Music Business Association Announces 2024 Special Award Recipients, Finalists For Bizzy Awards

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Cameo Carlson

Cameo Carlson of mtheory will receive The Music Business Association’s 2024 Presidential Award for Outstanding Executive Achievement at the organization’s third annual Bizzy Awards dinner on May 15 at the JW Marriott Nashville, as part of the Music Biz 2024 Conference.

Carlson is the CEO of manager and artist services company mtheory, which provides global marketing and strategic support for artists and artist managers. In 2022, Carlson spearheaded mtheory’s Equal Access Development initiative in partnership with CMT, that gives artists and managers from underrepresented demographics (BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and women) the resources, training and networking opportunities they are not always afforded in country music. Carlson also co-created the Nashville Music Equality group and Digital Divas mentoring group, and currently serves on the Academy of Country Music Diversity & Inclusion Task Force.

The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) will receive the 2024 Impact Award for Technological Excellence at the event. Since the passing of the Music Modernization Act (MMA) of 2018, which led to The MLC’s designation in 2019 and its full operationalization in 2021, The MLC has fully cemented itself as an essential part of the U.S. music industry’s royalty payments structure. It has built a public database of over 33 million unique works, which can be used free of charge to help artists and rightsholders verify ownership; collected and distributed over $1.7 billion in royalties to songwriters, music publishers, and other rightsholders via blanket mechanical licenses issued to DSPs; and has reached a current match rate of over 90% for all usage. In addition, The MLC has developed a world-class support team and suite of tools within its online portal to help its more than 37,000 members claim and register their works and get paid their mechanical royalties.

The Music Business Association also announced the finalists for the additional seven crowd-nominated award categories to be presented at the dinner, which will be hosted by Gina Miller, SVP & GM of MNRK Music Group, and feature a special performance by Angie K. Additional performances and special guests will be revealed in the coming weeks. The finalists are below.

Leading Light Award:
For a company or executive that has supported their staff via internal initiatives aimed at improving mental health & wellbeing and work/life balance.
– Tiffanie DeBartolo, Chief Executive Super Goddess, Bright Antenna Records
– Leah Ducey, Senior Director of Digital Marketing, Universal Music Group Nashville
– Andreea Gleeson, Chief Executive Officer, TuneCore
– Joel T. Jordan, Founder & President, Synchtank

Agent of Change Award:
For a company that exemplifies a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in their hiring practices, executive development, and promotion structure.
– ATL Collective
– The Beatport Group
– Keychange U.S.
– The Right Productions

#NEXTGEN_NOW One To Watch Award:
For an executive under 40 whose work (professional and/or volunteer) has been exceptional, innovative, and stands out as a contribution to the industry.
– Andrew Batey, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Beatdapp
– Jorge Brea, Founder & CEO, Symphonic
– Alex Mas Cepero, Marketing Director, TIDAL
– Morgan McKnight, Executive Director, Production Music Association

Maestro of Metadata Award
For a company or executive who has made a significant impact in the area of data processing, credit clarification, streamlining or otherwise promoting clean data and best practices.
– BMAT Music Innovators
– Dae Bogan, Head of Third Party Partnerships, Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC)
– Arthur Fitzgibbon, Brazil Director, ONErpm
– OpenPlay

Frontline Innovator Award
For a retail store who showed exceptional inventiveness and ingenuity in their practices during the past year in their interactions with consumers.
– Grimey’s Music, Nashville, TN
– Electric Fetus, Minneapolis, MN
– Rough Trade, New York, NY
– The Sound Garden, Baltimore, MD

Marketing Superstar Award
For a marketing campaign that was innovative and thought provoking. Candidates can be from any sector of the industry, and campaigns can be physical or virtual.
– Elsewhere’s Club Membership Program
– Barbie The Album Early Listening Events, WMX & Atlantic Records
– De La Soul, A.O.I. LLC, distributed by Chrysalis Records & Reservoir
– Eric Nam – House on a Hill, The Orchard

Music Business Educator of the Year Award
Celebrates a music business educator who inspires students to enter the music business.
– Larry Miller, Clinical Professor & Director, NYU Steinhardt Music Business Program, New York University
– Jessica Muñiz-Collado, Assistant Professor of Music Business, University of North Texas
– Joe Rapolla, Chair, Music & Theatre Department & Director, Music Industry Program, Monmouth University
– Patricia Rivera MacMurray, Lecturer, Escuela de Derecho Pontificia Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico

Lorie Hollabaugh
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