Is the music industry “cutting out” female CEOs?

The music industry made loud promises of change in 2017, when #MeToo swept through the entertainment business, and 2020, when the killing of George Floyd by police officers led to racial reckoning. But with all the pledges for inclusion and the millions of dollars pledged for diversity, are things really different?

Judging by a remnant of the old guard, the coveted “deal”—an employment deal that allows executives to continue operating and profit from side businesses, such as managing an artist—remains mostly out of reach for women in high places. ranking positions.

“Cut out the insider trading stink,” says one such CEO. There are women in the same jobs [as male executives] In the same companies that were denied deductions, and this is bad for business.

“Exclusion” is not in and of itself a sinister or sexist construct. Often used to sweeten a job offer, it can benefit both sides: The record company might make one of the acts a prospective employee runs or eventually discover on their list. Or the new CEO may have some cultural flair, which is valuable for naming in other ways. “Being culturally active, well-connected and having boots on the ground” is a big plus for a company trying to capitalize on youth culture, says a branding veteran who managed to own and run a marketing company while employed by major firms.

More often than not, you see the situation of a highly competitive senior A&R employee where the employer finds itself caving in to “dismissal” and allowing the CEO to continue managing. A recent example: Jordan Dillard, who joined Capitol Records as Executive Vice President of A&R and Artist Development in September, continues to manage Doja Cat (signed to RCA).

“A&R has always been the beeline to the C-suite,” adds another senior female executive who asserts that opportunities in the male-dominated field are fewer and more difficult to navigate. For years, it was women [pigeon-holed in] Marketing, public relations, and artist development—do the heavy lifting and behind-the-scenes sponsorship, but rarely get credit for their contribution to an artist’s success.”

The truncated king of recent decades may be Jimmy Iovine, who served as president of Interscope Records in the ’90s with one of the company’s artists, Dr. Dre. They eventually sold Beats by Dre to Apple in 2014 for $3 billion. Over his years at Interscope, Iovine has also struck deals with many great producers, allowing them to continue working with artists outside of the label, while still occupying an office and having staff on the premises. Iovine’s assistant, Paul Rosenberg, did the same when he continued to manage Eminem (he’s signed to Interscope) while he was on Def Jam.

However, the Curves are not without risks. For a business owner, it’s often a major investment akin to a downfall of trust, a gamble on loyalty and access that may not pay off while the CEO builds a separate business on a dime and time.

Call it a marriage of nuisance, but attorney David Fritz says it’s par for the course. “Deals are based on leverage and timing regardless, but it looks like we can do a better job of positioning a broader range of people, which only benefits the public as a whole.”

Today’s music industry is seeing an exponential increase in the number of women running major divisions and labels. Having in place executives such as Universal Music Publishing Group President Judy Gerson, Atlantic Records’ Julie Greenwald, Epic Records’ Sylvia Rhone, Capitol Records’ Michelle Gublerer, Motown Records’ Ethiopia Habtemariam (who announced yesterday that she is stepping down after 20 years) yr. at Universal Music), is a huge victory for perspective, if not for corporate mandates, but a broader reach is still needed.

“It’s imperative that we plant the seeds we plant,” says Kara DioGuardi, president of Rare Co-branding, whose Arthouse imprint has a deal with Atlantic. “There is no doubt that a different method is needed to develop executive talent—when the clock starts ticking in the building the moment you sign something, the only outcome that matters is a quick one.”

In fact, TikTok and other platforms have forced the artist development timeline to move faster than ever, turning the former graphic phrase “overnight” into a real phrase. “There are TikTok one-hit wonders that get better opportunities than established writers and producers,” says Nick Gargore, former global head of song management at Hipgnosis and longtime manager for songwriter and producer Starrah. 20 hits — including a No. 1 hit with Maroon 5’s “Girls Like You” in 2018 — don’t have a joint venture in place.

How could that be a roadmap to long-term success on either side, Jarjour asks rhetorically? “Starrah was an unknown creative force with many strikes against it in the traditional world” — being black, female, and gay. “But we must admit that this is exactly where opportunity lives and music breathes,” Jarjour concludes. “An industry that claims to be cultural leaders cannot lead from behind.”



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