Lyor Cohen Noa Griffel 2011

Lyor Cohen, Global Head of Music at YouTube/Google and founder of music content company 300, will keynote a featured presentation on Wednesday afternoon, May 16 during the Music Business Association’s Music Biz 2018 conference at the Omni Nashville Hotel. Cohen will discuss his career journey, his current role at YouTube/Google, and his thoughts on the future of the music business.

“Lyor’s tremendous impact on the music industry cannot be understated, from nurturing the rise of Hip-Hop at Def Jam Recordings, to pioneering the 360 deal at Warner Music Group, to merging music with tech to launch the careers of a new generation of artists at 300, to his current role at YouTube and Google,” said James Donio, President of Music Biz. “He has always had his finger on the pulse of what’s next, and we can’t wait to hear what he has to say during his Music Biz 2018 keynote.”

Cohen began his career at Rush Management in 1984, where he managed seminal hip-hop acts such as Run-D.M.C., DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, EPMD, the Beastie Boys, Eric B and Rakim, Public Enemy, Whodini, LL Cool J, and Kurtis Blow, while simultaneously serving as President of Def Jam Recordings. After selling Def Jam to Universal Music Group (UMG) in 1999, Cohen successfully merged Mercury, Island, and Def Jam Recordings to create the Island-Def Jam Music Group, expanding his work beyond Def Jam’s hip-hop roots. Cohen was then recruited by the Warner Music Group (WMG) as Chief Creative Officer in 2004, where he merged Atlantic and Elektra Records to create the Atlantic Music Group and expertly positioning WMG for growth. There, he was intimately involved in the careers of The Killers, fun., Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, The Black Keys, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Elvis Costello, Bon Jovi, Mariah Carey, Shania Twain, Ryan Adams, and Nickelback, among others.

Cohen went on to become CEO and President of Recorded Music at WMG, and is widely considered to be the father of the 360 deal. In 2013, he founded 300, a music content company that leverages innovative technology to discover, cultivate and promote rising artists with a boutique focus. There, he championed a new generation of culturally impactful artists like Young Thug, Fetty Wap, Highly Suspect, Migos, and others. He currently serves as Global Head of Music at YouTube/Google.

Music Biz 2018 will also feature the presentation of the Presidential Award for Outstanding Executive Achievement to Cary Sherman, CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA); the Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award to Scooter Braun, founder of SB Projects; the Independent Spirit Award to the Radakovitz Family, owners of record store chain Dimple Records; and a Breakthrough Artist Award to Republic Records singer/songwriter Julia Michaels, with a host of other awards to be announced.

SYKAMORE (aka Jordan Ostrom), a recording artist/songwriter from Calgary, has signed with Home Team Publishing.

Known for her solo songwriting chops, the artist has taken home awards in numerous songwriting-focused events including the ATB All-Albertan Song Contest, Project Wild, and the Canadian Country Music Association’s annual Discovery Program.

“SYKAMORE. That name grabbed my attention as I was scrolling through Twitter,” said Rhett Akins who launched Home Team Publishing with artist/son Thomas Rhett, his manager Virginia Davis, and Roc Nation/Warner Chappell. “I had to check it out. I loved her music and style immediately. I’m excited we were able to bring her to Nashville to start the next chapter of her songwriting journey.”

SYKAMORE joins the Home Team roster with songwriter/producer Eric Olson.

Pictured (L-R): Lee Williams, President, BCMA; Martha Moore, President, somuchMOORE media; Karl Hancock, Board Member, BCMA

The British Country Music Awards (BCMA) has honored Martha Moore with the International Services To Industry Award for her contributions to country music. Moore, President of so much MOORE media—a Nashville-based publicity and marketing firm—joins a prestigious list of honorees that includes Big Machine Records’ President Scott Borchetta, the late Jeff Walker and Country Music Association (CMA) Director of International Relations Bobbi Boyce.

“Keeping a global perspective has been a vital component to my clients’ success,” Moore observes. “I’ve always been driven to truly ‘serve’ the artists on my roster and it’s always gratifying when it ‘works.’ To be recognized with this particular award really hits home. I am deeply honored.”

BCMA President Lee Williams presented Moore with the crystal “tower” last week in Nashville.

The 12th annual BCMA Awards were held Oct. 21 and 22 in Wolverhampton, UK. Hosted by Baylen Leonard from the BBC, the event featured four hours of music and award presentations and was filmed for future broadcast. Popular American performers included Sarah Darling, American Young, and so much MOORE media client Southern Halo, who accepted the award on Moore’s behalf. International honorees included Drake White (International Song of the Year, “Makin’ Me Look Good Again”), Zac Brown Band (International Album of the Year, Welcome Home), and Jenn Bostic (International Touring Act).

Moore kicked off her music career in radio, and moved to Nashville in 1976 to pursue a job at WLAC. She transitioned to the label side of the business shortly thereafter and enjoyed tenures at ABC, MCA and Mercury/PolyGram Records, where she worked with Jerry Reed, KISS, Bon Jovi, The Bar-Kays and more. She opened the doors of somuchMOORE media in 1988, signed Johnny Cash as her first client, and a host of other talented artists followed. She enjoyed a 15-year professional relationship with Hank Cochran, and worked with his family during his posthumous induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Moore also represented Jim Ed Brown & The Browns and Fred Foster throughout their Hall Of Fame honors. She was inducted into the SOURCE Hall of Fame in August 2017.