Record Labels
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In 2023 so far, what’s happened in the last three months of the year largely mirrors the first when it comes to U.S. record label market share: the top two albums of the year — Morgan Wallen’s One Thing At a Time (Big Loud/Mercury/Republic) and SZA’s S.O.S. (TDE/RCA) — are still dominating the top two slots among consumption albums through June 29, according to Luminate. But while that may come as little surprise to industry chart-watchers, the rest of the top five points to a relatively surprising level of domination by one record label in particular: Republic Records.
In the first quarter of the year, Republic — which encompasses Island, Big Loud, Mercury, Cash Money and indie distributor Imperial — put up a current market share (defined as albums released within the past 18 months) of 12.45%, nearly five percentage points higher than second-placed Interscope Geffen A&M’s 7.75% (Interscope also encompasses Verve Label Group). At the end of the first half of the year, Republic’s current share stands at 12.46% — a remarkable level of consistency that shows the staying power of Republic’s current big releases, even as IGA has tightened the gap a bit, posting an 8.08% mark of its own to remain in second place.
Republic’s 12.46% current share at the midway point is also a significant leap from where it stood at the halfway mark in 2022, when it posted a current share of 8.92%, good for third place behind leaders Atlantic Records (9.92%) and second-placed Interscope (9.36%). Republic releases — chiefly Wallen’s album, but also Taylor Swift’s Midnights (one week) and Stray Kids’ 5 Star (one week) — spent all 13 weeks of the second quarter at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, part of a run of 17 straight weeks that only ended with Lil Uzi Vert’s new album Pink Tape.
Both Republic’s consistency and Interscope’s growth helped propel parent company Universal Music Group to a 34.48% current market share at the midyear mark, an improvement over both its first quarter current share (33.59%) and its current share at the midyear mark of 2022 (33.18%). Sony Music, in second place at 27.54%, dipped slightly from its huge Q1 current share of 28.46%, though it is still up significantly from the midyear mark in 2022, when it posted a 26.01% current share. And the Warner Music Group, in third among the major corporations, grew to 17.26% at the halfway mark of the year in current share, up from Q1’s 16.81% and 2022’s 15.33%. The collection of indie labels came in at 20.72% in current share at midyear, down from 21.15% in Q1.
Atlantic, in third among current share, grew to 7.34% at the midyear mark from 7.22% in Q1, though still down from the leading 9.92% it had midway through 2022. (Atlantic includes the combined 300 Elektra Entertainment Group.) But Capitol Music Group — which includes Motown/Quality Control, Blue Note, Astralwerks, Capitol Christian and indie distributor Virgin Music — surged from sixth place in Q1 2023 (5.56%) to fourth at the midyear market (6.00%), up significantly from the 4.31% it posted at the midway mark of 2022. Fifth-placed Warner Records (encompassing catalog label Rhino, Warner Latin and the bulk of Warner Nashville) also jumped two slots, from seventh in Q1 to fifth at midyear, to put up a 5.62% current share, up from 5.23% in Q1 and a 4.63% mark halfway through 2022.
Those two jumps from Capitol and Warner mean that Columbia (which includes some labels from indie distributor RED) and RCA Records slide down to sixth and seventh among current share, respectively. Columbia dipped from 5.85% in Q1 to 5.16% at the midyear mark in 2023 — though down significantly from the 6.65% it had at midyear 2022 — while RCA dropped from 5.76% in Q1 to 4.98% at the halfway point this year, a mark which is improved from the 4.31% it posted midway through 2022.
Rounding out the top 10 among current share is a trio of Sony labels, including two that made large strides: Sony Nashville, in eighth, at 2.55%, which grew from 2.30% in the first quarter and 1.72% midway through 2022; and Sony Latin in ninth, at 1.95%, up from 1.92% in Q1 and 1.22% halfway through 2022. Epic Records, at 1.82%, came in 10th in current share, dropping from 2.06% in Q1 and 2.24% at this time last year.
But current market share — while a strong indicator of recent performance for any label — does not tell the whole story, particularly at a time when Luminate reports that catalog (albums older than 18 months old, or the bulk of many major labels’ repertoire) share has increased again in 2023 so far, to 72.8% of all consumption from 72.4% in 2022, with a corresponding drop for current from 27.6% to 27.2%. And when taking into account all consumption, Interscope actually leads the U.S. industry in overall market share, posting a 9.48% mark at the midway point of 2023, up from 9.44% in Q1 and slightly down from its leading 9.80% mark halfway through 2022. That nudges Republic into second, ever so slightly, at 9.34% in overall share, a number that is also up from its Q1 mark (9.16%) and a significant increase from midyear 2022, when it posted a 7.96% share and came in third.
Outside those top two labels, the next handful of slots in the top 10 remain in the same order as their current share rankings, with Atlantic (8.31%) equalling its Q1 mark despite falling from the 9.30% it had in 2022; and Capitol also remaining static over Q1, posting a 6.70% (from 6.68% in Q1 and 6.06% in 2022). Warner (6.55%), in fifth, swapped positions with Columbia (6.23%) from their respective Q1 showings, while RCA (5.27%), in seventh, dropped from its 5.50% in Q1 but improved on its 4.92% mark from midway last year. Epic (2.54%), Sony Nashville (2.13%) and Def Jam (1.88%) rounded out the top 10 in overall market share.
Among the major label groups, UMG grew from 37.25% in overall share at the midpoint of last year to 37.98% this year, while Sony grew a full percentage point, jumping to 27.34% from last year’s mark of 26.34%. Warner Music Group, meanwhile, jumped significantly from 16.26% midway through 2022 to 18.75% halfway through this year, largely at the expense of the Indies, which fell from 20.15% to 15.93% in overall share this year.
With a refreshingly fearless attitude in their self-crafted smash singles, one of which was the No. 1 K-pop song of last year as chosen by Billboard critics, (G)I-DLE has become creative leaders in the latest generation of South Korean–pop acts. Now, the girl group takes another big step to stay ahead of the pack.
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Billboard can exclusively reveal a new partnership between Asian-focused music and media company 88rising and K-pop mega-label and management agency Cube Entertainment that officially begins via a new single from the latter’s chart-topping girl group.
Releasing this week, “I DO” comes as the K-Pop Stars to Watch‘s first-ever original English single. The heartfelt mid-tempo strikes a noticeably different chord than the group’s recent string of brash and bold bangers like “Queencard,” “Nxde” and “Tomboy” and shines via a sweet, emotional and easy-to-sing-along-to vocal performance from members Soyeon, Minnie, Miyeon, Yuqi and Shuhua. Cube and 88rising confirm that “I DO” is the first track off HEAT, the name of (G)I-DLE’s upcoming EP co-executive produced by 88rising via the collaboration.
“We’re very excited about the release of HEAT, which will be our first EP fully in English,” says Woohyung Ahn, CEO of Cube Entertainment, to note the company’s first original English-language project in its nearly 17-year history. “HEAT is all about being confident and bringing the spirit of an endless summer with you wherever you go. We hope that the release of HEAT will allow us to bring the message and mission of (G)I-DLE to the whole world.”
“We’ve been a fan of (G)-IDLE for a long time because, creatively, they are so in tune and involved with the music and stuff they put out,” adds 88rising CEO and founder Sean Miyashrio. “That was something to me that was refreshing about the group that I always felt. I was just like, ‘Wow, they really know what they want to do which is really important—it makes the process so much more meaningful when there is such a firm belief and point of view the artists have and I felt really honored that they would be open to collaborate with us.”
88rising executive vice president John Yang shares, “When we met (G)I-DLE members, they were just so full of excitement and positivity; their energy is contagious—it’s something I haven’t experienced before and, naturally, we just got really excited about what we could do together.”
Cube noted 88rising’s “in-depth knowledge about the music industry” and strength in “A&R and creative infrastructure” throughout the collaboration process, while Yang specifically highlighted (G)I-DLE’s 24-year-old leader and primary songwriter and producer. “Soyeon knows what she wants and thinks of every member in so much detail for every song from the delivery of the vocal to the tone and the overall cadence of the song—she truly is a genius.”
While 88rising has bulked up its roster with signings from the K-pop space like LØREN, Jackson Wang, BIBI, Chung Ha and Seori in recent years, Miyashrio notes this EP has been in the works for a year after their initial introduction.
“Just like I need to have a real connection with the artists and projects we work on…we just got to work, simple as that,” the 88rising CEO and founder says. “(G)I-DLE are super confident and have a great understanding of who they are and what they want to do. At the end of the day, we just want to support what already is such a force however we can; that’s what makes all of this fulfilling.”
“I DO” drops on Thursday, July 13, at 8 p.m. ET (Friday, July 14 at 9 a.m. KST) alongside an official music video. Meanwhile, HEAT releases globally on Thursday, Sept. 7, at 8 p.m ET. Pre-order for the record will go live alongside the release of “I DO.”
When introducing myself as the vp of marketing and wellness at Guin Records, a title that doesn’t conform to the usual melody of the music industry, I’m often met with raised eyebrows and intrigued inquiries. This blending of roles — pairing the vibrant, creative world of marketing with the crucial, human aspect of wellness — might seem unconventional to most in our industry. Yet, this combination isn’t just possible. It’s essential and, I would argue, long overdue.
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The responsibilities of my role involve walking the line between two worlds. I champion and promote the music our artists create, steering the narrative to connect deeply with new audiences and core fans. Simultaneously, I cultivate an environment that nurtures the mental and emotional well-being of our artists and staff.
At Guin Records, we embed wellness into the very fabric of our ethos and values. We recognize that the creative process, while exhilarating, can also be emotionally taxing. We acknowledge the highs and lows, the euphoria and the vulnerability that come with artistic expression. Therefore, we prioritize the well-being of our artists, empowering them to create and share their music in a sustainable and healthy way.
Why is this important? Because music is profoundly human. The music that touches our souls, the lyrics that resonate with our experiences and the performances that captivate our senses — all are born from the hearts and minds of individuals. Artists, like all of us, require support, care and an environment conducive to their growth and well-being.
How do we accomplish this? By acknowledging that an artist’s well-being is not a peripheral concern but a core element that directly impacts their art as well as our bottom line. As a concrete step, we offer non-recoupable wellness stipends to our artists. This financial support allows them the freedom to invest in their mental and physical health without burden.
Moreover, we maintain a strong alliance with non-profit entities like Backline, ensuring our artists and team members have readily available mental health resources. We’ve proudly signed the “Breaking The Barriers” pledge, committed to helping knock down long-standing roadblocks that often keep BIPOC communities from getting the mental health care they need. To further our investment in our team’s well-being, we’ve instituted a “Mental Health Day Policy.” This grants our employees the liberty to take much-needed breaks for personal rejuvenation; fostering a culture of prevention against burnout. After all, in nurturing our people, we nurture the music.
So I call on my industry peers to turn the volume up on this crucial conversation. Let’s recognize that a healthy artist creates better music, and a team that feels supported performs better. Let’s shift our industry narrative to one that doesn’t just produce beautiful music but also upholds the well-being of the beautiful minds behind it.
By prioritizing wellness, we’re setting the stage for a more sustainable, empathetic and human-centered music industry. By championing the music we love while investing in the well-being of those who create it, we pave the way for a sustainable industry that supports everyone involved. It’s not just about the end product but about the process, the people and the passion that fuel it all.
Brandon Holman is vp of marketing & wellness at Guin Records, whose artist roster includes Asha Imuno. Holman is also co-founder of The Lazuli Collective, an experiential wellness agency that delivers wellness and mental health programming to audiences around the world through events, music and consultancies including the Coachella Arts and Music Festival.
300 Entertainment continues to bolster its roster of young talent with the signing of newest act BlakeIANA, a Midwest-based rapper on the rise for her song “BING BONG.” “When I heard BlakeIANA, I was impressed and definitely excited by the sound,” 300 Entertainment co-president Selim Bouab tells Billboard. “Once I sat down with her face-to-face, […]
Nigerian DJ/producer Spinall has officially signed with Epic Records, the company tells Billboard.
“Spinall is one of the continent’s best musical exports. A preeminent curator and driver of culture. His collaborations have the potential to take music from Africa to new heights globally, and we are extremely energized about our partnership with him here at Epic,” says Ezekiel “Zeke” Lewis, president of Epic Records, in a statement to Billboard.
“It’s really, really tough when you’ve been independent for a minute. But after discussing with Sylvia [Rhone, CEO/chairwoman of Epic Records] and Zeke, they gave me the most confidence that I would ever need — bringing me on, speaking to me and listening and being so sweet. Sylvia and Zeke convinced me in the first meeting that I’m home,” he tells Billboard.
“They have a proven record of doing amazing partnerships with different talents from all over the world. So I’m super excited, and there’s gonna be a lot of good music. I’m excited to be working with a set of people who genuinely love music. We just want to spread the gospel of good music all around the world.”
Spinall (real name Oluseye Desmond Sodamola) is already spreading the word through his new single “Loju” featuring Wizkid, which he released today (June 30) as his official Epic debut. “It’s a very special record because of our history together as partners in making some of the best Afrobeats records,” he says of his frequent collaborator, with whom he’s worked on “Nowo,” “Opoju,” “Dis Love” (with Tiwa Savage) and more. “Wizkid is someone I respect a lot. He has done collaborations with everybody on the continent, and he’s still doing it. Every time we link up, the energy is just different. Our friendship is beyond the music.”
“Loju” arrives four months after he released his sixth studio album, Top Boy, on Feb. 17 via his own record label/management company, TheCAP Music. Top Boy — which was featured on Billboard‘s 50 best albums of 2023 (so far) list — contains hit singles “Sere” featuring Fireboy DML (and 6lack on the remix) and “Palazzo” featuring Asake, the former of which has 16.3 million official on-demand streams in the U.S. and 71 million official global on-demand streams.
“Palazzo” peaked at No. 6 on Billboard‘s U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart, while “Power (Remember Who You Are)” featuring Summer Walker, DJ Snake and Äyanna — which was originally featured in The Flipper’s Skate Heist short film and then added to Top Boy — peaked at No. 16 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs.
“A lot of amazing records on the tape. The whole goal behind that is to spread the music and spread the entire culture of what we do in Africa,” he says.
After receiving his BSc degree in electrical and electronics engineering at Olabisi Onabanjo University in Nigeria’s Ogun State, Spinall attended several DJ schools to hone in on his musical talent. In 2014, he launched TheCAP Music, which stands for “TheCrazyAzzParty” and also symbolizes the traditional Yoruba caps he wears, and signed producers Killertunes and Stunna the following year. He had previously signed an international record deal with Atlantic Records U.K. and a publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music U.K. Spinall has released all six of his albums through TheCAP Music.
Last year, he opened for Bruno Mars in Sydney, Australia for two nights and DJed at Jay-Z‘s Oscars Gold Party. “My work speaks for itself…. I’m not new to the big stage,” Spinall says. “There’s no other goal than making happy music. If you look at my discography, that’s what I’ve done over the years and that’s what I’ll continue to do till the day I die!”
For management, Spinall is represented by Tolulope Shodamola, COO/general manager of TheCAP Music, as well as LVRN’s Tunde Balogun (president/co-founder), Amber Grimes (executive vp/general manager) and Justice Baiden (head of A&R/co-president).
Universal Music Group Nashville has named Charlene Bryant as senior vp of business development & strategy.
Bryant brings with her a track record of experience and success in genres including country, Christian and hip-hop. The Ohio native and Belmont University graduate previously spent five years leading artist management company Riveter Management, which she founded in 2018. Bryant was named one of Billboard‘s R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players in 2020 and 2021 and was part of CMT and mtheory’s inaugural equal access development program.
“Charlene has spent her career in artist development and learning to merge cultures of Christian, R&B, Hip-Hop and Country music,” says UMG Nashville chair & CEO Cindy Mabe. “She’s had success at major labels and independents, as well as success as an entrepreneur. As Universal Nashville is investing deeper to expand our growth in partnering in innovation with entrepreneurs, the independent label sector as well as our sister labels, Charlene is the perfect person to help merge those worlds and cultures to help build the next era of Universal Music Group Nashville. I could not be more excited to have Charlene Bryant help build our vision.”
UMG Nashville’s latest hire comes under the leadership of Mabe, who officially took the chair/CEO reins of the label in April. In a memo to UMG Nashville staffers at the time, Mabe laid out a vision for the company going forward. Among her plans are to “dramatically expand our partnerships with independent labels and entrepreneurs.” Mabe added, “Inspiration and new ideas are coming from everywhere. Much of that innovation is coming from the independent sector, but by the same token there is so much more they could do if they partnered with us in key areas. Universal Nashville will actively take a role to position ourselves as the best partners to expand their growth and help develop and support these artists.”
As Mabe continues to build the leadership team at UMG Nashville, the company is also pulling from other industry sectors. In May, Chelsea Blythe was appointed as executive vp of A&R for UMG Nashville. Blythe previously served as senior vp of A&R at Def Jam, leading A&R efforts for artists including Armani White and 26AR. Blythe also worked at Columbia Records, signing artists including Baby Keem and developing artists including The Kid LAROI.
In the memo to UMG Nashville staffers in April, Mabe said the company also aims to “collaborate even closer (and more creatively) with our label colleagues around the world where we can leverage each other’s strengths to break artists who are either signed to their rosters or ours. There’s so much more we can do together.”
As part of that work with UMG Nashville’s sister labels, the label also recently announced its partnership with Capitol Christian Music Group to release new music from Grammy-nominated artist Anne Wilson (“My Jesus,” “Sunday Sermons”).
For the last 16 weeks, one label has topped the Billboard 200 – Republic Records. That marks the longest streak for any label at No. 1 since 1998, when the Titanic soundtrack kept the Sony Classical label afloat at No. 1, also for 16 weeks.
Republic has led the chart since the March 18-dated tally, when Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time (released via Big Loud/Mercury/Republic) debuted at No. 1. That album spent 12 weeks in a row at No. 1, and then stepped aside on the June 10 and 17 charts when Taylor Swift’s Midnights (on Republic) returned to the top and Stray Kids’ 5-STAR (JYP/Imperial/Republic) debuted at No. 1, respectively. One Thing at a Time then returned to No. 1 for the last two weeks (June 24 and July 1 charts).
Sony Classical was the last label to rule the Billboard 200 for 16 straight weeks – and it did so with just one album: the Titanic soundtrack. From the Jan. 24 through May 9, 1998-dated charts, the Titanic album sailed at No. 1 (the entirety of its run in the top spot).
Republic could capture a 17th straight week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (on the July 8 chart, the top 10 of which is slated to be announced Sunday, July 2). The last label to hold the No. 1 spot for 17 weeks was Mercury, in 1992, when Billy Ray Cyrus’ Some Gave All logged 17 consecutive frames at No. 1 (June 13-Oct. 3, 1992, the entirety of its weeks at No. 1).
Mercury Records was founded in 1945 and continued to operate as a label until the late 1990s. It was reactivated in 2007 but went dormant again in the mid-2010s. Most recently, in 2022, it was relaunched as an imprint of Republic Records. As for Republic, the company debuted as a label in 1995, co-founded by brothers Avery and Monte Lipman. Today, they are Republic’s chief operating officer and chief executive officer, respectively.
If Republic can manage a 17th and then an 18th week in a row at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (on the July 15 chart), it would mark the longest reign for a label since Capitol claimed the top slot for 18 straight frames with M.C. Hammer’s Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em in 1990 (on the July 7-Nov. 3, 1990-dated lists). Please Hammer spent a total of 21 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1.
One Thing at a Time recently made news as the album with the most total weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (14) since Adele’s 21 (released via XL/Columbia Records) collected 24 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 in 2011-12. That 24 weeks in the lead for 21 were pieced together through 10 different stays atop the list, none of which were long enough to give XL or Columbia 16 weeks in a row atop the list.
ZAYN has signed a new record deal with Mercury Records, Billboard can confirm. Along with the news, the singer wiped his social media yesterday and has launched a new pre-save link and teaser in preparation for his Mercury Records debut single, which is said by the label to be arriving “very soon this summer.”
A former member of One Direction and a chart topper in his own right, ZAYN was previously signed to RCA Records. Sources close to the singer told Billboard that the new music ZAYN is making marks a major departure from the sound that defined his previous hits like “PILLOWTALK” and “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever.”
Label president Tyler Arnold says of the deal, “As soon as ZAYN and I met, I knew we had to work together. I was blown away by the new music, but just as impressed by his vision, drive and spirit. We’re honored he and his team have joined us at Mercury Records. We’ve got an incredible opportunity to tell the next chapter of his story together.”
Mercury Records was relaunched in April 2022 as a U.S. imprint of Republic Records, helmed by Arnold and Ben Adelson as president and general manager, respectively. Mercury’s roster includes Post Malone, whom Arnold signed to Republic in 2015, and James Bay, signed by Adelson in 2014. Other signees at Mercury’s launch included Stephen Sanchez, Chelsea Cutler, Jeremy Zucker, Lord Huron, Noah Kahan, BoyWithUke, Ka$hdami, Lyn Lapid and Camylio.
Mercury Records also acts as the hub for Republic’s partnerships with Big Loud Records, home to Morgan Wallen, and Imperial Music, the independent distributor that released Bo Burnham‘s Inside (The Songs).
As a solo artist, ZAYN has released three records: Mind of Mine (2016), Icarus Falls (2018), and Nobody is Listening (2021). They peaked at No. 1, No. 61 and No. 44 on the Billboard 200 chart, respectively. He has also placed six songs in the top 50 on the Pop Airplay chart, including two in the top 10. “PILLOWTALK” peaked at No. 1, and “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” reached No. 2 on the chart. The two songs also reached those same chart positions on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart as well.
You can pre-save ZAYN’s upcoming single here.
Pulse Music Group, which already houses music publishing and artist management arms, has started Pulse Records with Concord. Pulse Music Group co-CEOs Scott Cutler and Josh Abraham, along with Ashley Calhoun, president and head of creative, will lead the label, which will be part of Universal Music Group-distributed Concord Label Group.
The deal builds on a partnership between Pulse and Concord started in 2020 when Concord’s music publishing division acquired a stake in Pulse Music Group to form a joint venture that included Concord administering Pulse’s catalog and future signings.
Pulse is in talks with a number of acts to join its label roster. “We have been looking to grow our Pulse Music Group brand into the records space for a while now. Given our background as producers and songwriters in our own right, we bring a unique perspective to working in the label space—but we knew we had to get our footing right,” said Abraham and Cutler in a joint statement. “Now with the 15-year success of our publishing division, a company we have built from scratch, we are surrounded by the very best in emerging talent and a highly curated roster.”
The pair added, “With Pulse Records we will continue to set a very high artistic bar. In addition to launching emerging talent, we have plans to work with artists that helped to redefine genres with whom we have created very strong relationships over the years that will soon be coming out of their existing deals… It takes the right business partners to build a business like this, and we couldn’t be happier to have the backing of Concord and the support and business acumen of its senior leadership team as we continue to grow Pulse Music Group and launch Pulse Records.”
Bob Valentine, Concord’s incoming CEO (he replaces outgoing CEO Scott Pascucci, effective July 1), added, “Scott, Josh, Ashley, and the team at Pulse have been a great collaborator with Concord in publishing some of the highest charting songs in the world. Globally recognized as one of the leading frontline creative teams and first-class incubators for culturally relevant music, Pulse Music Group is a company that Concord continues to greatly admire, and we couldn’t ask for more exceptional business partners as we work to launch Pulse Records.”
Pulse Records’ growing staff also includes senior vp/head of marketing Lauryn Caldwell, who joins from mtheory, where she was vp of marketing and artist partnerships. Sarah Ahmed, who was previously senior director of marketing at Atlantic Records, comes aboard as vp of marketing. Tazita Makuria, who joined Pulse in 2022, has been named vp of creative for both the publishing and label divisions, while former Almo Records exec Bel Masbahi will serve as creative director of A&R for both divisions.
Pulse Music Group, which Cutler, Abraham and songwriter Anne Preven started in 2007, has been on a hot streak lately. Isaac “Zac” De Boni & Michael “Finatik” Mulé (who goes by FNZ) took home song of the year honors at BMI Pop Awards for The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber’s “Stay,” while Tyler Johnson won the Ivor Novello Award for co-writing for Harry Styles’ “Stay.” Angel Lopez co-wrote “First Class” by Jack Harlow, while Gregory “Aldae” Hein co-wrote Miley Cyrus’s “Flowers.”
This week’s Billboard 200 is led by a paid of familiar faces in Morgan Wallen and former One Direction member Niall Horan. But coming in at No. 3 behind those two is a complete newcomer to the top echelon of the chart, with an album that’s more than eight months old: Noah Kahan’s Stick Season (Mercury/Republic), which saw its deluxe version come out and send the album soaring from No. 100 to No. 3 on the chart with 71,000 units, far and away the best mark of Kahan’s career.
It’s a big moment for Kahan, who also achieves a slew of additional firsts in his career: his first entry on the Hot 100, with the No. 43 debut of “Dial Drunk,” which also reached No. 1 on Hot Alternative Songs; and No. 1 album markers on Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums, Top Alternative Albums and Americana/Folk Albums for Stick Season, which saw a vinyl release of the original version the same day that the deluxe, with seven additional tracks, was released. And the rejuvenation of the album, and Kahan’s career-best marks, earns Mercury Records general manager Ben Adelson the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week.
Here, Adelson talks about the strategy for boosting Kahan’s album — his third for Republic (the label relaunched Mercury Records in April 2022 with executive vps of A&R Adelson and Tyler Arnold at the helm, at which point Kahan moved to Mercury) — to career highs, and how the label developed the singer and songwriter over the years to get to this point.
“The landscape of the business is always changing but the one thing that remains constant is true artistry,” Adelson says. “Our belief in Noah from the beginning has always been in him as a songwriter and artist.”
This week, Noah Kahan’s Stick Season jumped from No. 100 on the Billboard 200 to No. 3, becoming the highest-charting album of his career and his first-ever top 10. What key decisions did you make to help make that happen?
It was truly a team effort, from making the incredible records with Gabe Simon, Konrad Snyder, Carrie Karpinen and Ryan Hewitt to the amazing teams at Mercury Records, Republic Records and Noah’s management at Foundations Music. There was such a cohesive partnership between the songs, creative and rollout that the buildup to its release felt more about an artist than a singular song or moment.
Noah Kahan
Josh Goleman
This week’s deluxe reissue coincided with the first time the original was available on vinyl. What was your sales strategy with this release?
Alex Coslov, our head of marketing at Mercury, and Kevin Lipson, head of commerce for Republic, identified the fan demand for vinyl as we were releasing the original album. We started on production early and they saw the opportunity to deliver the vinyl on the same date as the new album. It was a key part of this week’s number, showing the true passion of Noah’s fans.
Last week, the album earned 11,000 equivalent album units; this week, that ballooned 574% to 71,000 units, with 48,000 of that unit count coming from streaming. What changed between the album’s initial release and this deluxe reissue that helped streams explode that much that quickly?
Sometimes, it’s just letting the music shine. Noah made a fantastic album featuring some of the best songs I’ve ever been a part of. With seven new tracks on Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever), we put a marketing strategy together of sharing the new music as early as possible with his core fan base. Alex Coslov and the team treated the rollout as a new album, not a reissue, and with engagement high throughout the past year that momentum brought in all the fans.
Latest single “Dial Drunk” is Kahan’s first No. 1 on Hot Alternative Songs and his first-ever song to hit the Hot 100, coming in at No. 43 this week. How have you built that song, and his profile at radio, to reach new heights in his career?
Noah Kahan and Noah Levine, who plays guitar in his band, wrote the song together and we knew it was special from the first time we heard it. Amanda Dobbins, Drew Hauser, Gary Spangler and the entire Republic radio team immediately started getting plans together, and with the amazing job they’d already done over the years at Triple A and Alternative, we were set up perfectly for this moment.
This is Kahan’s third album for Republic, and the first to reach this level of success. How did you bring him along steadily in an era of the music business when so much happens so fast?
The landscape of the business is always changing but the one thing that remains constant is true artistry. Our belief in Noah from the beginning has always been in him as a songwriter and artist. We’ve always wanted to support him however we could, and we followed his vision and passion for this album. At Mercury, giving artists the time to develop and find their path is what matters most to us.
What have you learned from watching his career grow? And what are the plans to continue growing from here?
We have learned at Mercury that supporting our artists’ creative visions and instincts is the best way to achieve true success. For Noah, that meant going back to his roots of growing up in Vermont and New England and using that to guide the album, art, marketing and creative. Noah’s accomplishments have reinforced our belief that taking the time with genuine artists and never cutting corners, even with the current challenge of breaking acts, truly works. We know things will only continue to grow for Noah and it is our responsibility to make sure that each step of the way feels authentic to him and his fans.
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