Thursday, Jan. 21
Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited and its investment adviser, The Family (Music) Limited, announced today that they have acquired a catalogue from record producer and mixer Bob Rock, which includes the producer rights for metallica’s 1990 self-titled album, often referred to as ‘The Black Album.’ Hipgnosis also acquired Rock’s producer rights for four albums by Michael Bublé: “Call Me Irresponsible,” “Crazy Love,” “Christmas” and “To Be Loved,” bringing Hipgnosis’ total investment to 43 songs.
“The breadth of Bob Rock’s enormous successes are almost impossible to match by any creator in the history of music. From metallica’s most famous ‘Black Album’ to Michael Bublé’s ‘Christmas’, he has produced some of the biggest albums of all time that continue to be evergreen, year in and year out,” said Merck Mercuriadis, founder of The Family (Music) Limited and Hipgnois Songs Fund Limited. “Everyone who has worked with Bob knows he is a difference maker, which is why the artists he has produced end up making multiple albums with him which are almost always their biggest successes. Bob is very special and as a fellow Canadian, it is a pleasure to welcome him and his incredible productions to the Hipgnosis family.”
Added Rock: “I put my heart and soul into these recordings. I know how much Merck loves music, so it was an easy deal to put together.”
In other industry news:
+ Warner Chappell Music promoted Natalie Madaj to senior vice president, digital licensing, Americas, and Daniel Lang to vice president, digital licensing, EMEIA. They will both continue to report to Eric Mackay, EVP of global digital strategy. Madaj and Lang will work closely with Mackay to oversee Warner Chappell’s commercial digital initiatives worldwide.
Tuesday, Jan. 19
Business manager Josh Klein (pictured at left), whose clients include The Chainsmokers, Big Sean, Logic and Winnie Harlow, among others, has launched TKG Business Management. The company will be based in Beverly Hills and offer such services as business management, tax work, and personal CFO services to high net worth individuals. Klein has been recognized twice on PvNew’s Business Managers Elite list.
Said Klein in announcing the new firm: “To me, business management is the most personal and important relationship one can have on their team. It’s easy for an accountant to check all the right boxes on your tax forms, send them in on time, and only talk to you once a year — but I’m not just some accountant. I’ve always been driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, and now that’s what drives TKG. It’s time for a more personal approach. Times have changed, we need to be able to provide our clients with stable, more hands-on financial support while also coming to the table with new ideas that help bring their more entrepreneurial interests to life.”
In other industry news:
+ Arista Records has hired Nick Petropoulos as senior vice president, promotion and head of pop and alternative radio. based in New York, he’ll report to John Boulos, Arista’s EVP of promotion. Petropoulos arrives from Glassnote Records, where he worked for 11 years, most recently as head of promotion. In addition to overseeing pop and alternative radio promotion, Petropoulos will help Boulos manage Arista’s promotion staff throughout the U.S.
+Concord has promoted Ruth Martinez (pictured at right) to chief people officer leading the company’s human resources team worldwide with a special focus on diversity, inclusion and talent development initiatives. She’ll will continue to report to Concord CEO Scott Pascucci.Before joining Concord in 2019, Ruth served in human resources positions at Warner Music Group where she had worked since 2001.
+ Also at Concord, New York-based Victor Zaraya takes on the position of COO after serving as chief revenue officer. He succeeds Jim Selby, who currently serves as Concord’s chief publishing executive. Prior to his time at Concord,Zaraya spent 20 years at Razor & Tie, home to the KIDZ BOP series.
+ Sony/ATV Music Publishing has upped Audrey J. Ashby to senior vice president, business affairs and Catalog. The New York-based Ashby, a longtime executive at EMI before the two companies merged in 2018, reports to Peter Brodsky, EVP, business affairs and general counsel.
+ Record producer and mixer Mark Needham has launched E.O.M. Records (Evolution of Man), an artist development extension and record label. Its flagship artist is San Diego-based alternative pop band Almost Monday, which is being developed in partnership with Hollywood Records and Disney Music Publishing and has a charting single out with “Broken People.” Needham operates the Red Oak studio in Los Feliz and also recently opened an office and studio in Nashville. Other E.O.M. artists include Yam Haus and the Cold Stares. His project as a mixer range from Imagine Dragons and the 1975 to Dolly Parton’s recent hit Christmas album.
