• ABOUT
    • Contact
    • The Team
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Events
    • FAQ
    • Use & Privacy Policy
  • ADVERTISE
  • ROWFAX
  • THE SPORTS CREDENTIAL
  • JOB LISTINGS
MusicRow.com
  • CALENDARS
    • Album/EP Releases
    • Single/Track Releases
    • Industry Events
  • OBITS
  • CHARTS
    • Radio Chart (Current)
    • Radio Chart (Archives)
    • No. 1 Challenge Coin
    • Songwriter Chart (Current)
    • Songwriter Chart (Archives)
  • REVIEWS
  • MY STORY
  • NEWSLETTER
    • Newsletter (Current)
    • SIGN UP (FREE!)
    • Newsletter (Archives)
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • STORE
  • Search
  • Menu Menu

Whew! What A Week or Change Creates Opportunity

April 16, 2010/by admin

Nashville’s music industry has apparently survived what surely registers as a most unprecedented week. Viewed within a slightly wider time frame, the upheaval suggests that we are witnessing a critical moment where pent-up change is exploding through most every industry sector—record labels, publishing, touring, performance rights and industry organizations.

Large corporations move predictably, not quickly. Once a threat to profitability is identified, over time, they begin to act. Sometimes the home office repairs the damage with a scalpel, other times restructuring seems the best way to re-energize performance. Sometimes fiscal redemption can best be accomplished by acquiring competitors or content and growing market share. Over the past few months Nashville’s music community, our friends, family and colleagues have suffered all these strategies.

Labeling Change
When focusing on individual events one can miss the big picture. But when word exploded that Joe Galante was leaving Sony Music Nashville after almost four decades, it was like being splashed with cold water. No doubt the entire industry felt the shock. Galante’s role in the development of Music City is simply impossible to quantify. In his official capacity and behind the scenes he has been both a tireless supporter of country music and a skilled business innovator. Will Galante start a new entrepreneurial type label with funding from one of his many corporate allies and write additional chapters? Is he ready to settle down in the sun? The smart money is betting on more to come, but we’ll wait and see.

In retrospect there have been a number of label related changes. Lyric Street closed its imprint Carolwood before the new label’s first birthday, and then this past week Disney Music Group pulled out its scalpel and decided to essentially close the entire operation. Universal South was folded into Show Dog Nashville to improve performance and cut costs earlier this year. Capitol Nashville, enjoying strong sales and breaking new acts under Mike Dungan’s strong leadership created EMI Nashville to facilitate the launch of new acts. But even while EMI’s Nashville division enjoys record breaking success, its international parent faces uncertainty as owners Terra Firma struggle to repay debt, and avoid possible foreclosure.

Also restructuring is Warner Bros. under the new regime of President/CEO John Esposito. Warner Music Nashville’s newly revised image now includes three imprints—Atlantic Records, Reprise Records and Warner Bros. Nashville, serviced by two promotion teams under the leadership of recently hired Sr. VP Chris Stacey. Here again we see a compact, yet flexible structure designed to fit today’s challenges.

Publishing Change
Publisher turmoil also peaked this past week as EMI Music Exec. VP/GM Gary Overton announced that he would move from song pitcher to catcher, and helm Sony Music. Also announced was the promotion of Ben Vaughn to fill Overton’s vacated position. Several recent catalog acquisitions include ole’s purchase of Blacktop Music and Chrysalis’ capture of S1 Songs.

Also of major impact has been the ongoing reorganization at ASCAP under the new leadership of Tim DuBois. A number of tenured staffers exited from the performing rights organization this week. Change is always difficult, but one assumes that soon there will be new hires announced as well.

Tour De Change
On the touring side, this week also saw the acquisition of Joey Lee’s 360 Artist Agency by William Morris Endeavor. Lee’s client roster included hot property Miranda Lambert who is beginning to enjoy radio, sales and ticketing success.

Non Profiting Change
Also noteworthy, is the musical chairs parade of executive directors at organizations such as Leadership Music, the CMA and the Country Radio Broadcasters. Karen Oertley will move to LM and Bill Mayne was previously announced for CRB, but the lofty CMA position is yet to be filled.

Challenge Fosters Growth
Understanding the motivation behind all the above moves would fill a tome almost as large as the one cataloging all the possible rumors about where, what and how they might shape the future.

Seasoned industry observers however might counsel would-be seers with two-pronged advice—follow the money and understand the relationships and past histories of all the players involved. If you would divine the future pay close attention to the past and present. Riding a train of change is never easy, but it sure beats trying to stand in front of one. Creativity has always been the music industry’s secret weapon.

So take a deep breath, and lets get on with the business of finding the best music, the best songs and doing our best to expose it to the world.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
admin
admin
admin
Latest posts by admin (see all)
  • Crested Butte Songwriters Festival Debuts - November 28, 2011
  • Scott Borchetta On CNBC Power Lunch - November 22, 2011
  • Twitter Used To Rank Republican Candidates - November 21, 2011
Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share by Mail
https://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.png 0 0 admin https://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.png admin2010-04-16 14:47:252010-04-16 14:47:25Whew! What A Week or Change Creates Opportunity
1 reply
  1. Tamara Saviano
    Tamara Saviano says:
    April 16, 2010 at 4:22 pm

    I think Major labels will continue to shuffle the deck chairs on the Titanic until they figure out that their current model does not work and has not worked in many years. First thing to look at is radio promotion budgets. I also think if labels look at the big picture, they should do what they can to help artists and songwriters to collect performance royalties from radio. Radio is not in the music business, they are in the advertising business. Their playlists are narrow and limited. If our industry framed their decisions with that one fact in mind perhaps they would invest in other ways to promote more music and more artists to active music consumers. Sorry to go on and on but after all these years (and I started my career in radio!) I am still befuddled by how mainstream country music beholden to radio.

    Log in to Reply

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

RECENT NEWS

  • Kane Brown Releases Phil Collins-Inspired Track ‘I Can Feel It’ September 22, 2023
  • Widely Admired Bass Player Dave Roe Passes September 22, 2023
  • Zach Bryan Releases Five-Track ‘Boys Of Faith’ EP September 22, 2023
  • Dustin Lynch To Kick Off His ‘Killed The Cowboy Tour’ In April September 22, 2023
  • Bill Anderson Named First Recipient Of Dr. David Godbold Lifetime Achievement Award September 22, 2023
  • Morgan Wallen Takes ‘Everything I Love’ To Top Of MusicRow Chart September 22, 2023
  • Megan Moroney Drops Deluxe Edition Of Debut Album ‘Lucky’ September 22, 2023
  • Oliver Anthony Signs With UTA September 22, 2023
  • DISClaimer Single Reviews: ‘A Lot To Fall In Love With’ This Americana Week September 21, 2023
  • CMA Foundation Honors Music Teachers Of Excellence September 21, 2023
  • Industry Ink: Stephen Wilson Jr., Anne Wilson, BMI, ACM September 21, 2023
  • Tauren Wells To Host 54th Annual GMA Dove Awards September 21, 2023
  • Toby Keith Celebrates Solo Writes On New ‘100% Songwriter’ Project September 21, 2023
  • Billy Strings, The War & Treaty Among Americana Honors & Awards Winners September 21, 2023
  • Russell Dickerson Signs With Range Media Partners September 21, 2023

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Twitter

Tweets by MusicRow
© 2023 Music Row Enterprises, LLC – All rights reserved.
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
Scroll to top