As I delve into the lives of these extraordinary professionals, I am struck by their diverse backgrounds and impressive accomplishments. Each one brings a unique perspective to the music industry, leveraging their expertise to navigate the complexities of this ever-evolving field.
If you’re an artist looking to sell your work or a company aiming to purchase a catalog, it would be beneficial to scrutinize the lawyers on THR‘s 2024 Top Music Lawyers list. These legal professionals have been instrumental in projects such as Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour and album ‘Cowboy Carter’, as well as negotiating deals with brands like Crocs and NASCAR for Luke Combs, and connecting K-pop stars like RM and Jung Kook with artists such as Megan Thee Stallion and Usher. These are the dealmakers you should familiarize yourself with.
Damien Granderson
Granderson acts as the representative for Quality Control Music during its acquisition by HYBE America, a significant player in K-pop. Additionally, he manages the performance contracts for triple Grammy nominee Raye, which encompass her shows at London’s O2 Arena, Coachella, Saturday Night Live, and Royal Albert Hall. Furthermore, he negotiates deals for J Balvin and Ne-Yo as well.
“Here’s what I think about AI in Music: AI tools simplify the process of making, sharing, and enjoying music, tailoring it to individual preferences. They also assist musicians and industry professionals in streamlining their workflows.”
MY FIRST-EVER LIVE SHOW Fugees
ARTIST COLLABORATION I WOULD LOVE TO SEE Stevie Wonder and Raye
Lisa Alter & Katie Baron
Over the last year and a half, Alter and Baron have successfully completed deals worth $1 billion. They’ve acted as representatives for Primary Wave, facilitating the purchase of numerous catalogs such as Def Leppard, The Strokes, Ramones, James Brown, Isaac Hayes, Whitney Houston, Bob Marley, and a portion of Stevie Nicks’. Furthermore, they’ve assisted other companies in acquiring additional catalogs, including Iconic Artists Group (Rod Stewart, Joe Cocker), Influence Media Partners (Future, Blake Shelton, Enrique Iglesias), BMG Rights Management (Peter Frampton, ZZ Top), and Reservoir Media Management (Sonny Rollins, Louis Prima).
THE SONG THAT DOMINATED MY AIRPODS THIS YEAR
BARON “Pink Pony Club,” by Chappell Roan.
ALTER “Houdini,” by Eminem
MY FIRST-EVER LIVE SHOW
BARON New Kids on the Block
ALTER Traffic
John Branca, David Byrnes & David Lande
Ziffren Brittenham’s music department has been thriving, handling a diverse range of high-profile projects. They played key roles in the production of Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour and film, as well as the Cowboy Carter album that earned 11 Grammy nominations. Additionally, they negotiated Pharrell’s deal for Piece by Piece with Focus Features and a new agreement with Adidas. Furthermore, they secured significant deals for Barry Gibb’s Bee Gees catalog, Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS tour, her partnership with popular Gen Z brand Stanley water bottles, and an endorsing contract with Lancôme.
MY THOUGHTS ON AI IN MUSIC
“It’s intriguing to see the possibilities as I observe how my Generation Z clients are adopting technology innovatively, discovering unique methods for creation.”
MY FIRST-EVER LIVE SHOW
LANDE The Rolling Stones
Tiffany Dunn
Dunn has handled various legal matters for John R. Cash’s Revocable Trust, including Johnny Cash trademarks, copyright issues, and more. This includes collaborations like the one with Jacques Marie Mage eyewear, the posthumous release of the album Songwriter, and the installation of Cash’s statue at the U.S. Capitol, making him the first musician to receive such an honor. For Luke Combs, Dunn has managed his collaborations with Crocs, NASCAR, and NBC Sports; his partnership with Miller Lite; and the opening of his Nashville restaurant, Category 10.
MY FAVORITE MOVIE OR SHOW ABOUT LAWYERS Legally Blonde
MY FIRST-EVER LIVE SHOW “At Six Flags. My first country show was Garth Brooks.”
Palisa Kelley
Due to a significant increase in music catalog sales over the last few years, Kelley has become a leading figure in this field, known as a top dealmaker. She’s played a crucial role in acquiring the catalogs of numerous high-profile artists worldwide, such as Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj, Pat Benatar, Christine McVie, Nelly, Florida Georgia Line, and Brad Paisley. Kelley has negotiated deals for over 55 music catalogs and more than 29,000 individual songs spanning master recordings, royalties from publishing, and musical compositions.
“My preferred legal-themed movie or series is ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo.’ In my role as a member of an organization advocating for adults with intellectual and developmental challenges, I find this K-drama particularly engaging because it showcases the life of an attorney with autism in a heartwarming manner.”
THE SONG THAT DOMINATED MY AIRPODS THIS YEAR “Not Like Us,” by Kendrick Lamar
THE MUSIC INDUSTRY NEEDS MORE … “Women of color in executive positions.”
Christine Lepera
Lawyer Lepera is the go-to person that artists seek assistance from when they face legal issues, particularly in matters concerning copyright, trademark, and contract disagreements. She has represented notable figures such as Universal Music Group, Drake, Katy Perry, Post Malone, and Dr. Luke. In the case of Dua Lipa, she successfully dismissed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the pop star and Warner Music Group for the song “Levitating,” which was Billboard’s top song of 2021. Additionally, Lepera won a summary judgment in favor of Timbaland and other defendants regarding infringement claims.
MY FAVORITE MOVIE OR SHOW ABOUT LAWYERS To Kill a Mockingbird
THE SONG THAT DOMINATED MY AIRPODS THIS YEAR “Texas Hold ‘Em,” by Beyoncé
Donald S. Passman, J. Eugene (Gene) Salomon Jr. & Ethan Schiffres
This threesome’s clientele resembles the Billboard charts – it includes Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, and Adele. For Adele, they handled her residencies in Las Vegas and Munich, while other ventures include Green Day’s ‘Saviors’ album and tour, as well as Pink’s most recent live tour. The agency also negotiated Cher’s sale of assets to Iconic Artists Group and represents Ludwig Göransson, a multiple award-winning composer, for his work on ‘Oppenheimer’ and Childish Gambino’s latest album. They also manage Stevie Wonder, R.E.M., and Adam Lambert as clients.
MY FAVORITE MOVIE OR SHOW ABOUT LAWYERS
PASSMAN Suits
SALOMON The Verdict
SCHIFFRES The Firm
THE MUSIC INDUSTRY NEEDS MORE …
SALOMON “Women in the studio and in leadership positions.”
Adrian Perry & Jonathan Sperling
Perry and Sperling jointly spearheaded a legal team handling the affairs of a music company, one of the biggest in the industry’s history. They have worked with heavyweight clients such as Sony Music, Disney, Amazon, the NBA, and the NFL. Moving forward, Perry remains an influential figure in AI contract negotiations, digital content distribution complications, and data acquisition and licensing matters. Meanwhile, Sperling has become a sought-after attorney for label entities in copyright and royalty disagreements.
THE SONG THAT DOMINATED MY AIRPODS THIS YEAR
PERRY “Personality Crisis,” by New York Dolls
SPERLING “Am Yisrael Chai,” by Eyal Golan
ARTIST COLLABORATION I WOULD LOVE TO SEE
PERRY Billie Eilish and Julian Casablancas
Julian Petty
As a dedicated fan, I’ve been thrilled to witness Warner’s unstoppable winning run, fueled by the emergence of fresh talents such as Benson Boone and Teddy Swims, alongside the consistent triumph of Zach Bryan. Meanwhile, Petty, in his role as executive vp and head of legal affairs, is actively involved in sealing deals with these new artists and renegotiations.
As a fan, I believe we should value our industry veterans more. Despite being a field dominated by young blood, it’s crucial to recognize the wealth of experience and wisdom held by the pioneers and seasoned executives. Let’s make an effort to preserve this invaluable knowledge and nurture their contributions.
“My very first live performance was by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, and I still recall how they electrified the venue, fueling my passion for hip-hop even more.”
Alexis Robinson & Daniel Schnapp
Robinson and Schnapp, on behalf of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), successfully negotiated multi-year public performance licenses with Netflix, Spotify, BBC, Univision, and others for the organization’s extensive musical repertoire. Furthermore, they arranged various membership and financial incentive agreements for established ASCAP members like Lauryn Hill, SZA, Kacey Musgraves, Fall Out Boy, as well as new ones. Other high-profile clients they represent include TikTok, Vevo, and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
MY FAVORITE MOVIE OR SHOW ABOUT LAWYERS
ROBINSON My Cousin Vinny
SCHNAPP The Devil’s Advocate
ARTIST COLLABORATION I WOULD LOVE TO SEE
ROBINSON Amy Winehouse and Kendrick Lamar
SCHNAPP Metallica and Post Malone
Angela Marie Rogers
Following over a decade of managing her own business, Rogers shifted to Gamma – a media and music label known for its innovative technology – as the Head of Business and Legal Affairs. In this role, she manages artist signings for partners such as Usher, Snoop Dogg, Sexyy Red from Rebel Music, while also driving strategic partnerships. Moreover, she oversaw legal production services at Mass Appeal for the Hulu documentary titled “Freaknik: The Wildest Story Never Told”, which chronicles the iconic Atlanta street party that occurred during the 80’s and 90’s.
MY THOUGHTS ON AI IN MUSIC “Still formulating.”
“The music industry would benefit from more innovative approaches in its business operations. It’s time for the conventional major record label system and independent distribution methods to evolve. That’s what makes my involvement with gamma so thrilling – we have endless possibilities.”
Jess Rosen
Country music has consistently been a leading genre within the music industry, but recently, these prominent artists have taken over the pop charts and achieved even greater success. Rosen, who collaborates with the genre’s top performers, such as Kenny Chesney, Kacey Musgraves, and Kane Brown, has brokered significant tour agreements for them in addition to aiding in the sale of Kane Brown’s publishing catalog. Rosen, responsible for over 240 deals collectively worth tens of millions of dollars last year, also negotiated restaurant licensing contracts for Brown and Miranda Lambert.
THE SONG THAT DOMINATED MY AIRPODS THIS YEAR “Summer Wind,” by Frank Sinatra
Angela Martinez
Martinez serves as both the founder and sole proprietor of AngieLaw, managing some of the most prominent Latin musical acts globally, such as Ozuna, Luis Fonsi, Feid, Sebastián Yatra, María Becerra, and Alemán. Over the past year, she’s skillfully dealt with the intricacies of music law, finalizing a string of significant contracts involving recording, publishing, distribution, and asset acquisition, collectively amassing over $130 million in value.
MY FAVORITE MOVIE OR SHOW ABOUT LAWYERS My Cousin Vinny
“Reflections on Artificial Intelligence in Music” “Just as new music technologies have faced resistance, from cassette tapes to CDs and digital downloads, I understand the apprehensions about AI. However, I advocate for exploring avenues to monetize this technology and crafting distinctive fan experiences that only artists can offer. By adopting AI, we can unlock fresh possibilities while preserving the emotional core inherent in music.
MY FIRST-EVER LIVE SHOW “Vanilla Ice, En Vogue and MC Hammer — don’t judge me!”
Bobby Rosenbloum
For the past year, Rosenbloum has managed transactions exceeding $3 billion. He is responsible for music licensing and strategic planning at AI companies such as SourceAudio, Klay Vision, Songbird AI, and Oy, along with social media platforms like Meta, Snap, TikTok, X, and Twitch. He’s frequently consulted by major corporations like Mattel, the Coca-Cola Company, Amazon Studios, Lululemon, Verizon Wireless, MLB, and Apple Studios, to name a few. Additionally, he holds the position of deputy general counsel for the Recording Academy and the Latin Recording Academy.
The tune that played most frequently on my AirPods this year was ‘Espresso,’ a track produced by Julian Bunetta featuring Sabrina Carpenter.
The world of music needs more efficient ways to handle global music copyrights and licensing. The current complexities in the market make it challenging for fresh ideas and innovation from emerging businesses.
Matthew Thompson
In a recent reorganization of Atlantic Records under Warner Music Group (WMG), Thompson played a significant role, notably in promoting Elliot Grainge, founder of 10K Projects, to CEO position. Additionally, Thompson collaborated with WMG and its affiliates on a joint venture with 10K Projects, which houses popular artists such as Ice Spice, Artemas, and Trippie Redd. Furthermore, he has been instrumental in major catalog acquisitions, including WMG’s purchase of the entire recorded music catalog belonging to Yes.
“My viewpoint on AI in music: “I prefer it to be minimized. Music, being a profoundly human expression and sensation, ought to retain its essence.
“The music industry could greatly benefit from better means of linking rising stars with their fans. There are numerous methods available, yet it’s disheartening to see how often these promising artists fail to reach their audience.”
Debbie White
White is often referred to as the reigning queen in the realm of K-pop collaborations. For the past seven years, she has been associated with HYBE, the home turf of BTS. Her latest endeavors include Jung Kook’s collaboration with Usher on “Standing Next to You”, RM and Megan Thee Stallion’s union for “Neva Play”, and Jimin’s partnerships with NLE Choppa, JVKE, and Muni Long for the tracks “Angel Pt. 1” and “Angel Pt. 2” from the Fast X soundtrack. Additionally, she has been instrumental in NewJeans securing a global brand ambassadorship with Coca-Cola, and is currently managing deals for clients such as Hello Sunshine, The Who, Duran Duran, Christina Aguilera (for her Las Vegas residency and an Airbnb partnership).
This year, the tunes that filled my AirPods most frequently were “Fire for You” by Cannons and “A Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay.
“My inaugural live performance was at Carpenters in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, but the first concert that I distinctly recall going to was Styx at Radio City Music Hall.”
This tale was published in The Hollywood Reporter’s November 20th edition. Consider subscribing here for more such stories.
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2024-11-22 20:56