Rob Stringer: Last News

Mark Sutherland It’s been a curious month for the U.K. music biz, with events dominated by the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Her passing was announced just as the industry was descending on the Mercury Prize with Free Now awards in Hammersmith, West London – a ceremony that was abruptly pulled, despite 11 of the 12 nominated artists being in the room. Organizers will now have another try on Oct. 18, although how many of the nominees will make the rescheduled date remains to be seen. The official mourning period also had a significant impact on the country’s radio networks, with most music stations shifting overnight to somber music and news updates.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Sony Music today announced the appointment of Taylor Lindsey as Chairman and CEO, Sony Music Nashville, beginning January 2025. She replaces outgoing chief Randy Goodman, who announced his retirement earlier this year.

Mark Ronson, recent Mercury Prize nominee Cat Burns and Jake Bugg.In a press statement, Burns – who was a student at the BRIT School, which is funded by the BRIT Trust – said: “I’m really excited to perform at the MITS. I’m so grateful to the BRIT School for my time there, and the funds raised through the event are vital in helping to find and nurture the next generation of creative talent.”This year’s MITS Award recipient Jason Iley will follow in the footsteps of past recipients Annie Lennox, Kylie Minogue, Rob Stringer, Emma Banks, Elton John, Bernie Taupin, Lucian Grainge, Michael Eavis, Pete Tong, Roger Daltrey, Jamal Edwards and last year’s awardee Lucy Dickins among many others.Iley has served as Sony Music UK & Ireland’s chairman for the last decade, making him the longest serving chairman in the company’s history.In 2022, Jamal Edwards became the MITS’ first-ever posthumous recipient after the author, broadcaster and DJ died unexpectedly in February that year.

Entertainment phenomenon Barbra Streisand will be searching the corners of her mind for memories – misty, watercolor or otherwise – for a multi-part documentary directed by EGOT-winner Frank Marshall and produced by Oscar winner Alex Gibney.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic Production is underway on what is described as “the definitive multi-part documentary” on Barbra Streisand, with Frank Marshall directing and Alex Gibney producing, it was announced Thursday by Sony Music Vision, which is developing the doc in partnership with Columbia Records, Jigsaw Productions and the Kennedy/Marshall Company. The doc will offer “an intimate and comprehensive exploration of every facet of the iconic multi-hyphenate,” producers announced, further touting full access to the personal archives of the singer, actor and director, “including hundreds of hours of personal, never-before-seen video, photographs, audio recordings, and personal keepsakes from throughout her acclaimed career.” Said Streisand in a statement, “For years I’ve been thinking about the best way to share the vast amount of content I’ve been safely storing in my vault.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Randy Goodman, Chairman and CEO, Sony Music Nashville will retire at the end of 2024 after more than 35 years in the music industry. Goodman was appointed to his current role in 2015, during which time he also has overseen Sony Music’s Christian music enterprise, Provident Entertainment. In making the announcement, Sony Music Group Chairman, Rob Stringer, said: “Thank you to Randy for leading our Nashville company through the last nine years and providing some of the biggest new superstars in the genre of country music.

Sony is in talks to purchase Queen‘s music catalogue in a potential $1 billion (£800m) deal.According to Bloomberg, Sony is allegedly working alongside another investor on the purchase of the catalogue – which includes hits such as ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and ‘Radio Gaga – which would be the largest sale of its kind.The transaction would include merchandising and other business opportunities. The Bloomberg report shared that talks were still ongoing and could potentially not result in a deal.As per company filings, Queen’s surviving members – Brian May, Roger Taylor, John Deacon – and the estate of late frontman Freddie Mercury are all equal shareholders in Queen Productions Ltd and reported revenues of $52 million (£40.8 million) in 2022.Back in 2021, Bruce Springsteen sold his back catalogue to Sony for an estimated $500 million (£393 million).

Steve Boom — who, as MusiCares chair, also played a huge role in the organization’s distribution of more than $25 million in pandemic relief to the music community — will be honored as the UJA’s Music Visionary of the Year with a luncheon on June 7 at New York’s Ziegfield Ballroom. He will be saluted for his professional and philanthropic leadership, and the UJA will amplify its substantial efforts in confronting antisemitism and helping those in need. Previous recipients have included SiriusXM’s Scott Greenstein, Sony Music Group CEO Rob Stringer, Republic Records co-founders Avery and Monte Lipman, iHeartMedia chief Bob Pittman, Spotify co-founder Daniel Ek, Warner Records co-chairman and COO Tom Corson and Atlantic Records co-chairman and COO Julie Greenwald.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorSony Music Entertainment has named Vanessa Picken to the role of chair and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment Australia and New Zealand. Reporting to Sony Music Group Chairman Rob Stringer, she will begin her new role in September.Based in Sydney, Picken will oversee all operations, artist signings, marketing, and business partnerships for the company, according to the announcement.

Shirley Halperin Executive Editor, MusicSony Music Group (SMG) chairman Rob Stringer touted a strong fiscal year (for the period between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021) and revealed plans to expand the company’s Legacy Unrecouped Balance Program in a briefing to the company’s senior executives and investors delivered on May 25.Speaking from New York, Stringer hailed what he described as “all-time high financial results,” resulting in record numbers in revenue, profits and margins, going on five consecutive years.During that time, SMG’s global roster from its frontline labels — namely Columbia, RCA and Epic — increased by over 30% and its creative staff by more than 85%. The investment in talent, on both the artist and executive side, has yielded tangible results in the form of global successes like the Kid Laroi, Maneskin, Doja Cat and Lil Nas X, who got mentioned during the presentation.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe Clive Davis pre-Grammy gala has been called off for this year, but that’s not stopping the legendary mogul from throwing a big party — his 90 th birthday is April 4, the day after the big show, and he’s throwing a star-studded bash at Casa Cipriani in New York two days later, on Wednesday the 6th, a rep for Davis confirms to Variety. The event is sure to include a guest list that outshines even his famously star-studded pre-Grammy parties — while many of these names are longtime Friends of Clive, the New York Post says invitees include Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz, David Foster, Katharine McPhee, Pat Houston, David Geffen, and entertainment lawyer Allen Grubman, as well as label heads such as Monte Lipman, Tom Corson, Rob Stringer and Julie Greenwald. Davis wrote on the invite: “I personally hope you will one day be told that the next birthday you celebrate will be your 90th.

The annual pre-Grammy party by music mogul Clive Davis has been moved for the second year in a row.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe Recording Academy and Clive Davis have announced that the 2022 Pre-Grammy Gala, the star-studded “Clive Party” held the night before the  awards, will be postponed until next year, Variety has confirmed. The Grammys’ move to Las Vegas presumably complicated the arrangements for the event.

Sony Music yesterday announced that it has fully acquired Bob Dylan’s entire recordings catalogue in a deal that was actually concluded last July.Dylan has had a career long relationship with Sony’s Columbia label, so the big deal expands his existing partnership with the major. Specifics of the transaction are not known though – as with the deal he did with Universal around his songs catalogue – it likely gives Sony complete ownership and control of all the rights and royalties linked to his music – but in this case his recordings – in return for a mega-bucks upfront payment.In its announcement, Sony also confirmed that it would continue working with Dylan on catalogue releases, including future editions in his long-running ‘Bootleg Series’ of albums, and that the deal also provides it with “the opportunity … to partner with Dylan on additional projects”.Confirming the deal, Sony Music boss Rob Stringer said: “Columbia Records has had a special relationship with Bob Dylan from the beginning of his career and we are tremendously proud and excited to be continuing to grow and evolve our ongoing 60 year partnership”.“Bob is one of music’s greatest icons and an artist of unrivalled genius”, he added.

Bob Dylan sold his entire back catalog of recorded music along with 'the rights to multiple future new releases' to Sony Music Entertainment, the company announced Monday.Sony did not disclose the financial terms of the deal. In late 2020 the iconic artist, 80, had already sold his songwriting rights - separate from recording rights, which govern reproduction and distribution - to Universal, in a deal estimated to be worth more than $300 million.According to industry reports including from Billboard and Variety, the latest Dylan deal was worth upwards of $200 million.

Bob Dylan’s back catalogue in a new deal.It’s the culmination of a partnership that’s lasted six-decades and will see the entirety of Dylan’s work since 1962 pass to Sony.The agreement, which was concluded last year but was only announced today (January 24), will see everything from Dylan’s self-titled debut to his last album ‘Rough And Rowdy Ways‘ jump over to Sony in a deal that’s reportedly worth millions.Dylan will continue to collaborate with Sony on a range of future projects including catalogue reissues and more.Speaking about the deal, Dylan said: “Columbia Records and Rob Stringer have been nothing but good to me for many, many years and a whole lot of records. I’m glad that all my recordings can stay where they belong.”Rob Stringer, the chairman of Sony Music Group, added: “Columbia Records has had a special relationship with Bob Dylan from the beginning of his career and we are tremendously proud and excited to be continuing to grow and evolve our ongoing 60-year partnership.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorSony Music Entertainment today announced it has fully acquired Bob Dylan’s entire back catalog of recorded music, as well as the rights to multiple future new releases, in a major expansion of SME’s six-decade relationship with the artist.Sources tell Variety that the deal was worth between $150 million and $200 million, although the number was not confirmed; reps for Sony and Dylan declined comment.This landmark agreement, concluded in July 2021, comprises the entirety of Bob Dylan’s recorded body of work since 1962, beginning with the artist’s self-titled debut album and continuing through 2020’s highly acclaimed and successful “Rough and Rowdy Ways.”Bob Dylan and SME will continue to collaborate on a range of future catalog reissues in the artist’s renowned and top-selling Bootleg Series, which began in 1991 and includes 14 releases through last year’s lauded “Springtime In New York: The Bootleg Series Vol. 16 (1980-1985).” The agreement also provides the opportunity for SME to partner with Dylan on additional projects.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe Grammy Awards will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 3, the Recording Academy has confirmed. The CMT Awards, originally scheduled for that day at the venue, will be moved to a later date.Trevor Noah, long-running host of “The Daily Show” and host of the 2021 Grammys, will return as master of ceremonies.