Indie Power Players

Milana Rabkin Lewis, founder of Stem, gives closing remarks at Billboard’s Indie Power Players 2024 event. Hannah KarpA woman who is one of the most incredible leaders in the music business and an incredible supporter of indie artists, Milana Rabkin Lewis, the founder of Stem. Milana Rabkin LewisThank you, Billboard, for having me tonight, and […]

Laurie Anderson accepts the Artist Indie Icon award from Justin Kalifowitz at Billboard’s Indie Power Players 2024 event. Justin KaliforwitzPlease join me in giving a big round of applause to the 2024 Billboard Indie Icon Laurie Anderson. Laurie AndersonI’m really overwhelmed. Thank you so much. Great to be here. I just want to play a […]

Jon Loba from Broken Bow Records accepts Indie Label of the Year at Billboard’s Indie Power Players 2024 event.

Hannah KarpPlease welcome the man that’s been steering Broken Bow for over two decades and who was just named president of BMG frontline recordings business, Jon Loba.

Jon LobaI will keep it short because I know there’s drinking to do, and people are tired of hearing you talk. Number one, Billboard, thank you for this event, for recognizing indies, but even more than that, for being part of the storytelling process. You are so much a part of our story, for helping tell that and those stories of our artists. We value that. We will never forget that, and we’re going to do more of that. Thank you also to BMG, Thomas Coatesfeld, Joe Gillen and our entire team for the trust you’ve placed in us to just go make great music and promote great music, as well as our Nashville team led by Joe Jamie Harr, I could not do what I do, nor take on the extra responsibility I have taken on without her and our wonderful team. Mostly, thank you to our artists who include our first real global star, Blanco Brown, who’s here tonight, for putting your trust in us. We do not take that lightly. We wake up every morning and fall asleep every night thinking about you, your career, your art, your story, and how we can tell that in a more effective fashion. Last thing I’m going to say is, you know, as we built the Broken Bow music group and everybody wanted to give us an award for this indie accolade or that indie accolade, I would always tell the staff, ‘Stop. We’re not measuring ourselves against indies. We are measuring ourselves against the majors.’ We want to play in the big leagues. Having said all that, in today’s day and age, I think I’m going to revise that a bit, because the majors, as we all know, have potentially become investment banks, have become big analytical houses, the heart and the soul of music, the future of music, the icons in music, will not live in some derivative form; they will live in the indies. Those of you who are waking up every morning and falling asleep every night to champion art that maybe right now doesn’t fit in some analytic equation, isn’t hitting a certain algorithm, but given the chance will, so I’m going to start celebrating the indies much more than we did. Thank you Billboard and thank all of you.

R&B star Brent Fayiaz presents his manager Ty Baisden with the Executive of the Year award at Billboard’s Indie Power Players 2024 event. Hannah KarpLadies and gentlemen, please welcome the incredible Brent Faiyaz. Brent FaiyazWhat’s up with y’all? Let me, uh, Let me first off thank the staff and everyone at Billboard for allowing me […]