TOPLINE and premieres often obtains more says she applied three years ago support her” and shows “how much reach than the artist posting about after attending concerts with her she appreciates our loyalty.” Thanks it themselves.” One Direction-obsessed teenaged to concert invites from Swift’s team, The Beyoncé-focused Twitter children, in part to explore a new says Edwards, “I haven’t purchased a account @TheBeyHiveTeam, for career in social media marketing. Taylor ticket in five years.” example, had “very close ties to the “My kids find it fairly amusing Debbie White, a partner at Loeb music industry,” a representative that I know just as much (if not & Loeb who represents BTS, says BTS fans at K-CON in 2014. told Billboard after breaking the more) about social media than they she’s wary of issues that can arise news on Twitter in November One Direction member Louis do,” she wrote. “There are quite 2017 that the singer would feature Tomlinson. They demand at least literally no formal courses that on Eminem’s single “Walk on five hours of work a day from each cover the breadth of what we do — “Keeping tabs on Water.” (The Twitter account teammate, and when Tomlinson is trust me, I’ve looked.” has since been deactivated; the on the road, “it is not unusual for Goals vary. In November, Kanye these accounts representative, reached through team members to work for more West fans organized to stream Facebook, declined to provide than 24 hours straight or to take West’s “Hey Mama” en masse the is essential.” further details.) leave from their paying jobs to cover same day that Taylor Swift released —Michael D. Goodman Jr., RCA The people operating fan-army activities,” explained Rachel in an her album Reputation, “hopefully platforms range from teenage email to Billboard, noting that they getting that song the #1 spot on daily when superfans “overstep,” using superfans to middle-aged moms. receive hundreds of applications streams over any of Taylor’s songs,” social media handles that the artist Rachel, a 43-year-old mother each time they tweet about an one West fan posted on Reddit. then can’t use, selling out-of-print of two teenagers in Sydney, who opening for an unpaid position But 25-year-old Boston-based Swift items or hacking and leaking declined to share her last name, is on the team. (The vetting process fan Sarah Edwards, whom Swift unreleased tunes. But “when it one of 15 people behind the Twitter includes interviews, trial periods and herself follows on Tumblr, says she’s comes to BTS,” she says, “I have account @LouisT91Updates, practice tweeting on a fake account.) just proud to help an artist “who never seen such loyalty and backing which provides news on former Rachel, now a business consultant, cares so much about the people who at such an early stage.” has been attached to over With Walk On 50 Hot 100 No. 1s during the past three decades. Yet the team Republic has in place Leave, Republic has experience keeping things moving in his absence. Keeps Moving His role in The Four was announced Nov. 18, 2017, With Universal in the midst of an investigation into and the show premiered the label group president, artists like Drake and Jan. 4. New GM Jim Roppo, Post Malone are helping the company stay on course who had overseen the label’s marketing initiatives prior From left: Walk with BY DAN RYS Monte and Avery to his January promotion, Lipman in 2016. just celebrated his 20th year at UMG, having spent epublic Group his career. Meanwhile, his as promotions for Island No. 1 Hot 100 label in 2012, over a decade at Island Def president Charlie lawyers have threatened legal Records, Cash Money before Walk joined the team.) Jam, while executive vp Walk’s status action against Bob Lefsetz Records and Already in 2018, promotions Gary Spangler, at the company over subsequent anonymous Big Machine’s Drake’s “God’s who Walk elevated to the Rremains in limbo, two weeks allegations published in pop initiatives. 28 Plan” has sat atop top promotions job in 2016, after the label placed him on industry newsletter Lefsetz And he has been Weeks Republic the chart for three has spent 12 years moving leave following an allegation Letter. Universal Music undoubtedly songs spent atop weeks, meaning up the ranks at Republic. the Hot 100 in 2017, of sexual harassment levied Group (UMG) announced successful: leading all labels that Republic And in late 2017, respected against him in an open letter it was conducting a review Republic finished has held the top iHeartRadio executive published by former Sony of the allegations, but as of 2017 as the No. 1 spot for 30 of the Sharon Dastur joined as Music employee Tristan press time hadn’t announced Billboard Hot 100 4 past 40 weeks, senior vp promotions. Coopersmith on Jan. 29. a result. In the meantime, label on Billboard’s Consecutive years since Luis Fonsi & Meanwhile, top executives Republic has Walk ceded his spot as a Republic is left without year-end charts, finished as the No. 1 Daddy Yankee’s Monte and Avery Lipman judge on Fox’s music talent its third-highest-ranking and in the calendar Hot 100 label “Despacito” began have continued to grow the show The Four but has denied executive. year, the label its record-tying run label they built 20 years ago. the claim, and sources say Walk’s purview at Republic group topped the Hot 100 at No. 1 last May. Projects from Drake, Post he is proud of how many includes oversight of its for 28 weeks, the most of any Walk’s track record since Malone, Ariana Grande female executives and artists promotions, marketing and label since Interscope’s 31 in beginning his career at Sony and The Weeknd are in the he has championed during publicity divisions, as well 2009. (Republic was also the in 1990 is impressive: He pipeline. FANS: MARK RALSTON/AFP/GETTY IMAGES. WALK: RANDY SHROPSHIRE/GETTY IMAGES. 18 BILLBOARD | FEBRUARY 17, 2018.