MBW Yearbook
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
2018 2018 2018 2019 2019 2019 2018 2018 2018 2019 2019 2019 2018 2018 2018 2019 2019 2019 2018 2018 2018 2019 2019 2019 2018 2018 2018YEARBOOK 2019 2019 2019 2018 20182018/2019 2018 2019 2019 2019 2018 2018 2018 2019 2019 2019 2018 2018 2018 2019 2019 2019 2018 2018 2018 2019 2019 2019 2018 2018 2018 2019 2019 2019 2018 2018 2018 2019 2019 2019 2018 2018 2018 2019 2019 2019 2018 2018 2018 2019 2019 2019 2018 2018 2018 2019 2019 2019 2018 2018 2018Brought to2019 you by 2019 2019 2018 2018 2018 2019 2019 2019 2018 2018 2018 2019 2019 2019 1 2 3 Are you making the most of your success? Our efficient international payments, transparent foreign exchange and smart treasury management services will help you and your artists realise your global ambitions. +44 (0)20 3735 1735 | [email protected] | CENTTRIPMUSIC.COM Centtrip Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as an Electronic Money Institution (EMI). Our firm reference number is 900717. For more information on EMIs please visit the FCA’s website. The Centtrip Prepaid Mastercard is issued by Prepaid Financial Services Limited (PFS) pursuant to a licence from Mastercard International Incorporated. PFS is also authorised and regulated by the FCA as an Electronic Money Institution (firm reference number 900036). Their registered address is Fifth Floor, Langham House, 302–308 Regent Street, London W1B 3AT. 4 5 Contents Lyor Cohen, YouTube 08 Dre London, London Ent 16 David Joseph, Universal Music 24 Carolyn Williams, RCA 32 Paul Rosenberg, Goliath Artists/Def Jam 36 Jon Platt, Warner/Chappell 40 Willard Ahdritz, Kobalt/AWAL 43 Jacqueline Saturn, Caroline 48 Linda Perry 54 Dina LaPolt, LaPolt Law 62 Ib Hamad, Dreamville 68 Ghazi Shami, EMPIRE 74 Matt Pincus 80 Joie Manda, Interscope Geffen A&M 88 Eliah Seton, ADA 94 Steve Salm, Concord Music 99 James Fauntleroy II 104 Joyce Smyth 110 Tom Windish, Paradigm 116 Amy Dietz, INgrooves 122 Dave Holmes & Phil Harvey 127 6 7 Lyor Cohen: ‘I’ve always had the gift of “WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AFTER being self-assured.’ A DIFFICULT PERIOD TO ACTUALLY BUILD THE HEALTHIEST ECOSYSTEM Come on now. He doesn’t really here’s Lyor Cohen on Lyor Cohen. the major labels is partly a IN MUSIC INDUSTRY HISTORY.” need an introduction, does he? We get into it. The man, the reaction to that? A fear of what Lyor Cohen. It’s not hyperbole myth... and (as he sees it) the happens if Spotify gets too big? to suggest he’s one of the most- misunderstandings. It’s on the mind and the body talked about – and fiercely and the soul [of the industry]. message of reassurance in terms debated – music executives in Anybody who is in the business of the way YouTube intends to history. The thing is, he knows Congratulations on the of selling or streaming [content] work with artists? exactly what you say about him. international launch of has to recognize that diversity I don’t look at the competition. The good and the bad. YouTube Music. Do you think in distribution is their greatest I don’t spend an iota of a That stands whether you’re a the reputational tide has now offensive and defensive tool. second doing that. And I don’t supporter – one of those who turned for YouTube in the music When distribution is too know the details [of Spotify’s laud him for being sure-footed, industry? consolidated, it becomes a much direct licensing] – I’ve seen the determined or ruthlessly fighting I’m in my own bubble. And in different scenario. That’s very headlines but the devil’s in the for his artists during his three that bubble, the answer is yes. obvious. Of course my spiel on detail. What I do know, and this decades in the hotseats of Rush/ this feels self-serving, but now it’s I’ve been saying this for a while Def Jam, Warner Music Group Google/Alphabet is ultimately getting actual context. – when are you going to write and 300 Entertainment. a very ad-driven company. In Listen, [the Spotify fallout] it?! – is that if there is a healthy And it stands whether 2017, over 84% of its revenue [no doesn’t make me happy in any diversification in distribution, all you’re a detractor – one of less than $27.2bn from $32.3bn] shape or form; I want us as a hands get put on the table [ie. those who dismiss him as a came from its ad businesses. community of music people there’s no way to hide anything problematic, self-aggrandizing, or Do you feel you have the full to find, nurture, discover the from each other]. unnecessarily truculent force in weight of Google’s support next Kurt Cobain, Bob Dylan or Someone could only do recent music biz lore. when it comes to selling Jay-Z. That’s where our efforts that kind of thing [Spotify’s He knows it all. subscriptions? should be, not in fixing structural direct artist licensing] – and, We discovered this fact during a If you listen to the leadership here problems. again, I don’t know the details lengthy conversation with Cohen – and there are public statements We have the opportunity after – when they feel like they have which ostensibly occurred to about this – subscription is a huge a long, difficult period to actually a comfortable, unrestricted promote the fact that YouTube priority at this company. In terms build the healthiest ecosystem and unfettered lead in the Music is now available on iOS and of wider Google support, I feel it. ever created in the history of the marketplace. If there was a Android in multiple countries. Music is a universal language music industry. The physical good healthy environment of real Yet our discussion took a and it’s very scalable worldwide; was an absolute disaster – it was competition, I suspect it would be slightly unexpected turn. that’s music to the ears [of great for a period of time, but a different story. Lurking in the background Google’s leaders]. we’re now liberated from the from the kick-off was always expense of it, an expense which The positive conclusion to that question: why, when Google You’ve spoken previously about artists, consumers and labels had that, then: you obviously feel clearly desired to improve its the music business needing to to pay for. there’s enough room left in this fractious relationship with the be careful about backing one One of the things I say to the streaming market for YouTube music business, did it hire a horse in the streaming race too music industry is this: the sooner Music to challenge the No.1? person with Cohen’s pugnacious aggressively, and the backlash we shed the bunker mentality, I don’t believe this is a winner- reputation? that might result from doing the PTSD, the better. takes-all category. Not that I read And why, when all’s said and so. In the past fortnight, we’ve We should focus on how we the Goldman Sachs or Credit done, does that reputation exist heard about Spotify directly get more artists to invest in a Suisse [reports] but they’re in the first place? licensing artists – and a huge musical career. I think we’ve lost talking about how nascent music So here is Lyor Cohen on fallout ensuing at the labels. a lot of really talented musical subscription is, and they’re right. subjects that include (i) what We’re starting to see that people during [the past decades], I think Google has a history of it’s like to work at Google; (ii) backlash, no? and I’m excited to see how the not being first to [market] and Spotify’s recent direct licensing The timing is impeccable! It’s business evolves now. learning a lot from first entrants in shenanigans; (iii) YouTube Music’s like, wow. order to build great products. market advantage; and (iv) The industry seems quite This [YouTube Music] took a Facebook’s entry into music. Do you think the support paranoid about Spotify’s direct village of people to [make] – a But, perhaps more memorably, YouTube Music is getting from licensing. Do you have any bunch of really smart people. 8 9 Lyor interviews Dua Lipa at a YouTube event in London, February 2018 YouTube Music has heavily backed stars such as J Balvin What’s your hope for the amount [Long pause] Emphatically, yes. any [licensing agreement with a I first went to San Francisco. For Be careful what you wish for. It’s mission-critical. We are of subscribers you want by the Because it helped stimulate the ‘blind check’] sets the industry a second, I thought I would meet Distribution and tight curation seeing a bounce in our business, end of the year, and by the end success we’re now seeing. back in terms of the spirit of a bunch of people who would was eviscerated [by streaming], but I don’t think it gets fully of next year? The fastest-growing category where we’re trying to get to. say, ‘Could I take a selfie with and now you have a billion bands realized until the impresario, the We don’t talk about numbers, but of subscription globally is In the content world, where you? Great you joined us, but your swimming around your ankles. unemployable, roams once again. I know definitely on Monday we’ll music, primarily because of that artists get paid, clearly we need industry didn’t evolve, so they got How do you know which one is That Jamaican who signed U2 have more subscribers than we [decision].