Record Labels
Page: 24
In the wake of his major move to the new title of Atlantic Music Group CEO, 10K Projects founder/CEO Elliot Grainge sent a note to the staff of the label that he founded, which was obtained by Billboard, saying that “we don’t expect any changes to take place at 10K” and that the shift represents “business as usual.”
Earlier today (Aug. 1), the Warner Music Group announced a major executive shakeup, which will see CEO of Recorded Music Max Lousada exit the company at the end of September and Grainge move into the CEO role of Atlantic Music Group, with longtime leaders Julie Greenwald moving to chairman and Craig Kallman remaining CEO of Atlantic Records. As part of the shift, 10K — which had operated as a standalone label since Grainge brought it to WMG last September — will become part of Atlantic Music Group, alongside 300 Elektra Entertainment.
“This new structure will give the 10K team and artists more visibility, more global exposure, and bigger opportunities across the Atlantic and WMG network,” Grainge wrote, adding that he’d continue to work alongside 10K co-presidents Zach Friedman and Tony Talamo “to create opportunities for our amazing roster of artists.”
Trending on Billboard
Grainge, the son of Universal Music Group chairman/CEO Lucian Grainge, founded 10K as an independent company in 2016, and saw success with artists such as XXXTentacion, Trippie Red, Ice Spice and Surfaces, among a slew of others. Originally affiliated with the Capitol Music Group, 10K moved to Warner in September, and Grainge joined WMG’s global leadership team. He’ll now helm one of the most historic and decorated label groups in recorded music history.
Read Grainge’s full letter below.
Dear 10K Family,
This good news is confidential until the official announcement which will be issued shortly, but I wanted all of you to hear it from me first. I wanted to let you know that I have accepted the extraordinary opportunity to become CEO of Atlantic Music Group. As part of this change, in the coming weeks, 10K will officially join Atlantic Music Group, alongside Atlantic Records and 300 Elektra Entertainment. I am so happy that this new role allows me to continue to be able to work with Zach, Tony and all of you to create opportunities for our amazing roster of artists. This new structure will give the 10K team and artists more visibility, more global exposure, and bigger opportunities across the Atlantic and WMG network. We don’t expect any changes to take place at 10K. It’s business as usual moving forward, so I’m counting on your focus and dedication more than ever. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you have done to make 10K Projects the incredible place it is today and for the future. I’m looking forward to our next chapter together.
Sincerely, Elliot
The Warner Music Group is undergoing a major executive restructuring that will see CEO of Recorded Music Max Lousada step down at the end of September, the company announced today (Aug. 1). Lousada, who has run the recorded music operation of the major label for eight years, will remain an advisor until January 31, the company said; Lousada’s role will cease to exist moving forward, as will the role of president of international.
As part of the transition, longtime co-leader of Atlantic Records and Atlantic Music Group chairman/CEO Julie Greenwald will now take on the role of chairman of Atlantic Music Group, reporting directly to WMG CEO Robert Kyncl. Meanwhile, 10k Projects founder Eliot Grainge will ascend to the role of CEO of Atlantic Music Group effective October 1, also reporting to Kyncl.
The change will see 10K shift under the Atlantic Music Group umbrella, alongside Atlantic Records, Elektra and 300. Meanwhile, Warner Records — led by co-chair/CEO Aaron Bay-Schuck and co-chairCOO Tom Corson — will oversee Warner Music Nashville, in addition to Nonesuch and Reprise.
Trending on Billboard
“On behalf of everyone at WMG, I’d like to thank Max for his extraordinary achievements over the last 20 years,” Kyncl said in a statement. “Max is a true artists’ champion, who created a culture that puts artistry first, growing our global reach and building a roster of incredible talent and an outstanding team. I’m grateful that he’ll be helping to ensure a smooth transition.”
“Over the past two decades, we created something special together at Warner: a music company built for artists, where original voices are championed, where their creativity is honored and protected, and where superstar careers are ignited,” Lousada said in a statement. “I’m proud to have grown a world-class team who share that vision and whose enterprise and energy have brought in new labels, rebuilt iconic brands, expanded our global network, and pioneered new fan experiences. The music business has always been about evolution, and the time has come for me to build something new. I’ll be helping the team through this transition, and I have no doubt they’ll continue to develop artists who move the world.”
This is a developing story.
Singer-songwriter K. Michelle has signed with BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville, home to artists including Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson and Jason Aldean, the company announced today (July 29).
Tennessee native Michelle grew up absorbing the music of artists ranging from Whitney Houston to The Judds. She’s released six albums so far, including her 2013 debut Rebellious Soul and 2016’s More Issues Than Vogue, both of which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200. With 2023’s I’m The Problem announced as her final R&B project, Michelle has begun the process of releasing her debut country album, and putting her full expanse of musical artistry on display. She then issued songs including “Tennessee” and introduced her alter-ego, Puddin.
Michelle’s signing to BBR/BMG Nashville comes as several Black country artists continue to reach new career heights. Most notably, Shaboozey‘s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” recently topped Billboard‘s country radio-focused Country Airplay chart, and has logged multiple weeks atop Billboard‘s all-genre Hot 100, and also topped the charts in multiple radio formats. Shaboozey was among the country artists featured on Beyoncé‘s country-influenced Cowboy Carter project, which heralded both Black country music trailblazers including Linda Martell, as well rising Black country artists Willie Jones, Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts, Tanner Adell and Tiera Kennedy. Beyoncé’s own “Texas Hold ‘Em” dominated the Hot Country Songs chart for 10 weeks.
Trending on Billboard
K. Michelle was recently featured on the project A Tribute to the Judds last year, singing the Judds’ signature “Love Can Build a Bridge” with Jelly Roll and the Fisk Jubilee Singers. They also performed the song live at the 57th annual CMA Awards in November. Last month, Michelle also performed at CMA Fest for a second time, making her Nissan Stadium debut as well performing at the Chevy Vibes Stage.
“When we first met K. Michelle, she radiated her passion for country music,” said Katie Kerkhover, vp of A&R at BMG, in a statement. “It’s the fabric of who she is because the lyrics represent truth. She’s built an incredible fanbase with her unique vocals anchored with storytelling at its heart and that is what transcends genres.”
“I have been ready. I am grateful for this moment,” Michelle said in a statement. “Rebels and Real Outlawz, it’s time! I am excited and want to thank my BMG Team. I am happy to finally sing the music I grew up on. I am a country girl at heart and can’t wait to share my country music with you.”
Investment giant Apollo Global Management is backing Sony Music Group to the tune of $700 million to help the company fund music acquisitions, it was announced Friday (July 26). The deal could provide the financial assistance needed for Sony’s planned acquisition of Queen‘s recording and music publishing catalogs. Sources have told Billboard the band is […]
It’s been 25 years since Eminem announced himself on the international stage with his iconic, revered 1999 album The Slim Shady LP. The album — technically his second, but his first on major label Interscope — included huge singles like “Guilty Conscience,” “Role Model” and, most significantly, “My Name Is,” which introduced his alter-ego character Slim Shady to the world. His even bigger followup album, 2000’s The Marshall Mathers LP, doubled down with “The Real Slim Shady,” which hit No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spawned one of the most iconic awards show performances of all time, with the bleach-blonde-haired hip-hop superstar lording over his legion of lookalikes.
But it’s been a quarter century since then, and Slim Shady is dead, locked in Eminem’s basement. The final nail came with his latest album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace), which this week became Em’s 11th album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, racking up 281,000 equivalent album units and landing the biggest week for a hip-hop album this year so far. In addition to the star power that Eminem brings with any new release, the album’s big first week was also the result of a meticulous, months-long marketing rollout involving Fortnite activations, a mock true crime video, print newspaper obituaries and big-time singles like “Houdini,” which landed at No. 2 on the Hot 100 upon its release. And it helps earn Interscope Geffen A&M senior vp of marketing Jason Sangerman the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week.
Trending on Billboard
Here, Sangerman — who has worked on 11 Eminem albums himself over the course of his career — talks about that extended marketing plan, the collaborations with Eminem and his longtime manager and Shady Records CEO Paul Rosenberg to set the record up, and what comes next. “The great thing about an artist like Eminem is he keeps everyone guessing, and that includes us, so it keeps you operating at the highest level,” he says.
This week, Eminem’s latest album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace), debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with the biggest first week for a hip-hop album this year. What key decision did you make to help make that happen?
Everything we do when we begin to engage in discussions around the marketing strategy is led by Eminem and his partner and manager Paul Rosenberg. Once we have our initial plan, the Shady Records team and the larger Interscope team begin building it out. There’s a ton of brainstorming and we all work well bouncing ideas off one another — but when it comes to the execution, precision is non-negotiable.
The key to this rollout was thinking and working comprehensively. It always starts with the music. Marshall delivered yet another amazing album; this time it also came with a high-concept narrative woven throughout. We put a plan together with Paul that gave us plenty of runway to activate all the essential components — social platforms, press, radio, DSPs, D2C, gaming, our Complex relationship, IRL pop-ups, etc. The plan not only enabled us to engage his global fanbase, but we created new entry points for prospective fans, which was key to a successful launch.
The concept of this album — killing off the iconic alter ego of one of the most successful rappers of all time — must have both been a marketer’s dream and nearly overwhelming to contemplate. How did you approach setting it up?
The character of Slim Shady and the world built around him is all Marshall’s creation. It’s always a privilege to help provide a tangible experience for the fans based off his ideas, and so a lot of the marketing plan starts directly from Marshall and Paul. The larger Interscope team then creates a space to augment and build upon those innovative ideas. It’s always critical, but especially so given the nature of this particular album, to get the chronology right for each moment. We couldn’t make a move that would potentially give away something planned for a future payoff.
In what ways were you able to call back to the original Slim Shady character from 25 years ago?
It’s so wild to hear “25 years ago,” because Eminem was the first concert I saw when I was growing up. It was the Slim Shady Tour at the House of Blues on Sunset. I still have the original T-shirt. That colorful crayon style Slim Shady logo was one of the pieces that was brought back into the mix for this album. Once “Houdini” was released, there were elements of nostalgia in everything we did, and they became Easter eggs for the album marketing — the “Rap Boy” costume, the blonde hair, a flash mob of “real” Slim Shadys popping up in Washington Square Park in New York, etc.
The Complex “Face Off” piece is of course an integral part of the campaign, and a key element in explaining the concept around the album. It goes without saying that Marshall has earned the right to be very judicious about the way he puts himself out there to the world. Complex came to us with a really creative idea that builds off the album’s narrative and brings it to life in a way that makes sense for him and his fans.
Another important element to all of this is that many of us at Interscope have been working with Eminem and Paul for years. Some of us, like [vice chairman] Steve Berman, since the very first record. So, there’s an institutional knowledge built in among the team that we bring to each Eminem release, and we definitely tapped into that for this campaign.
How were you able to use the singles and music videos to help promote the album and its themes?
The great thing about an artist like Eminem is he keeps everyone guessing, and that includes us, so it keeps you operating at the highest level. Of course, he’s dropped albums recently with little to no warning as surprise releases, but in this case, we were having conversations with Paul and Marshall in Detroit about the best way to roll out this project last year. Given the album’s theme, they wanted there to be true singles along with videos to set the project up. Paul and the team at Shady led those conversations. They’ve always had an extraordinary vision.
Obviously, Eminem’s songwriting is unparalleled, but he’s also a super visual artist. So the video for “Houdini” was crucial to launching this campaign. It has a similar energy to first singles from earlier albums — so right there you have another benefit of the team’s long-term continuity. We had the ability to tap into a collective knowledge base from past releases. The “Houdini” video allowed fans who have always loved Slim to reconnect while introducing the character to a new generation of fans.
“Houdini” was the spark that activated everything we had been planning for so long. Every single person on the team did their part to help mobilize and expand fandom around the track. We always try to build an entire world around a release, and the immediate global reaction to “Houdini” allowed us to pour gasoline on the fire.
How was the rollout for this project different from any other in Eminem’s career — and in your career as well?
This plan started well before the album was announced. If you look back at the Eminem and Fortnite activation from the end of last year, you’ll see that some of the aspects in that collaboration included throwback Slim Shady themes — the popcorn trail started all the way back then. There was a long roadmap leading up to the album release that had storytelling components every week, using every medium that made sense. We used advanced AI technology in some of our visuals, but we also ran a fake “true crime” show commercial on TV to announce the album, and then we took out the Slim Shady obituaries as print-only media in physical newspapers. Some of the music critics at those papers didn’t even see them until they got traction from other outlets. Regarding my career, this is the 11th Eminem project I’ve worked — I’m just lucky to be anywhere around something like this.
Slim Shady is dead. Where does Eminem go from here?
Eminem always likes the element of surprise, and since I don’t need him making an album called “The Death of Jason Sangerman,” I’ll leave that up to him to answer.
LONDON — Record companies that actively embrace sustainability are more efficient, more innovative and more likely to appeal to artists, fans and employees, according to research carried out by European independent labels trade body IMPALA.
The Brussels-based organization’s inaugural report into the economic benefits of sustainability, published Thursday (July 25), says that labels who have implemented green measures, such as reducing travel and shifting distribution from air to sea freight, make cost savings over time and reduce waste.
Other rewards identified by IMPALA members who took part in the survey include tax breaks for sustainable initiatives and the ability to gain a competitive advantage over less-eco-friendly businesses when it comes to attracting and retaining artists, especially from younger musicians who place sustainability high among their list of priorities.
Trending on Billboard
Labels and music companies who have taken environmentally friendly action additionally benefit from an improved brand image among music fans and a more creative and forward-thinking business culture, said the trade group.
The report’s findings are based on qualitative interviews IMPALA conducted earlier this year with a number of European indie labels signed up to the organization’s sustainability task force, including Beggars Group, Ninja Tune, PIAS, Warp and Domino.
Independent research projects carried out by U.K. labels trade body BPI, professional services company PWC and Harvard Business Review into sustainability also fed into the report’s findings.
Helen Smith, executive chair of IMPALA, said its research indicated that the adoption of sustainability practices by record companies benefits not just the planet but also delivers “concrete advantages in other areas such as attracting artists, reducing costs, hiring and retaining employees,” as well as “being seen as a [market] leader.”
“The question of futureproofing is also important as companies see sustainability as an opportunity before it becomes a burden, and this pays off almost immediately,” said Smith in a statement accompanying the report.
IMPALA, which represents 6,000 independently owned European labels and music companies in 33 countries, launched its sustainability program in 2021. It aims to halve the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions before 2050.
To help reach those goals the organization devised a carbon footprint calculator for member labels to measure and reduce their emissions. So far, nearly 150 labels have signed up to the initiative, which has now been rolled out to the U.S. in partnership with the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM).
IMPALA’s first carbon footprint calculator data report, which was published last year, found that the biggest source of carbon emissions for the indie sector is manufacturing (predominantly vinyl production), followed by the distribution of physical products.
To help tackle the climate crisis record labels around the world are taking positive steps to become more sustainable by reducing waste, water, electricity and fuel consumption.
Other green practices that have been recently introduced by IMPALA members include replacing plastic jewel CD cases with cardboard ones and switching vinyl production from PVC compound to the more environmentally friendly polyethylene terephthalate (PET) material, which equates to a 70-80% reduction in energy consumption, says the organization. Opting for 140g vinyl instead of 180g also lowers production costs and labels’ environmental impact, it adds.
Members of IMPALA’s sustainability task force noted that green initiatives had a significant impact on the quantity and quality of job applications they received, improving employee retention and workplace culture.
“We’re proud to have sustainability as one of our core company values and have seen this translated with attracting and retaining top talent, said Horst Weidenmueller, chair of IMPALA’s sustainability task force and CEO of K7 Music.
Last month, the Germany-based label became one of the first indies to receive B Corp certification in recognition of its social and environmental practices. “It’s great to see consumers and suppliers moving in the same direction,” said Weidenmueller in a statement.
According to a 2022 survey by U.K. charity Music Declares Emergency and the University of Glasgow, music fans are more likely to care about climate change and place a higher priority on tackling the crisis than non-music fans. A different survey by U.K. entertainment product manufacturer Key Production found that 71% of 18–24-year-old respondents were willing to spend more on physical music products with a reduced environmental impact. Across all age groups, 50% of respondents said they would pay a premium price for eco-friendly merchandise, CDs or records.
In line with consumers’ growing concerns around environmental issues, sustainability has become a key focus and area of investment for the wider music industry.
Last year, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group joined forces to establish the Music Industry Climate Collective (MICC) – a new alliance to address and lessen the sector’s environmental impact, which is being assisted and advised by A2IM.
In 2021, all three major record companies, plus independent labels BMG, Beggars, Partisan, Warp, Ninja Tune and the Secretly Group, signed up to the Music Climate Pact, a wide-ranging commitment to “decarbonize” the global record business.
MELBOURNE, Australia — In a restructuring that’s touted as one of the most significant changes to Mushroom Group in more than two decades, the independent music powerhouse unveils Mushroom Music — a new division that incorporates its recording, publishing and neighboring rights activities.
Unveiled Thursday, July 25 with a new website and social presence, Mushroom Music is said to be the largest music collective of its kind in the region, representing the likes of Vance Joy, Kylie Minogue, The Teskey Brothers, Jimmy Barnes, Childish Gambino, Kehlani, Julia Jacklin, Archie Roach, Wolf Alice, Amy Shark, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Missy Higgins, Confidence Man and many others.
Mushroom Music has been several years in the making, explains Mushroom Group CEO Matt Gudinski. “This transformation,” he says, “is about harnessing the collective strengths and experience of our individual recording, publishing and neighboring rights companies.
Trending on Billboard
Leading Mushroom Music as co-CEOs are Chris Maund (formerly COO Mushroom Labels & Publishing) and Linda Bosidis (formerly managing director Mushroom Music Publishing), reporting to Gudinski.
Within the new structure, Bosidis remains primarily focused on the publishing division and Maund on recordings, neighboring rights and new opportunities, while neighboring rights specialist Susan Cotchin continues to lead the Good Neighbour business as managing director.
With the changes, Mushroom’s record labels Liberation Records, Ivy League Records, Bloodlines, Liberator Music, Soothsayer and 100s + 1000s are now part of the Mushroom Music pot, and will not longer “outwardly” exist, Maund explains. “We had expanded to eight separate record labels, which doesn’t make sense strategically or efficiently for a single independent music company.” I OH YOU and Valve Sounds will remain standalone label partners of Mushroom Music.
Mushroom Music’s restructured executive team includes Damian Slevison (managing director, A&R and commercial), Dan Baker (managing director, strategy & audience), Julia Hill (director, media & artist relations), Dean McLachlan (senior director, iconic artists and catalogue), Korda Marshall (managing director, world ex-ANZ), Erol Yurdagul (senior director, A&R and creative), Layne Buckley (manager, A&R), Johann Ponniah (founder, I OH YOU Group), Nick Dunshea (senior director, international & operations) and Madeleine O’Gorman (general manager, UK/Europe).
By consolidating the labels, it’s enabled the new division to bring A&R into a single team led by Slevison; its media, streaming, marketing, and audience functions are merged into a single, fully aligned department led by Baker; and the social media and audience team is expanding with new hires, and a streamlined global marketing team is being created across Mushroom’s Australian, U.K., and U.S. offices. “It’s going to make a big difference,” says Maund.
Adds Bosidis, “the new setup aims to streamline our operations and broaden idea-sharing within the company. As co-CEOs, Chris and I will have distinct roles: I will focus on publishing, Chris on recordings, neighboring rights, and other strategic areas.” And despite their separate responsibilities, “we will collaborate closely on vision, strategy, and company culture for Mushroom Music.”
The launch of Mushroom Music follows the group’s 50th birthday celebrations in 2023, which, along the way, involved a raft of releases, both musical, visual and branded merchandise, and culminated in an all-star concert at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena. Fittingly, a life-size statute of Michael Gudinski, the legendary late entrepreneur who formed Mushroom Group all those years ago, stands facing the arena.
“It’s been a long journey to really get to this point,” Matt Gudinski says of Mushroom Music. “A big part of it was really bringing everyone together, aligning everyone’s priorities and strengths, and also creating a greater pathway for people and a greater set up to attract the best people to be part of Mushroom’s infrastructure.”
This new setup is the “most significant change to how Mushroom supports Australian artists since the sale of Mushroom Records in 1998.”
Dick Asher, a titan of the music industry who held presidential roles at both PolyGram and Columbia Records, has passed away at the age of 92, Variety has confirmed.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
His son Jeffrey annoucned via Facebook that Asher passed away peacefully at his home in Boca Raton, Fla. on Tuesday, July 25.
“It is with a heavy heart to inform y’all that my father, one of the legendary executives of the music industry, passed away yesterday afternoon at the age of 92!! Here he is in London England presenting Mott the Hoople with awards for sales of their albums,” Jeffrey wrote alongside a photograph of his father alongside the British rockers.
Trending on Billboard
Born in New York City in 1932, Asher’s career in the music industry spanned over four decades, with his tenure coinciding with the careers of some of music’s biggest names, including Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, and Bon Jovi.
He began his professional journey after graduating from Tufts University and Cornell Law School. Following his service in the Marine Corps, he joined CBS Records (now Sony Music) in the mid-1960s as vice president of business affairs.
Perhaps one of the most notable moments in Asher’s early career was his meeting with Bob Dylan during the singer’s recovery from a near-fatal motorcycle accident in 1966.
Asher traveled to Woodstock, New York, to negotiate Dylan’s contract renewal, a task that few others were able to accomplish during that period. Reflecting on the meeting, Asher once recounted asking Dylan about his new music, to which Dylan replied, “It’s a little further on down the road.”
After a brief stint at Capitol Records, Asher returned to CBS in 1971 and worked closely with Clive Davis at Columbia Records.
He was instrumental in revitalizing the company’s struggling U.K. division and was later promoted to head of international operations. In the late 1970s, as the music industry faced a downturn due to the decline of disco, Asher was named deputy president of Columbia Records, playing a crucial role in stabilizing the company’s finances.
Asher’s most significant contribution to the music industry came in the 1980s when he took a stand against the powerful network of independent promoters, known as “The Network.”
These promoters had monopolized radio airplay through payola and other questionable practices.
As detailed in Frederic Dannen’s book Hit Men, Asher attempted to break free from their influence by releasing Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 1” without their involvement.
However, the song initially faced significant resistance from major radio stations. Despite this, Asher’s determination ultimately contributed to Congressional hearings that exposed and dismantled the network’s operations in the mid-1980s.
Asher’s tenure at Columbia Records came to an end in 1983 after conflicts with the company’s president, Walter Yetnikoff. He subsequently joined Warner Communications and later became the president and CEO of PolyGram Records in 1985. During his time at PolyGram, the company released several blockbuster albums, including Bon Jovi’s “Slippery When Wet” and Def Leppard’s “Hysteria.”
Despite these successes, Asher left PolyGram in 1990 following a contractual dispute.
After departing PolyGram, Asher returned to law practice and provided consultancy services to various artists and companies.
He also became an original director for Electronic Arts, serving in this capacity for 24 years. In the 1990s, he moved to Florida and later joined Florida Atlantic University as an affiliate professor of commercial music, where he played a pivotal role in establishing the school’s recording studio.
Asher is survived by his wife, Sheila, and his son, Jeffrey. He also leaves behind four grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
Pipe Bueno has inked a deal with Warner Music Latina, becoming the label’s latest signee deriving from Colombia’s música popular scene, the company tells Billboard.
The agreement was made with Bueno’s management companies Ocesa Seitrack, where he’s represented by Alex Mizrahi and Octavio Padilla, and JB Management, where he’s represented by Juan Guillermo Ballesteros. He signed with both companies last year. Campaigns for the 32-year-old Colombian artist will be managed and operated from the Warner Música Mexicana division in Los Angeles, with the support of Warner Music Mexico.
“At some point, I envisioned being backed by one of the best record labels in the world, and without a doubt, Warner Music is one of them,” said Bueno in a statement. “I am excited to know that today I am signing with a company that has begun to believe in Colombian regional music, and has its eyes set on our genre. I have high expectations, and Warner Music’s support will be crucial in achieving everything I have in mind.”
Trending on Billboard
“For us, making this signing happen was very important,” added Ballesteros. “We have achieved an incredible partnership with a total focus on everything that surrounds Pipe Bueno…his music and all his projects as a brand. We want to elevate the Colombian genre to another level, and we are confident we have found the best way to do it with Warner Music.”
Under the new deal, Bueno announces his upcoming album. According to a press release, it “promises a unique fusion, showcasing his Colombian regional music while honoring and celebrating Mexican regional music.” His debut single under the label, “Una Pregunta” featuring Gerardo “El Jerry” Coronel, premieres Thursday (July 25).
“We are delighted to welcome Pipe Bueno to the Warner Music family,” said Roberto Andrade Dirak, MD of Warner Music Latina. “His dedication and passion for Colombian popular music are inspiring, and we are proud to be part of this new stage in his career.”
Rubén Abraham, GM of Mexican music at Warner Music Latina, added: “He’s an artist who respects and deeply understands the essence of Mexican regional music. His upcoming album is a great opportunity to continue boosting Pipe’s career in Mexico and the United States; it features high-level collaborations that reinforce Pipe’s credibility and respect in Mexican music.”
The artist born Andrés Felipe Giraldo Bueno launched his self-titled debut album in 2008 and has since risen to pioneer “la música popular Colombiana,” a musical genre that fuses traditional folk music from the Paisa Region with Regional Mexican elements, such as mariachi and ranchera. The genre is locally known as “música de cantina” and is played at every parranda, parties that feature local music and food. Bueno has since laced the genre with urban and pop rhythms by teaming up with artists such as Wisin, Zion and Darrel. He has also collaborated twice with his good friend and colleague Maluma on the tracks “La Invitación” (2014) and “Tequila” (2020). The former track peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay chart in 2017.
In a major leadership and strategic shakeup at the world’s top K-pop company, HYBE promoted Jason Jaesang Lee to be the company’s new chief executive officer on Wednesday (July 24), replacing Jiwon Park, according to a press release.
Lee previously served as president of HYBE America and chief strategy officer, a role which saw him lead HYBE’s 2021 acquisition of Scooter Braun‘s Ithaca Holdings and spearhead the Seoul-based company’s initial public offering in 2020.
In positioning him at the top of the company, HYBE said Lee “is the central figure for the forthcoming ‘HYBE 2.0’ strategy rollout,” a global expansion plan that has been in the works since the start of 2024.
Trending on Billboard
“Jason is an entertainment industry veteran with vast experience in strategic planning and operations across both domestic and overseas businesses,” the company said in the statement. “Under his new leadership, we are looking forward to advancing as a global entertainment lifestyle platform company.”
More than the home of BTS, HYBE’s budding empire has expanded in the U.S. and Latin American music markets in recent years with the November acquisition of Exile Music, the music division of Spanish-language studio Exile Content, and HYBE America’s acquisition of hip-hop label Quality Control and, before that, the country powerhouse Big Machine Label Group.
HYBE’s revenue-generating engine showed signs of slowing earlier this year when the company reported in May that its first quarter revenue fell to the lowest point in two years, and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) fell to the lowest point since the first quarter of 2021.
Park, who was named CEO in July 2021 when HYBE founder Bang Si-Hyuk transitioned to board chairman, “decided to step down … [and] will continue to contribute to the company’s growth strategy by leveraging his expertise in the intersection of entertainment and technology,” according to the statement.
During Park’s tenure as CEO, HYBE more than doubled its revenue and operating profit and became the first Korean entertainment company ever to generate more than 2 trillion Korean won ($1.4 billion) in revenue.