RIAA Elevates Erin D. D. Burr & Matthew Bass

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Erin D. D. Burr. Photo: Katie Kauss. Matthew Bass. Photo: Courtesy of RIAA

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has elevated Erin D. D. Burr to Senior Vice President, Media Relations | Gold & Platinum Program and Matthew Bass to Vice President, Research and Gold & Platinum Operations, effective immediately.

“Erin and Matt are stars who have already shined so brightly at RIAA and, in their new roles, will be even more visible and effective,” says Mitch Glazier, RIAA Chairman & CEO. “As the music community works together to address unprecedented new opportunities and challenges from the meteoric rise of streaming to the current effort to chart a path towards responsible and pro-artist AI, we are all lucky to have Erin and Matt embracing greater responsibilities.”

Burr will continue to lead RIAA’s press outreach while serving as a communications strategist for RIAA initiatives such as celebrating Gold and Platinum certifications, advancing C-suite profiles and supporting the Human Artistry CampAIgn—a growing global coalition whose mission is to keep irreplaceable human expression at the core of technological innovation. To help others understand the challenges and opportunities within the music industry, Burr aims to make policy that effects creators more digestible—recently with the Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security (ELVIS) Act press conference to modernize the Tennessee right of publicity law. She also currently sits on the Musicians On Call (MOC) Music Industry Advisory Board. Prior to joining RIAA, Burr spent over a decade at Big Machine Label Group executing high-profile releases for Reba McEntire, Carly Pearce and The Mavericks, among others.

“Connection through people, stories and music has always been instinctual to me–and has also served as the basis for my entire career. I’m grateful for this amplified role, RIAA’s culture of community and passion advocating for the creative talents across the entire industry,” shares Burr. “As we navigate ever-evolving opportunities where artistry intersects with policy and technology, I’m excited to explore more ways to support human creators and our member labels while nurturing a vital relationship with media.”

Bass’ passion for music led him to RIAA, where he has spent more than a decade developing annual reports that seek to set the table for policy discussions and support efforts to protect copyright in the United States. Bass explores findings in these research efforts with industry panels, universities, reporters, legislators and other stakeholders. He also manages the association’s authoritative data holdings, and has played a key part in modernization efforts across its Gold & Platinum Program. Bass began his career working with federal agencies in the renewable energy field, managing federal funds for the research and development of projects within the Department of Energy’s Geothermal and Solar Energy offices. He also worked on technology projects for the General Services Administration (GSA) in addition to serving as an analyst under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

“I feel privileged to have spent the last 11 years at RIAA, where I’m able to combine two of my passions—music and data—and call it work,” says Bass. “I’m proud to produce our annual revenue reports, work with esteemed researchers and economists as well as uncover trends in the industry or new milestones in our Gold & Platinum Program that celebrate artist and label successes.”

Burr can be reached at eburr@riaa.com, and Bass is available at mbass@riaa.com.

Liza Anderson
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