Executive Turntable
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Jennifer Koester is expanding her role at Sphere Entertainment. The live entertainment executive has been named president/COO of Sphere, effective immediately.
Prior to her promotion, Koester served as the company’s president of Sphere Business Operations, which saw her lead the strategy and execution of all business aspects of Sphere, the next-generation entertainment venue in Las Vegas.
In her new role, Koester will continue to work with executive leadership and provide strategic oversight for Sphere Studios, the immersive content studio in Burbank dedicated to developing multi-sensory experiences exclusively for Sphere, including further developing Sphere Studios’ capabilities as a full-service production studio. Koester will also continue to focus on maximizing venue utilization across a range of categories such as original programming, attractions, concerts, residencies, and corporate and marquee events, as well as driving strategic partnerships, delivering the best customer experience and growing Sphere as a premium global brand.
“Since joining our team earlier this year, Jennifer’s contributions have had a significant impact,” said Sphere Entertainment executive chairman/CEO James Dolan in a statement. “We believe we are just scratching the surface of what is possible with Sphere, and her expertise will be essential as we continue to advance on our long-term vision for this next-generation entertainment medium.”
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“I welcome the opportunity to take on this expanded role,” added Koester. “Across the Sphere organization we are focused on both bringing unique experiences to life in Las Vegas, and developing new experiences that will keep Sphere at the forefront of immersive entertainment. I look forward to continuing to work with our world-class team to grow our business and deliver on Sphere’s vision for the future of entertainment.”
Koester has 30 years of experience in technology, media and entertainment. She joined Sphere Entertainment in February from Google, where she served as MD, Americas strategic alliances, global partnerships at Google Commercial Operations. Her experience prior to Google includes serving as senior vp of advanced advertising product development, data analytics and ad operations at Cablevision, along with various legal roles.
Koester received a J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law and a B.S. in management information systems from Binghamton University.
LaTrice Burnette has been appointed to the newly created post of executive vp/head of music at UnitedMasters. In this role, Burnette will helm the artist services division for the software and services platform’s global roster of independent artists.
In announcing the appointment, UnitedMasters founder and CEO Steve Stoute said, “LaTrice brings with her a wealth of experience by having played every single position inside a record company, from assistant to president. Every artist that I’ve spoken to that she has worked with has had nothing but great things to say about her keen understanding of the industry, of marketing and helping them grow their careers. With our artist services business at UnitedMasters, having somebody like LaTrice on board, with her level of experience, is going to do nothing but help make our artists go further in their careers. This is another big move for us and our commitment to independent artists.”
In addition to Stoute, Burnette will be working alongside vp of music/head of A&R Mike Weiss and vp of music & marketing David Melhado. “I’m beyond excited to join the UnitedMasters team to help drive the next phase of growth for their global independent artist community,” said Burnette. “Having worked with so many amazing artists throughout my career, I’ve seen firsthand the increasing desire for independence while still receiving top-level label services. UnitedMasters has pioneered a model that gives artists the best of both worlds. I’m looking forward to collaborating with the UnitedMasters team to elevate artist development to new heights and empower the next generation of artists to own their futures.”
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Burnette most recently served as executive vp at Def Jam Recordings before joining UnitedMasters. Her more than two decades of music industry experience also include senior executive posts at Island Records, Epic Records, Atlantic Records and Roc-A-Fella Records. During that time, she’s worked with a host of star talents such as Jay-Z, 2 Chainz, Pusha T, Yo Gotti, Travis Scott, Future, Muni Long and DJ Khaled. Burnette also brings marketing experience to her new role, having contributed to strategic partnerships and campaigns with brands like Diageo and the WNBPA (Women’s National Basketball Players Association).
Over the last three years, UnitedMasters has signed partnerships with Brent Faiyaz and Earthgang, among others. It has also expanded internationally through foundational partnerships with artists such as Davido and Sarz in Nigeria; Veigh, Nagalli, and Supernova in Brazil and FloyyMenor and Nickoog in Chile. With over 2 million artists on its platform, UnitedMasters also has brand partnerships with Diageo, Ally and ESPN.
Following the example of its bustling Nashville division, BMG is moving headfirst into its focus as a frontline label and investing heavily in developing U.S. acts.
Less than six months after Jon Loba was promoted from president of BMG Nashville to president of frontline recordings at BMG North America, he now expands his reach to president of frontline recordings, The Americas, to include Brazil under his watch. He will oversee new releases across all genres, including pop, rock, R&B/Hip-Hop, country and Latin.
“We’re going to become much more frontline focused,” Loba tells Billboard. “There’s a reallocation of resources to the U.S. We’re going to be much more frontline competitive, including building out our LATAM division.”
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The move comes with a heavy investment in A&R, A&R research and digital resources, with BMG doubling the dollars it had been spending on U.S. signings and acquisitions. “The whole idea of putting me in this position was [BMG] very much wanted the rest of the U.S. to match the culture of Nashville and how we broke acts,” Loba says.
BMG’s country division has been a frontline powerhouse with such platinum artists as Jason Aldean, Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, Parmalee, Dustin Lynch and Blanco Brown, while the non-country genres were “focused on acquisition and established artists,” Loba says. “We want to be intentional about growing organically, as well as being a home for new viral acts.”
Running BMG Nashville has taught Loba that “the icons come from fringes” and copycats need not apply. “We want to be a home for artists that maybe don’t easily find a home elsewhere or that others don’t immediately see the value in,” he says. “We want to be home for a different perspective, a different voice.”
Part of BMG Nashville’s success has come from the strength of its radio promotion team, and Loba expects that team to work to select non-country records going forward. “Radio tends to be the rocket fuel of streams too,” he says. “You may have streaming airplay for a certain amount of time without radio’s involvement, but I still don’t know an artist who doesn’t care about radio airplay, so to be attractive to our current and potential artists, you can’t afford not to have a radio presence.”
BMG expects to still be very involved in the acquisition space, with the focus on signing new acts coming as an additive to the existing business. According to its 2023 year-end report, the Berlin-based BMG made 30 acquisitions last year as revenues grew to 905 million euros (the equivalent of $986 million), up 4.6% over 2022. Among its main acquisitions were the purchase of Paul Simon’s royalty income in his Simon & Garfunkel recordings as well as acquiring the catalog of British rock band The Hollies.
Unlike a number of labels that are combining frontline and catalog operations, BMG’s will remain separate (even though, before new BMG CEO Thomas Coesfeld took over last July, the plan had been to unite the two). Thomas Scherer, who formerly ran the publishing division, is now head of global recorded catalog. According to the 2023 report, recordings account for 34% of BMG’s revenue, 61% comes from publishing and the remaining 5% comes from broader rights.
Loba has also set his executive team, many of whom are refining their duties. Below are the key members of his team and their defined roles.
*JoJamie Hahr, executive vp of recorded music, BMG Nashville, will oversee day-to-day management of BBR Music Group and its three imprints, which are home to such acts as Jelly Roll, Aldean and Wilson. Hahr, who joined the company in 2017, reports to Loba.
*Zarah Ortiz, vp of repertoire and campaign management, will oversee BMG’s building presence in Latin American markets including Mexico and Brazil and such genres as Afro-pop. Based in Miami, Ortiz, who oversees a team in Mexico, reports to Loba, as does GM Daniel Fernandes in Brazil.
*Dan Gill, executive vp of recorded music, West Coast, will oversee the pop, rock, R&B/Hip-Hop and international outbound repertoire. Gill, who joined BMG following its 2014 acquisition of Vagrant Records, led the success of such acts as blink-182 and LP at BMG and will lead the campaign on upcoming releases from YG, Chief Keef, Wiz Khalifa and others. He reports to Loba.
*Gill’s direct reports include Cyndi Lynott, senior vp of marketing, who will lead BMG’s recorded frontline strategy for pop artists including New Kids on the Block and The Script; Sean Heydorn, senior vp at Rise Records, who will now lead all rock frontline efforts, including Rise’s roster and BMG rock acts Godsmack, Lenny Kravitz and Sum41; Shane Cosme, senior vp of international marketing for BMG U.S., who will be responsible for handling U.S. repertoire outside the United States; and Tim Reid, senior vp of repertoire & marketing, who will oversee R&B/Hip-Hop in the United States as well as handle RBC Records, home to Chief Keef and Run the Jewels. Reporting to Reid is Jecoure Lemothe, vp of A&R and marketing, who will also handle day-to-day operations for RBC Records. Lynott, Heydorn, Cosme and Lemothe are L.A.-based, while Reid has relocated from L.A. to Nashville.
*Bryan Columbus, vp of recorded music, Canada, reports directly to Loba; he returns to BMG following a stint at Concord Label Group. Before Concord, Columbus led Canadian market campaigns for Nashville’s Broken Bow Records Music Group through BMG’s partnership with Black Box Music.
Loba hints there will also be more changes coming, including additions to the frontline, global and U.S. teams.
It’s time for another Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music. We also have a weekly interview series spotlighting a single executive and a regularly updated gallery honoring many of the industry figures we’ve lost throughout the year.
ByteDance has hired former Warner Bros. Pictures legal honcho John Rogovin as the Chinese company’s new global general counsel, effective immediately. He reports directly to Liang Rubo, CEO of ByteDance. The role includes oversight of TikTok, which has a lot going on right now. Rogovin’s arrival comes as TikTok and ByteDance engage in a monumental battle with the United States government following the passage of legislation requiring the parent company to sell the app or face a national ban. In early May, the company filed a federal lawsuit aimed at overturning the law, calling it an “unconstitutional” action aimed at “silencing” more than 170 million Americans who use TikTok. TikTok chief Shou Chew rightly said Rogovin’s arrival comes at an “important time” for the company. Rogovin, who clocked time at both the FCC and the DOJ earlier in his career before a 14-year run at WB, added that he looks forward to “helping to ensure that our platforms continue to provide a critical forum for more than two billion users worldwide to entertain, teach, and connect with one another.” Rogovin succeeds departing general counsel Erich Andersen, who has shifted to special counsel.
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Federica Tremolada
Spotify
Federica Tremolada was promoted to general manager of Europe for Spotify, effective immediately. Tremolada, who spent the last five years as managing director of Southern and Eastern Europe, fills the shoes of Michael Krause, who earlier this week announced his departure after a seven-year run as GM. Both execs made their own announcements on Linkedin, with Krause calling it a “perfect time to pass the baton” and spend time with family before seeking “new adventures later this year.” Tremolada, meanwhile, called working at Spotify “one of my biggest dreams come true” and listed opening Casa Spotify in Milan, where she is based, and growing the podcast business in the region as some of her tenure highlights. Prior to joining Spotify, Tremolada spent more than a decade at Google, where she rose to head of international partnerships for the YouTube TV squad.
Austin Jenkins was named vp of A&R at Island Records. Based in Nashville, Jenkins started at Island in 2023 and played a pivotal role in the signing and development of artists including Wyatt Flores and Medium Build at the label. He will continue leading Island’s Nashville operations. Jenkins was formerly the founder, guitarist and songwriter for Texas band White Denim. He later founded Fort Worth, Texas, recording studio Niles City Sound with Josh Block and Chris Vivion, where Jenkins and Block co-produced, recorded and mixed Leon Bridges‘ full-length debut album, Coming Home. Jenkins performed guitar and bass on the album and also toured with Bridges as part of his band.
Adam Salomon was named senior director of A&R at Concord Music Publishing. Salomon joins Concord from London-based music management company Chosen Music, where he led A&R efforts. He reports to Concord Music Publishing executive vp of worldwide A&R Kim Frankiewicz. Originally from Sweden, Salomon has held A&R and management roles across independent and major labels in the country, including Universal Music Sweden, where he led the Svenska Inspelningar label.
Producer, songwriter and rapper Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins launched a new record label, Alienz Alive, which Jerkins described in a statement as “a collaborative community of creatives that are Christ-centered where artist development is key. We encourage our artists to use their gifts to uplift and inspire. Sonically speaking the influences are Hip Hop, R&B, and Indie Rock. As long as it glorifies God and it’s dope, all are welcome.” At launch, the Alienz Alive roster includes Jon Keith, GAWVI, IMRSQD Alex Jean and TJ Carroll. Jerkins will be involved in the label’s day-to-day operations.
Madison House is building a bigger booking agency with the hiring of industry veteran Thomas Ponsart as booking agent and Ruby Williams and Madison Dawson as agent assistants. Bay Area-residing Ponsart has more than a decade of experience and learned under the tutelage of Tom Chauncey and Hank Sacks at Partisan Artists. He brings with him a roster that includes John Craigie, Monophonics, Parlor Greens, Madeline Hawthorne, Kelly Finnigan, Anthony Villacari and Goodnight, Texas. Williams arrives from Freshwater Art Gallery & Music Venue in Boyne City, Mich., where she booked artists of all stripes, and is now based in Madison House’s office in Ann Arbor. Dawson is a recent Belmont grad and intern at Madison House in Nashville, where she is based. “The ultimate decision to join forces with Madison House is our shared values, growth mindset, adaptability, freedom to pursue new clients, and their tech forward approach to new systems,” said Ponsart. “Madison House has instilled these values in their team for decades and it makes them a commendable and unique business that I’m excited to call my new home.”
Riser House Records named Amy O’Connor as head of sales and streaming. O’Connor previously served as marketing director at Sony Music/Legacy Recordings, working Sony’s country legacy catalog including music from Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson, as well as working with artist estates including Johnny Cash and Loretta Lynn. O’Connor previously led the streaming team at Better Noise Music, working on projects for Papa Roach, Mötley Crüe and Five Finger Death Punch. –Jessica Nicholson
Filmmaker and music producer Jesse Lauter joined Peter Shapiro’s Dayglo Presents as head of production & media. In this newly created position, Lauter will oversee the creative side of video and audio production for Dayglo venues, including The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY and the Brooklyn Bowl mini-chain (Brooklyn, Las Vegas, Nashville and Philadelphia), along with the newly added Bearsville Theatre in Woodstock. One of his main responsibilities is directing live-streams for FANS.live and Relix out of the Capitol Theatre. Lauter most recently directed Learning To Live Together: The Return of Mad Dogs & Englishmen about Joe Cocker, and is currently working on a film about swamp rock legends Little Feat. He’s also worked with Dayglo on a part-time basis for years. “I’ve been a part of this family for a long time, and have so much love and respect for Pete and what he has built,” he said. “It’s a perfect fit.” each Lauter is reachable at jesse@dayglopresents.com.
Courtney Zeppetella is no longer senior vp, controller and chief accounting officer of Madison Square Garden Entertainment. Zeppetella’s resignation, effective May 31, was disclosed in an SEC filing three days prior to her exit. The NYC-based executive joined MSGE in May 2022 following a 21-year run at KPMG, where she rose to audit partner. Michael J. Grau, the company’s executive vp and CFO, will serve as the company’s interim principal accounting officer until a replacement is named.
ALL IN THE FAMILY: Billboard‘s longtime Australian correspondent Lars Brandle is now head of content at The Brag Media, where he’ll oversee strategy across Rolling Stone Australia and New Zealand, Variety Australia, The Music Network, Tone Deaf and more titles. Brandle joined Billboard in 2000 out of the London bureau and for many years served as global news editor and later as overnight editor — along the way amassing a paltry 835 pages of written articles. New gig aside, Brandle isn’t fully free of Billboard‘s clasp just yet — The Brag Media holds the license for Billboard in Australia. Talk soon, mate!
Sphere Entertainment hired industry veteran Chandra Allison as executive vp of sales and service at the Las Vegas megavenue. In her new role, Allison will drive sales strategies, develop conferences and events, oversee service teams, and build on Sphere’s strong relations with fellow stakeholders in Vegas. Allison, who has done consultant work for Sphere, most recently served as senior vp of strategy and growth at Oak View Group, where she oversaw growth and strategy for its OVG360 portfolio. Prior to OVG, Allison put in nearly 25 years at The Venetian Resort, where she rose to svp of sales and marketing. “Sphere is a game-changer in this dynamic market,” she said, “and this is a tremendous opportunity to continue working with the team to develop one-of-a-kind experiences that enhance Sphere’s presence in Las Vegas across a range of event categories and guest experiences.”
NASHVILLE NOTES: Kelli Haywood and Leigh Holt teamed to launch Hsquared Management. The company combines the artist rosters from their respective companies, KCH Entertainment and maddjett, while they also reveal their first signing together, Capitol CMG singer-songwriter Riley Clemmons. The Hsquared client roster also includes Lauren Daigle, Carlos Whittaker, Annie F. Downs and Megan Danielle –J.N. … UMG Nashville‘s director of radio marketing Donna Hughes departed after 13 years. Hughes was previously national director of radio syndication at Capitol/EMI Records before those imprints were joined UMG.
ICYMI:
Lee Anderson
Warner Music Group hired Michael Ryan-Southern to lead the company’s acquisition efforts … CAA appointed Darryl Eaton, Emma Banks and Rick Roskin as co-heads of the global touring division … French collective management organization SACEM extended Cécile Rap-Veber’s term as CEO … MNRK Music Group president and CEO Chris Taylor is resigning effective June 28 and will be replaced by COO Sean Stevenson … Lee Anderson was named president of Wasserman Music … Lionel Ridenour was named executive vp of promotion at gamma. … Dennis Ashley Jr. and son Dennis Ashley III launched a new multimedia firm … Day After Day Productions hired Melanie Davis as head of tour marketing, while promoting Marc Ertel to head of creative and Erin Patterson to head of marketing.
Last Week’s Turntable: PierFerd Partners Up
R&B/hip-hop industry veteran Lionel Ridenour has been appointed executive vp of promotion at gamma. In his new role, Ridenour will oversee the company’s radio promotion efforts across all formats and genres. The appointment comes in the wake of Ridenour’s promotional work on behalf of gamma. projects by Usher, 4batz, Sexyy Red and October London.
In a press release announcing Ridenour’s appointment, gamma. co-founder/CEO Larry Jackson said, “Early into the formation of gamma., we oftentimes heard the critique that one of things we would be challenged to deliver on is radio promotion, for any artist at the highest level. So we challenged ourselves to roll up our sleeves and debunk that theory. And it is because of Lionel, his staff and our efficient spend in this area that we now have such an unbelievably strong radio market share for a company that’s only a year old.
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“Radio is still such an important mainstream access point to the heartland of so many countries, especially the U.S., and I am so happy to be able to have Lionel leading the charge for us in that regard,” Jackson added. “It’s also incredibly noteworthy that he’s the first African-American head of promotion in 40 years for any major music company (we’re not a label, of course) and I am so proud to be able to be a part of this historic moment in the overall business.”
Added Ridenour, “I’m thrilled to be joining gamma. and want to thank Larry and Ike [Youssef, gamma. president] for the opportunity to grow past the boundaries of industry norms and lead all promotion efforts on behalf of a wide variety of incredible talent. It’s gratifying to be a part of an intrepid company reshaping the manner in which careers can be magnified and propelled.”
Over the last decade, Ridenour’s Anchor Promotions has worked with various major and independent labels, including Warner Records, Alamo, Red Bull, Hitco and Geffen Records. Founded by CEO Ridenour in 2013, Anchor was the industry’s only Black-owned label services and promotion company.
Prior to Anchor, Ridenour began honing his promotional skills during his first industry gig as co-founder of the street promotion team Mainframe Records, later brought in-house by Capitol Records. His resumé since then includes supervising promotion for LaFace Records, Bad Boy and Rowdy Records. After a decade of working closely with Clive Davis at Arista Records — overseeing promotion for projects by artists such as Biggie, TLC, Usher, OutKast and Whitney Houston — Ridenour went on to lead the music departments at Virgin Records and Malaco Records. Last year, he received the Living Legends Foundation’s Music Executive Award.
Veteran music executive Dennis Ashley Jr. is joining forces with his son, Dennis Ashley III, to launch a new multimedia firm, Dash Media Partners, the pair has announced. According to a press release, the company will offer “a comprehensive suite of services in music, gaming, television and film production, events, branding and beyond.”
Ashley Jr. is a former partner at ICM Partners, which he joined in 2006 after two years spent operating his own agency. Beginning in 2016, he served as co-head of West Coast urban music division at ICM, where he first worked as a summer intern in the ’80s. While at the agency, Ashley Jr.’s clients included J. Cole, Missy Elliott, Trey Songz, D’Angelo, PartyNextDoor, Jeremih, Jeezy, Nelly, Mary J. Blige, Machine Gun Kelly, Marsha Ambrosius and Brian McKnight.
Ashley III is an entrepreneur known for successfully launching and scaling ventures across diverse industries, working with companies including Jordan Brand, Nobu, H. Wood Group and Triller.
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“With streaming platforms reshaping the way content is consumed and brand partnerships becoming increasingly integral to success,” the father-son duo is “well-positioned to leverage emerging trends…by merging Dennis Ashley Jr’s wealth of experience and industry connections with Dennis Ashley III’s innovative vision and fresh perspective,” reads a press release announcing the new venture.
“This is more than just a business venture for us,” said Ashley III in a statement. “It’s a chance to combine our passion for entertainment with our shared commitment to excellence and innovation. Together, we believe we can create something truly extraordinary.”
Creative Artists Agency (CAA) has promoted Emma Banks, Darryl Eaton and Rick Roskin to new leadership roles at the agency. The three veteran agents have been named co-heads of the agency’s global touring division, leading 340 employees across music, comedy and podcast touring as well as brand partnerships, tour marketing, private events and crossover opportunities in film, TV and books.
The promotions follow the elevation of CAA veteran Rob Light, who served for more than 25 years as CAA’s head of global touring. Light was recently named a CAA managing director, working alongside other company leaders in guiding the agency’s overall strategic direction. The promotion came in the wake of last year’s sale of CAA by majority owner TPG to Artémis, the investment firm controlled by François-Henri Pinault, CEO of fashion firm Kering and billionaire scion of a French luxury goods fortune.
“With the most talented team of agents ever at one agency, and serving the most influential artists in the world, we see unlimited opportunities ahead,” a statement attributed to Roskin, Eaton and Banks reads.
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“The live business has never been stronger nor had more momentum, and artists have never had more ways to express themselves and grow their careers, making this an absolutely incredible time to help chart CAA’s path for the future,” the statement continues. “We’re fortunate to have shared in the success, stability and uniquely strong culture that the department has enjoyed under Rob’s outstanding leadership. Our vision, and commitment moving forward, is to foster cutting-edge ideas that drive the market and ensure that CAA remains the most exciting and empowering agency for the industry’s best agents and artists to thrive.”
Banks has co-led the CAA’s now 60-person London music office since joining the agency in 2006. In addition to her new leadership position in touring, she serves on CAA’s internal agency board that focuses on the company’s culture of service, collaboration and excellence. She was the first female executive to receive the music industry’s coveted Music Industry Trust (MITS) Award in 2018, was honored with the prestigious Strat award in 2023 for outstanding contributions to the music business and serves on the board of Nordoff Robbins, the United Kingdom’s premier music therapy charity.
Eaton and Roskin became co-heads of contemporary music for North America in 2015, running the day-to-day operations of the North American touring department and supporting more than 100 agents and 280 employees. Eaton, who joined CAA’s mailroom in 1991, has played a pivotal role in the department’s expansion, leading its efforts to launch and grow its electronic, Latin, and hip-hop/R&B divisions. Roskin began his career at CAA and has worked in the touring department for 35 years. He was an original member of CAA’s internal agency Board and was part of the leadership group that completed the successful integration of talent agency ICM.
“CAA remains the dominant music and comedy touring agency thanks to a profoundly deep culture of collaboration, innovation, and unyielding devotion to clients,” said Light, who recently signed a long-term contract to remain at the agency. “For years, Darryl, Rick and Emma have been extraordinary partners to me in leading our touring group in North America and London, respectively. I am immensely proud of all that we have achieved to date and look forward to what they will create in the years ahead. Along with my new strategic responsibilities, I look forward to continuing to sign and empower great artists, creatively build long-term careers, and mentor young executives.”
CAA co-chairman/CEO Bryan Lourd added, “Rick, Darryl and Emma have long been among the most talented and widely admired leaders in the industry, not to mention three of the best agents in the world.” He continued, “The leadership role they each already play at CAA has earned them deep respect and trust among our colleagues across all departments.”
With employees in Los Angeles, Nashville, London, New York, Austin, Miami and Toronto, CAA’s global touring department boasts a roster that includes The Weeknd, Harry Styles, Katy Perry, Dua Lipa, John Mayer, Rüfüs Du Sol, Jelly Roll, Kelly Clarkson, Blink-182, Kelsea Ballerini, Peso Pluma, Lady Gaga, Bruce Springsteen, Trevor Noah, Red Hot Chili Peppers and David Guetta. Since the end of the pandemic, CAA has signed Shawn Mendes, My Chemical Romance, Janet Jackson, Cody Johnson, Koe Wetzel, The 1975 and Bleachers, among many others. In the past year, the agency has booked more than 38,000 shows.
MNRK Music Group president/CEO Chris Taylor is resigning from his post effective June 28, the company announced Monday (June 3). Taylor, who will be succeeded by COO Sean Stevenson, is taking the company’s artist management division with him.
Based in New York, Stevenson will begin leading MNRK on July 1. He was promoted to COO in July 2022 after previously serving as executive vp/GM.
“We wish Chris the best in his future endeavors,” said Stevenson in a statement. “He’s been a great leader and partner over the years, and I look forward to continuing the growth of MNRK with the whole team.”
MNRK’s artist management roster currently includes Powfu, Lights, The Afghan Whigs, Diana Gordon Arkells, Delilah Montagu, Daniel Lanois, Alice Ivy, Robert Finley, The Wild Feathers and Great Good Fine Ok, among other acts.
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Taylor joined MNRK, at the time called Entertainment One (eOne), in 2016 to run the music division. As part of the eOne team, he was involved in overall strategy and the company’s sale to Hasbro in 2020 for $4 billion. In 2021, Hasbro sold the music division to Blackstone for a reported $385 million and eOne Music was renamed MNRK Music Group.
Taylor has been named to Billboard‘s Indie Power Players list multiple times.
MNRK’s artist roster includes High on Fire, Underoath, Ace Frehley, Kash Doll, Fox Lake and Pop Evil; it also distributes the Dualtone Music Group and Last Gang imprints. On the publishing side, it boasts deals with such songwriters as Lauren Faith, Destiny Rogers and 9am. According to a press release, the company’s publishing catalog includes 54,000 music tracks.
Longtime agent Lee Anderson has been named president of Wasserman Music, the company announced Monday (June 3). Anderson was a founding member of Wasserman Music’s executive team when the agency purchased Paradigm’s music division in 2021. Since playing a pivotal role in establishing Wasserman Music, Anderson has helped develop the company’s business strategy and growth […]
Day After Day Productions (DADP) founder/CEO Seth Shomes announced the hire of respected music industry veteran Melanie Davis as head of touring, along with promotions for Marc Ertel to head of creative and Erin Patterson to head of marketing at the agency.
Davis brings a wealth of experience to DADP, having previously served as head of marketing for ICM Partners’ concert division (2013-2022). He held similar leadership roles at Azoff Music, Nederlander Concerts, Live Nation and Bill Graham Presents.
“One of the things I’m most proud of in my career is that I’ve had the opportunity to work with some really wonderful and groundbreaking members of the touring industry,” said Davis in a statement. “When I first started talking to Day After Day Productions, I knew right away that this was the best next opportunity for me, and I’m thrilled to join a growing, efficient, and hard-working team as part of one of the hottest new companies in the touring space.”
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Patterson and Ertel’s promotions help solidify DADP’s marketing prowess. Patterson’s expertise within the department will be crucial in overseeing all marketing initiatives while Ertel’s proven talent in cutting-edge web design, development, social media and digital marketing further strengthens DADP’s creative capabilities.
“Melanie’s experience and strategic vision will be invaluable as we continue to elevate the marketing efforts for our artists and live events,” said Shomes. “Additionally, Erin and Marc’s well-deserved promotions recognize their exceptional contributions to our clients and agency and ensure a cohesive and powerful marketing force.”
DADP’s client roster boasts Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Missy Elliott, Ludacris, Flo Rida, Bow Wow, The Queens of R&B featuring Xscape, An Evening of Icons featuring The Commodores, The Pointer Sisters, El DeBarge and The Spinners, Staind, Aaron Lewis, “Hollywood medium” Tyler Henry, 98 Degrees, Rob Thomas’ Sidewalk Angels Foundation, Wayne Newton, Engelbert Humperdinck and more.
Davis, Ertel, and Patterson will be supported by marketing coordinator Justin Scott-Young and DADP’s central services division.