How has the Country Airplay format changed over the course of your career?
I started professionally in the country format in the late ‘90s. I’m a child of the ‘80s and grew up on the music. I loved it, but it was very “one lane” at the time. It’s been wild to watch the format diversify in sounds over the last 25 years, and especially in the last decade. The radio side of things has changed so much it’s hard to even know where to start there. The biggest change in my opinion is how we have fewer and fewer gatekeepers with each passing year. Radio, understandably, has consolidated and programmers oversee multiple radio stations.
Over the past few years, the country genre has seemed to explode in popularity in pop culture and globally. What do you think is behind that, and do you see it continuing?
It’s so exciting to see what is happening to country music right now. The range of sounds and artistry is phenomenal. I do think this trend will continue for a few reasons. One is country radio is becoming more diverse. It’s great to see country radio leaning into more and more music that is coming at them from all kinds of different places. It’s no secret that country consumers are historically late adopters to newer trends, and the consumer behavior is catching up to modern music discovery outside of radio as well.
The country consumer is getting younger as well. If you haven’t seen a good club show recently from an emerging act, I highly recommend it. We are about to release an album by a newcomer, Ty Myers (The Select on Jan. 24), and it’s going to explode. He’s already selling out significant venues and the audience is very young — it’s incredible. Lastly, the quality of music being made in the core country lane and “fringe” lanes is excellent. There is so much talent out there right now, and with a plethora of ways to discover music, I don’t see this trend slowing down anytime soon. The circle will remain unbroken.
Last year, studio and production house OBB Media teamed up with iHeart to produce the annual Jingle Ball TV Special, the annual holiday event that airs on ABC each year as a two-hour broadcast. Featuring performances from some of the top artists in the business, the special is culled from the two live Jingle Ball holiday concerts held in New York and Los Angeles. Last year’s special, which aired Dec. 21, 2023, on ABC, landed as the No. 1 TV program among adults aged 18-49 and No. 2 overall on the night that it aired, with 9.5 million people tuning in — a 500% increase over the year prior. That marked the highest total viewers for the special since 2013.
This year, OBB and iHeart teamed up once again for Jingle Ball, which aired Wednesday (Dec. 18) on ABC and is now available to stream on Hulu. Featuring performances by the likes of Shaboozey, Benson Boone and Gracie Abrams, the special aimed to not only be a showcase for performances but an engaging presentation that went beyond just a filmed concert into “an experience and a show,” OBB Media founder/CEO Michael D. Ratner tells Billboard.
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Jingle Ball isn’t OBB’s only foray into the music world. This year alone, the OBB’s live division (the company also houses TV, film, music video, studio and branded content wings) produced a concert film for The Kid LAROI, the Hulu live special on the iHeart Music Festival, and, most recently, Sabrina Carpenter’s A Nonsense Christmas Netflix special, which highlighted the breakout star’s holiday fruitcake EP (which subsequently landed in the top 10 of the Billboard 200) as well as performances by Carpenter, Chappell Roan, Tyla, Shania Twain and more. And all that helps make Ratner Billboard’s Executive of the Week.
Here, Ratner discusses OBB’s work on Jingle Ball, the Carpenter special and what film and TV content can do for an artist’s career. “There’s a lot of clutter in the market,” Ratner says, “and content can be an incredibly powerful differentiator in helping artists pop, especially as the creation of content has become completely democratized.”
This week, OBB and iHeart worked to produce the annual Jingle Ball TV special, which aired Dec. 18 and is now streaming. What key decision did you make to help make that happen?
Audiences don’t just want a concert, they want an experience and a show. OBB partnered with iHeartRadio to make sure that the two-hour special is dynamic, funny, tells a story, brings you closer to the artist and, most importantly, delivers great music.
What stood out to you the most about working on this year’s event?
I really think this year’s show represented the next wave of incredible talent stepping into the spotlight — from Gracie Abrams to Tate McRae, Shaboozey, The Kid LAROI and Benson Boone, it was a really exciting group. Also, filming live in arenas is always invigorating, and it was exciting to film the L.A. show in the brand-new Intuit Dome.
You guys also worked on Jingle Ball last year, which was the No. 1 rated TV program among adults (18-49) and No. 2 overall on the night when it aired. What did you learn from working on it last year that you were able to apply to this year, and how did you do things differently?
Last year we saw social media engagement for the show spike about 10 times more than the prior year, so we leaned into that even further this year, focusing on cutting more social clips to engage individual fanbases and help build a community-watching experience. Also with the Thanksgiving break falling a week later this year, our turnaround time to deliver the special after the L.A. and New York shows was shrunk to four days — and it’s already a quick turnaround — so we were even more efficient and streamlined on the backend to navigate editorial, artist approvals and delivery.
You guys also produced Sabrina Carpenter’s A Nonsense Christmas special on Netflix. How did that come together, and what was that like behind the scenes?
We’re constantly trying to push the boundaries and think about innovative ways to collaborate with exceptional talent. We — and specifically Simone Spira, who is a production and development executive here — had the idea internally at OBB to do a holiday variety music special with Sabrina, as we all loved the fruitcake EP and knew she could carry her own, given her authentic love of the holidays and that she could dance, sing, act and do it all. This all proved to be true as the show is everywhere — it’s dominating the internet, Sabrina surprised fans at the NYC premiere which was awesome, she was on Colbert, and it even made the SNL Weekend Update, which was a personal favorite moment for me, as I grew up watching SNL all the time.
How important can a TV special be for an artist’s career?
Incredibly important. But it’s not just the TV special — content that brings you closer to your fans and your community is an essential companion piece to the music. Whether it’s a TV special, thoughtful social content, or anything in between, content is going to continue to be a larger piece of an artist’s strategy. There’s a lot of clutter in the market and content can be an incredibly powerful differentiator in helping artists pop, especially as the creation of content has become completely democratized.
How important is music to what OBB Media does?
OBB is a storytelling company and we love making projects that are culturally relevant. Musicians have always been and continue to be key tastemakers and culture creators, so music is a key fixture in everything we do.
What’s next for you guys?
We have a VR special coming out on Meta Quest on Dec. 27 starring Charli XCX and Troye Sivan, which we filmed at the Forum during the SWEAT Tour. We love working on music projects in all of these different formats and mediums, and I think it’s a testament to how music is the throughline no matter how technology, viewing patterns and audience behaviors evolve. We’re also filming more of our Billions Club series with Spotify, and we’re excited for some major episodes with incredible artists that are coming soon. Looking ahead to 2025, we have some really big stuff coming that we can’t talk about quite yet, but stay tuned.
When Ella Langley’s “You Look Like You Love Me” featuring Riley Green hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart dated Dec. 14, it became the first song by a woman in 2024 to top the tally.
It also achieved the feat in 20 weeks, which is a veritable sprint given how long it can take songs to reach the summit on the slow-moving chart. But there was no denying the sexy track’s catchiness and uniqueness with its spoken-word verses and the chemistry between Langley and Green.
Langley, who is signed to SAWGOD/Columbia Records out of New York and Green, who is signed to Big Machine Label Group’s Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment imprint, were already on tour together when the idea for the flirty duet came about. Langley and her co-writer, Aaron Raitiere, had written the song as a solo track, but “Ella and Aaron were wondering what it would be like with the male perspective,” says Ryan Dokke, senior vp of Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment. “She asked [Riley] if he’d be up for writing a verse or two and it turned out to be something pretty special. They debuted it on tour together.” The song is also featured on Langley’s debut album, hungover, which came out in August.
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The song, which the pair performed during the CMA Awards, snagged the Country Music Association Awards trophy for vocal event of the year over such powerhouse contenders as Post Malone and Morgan Wallen’s “I Had Some Help” and Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves’ “I Remember Everything.” That recognition helped propel the song from 7-1 on the Country Airplay chart and earned Dokke the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week.
Here, Dokke, whose team worked the song to country radio, talks about the steps that led to the song’s chart-topping success and what it means for rising stars Langley and Green.
Langley is signed to SAWGOD/Columbia and Green is signed to Big Machine Label Group’s Nashville Harbor. How did you work with Columbia in taking the song to country radio since Langley is the lead artist on the track?
Ella and I first met in 2021, and I knew immediately that I wanted to work with her in some capacity. When the potential opportunity to work with Columbia came into view, [BMLG founder/CEO] Scott Borchetta and [Nashville Harbor president/CEO] Jimmy Harnen immediately jumped in to land the plane. For me, I think having that relationship with Ella and her team as well as having Riley on the track made it easy for our team to dive in and get to work. [Columbia Records executive vp/head of promotion] Peter Gray and the entire Columbia team were fantastic partners. They placed complete confidence in our ability to move the song up the charts and cheered on the Nashville Harbor team the whole way!
The track jumped 7-1 on Country Airplay last Friday: the six-spot leap ties for the third-greatest to the top in the chart’s nearly 35-year history. What specific steps did you take to accomplish such a leap?
Ella and Riley delivering a BIG HIT song was certainly the biggest factor in its success at radio! Our promotion team at Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment (Andrew Thoen, Liz Santana, Stella Prado) worked really closely with our country radio partners. There were several viral moments along the way that helped the song have more opportunities., The buzz around the CMA Awards win and performance was certainly important, but one of the biggest factors in making this historic leap was Ella herself, putting in the work – especially in the final stretch. She picked up the phone and was on the air talking with stations well into the eleventh hour.
You mention the CMA Awards performance/win and the tour. What other moments helped build momentum?
There were several moments that created a lot of chatter: The performance [opening for Morgan Wallen] at Hyde Park in London, which drew the UK’s biggest country crowd in history, and even when they popped up at Loser’s Bar & Grill in Nashville with Jamey Johnson over the summer. Seeing the passion for this song following those performances was what drove the demand for it at radio and it just continued to grow from there. They performed it on the TODAY Show, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and the CMA Awards and each time we saw the numbers spike.
“You Look Like You Love Me” is the first song performed/co-performed by a woman to reach No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart in 2024. Langley ends the longest break – 51 weeks – between women (including groups with prominent female vocals) topping the chart since a record 61-week shutout in 2003-04. What does that say about the difficulty women are still facing?
Honestly, I was surprised that Ella was the first of the year. With women like Carly Pearce, Lainey Wilson, Carrie Underwood, Kelsea Ballerini, Megan Moroney – who just won the CMA Awards’ best new artist and of course, Miranda Lambert who are all making and releasing culture shaping music and are filling arenas – it put me on my heels for a second. I’m optimistic that we’ll see more opportunities in the coming year. Just too much great music for there not to be.
This song includes spoken verses. Did you face any resistance at radio since that is more a throwback to the ‘60s and ‘70s? Did you think about releasing a version without the spoken-word parts?
The song started with such red- hot heat and had such undeniable passion from fans on the internet and it was immediately streaming so well, the spoken verses were never really an issue.
Green also has a top 15 hit with “Damn Good Day to Leave.” How are these two songs setting him up to take him to the next level in his career?
Riley is in such a great place and there is so much demand right now. It all comes down to building a connection with fans. These songs might connect to two different audiences, and he wins with both. He is wrapping his biggest year yet and already we can see 2025 being even bigger – with a red- hot album, sold out tours in the U.S. and the U.K., a rabid internet following, and the respect of his peers – Riley Green’s time is definitely here!
Will you have any continued involvement in Langley’s country radio work or was that a one-off because of Green?
I think right now we are still celebrating a BIG WIN. That question will answer itself in time. Regardless, the Nashville Harbor team is proud to have been a part of Ella’s introduction to Country radio and we will continue to be huge fans of Ella and her music. She’ll also be on tour with Riley next year, so we’ll be close by cheering her on either way.
Following the release of the anticipated sequel film, Moana 2, which in its opening week earned $225 million at the U.S. and Canada box office, the movie’s soundtrack proved to be just as big a hit, debuting in the top 10 of three Billboard album charts.
Featuring the voices of returning actors Auliʻi Cravalho (Moana) and Dwayne Johnson (Maui), Moana 2 also debuted a new musical pair in composing duo Barlow & Bear (Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear). Together, the two made history as the youngest and only all-women songwriting duo to create a full soundtrack for a Disney animated film. (Barlow & Bear stepped in for Lin-Manuel Miranda, who helmed the music for 2016’s original Moana.)
“They were brought on for their immense talent as musicians and storytellers,” says Tom MacDougall, president of Walt Disney Music and Billboard‘s Executive of the Week, who also A&R’d the soundtrack. “Where being younger did come into play revealed itself in their ability to understand the feelings Moana was having as a young woman trying to achieve great things and channeling that experience into the story.” (Moana 2 picks up three years after the original film left off; this time, Moana receives an unexpected call from her ancestors that brings her back to the ocean.)
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The celebratory opening week for Moana 2 is just the beginning of a busy year’s end for Disney, as MacDougall’s next soundtrack is already on its way. On Dec. 20, Mufasa: The Lion King will arrive along with its original soundtrack by Miranda.
And while MacDougall says “we simply release films when they’re ready,” he does believe there’s something special about the end of a year. “I do think [this period] represents a time of reflection, joy and family,” he says. “I can see how those emotions can get you in the mood to see characters sing.”
Moana 2 debuted in the top 10 on three of Billboard’s album charts (No. 2 on Kid Albums, No. 10 on Soundtracks and No. 10 on World Albums). What key decisions did you make to help make that happen?
Our partners at the Disney Music Group and studio marketing know the “first responders” to our soundtracks live in these key categories and they look to service them early with sneak peeks, exclusives and lyric videos. As the films broaden out — like Frozen and Encanto — we look to capture all audiences on as many charts as we can, including the top song and album charts.
The first Moana soundtrack topped both the Kid Albums and Soundtracks charts for 54 and 62 nonconsecutive weeks, respectively. How are you and the team aiming for similar longevity with Moana 2?
We are always humbled by any charting, and don’t expect the past to point to future success but we do go to great lengths to find the core emotional situations that, dare I say, demand that these characters sing. My experience is that when we hit that mark — which I think we did with Moana 2 — success can follow.
What challenges did you and the team face in following up a musical smash like Moana?
Sequels to musicals are tricky as you need new adventures, obstacles and desires to sing about or it won’t feel like an evolution for the characters. With Moana being older and wiser, she has taken on more responsibilities to her community and her family which provided fertile ground for her to sing. And, of course, our demigod Maui is always finding reasons to sing, and Dwayne [Johnson] really pushed himself creatively to find yet another plateau for his talents as a vocalist for the new song “Can I Get A Chee Hoo?”
In addition to Moana 2, Mufasa: The Lion King arrives on Dec. 20. For any sequel or franchise continuation, when it comes to the music, what is the secret to balancing familiar sounds with new?
I think the secret to a musical sequel is to make sure you’re offering something new for the characters, the story and the music, but [that] doesn’t abandon what’s come before. Barlow & Bear represented the new on Moana 2, and [composers] Opetaia Foa’i and Mark Mancina were the foundation of what came before that brought the warm familiar feeling audiences come to expect from the world of Moana.
For you, what’s the signal that the team has a hit on its hands?
Honestly, we don’t consider any film soundtrack to be a hit until the audience has spoken. There is often a slow period of absorption that seems to happen with music that doesn’t follow the near instantaneous assessment of box office success, so sometimes we just have to wait. With Moana 2 audiences have told us they want to spend a lot of time in that world, so I don’t think we’ll have to wait long to consider the soundtrack a hit.
How “far” do you see the Moana movies in particular going — are there any current plans “beyond” this sequel?
Having now worked on both films for over a decade of my career, I’m looking forward to just enjoying this moment of success and be grateful audiences have responded to these films in this unprecedented way. Can I get a chee hoo?
Merely existing in the world in the past few weeks would be enough for most people to know that the film adaptation of the beloved Broadway play Wicked is arriving in theaters today (Nov. 22).
Starring Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and Jonathan Bailey, the musical film is one of the most anticipated releases of the year, with first-week box office projections of $100 million and a marketing campaign that includes everything from billboards to merchandise to late-night TV appearances and even its own category on Jeopardy! earlier this week.
But it’s impossible to separate the spectacle that is Wicked from its songs, and there has also been intense interest in both how the music is incorporated into the film and the construction of its soundtrack, given the original cast recording from 2003 won a Grammy Award in 2005 for best musical show album. And that’s something that NBC Universal president of music Mike Knobloch knew to take extra seriously. “The original cast recording is iconic, so priority number one was to not mess it up,” Knobloch tells Billboard. “It has also been a great opportunity to make a soundtrack for a beloved musical that will only be the second Wicked album in two decades. But while our primary mission was to make the film, we didn’t want the soundtrack to simply be a ‘copied and pasted’ byproduct.”
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To make that happen, Knobloch and original Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz, along with the filmmakers, producers and the rest of their music team, got to work more than two years ago to make sure they struck the right notes. And as the film and its soundtrack finally make their way into the world today, Knobloch earns the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week.
Here, Knobloch discusses the work that went into helping Wicked come to life, as well as the marketing campaign behind the project and the state of musical films these days. “Wicked is the perfect example of how it all comes down to just making an excellent movie, whether characters on the screen are singing or not,” he says. “It’s got an engaging story, it’s timely and relevant — eerily so for something written 24 years ago — has performances that take your breath away, it’s visually stunning, exhilarating, innovative and multidimensional in a way that makes the state of the musical movie feel pretty epic right now to me.”
This week, the new film Wicked opened wide in theaters, and the official film soundtrack was released, featuring Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and more. What role did you play in helping make this project come to life?
There’s no handbook for how to take an existing stage musical and adapt it for the screen, especially with the film’s scope and scale and lack of constraints compared to the stage, and how cherished these songs are to so many. I worked closely with the filmmakers, Jon Chu and Marc Platt, and composer Stephen Schwartz from the very beginning, starting with the critical task of putting together the right team of best-in-class creative and technical personnel so we could be equipped to make something really special. And then I pretty much assumed the role of the “music team coach” through every stage of production all the way through the delivery of the soundtrack.
When did the work for it first start, what challenges did you face and how did you overcome that?
We started in earnest very early in pre-production more than two years ago, and we had a lot to figure out, starting with the production methodology — how to go about equipping the production for live singing, developing the instrumental tracks, adapting the structure of the music to the requirements of the film and so on. We had to start with demos and record in phases in order to put Schwartz’s brilliant music up on the screen. This allowed the music to have the flexibility to follow the actors’ performances, which provided them a great deal of creative freedom.
We consistently found ourselves in uncharted territory, so we put a lot of emphasis on the “how to” from the jump so that we could drive the process as efficiently as possible — and especially make sure the cast and crew had what they needed well in advance of each day of filming. We did some atypical things, like building a bespoke recording studio tailored to our unique needs and routines, for example. The music team was entrusted with this huge responsibility to work closely together and realize the music of Wicked at a level that’s never been done before. It just required an intense level of teamwork and collaboration at every step.
There is a beloved recording made by the Broadway cast that won a Grammy in 2005 for best musical show album. How did you approach making the soundtrack different, or expand upon it, given that original material?
The original cast recording is iconic, so priority number one was to not mess it up. It has also been a great opportunity to make a soundtrack for a beloved musical that will only be the second Wicked album in two decades. But while our primary mission was to make the film, we didn’t want the soundtrack to simply be a “copied and pasted” byproduct. Stephen Schwartz worked extremely closely with executive music producer Stephen Oremus — who has also been the music director of the stage play since its beginning — producer and mixer Greg Wells, and the rest of the music team to make sure the album would be a standalone and complete aural experience.
So without the dialog — except for some snippets for narrative context — and the rest of the sound from the film, a great deal of time and effort went into balancing the vocals with all the orchestral and other instrumental elements and editing the songs together into a cohesive structure. A lot of care went into capturing cast vocals throughout filming that would be production-quality for the soundtrack so that it would reflect their true performances from the movie. This new soundtrack isn’t really meant to be compared to the Broadway recording since it’s a different medium, obviously — but everyone was extremely careful to be faithful to and respectful of what people know and love about the music of Wicked, as well.
How difficult is it to adapt a Broadway production to film, and how did you navigate that from a music point of view?
With genuinely brilliant talent like Ariana, Cynthia, Jonathan Bailey and the rest of the cast, combined with Jon Chu’s imaginative direction, the “adaptation” of the music really gets to be led by their amazing performances. There are orchestration choices, instrumentation and dynamics that differentiate what these songs sound like on stage versus onscreen. Of course, Wicked is a break-out-into-song musical, but something it does very well is to transition in and out of songs without having any of those obvious flags that make you think, “Oh, she’s about to sing something now.” It’s all very fluid and organic, and the musical “bed” was subsequently built to support the performances on the screen. John Powell coming in to score the movie with Stephen Schwartz was also a big part of differentiating the style, scope and scale of the storytelling on the screen. Their score is what glues it all together and makes it feel cinematic.
Wicked has benefited already from an extensive marketing campaign. What role did you play in that, and how have you seen that pay off?
Wicked, the film and the campaign, is just the biggest thing we’ve ever done. Accordingly, we needed a soundtrack partner that could rise to that level and bring an appropriate amount of supplementary marketing muscle to the campaign. We’ve had a great deal of soundtrack success with Republic Records over the years. For Wicked, we had the fortuitous advantage with Republic in that they are also the label to which Cynthia and Ariana are both signed. Our combined teams — along with Verve Records — have been working together since the beginning and our shared mandate was to swing for the fences and treat this soundtrack like an A-list artist record. That has really framed what we’ve done at every step to put together an impactful global campaign filled with “first-ever” initiatives and top-tier programs with partners.
Also, Ariana and Cynthia have been in the war room and a critical part of creative and strategic decisions alike. So it’s just been much different than a typical movie soundtrack of songs and/or score in terms of the level of anticipation, fandom and demand. That said, we are not leaving anything on the table with this global marketing campaign. It’s been a really special, once-in-a-lifetime, lightning-in-a-bottle experience and an honor to be part of it.
How do you feel about the state of the musical movie in general right now?
I feel great about it. Audiences show up for quality films of all genres and, as you may have noticed from our campaign, nobody is trying to disguise the fact that this is a break-out-into-song musical — but that isn’t singularly what defines it. Wicked is the perfect example of how it all comes down to just making an excellent movie, whether characters on the screen are singing or not. It’s got an engaging story, it’s timely and relevant — eerily so for something written 24 years ago — has performances that take your breath away, it’s visually stunning, exhilarating, innovative and multidimensional in way that makes the state of the musical movie feel pretty epic right now to me.
What other projects do you have on the horizon?
Following Twisters and The Wild Robot and Wicked, we have a diverse portfolio of projects in the pipeline: Our specialty shingle Focus Features is releasing Nosferatu and is also in production on a biopic that’s the true story of a Neil Diamond impersonator. We’re in production on another Super Mario Bros film as well as a Shrek reboot, and we’ve also got another Jurassic World film coming next year, a live-action How To Train Your Dragon to name just a few. And of course, Wicked Part Two!
Over the past decade-plus, few artists have become as much of a creative, cultural and economic force in the entertainment industry at large as Tyler, the Creator. Emerging from the hip-hop-meets-everything collective Odd Future, he has continued to innovate and expand the boundaries of his career each year, whether it be in fashion, festivals or with the type of music he puts out into the world — with plenty of recognition, and accolades, coming his way as a result.
But these past two weeks have topped even that. With the release of his latest album, CHROMAKOPIA — which dropped on Oct. 28, a Monday, bucking the industry norm of Friday — Tyler earned the biggest debut week of his career, with 299,500 equivalent album units earned — even more impressive given that it was achieved in just four days of the tracking week. Now, he’s landed a second straight week atop the Billboard 200, with another 160,000 equivalent album units — his first time spending back-to-back weeks at No. 1 on the albums chart in his career. And that success helps Columbia Records’ vp of marketing Victoria White-Mason earn the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week.
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Here, White-Mason discusses the strategy that went into the release — including the much-discussed Monday debut — and how Tyler has been able to grow himself as an artist and a businessman so effectively through the years. “It’s clear that Tyler is truly an artist in every sense of the word, and he extends his taste level and ingenuity into all the verticals he touches,” White-Mason says. “Whether it’s fashion, business or film, he’s going to bring perspective that is shaped by curiosity and an enduring sense of wonder.”
This week, Tyler, the Creator’s CHROMAKOPIA spent its second week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 after debuting at the spot last week, making it his third chart-topping album. What key decision did you make to help make that happen?
My job as marketing lead was to amplify, scale and make tangible the world of CHROMAKOPIA, which started with the CHROMAKOPIA trucking activation that launched alongside the album announcement. We knew that these shipping containers would be a centerpiece of the overall creative and it sparked the idea to utilize them as moving billboards originating in Tyler, Texas, with pitstops in multiple markets.
The activation was an ambitious endeavor made possible by an immense amount of collaboration across our teams — from complex routing and logistics to daily social touchpoints alongside the truck’s movements and planning experiential elements for fans along the way. The payoff was clear almost immediately upon launch, as the trucks became a movement builder for us.
Most notably, Tyler initially released the album on a Monday, instead of the industry standard Friday, meaning he missed out on three days of the chart week in his debut week. How did that affect your rollout strategy? And how important was the first day in your planning?
With a career-best debut, the numbers indicate that Tyler didn’t miss out on much! His intention for a Monday release was for listeners to start their week with CHROMAKOPIA, on their commute to work or school. By encouraging you to listen as a part of your natural routine at the start of the week, the hope is that you become an active listener in the process.
Of course, shortening the release week is not a natural instinctive idea in today’s market, but it is hard to overstate how remarkable a job Tyler did to create that awareness through visual trailers, touring announcements, live events and more.
At 299,500 equivalent album units, the first week was the biggest of Tyler’s career and the sixth-biggest debut of the year so far. How did you set this up differently from his other projects?
Tyler has always been a first-rate world builder, constantly innovating and transforming, and consistently besting himself in the process. With CHROMAKOPIA, I think we have an album and a campaign that feels almost cumulative in nature. It’s bursting with vulnerability, maturation, peak creative prowess and a pristine level of cohesiveness throughout it all.
CHROMAKOPIA’s success is not an anomaly, it’s the result of all the foundational work he’s done to get to this point. That said, we had a perfect storm of a tapped-in, fully engaged artist, an equally tapped-in and engaged fan base, and an overwhelming desire from fans to be fed.
With 66,000 vinyl sales in its first week, the album was also the third-biggest hip-hop vinyl album since Luminate began tracking sales in 1991. How did vinyl — and physical product in general, given his six CD boxed sets — play a role in this album campaign?
There’s an obvious and immense demand for physical product for this artist and we were fortunate to be able to make it available immediately thanks to the tireless efforts of our Commerce and Release Planning teams. The partnership between Golf Wang, Ceremony of Roses and Columbia Records is as strong as ever. We took all our learned experience to date from his previous releases and strategized the best way to make the strongest impact. Tyler’s standard of exceptional quality and creative cohesiveness were pivotal in helping to create the demand.
How has Tyler’s career grown and developed outside of just the recorded music to the point where you guys were able to set these benchmarks in just four days of release?
Tyler, the Creator is a genius and a generational talent. I don’t say this lightly, or with the slightest bit of hyperbole, and I think it’s starting to be recognized en masse. His ability to envision and, more importantly, manifest the worlds and characters that live inside his mind is truly unparalleled. It’s clear that Tyler is truly an artist in every sense of the word, and he extends his taste level and ingenuity into all the verticals he touches. Whether it’s fashion, business, or film, he’s going to bring perspective that is shaped by curiosity and an enduring sense of wonder.
The album has already spent a second week at No. 1 now. How do you keep the momentum going from here?
Before I had the opportunity to work with Tyler, I came across an interview he did where he talked about the importance of promoting your work. He told aspiring artists to be proud of the work they made and to never stop being a passionate advocate for your art. Tyler’s conviction and candor always stuck with me and now, years later, it is truly inspiring to witness his commitment to his craft firsthand.
CHROMAKOPIA’s momentum will continue to be sustained by that commitment. Look at Tyler’s activity in the 11 days since release and you’ll see that he is promoting the work authentically through his connection to his fans. What he’s encouraging is an ongoing conversation around the feelings that this music evokes and the connection that it helps create. On top of that, you have a massive world tour that will continue to expand the world of CHROMAKOPIA.
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.