Posts by Mark Sutherland

‘A manager’s job is to be the last guard at the gate for the artists that they work with in terms of their art. That’s a pretty deep responsibility.’

Chris Woltman on the huge and sustained success of Twenty One Pilots, why record labels still matter, the rock revival, streaming economics and AI

Interviews

‘Songwriters are at the bottom of the earning scale – and that is unfathomable, inexcusable and disgusting’

Shelly Peiken on writing classic hits for Meredith Brooks, Christina Aguilera and many others, as well as her fight for songwriters' rights, ignoring the algorithm, and not being an asshole

Interviews

‘I’m going to become a mogul. I’m working towards becoming an executive producer as big as David Geffen.’

Turbo discusses what makes him Great, pushing boundaries, avoiding gimmicks, going country, making his own music and the dangers of ego and entitlement

Interviews

‘Sometimes I feel like I’m on fire in a room and sometimes I feel like I’m completely dead.’

Tobias Jesso Jr on how he nearly blew it with Adele on day one, feeling 'disenfranchised' by the modern music industry, and when/why he might just pack it all in and make way forAI...

Interviews

‘I’m getting invited to a few more lunches now.’

A UK grime fan is currently one of the hottest producers in LA and Nashville. Hoskins recounts his unlikely journey and discusses his musical philosophy...

Interviews

‘We’ve been blessed to work on things that have shifted culture.’

Mark Beaven on starting out as a DJ in some of New York's most storied clubs, working with Nirvana, helping establish the songwriter/producer management business, the nature of greatness, and the power of music

Interviews

‘I’ve spent every day since I’ve known Lola believing that it was going to happen.’

Nick Shymansky on Lola, Amy, gut vs data and the importance of knowing the difference between good and great

Interviews

‘We need different approaches and mindsets for different artists at different stages of their growth.’

Karl Walsh, head of Warner Music’s WMX division, on what makes brand deals work, what they can mean for fans and what they can do for artists…

Interviews

Terry McBride on fan communities, TikTok, and building Nettwerk to be a ‘generational’ music company

MBW's Trailblazers series meets Terry McBride, CEO of Nettwerk Music Group

Interviews

‘As a manager, you have to be somebody’s biggest fan.’

MBW’s World’s Greatest Managers series meets Dan Petel, founder of songwriter-producer management company This Is Noise

Interviews

‘PPL’s position in the music industry has transformed massively.’

PPL CEO, Peter Leathem, looks back not just on recent developments at the licensing and collection society, but at 90 years of history, the JV with PRS, ‘taking over from Alex Ferguson’ and much more…

Interviews

‘I’ve been pretty successful changing gears a few times in this industry.’

Artist-turned-producer Raphael Saadiq on playing bass for Prince, working with Beyoncé, superstardom(!) with Tony! Toni! Toné! and much more...

Interviews

‘Every time you think maybe BMG has run out of runway, it hasn’t.’

BMG’s UK boss Alistair Norbury talks Kylie and Suede, reflects on the changes made by new CEO Thomas Coesfeld, and explains how ‘BMG is coming in from the cold’…

Interviews

‘Writer-producer management is a different ball game, it’s a day-to-day hustle.’

Ant Hippsley established Milk & Honey’s London office in 2020 with Lucas Keller. Since then he’s grown the roster and his team – but, he explains, the UK wing of the writer-producer management company is only just getting started…

Interviews

Dan Nigro on changing the pop landscape with Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan

The hottest-to-go songwriter around right now talks to MBW about writing some of the biggest hits of the last few years, TikTok and launching his own label