Steve Barnett (music executive)
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Steve Barnett is the former Chairman and CEO of
Capitol Music Group Capitol Music Group (CMG) is an American front line umbrella label distributed by Universal Music Group which oversees handling of record labels assigned to UMG's Capitol Records division. It was inherited from UMG's acquisition of EMI's catalog ( ...
.Steve Barnett to lead Capitol Music Group
/ref>


Early career

Barnett began his music career as an agent in London in 1970, working for the Bron Agency (Gerry Bron) and dealing with bands such as
Colosseum The Colosseum ( ; it, Colosseo ) is an oval amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, just east of the Roman Forum. It is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built, and is still the largest standing amphitheatre in the world to ...
and Uriah Heep. He became an agent for
NEMS Enterprises Brian Samuel Epstein (; 19 September 1934 – 27 August 1967) was a British music entrepreneur who managed the Beatles from 1962 until his death in 1967. Epstein was born into a family of successful retailers in Liverpool, who put him i ...
, the company originally formed by Beatles manager
Brian Epstein Brian Samuel Epstein (; 19 September 1934 – 27 August 1967) was a British music entrepreneur who managed the Beatles from 1962 until his death in 1967. Epstein was born into a family of successful retailers in Liverpool, who put him i ...
. While there from 1972 to 1974, Barnett represented artists such as
Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
,
Black Sabbath Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
, and
Deep Purple Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal music, heavy metal and modern hard rock music, but their musical style has changed over the course of its existence. Ori ...
. He briefly managed Rough Diamond in 1977, a short-lived British band that featured David Byron (ex Uriah Heep), Dave Clempson (ex Colosseum), and Geoff Britton (ex
Wings A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is expresse ...
). In 1980 he became a manager and partner in the U.K. artist management firm Part Rock, where his clients included
AC/DC AC/DC (stylised as ACϟDC) are an Australian Rock music, rock band formed in Sydney in 1973 by Scottish-born brothers Malcolm Young, Malcolm and Angus Young. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock, and Heavy metal ...
,
Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper Thornton (born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. Her career has spanned over 40 years. Her album ''She's So Unusual'' (1983) was the first debut album by a female artist to achi ...
, Foreigner, and
Gary Moore Robert William Gary Moore (4 April 19526 February 2011) was a Northern Irish musician. Over the course of his career he played in various groups and performed a range of music including blues, blues rock, hard rock, heavy metal, and jazz ...
. In 1988 he established Part Rock's U.S. company, Hard to Handle Management, where he served as President.


Epic Records

Barnett joined
Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...
in 1996 as Senior Vice President International, and was named Senior Vice President Worldwide Marketing for the label in 1997, then Executive Vice President/ General Manager in 2001. He was named President of Epic in 2004. At Epic Barnett took a role in marketing artists including
Pearl Jam Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. The band's lineup consists of founding members Jeff Ament (bass guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), Mike McCready (lead guitar), and Eddie Vedder (lead vocals, guita ...
,
Audioslave Audioslave was an American Rock music, rock supergroup (music), supergroup formed in Glendale, California, in 2001. The four-piece band consisted of Soundgarden's lead singer and rhythm guitarist Chris Cornell with Rage Against the Machine membe ...
,
Shakira Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977), professionally known by the mononym Shakira, is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she has been referred to as the " Queen of Latin Music" and is ...
,
Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...
,
Franz Ferdinand Archduke Franz Ferdinand Carl Ludwig Joseph Maria of Austria, (18 December 1863 – 28 June 1914) was the heir presumptive to the throne of Austria-Hungary. His assassination in Sarajevo was the most immediate cause of World War I. F ...
,
Modest Mouse Modest Mouse is an American rock band formed in 1992 in Issaquah, Washington, and currently based in Portland, Oregon. The founding members are lead singer/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, and bassist Eric Judy. Strongly influenced ...
,
Good Charlotte Good Charlotte is an American rock band from Waldorf, Maryland that formed in 1996. Since 2005, the band's lineup has consisted of twin brothers Joel Madden (lead vocals) and Benji Madden (guitar and vocals), Paul Thomas (bass), Billy Martin (g ...
and
Natasha Bedingfield Natasha Anne Bedingfield (born 26 November 1981) is a British singer and songwriter. Bedingfield released her debut album, '' Unwritten'', in 2004, which contained primarily up-tempo pop songs and was influenced by R&B music. It enjoyed intern ...
.


Columbia Records

In December 2005, he was named Chairman of
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
, with responsibility for overall management of the label. During his tenure, Columbia's marketshare rose consistently, resulting in a 50 percent increase in current marketshare between 2009 and 2012 and attaining the #1 slot among all labels in 2011 and 2012. Barnett has presided over successful campaigns for
Adele Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a reco ...
,
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
,
John Mayer John Clayton Mayer ( ; born October 16, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Born and raised in Fairfield County, Connecticut, Mayer attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, but left and moved to Atlanta in 1997 with ...
,
Jack White John Anthony White (; born July 9, 1975), commonly known as Jack White, is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the duo the White Stripes. White has enjoyed consistent critical and popular success and is widely c ...
,
The Shins The Shins is an American indie rock band formed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1996. The band is the project of singer-songwriter James Mercer, who has served as the band's sole constant member throughout numerous line-up changes. The band's cu ...
,
One Direction One Direction, often shortened to 1D, are an English-Irish pop boy band formed in London in 2010. The group are composed of Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and previously Zayn Malik until his departure from the gr ...
, Maxwell,
Foster the People Foster the People is an American indie pop band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 2009. Its members are singer Mark Foster, guitarist Sean Cimino, and keyboardist Isom Innis. Foster founded the band in 2009 after spending several years in ...
,
J. Cole Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper and record producer. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained recognition as a rapper following the release of his d ...
,
AC/DC AC/DC (stylised as ACϟDC) are an Australian Rock music, rock band formed in Sydney in 1973 by Scottish-born brothers Malcolm Young, Malcolm and Angus Young. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock, and Heavy metal ...
,
Susan Boyle Susan Magdalane Boyle (born 1 April 1961) is a Scottish singer. She rose to fame in 2009 after appearing as a contestant on the third series of ''Britain's Got Talent'', singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from '. Boyle's debut studio album, ''I D ...
, soprano prodigy
Jackie Evancho Jacqueline Marie Evancho ( ; born April 9, 2000) is an American crossover music#Classical crossover, classical crossover singer who gained wide recognition at an early age. Since 2009, she has issued a platinum-selling extended play, EP and nine ...
and the marketing and release of the
Glee Glee means delight, a form of happiness. Glee may also refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...
soundtracks. He oversaw critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums by artists including
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
,
Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originat ...
,
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers List ...
,
Neil Diamond Neil Leslie Diamond (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. He has sold more than 130 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling musicians of all time. He has had ten No. 1 singles on the Hot 100 and Adul ...
,
Celine Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion ( ; born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Noted for her powerful and technically skilled vocals, Dion is the best-selling Canadian recording artist, and the best-selling French-language artist of all time. Her ...
, and Harry Connick Jr.
Adele Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a reco ...
's '' 21'' was the first time that an album reached the RIAA Diamond plateau since Usher's ''Confessions'', which was released in 2004 and Diamond certified in July, 2012. Barnett was instrumental in bringing
AC/DC AC/DC (stylised as ACϟDC) are an Australian Rock music, rock band formed in Sydney in 1973 by Scottish-born brothers Malcolm Young, Malcolm and Angus Young. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock, and Heavy metal ...
to Sony Music, where the band achieved the label's biggest first-week sales figure in its history when it sold more than 784,000 copies of ''
Black Ice Black ice, sometimes called clear ice, is a thin coating of glaze ice on a surface, especially on streets. The ice itself is not black, but visually transparent, allowing the often black road below to be seen through it. The typically low levels ...
'' in 2008. The band has since sold over 38 million albums worldwide. This period also saw Bob Dylan score back-to-back #1 albums with '' Modern Times'' and ''
Together Through Life ''Together Through Life'' is the 33rd studio album by singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on April 28, 2009, by Columbia Records. The release of the album, which reached number 1 in multiple countries, was unexpected and surprised fans. Dylan ...
'', as well as Neil Diamond receiving the first #1 album in his career with the release of '' Home Before Dark''. During this time, Barbra Streisand set the record as the only artist to achieve a #1 album in every decade from the 1960s through the 2000s with her album '' Love Is the Answer''.


Capitol Music Group


2012 - 2014

In November 2012, Barnett became Chairman and CEO of the
Capitol Music Group Capitol Music Group (CMG) is an American front line umbrella label distributed by Universal Music Group which oversees handling of record labels assigned to UMG's Capitol Records division. It was inherited from UMG's acquisition of EMI's catalog ( ...
. Barnett broadened the company's portfolio of labels in 2013, inking high-profile deals with
T Bone Burnett Joseph Henry "T Bone" Burnett III (born January 14, 1948) is an American record producer, guitarist and songwriter. He rose to fame as a guitarist in Bob Dylan's band during the 1970s. He has received multiple Grammy awards for his work in film ...
(Electromagnetic Recordings) and Troy Carter (Atom Factory), as well as a partnership with
Arcade Fire Arcade Fire is a Canadian indie rock band, consisting of husband and wife Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, alongside Richard Reed Parry, Tim Kingsbury and Jeremy Gara. The band's current touring line-up also includes former core member S ...
for that band's ''
Reflektor ''Reflektor'' is the fourth studio album by Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire, released on October 28, 2013, through Sonovox Records internationally and Merge Records in the United States. A double album, it was recorded between 2011 and 2 ...
'' album. In October 2013, it was announced that
Beck Beck David Hansen (born Bek David Campbell; July 8, 1970) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to fame in the early 1990s with his Experimental music, experimental and Lo-fi music, lo-fi style, and became ...
signed to Capitol Records. On January 21, 2014, Barnett announced the signing of
Neil Diamond Neil Leslie Diamond (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. He has sold more than 130 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling musicians of all time. He has had ten No. 1 singles on the Hot 100 and Adul ...
to a long-term recording agreement with Capitol Records. The contract united Diamond's Columbia, UNI/MCA, and Bang catalogues of recorded music for the first time, encompassing the artist's entire body of recorded work. In December, 2013, Barnett completed a year-long renovation of the Capitol Records Tower in Hollywood, California. On July 24, 2014, Capitol's
Sam Smith Samuel Frederick Smith (born 19 May 1992) is an English singer and songwriter. After rising to prominence in October 2012 by featuring on Disclosure's breakthrough single "Latch", which peaked at number eleven on the UK Singles Chart, they ...
made U.S. pop music history when his debut album ''
In the Lonely Hour ''In the Lonely Hour'' is the debut album by English singer and songwriter Sam Smith. It was released in the United Kingdom on 26 May 2014 via Capitol UK and Method Records. In the United States, it was released on 17 June 2014 through Capitol ...
'' sold more copies in its first week of release – 166,000 – than any other debut album by a UK male artist in the 23-year history of Soundscan. The album entered the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart at #2. Capitol Recording artists 5 Seconds Of Summer became the first Australian artists to enter the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart at #1 with its first full-length album on July 30, 2014. The band's self-titled debut album sold 259,000 copies in its first week of release, achieving the third largest weekly sales tally of the year, to date. On December 5, 2014, Capitol Music Group artists and recordings received 44
Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
nominations for 2015, including multiple nominations for
Sam Smith Samuel Frederick Smith (born 19 May 1992) is an English singer and songwriter. After rising to prominence in October 2012 by featuring on Disclosure's breakthrough single "Latch", which peaked at number eleven on the UK Singles Chart, they ...
(6 nominations including Album Of The Year for ''
In the Lonely Hour ''In the Lonely Hour'' is the debut album by English singer and songwriter Sam Smith. It was released in the United Kingdom on 26 May 2014 via Capitol UK and Method Records. In the United States, it was released on 17 June 2014 through Capitol ...
'' and Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year for " Stay with Me"),
Beck Beck David Hansen (born Bek David Campbell; July 8, 1970) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to fame in the early 1990s with his Experimental music, experimental and Lo-fi music, lo-fi style, and became ...
(4 nominations, including Album Of The Year and Best Rock Album for ''
Morning Phase ''Morning Phase'' is the twelfth official studio album and twelfth overall by American singer Beck. The album was released in February 2014 by his new label, Capitol Records. According to a press release, ''Morning Phase'' is a "companion piece" ...
''),
Ryan Adams David Ryan Adams (born November 5, 1974) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, artist, and poet. He has released 23 albums, as well as three studio albums as a former member of alt-country band Whiskeytown. In 2000, Adams left ...
(3 nominations, including Best Rock Album for 2014's ''
Ryan Adams David Ryan Adams (born November 5, 1974) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, artist, and poet. He has released 23 albums, as well as three studio albums as a former member of alt-country band Whiskeytown. In 2000, Adams left ...
''),
Rosanne Cash Rosanne Cash (born May 24, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter and author. She is the eldest daughter of country musician Johnny Cash and Vivian Liberto Cash Distin, Johnny Cash's first wife. Although she is often classified as a country art ...
(3 nominations, including Best Americana Album for '' The River & the Thread''), Robert Glasper Experiment (2 nominations including Best R&B Album for '' Black Radio 2'') and
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her Camp (style), campy style, she has been ...
(2 nominations, including Best Pop Vocal Album for ''
Prism Prism usually refers to: * Prism (optics), a transparent optical component with flat surfaces that refract light * Prism (geometry), a kind of polyhedron Prism may also refer to: Science and mathematics * Prism (geology), a type of sedimentary ...
'').


2015 - 2016

On January 9, 2015,
Billboard Magazine ''Billboard'' (stylized as ''billboard'') is an American music and entertainment magazine published weekly by Penske Media Corporation. The magazine provides music charts, news, video, opinion, reviews, events, and style related to the music ...
announced that Capitol Music Group ranked #2 in Industry Market Share plus TEA for the 2014 calendar (7.91%), as tracked by Nielsen SoundScan. It marked the company's highest such ranking in decades, and highlighted CMG's successful turnaround over the previous 24 months since the company was purchased by Universal Music Group in 2012 as part of its acquisition of EMI. In 2012, Nielsen Soundscan ranked CMG at #5 with 6.61%, and the company's leap to #2 quantified a growth in market share of 20%. On February 8, 2015, Capitol Music Group artists won 12
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
, marking the first time in Grammy history that one label swept the big four categories: Album Of The Year (for Beck's ''
Morning Phase ''Morning Phase'' is the twelfth official studio album and twelfth overall by American singer Beck. The album was released in February 2014 by his new label, Capitol Records. According to a press release, ''Morning Phase'' is a "companion piece" ...
'') and Record Of The Year (
Sam Smith's Samuel Smith Old Brewery, popularly known as Samuel Smith's or Sam Smith's, is an independent brewery and pub owner based in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, England. It is Yorkshire's oldest brewery, founded in 1758, and one of three breweries in th ...
" Stay With Me"), Song Of The Year ("Stay With Me") and Best New Artist (Sam Smith). Beck also received a Grammy for Best Rock Album (''Morning Phase''), while Sam Smith won his fourth Grammy in the category of Best Pop Vocal Album (''In The Lonely Hour'').
Blue Note In jazz and blues, a blue note is a note that—for expressive purposes—is sung or played at a slightly different pitch from standard. Typically the alteration is between a quartertone and a semitone, but this varies depending on the musical co ...
recording artist
Rosanne Cash Rosanne Cash (born May 24, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter and author. She is the eldest daughter of country musician Johnny Cash and Vivian Liberto Cash Distin, Johnny Cash's first wife. Although she is often classified as a country art ...
won Best Americana Album for '' The River & the Thread'', plus Best American Roots Performance and Best American Roots Song for "A Feather's Not A Bird." Additional CMG artists to win Grammys included
Robert Glasper Robert Andre Glasper (born April 6, 1978) is an American pianist, record producer, songwriter, and musical arranger with a career that bridges several different musical and artistic genres, mostly centered on jazz. To date, Glasper has won fou ...
, who was awarded a statue for Best Traditional R&B Performance for "Jesus Children" from his '' Black Radio 2'' album, and
Smokie Norful Rev. W.R. "Smokie" Norful, Jr. is an American gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message (" the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be d ...
, who won Best Gospel Performance for "No Greater Love." The 57th Annual Grammy Awards telecast featured performances by numerous CMG artists, including Beck, Annie Lennox, Katy Perry and Sam Smith. On August 16, 2016, Barnett announced that
Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...
had signed a worldwide recording agreement with Capitol Records and that the deal encompassed the artist's entire body of post-Beatles work, as well as new recordings. McCartney is currently working on a new studio album, and working with Capitol on a comprehensive plan for his back catalogue. On November 1, 2016, Barnett announced a slate of activities related to Capitol Records' 75th Anniversary celebration beginning on November 15 and continuing through 2017. Events include a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...
, the proclamation of November 15 as Capitol Records Day in the city of Los Angeles, and release of a 75-album vinyl collection of historic recordings. In December 2016, TASCHEN published ''75 Years Of Capitol Records'', an official account of Capitol Records, from its founding year of 1942 through the present day. With a foreword by Beck, essays by cultural historians and music and architecture critics, as well as hundreds of images from Capitol's extensive archives, the book follows the label's evolution and the making of some of the greatest music of the 20th and 21st centuries. Through pop, rock, country, classical, soul, and jazz, the photographic and musical history includes the label's "most successful, cool, hip, and creative stars, as well as the one-hit wonders who had their all-too-brief moments in the spotlight." Barnett was interviewed extensively by Tim Ingham of Music Business Worldwide in December 6, 2016 article, during which they discussed Barnett's tenure at Capitol Music Group and the company's November 15, 2016 gala event celebrating its 75th Anniversary. At that event, Capitol welcomed chart heavyweights past and present into its Studios A & B, including
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her Camp (style), campy style, she has been ...
,
Ryan Adams David Ryan Adams (born November 5, 1974) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, artist, and poet. He has released 23 albums, as well as three studio albums as a former member of alt-country band Whiskeytown. In 2000, Adams left ...
, Halsey,
Neil Diamond Neil Leslie Diamond (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. He has sold more than 130 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling musicians of all time. He has had ten No. 1 singles on the Hot 100 and Adul ...
,
Bob Seger Robert Clark Seger ( ; born May 6, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and The Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s, break ...
,
Beck Beck David Hansen (born Bek David Campbell; July 8, 1970) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to fame in the early 1990s with his Experimental music, experimental and Lo-fi music, lo-fi style, and became ...
, Niall Horan and
Tori Kelly Victoria Loren Kelly (born December 14, 1992) is an American singer-songwriter, and voice actress. She first gained recognition after posting videos on YouTube as a teenager, and made it through to Hollywood week on the ninth season of ''Americ ...
– plus business players from Capitol's halcyon days such as Bhaskar Menon, Joe Smith and Rupert Perry. As Ingham wrote about Barnett, four years into his tenure, he is deeply serious about returning Capitol to its former glories. “From the outset of this journey, we’ve always been very respectful of the past, but it’s really the future we’re excited about,” he told MBW. “For us to get to where we want to get to, we’ve still got a lot to achieve.”


2017 - 2018

On February 10, 2018, as hip-hop trio
Migos Migos () is an American hip hop trio from Lawrenceville, Georgia, founded in 2008. The group was originally composed of Southern rappers Quavo, Takeoff, and Offset. Quavo is from Athens, Georgia; Offset and Takeoff were born and raised in Law ...
celebrated their second No. 1 on the
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
200 albums chart, with their Quality Control Music/Motown/Capitol release ''
Culture II ''Culture II'' is the third studio album by American hip hop trio Migos. It was released on January 26, 2018, by Capitol Records, Motown and Quality Control Music. ''Culture II'' is a double album consisting of 24 tracks, and features guest app ...
'' debuting with 199,000 equivalent album units, according to Nielsen Music, they also made Billboard chart history: The trio tied The Beatles for the most simultaneous entries on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart among groups, with 14. On March 24, 2018, rapper
Lil Yachty Miles Parks McCollum (born August 23, 1997), known professionally as Lil Boat, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer. He first gained recognition on the internet in 2015 for his singles "One Night" and "Minnesota" (featuring ...
earned his highest-charting effort on the
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart as his album, ''
Lil Boat 2 ''Lil Boat 2'' is the second studio album by American rapper Lil Yachty. It was released on March 9, 2018, by Capitol Records, Motown and Quality Control Music. The album features guest appearances from Quality Control labelmates Quavo and Offs ...
'', opened at No. 2 with 64,000 equivalent album units earned, according to Nielsen Music. The set surpassed his previous chart high, achieved with ''
Teenage Emotions ''Teenage Emotions'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Lil Yachty. It was released on May 26, 2017, by Capitol Records, Motown, and Quality Control Music. The album features guest appearances from Migos, YG, Kamaiyah, Stefflon Don, Dipl ...
'', which peaked at No. 4 last year. On August 8, 2018, Capitol Music Group held its fifth annual Capitol Congress at the Arclight Theater in Hollywood, highlighted by a daylong session of product presentations, panels, musical performances and a live podcast featuring
Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...
and '' WTF'' host and '' GLOW'' star
Marc Maron Marcus David Maron (born September 27, 1963) is an American stand-up comedian, podcaster, writer, actor, and musician. In the 1990s and 2000s, Maron was a frequent guest on the '' Late Show with David Letterman'' and has appeared more than forty ...
. Artist showcases included promising Asbury Park singer/songwriter Fletcher (“Undrunk”), Ypsilanti MI and R&B vocalist Queen Naija (“Medicine”). Rapper NF was recognized for more than 3 million adjusted albums sold, including 3.5 billion streams, while Caroline - CMG's independent distribution and label services arm - announced that it had doubled its market share in 12 months to more than 3 percent; and video sizzles touted other new artists including critics’ darling Christine and the Queens and teenpop star Loren Gray. Other highlights included a 30th anniversary celebration of MC Hammer's 22-million-selling breakthrough album, “Please Hammer, Don’t Hurt Him,” with an interview conducted by UMe VP Urban Catalogue Andre Torres. An
Ethiopia Habtemariam Ethiopia Habtemariam (, , ) is the former Chair/CEO of Motown Records. She is Ethiopian-American. She was born on 24 September 1979 in Berkeley, California. In 1994, at the age of 14, Habtemariam began interning at LaFace Records, a label created ...
-hosted panel on culture as the new mainstream included Live Nation Urban's Shawn Gee (The Roots, Jill Scott), manager Chase Johnson (A$AP Rocky, Playboy Carti), Capitol Music Group EVP Dion “NoID” Wilson, former Cornerstone and Beats brand market expert Kristen Fraser and Quality Control founder Kevin “Coach K” Lee, the man behind Migos and Lil Yachty, both of whom accepted awards for outstanding sales. On September 14, 2018,
Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...
returned to the top of the music charts for the first time in more than 36 years when his latest album, ''
Egypt Station ''Egypt Station'' is the 17th solo studio album by English singer-songwriter Paul McCartney, released on 7 September 2018 through Capitol Records. ''Egypt Station'' was produced by Greg Kurstin and co-produced by McCartney, with the exception ...
'' opened at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. This achievement also marked the first ever debut #1 for McCartney. On December 6, 2018, Billboard Magazine cited CMG's independent distribution company, Caroline, for more than doubling its U.S. market share to 4 percent, thanks to 15 platinum and nine gold singles. The magazine singled out the success of Michigan rapper NF, whose trifecta of Hot 100 hits in 2018 includes “Let You Down,” which peaked at No. 12. as well as top five debuts on the Billboard 200 from rappers
6ix9ine Daniel Hernandez (born May 8, 1996), known professionally as 6ix9ine (stylized 6IX9INE and pronounced "six nine") and also as Tekashi69, is an American rapper. His music has been marked by an aggressive style of rapping, while his controversia ...
,
Trippie Redd Michael Lamar White II (born June 18, 1999), known professionally as Trippie Redd, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is one of the most prominent members of the SoundCloud rap scene, which gained mainstream acclaim in the late ...
and the late
XXXTentacion Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy (January 23, 1998 – June 18, 2018), known professionally as XXXTentacion, was an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Though a controversial figure due to his widely publicized legal troubles, XXXTentacion ga ...
, who collectively landed 35 entries on the Hot 100. On December 18, 2018,
Lil Baby Dominique Armani Jones (born December 3, 1994), known professionally as Lil Baby, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He rose to mainstream fame in 2017 following the release of his mixtape ''Perfect Timing''. *Alt URL* * His deb ...
achieved the highest-charting project of his career with Street Gossip. The Atlanta native's third release of 2018 hit the No. 2 slot on the Billboard 200. As 2018 drew to a close, Capitol Music Group had earned the highest percentage increase in market share for the entire U.S. music industry that year, with more than 25%.


2019

On January 3, 2019,
Amazon Music Amazon Music (previously Amazon MP3) is a music streaming platform and online music store operated by Amazon. Launched in public beta on September 25, 2007, in January 2008 it became the first music store to sell music without digital rights man ...
launched its 2019 Artists to Watch, a playlist featuring a diverse set of up-and-coming artists across numerous genres the tech giant is betting will have a breakout year in 2019. Among the artists poised to break is recently signed Capitol singer/songwriter
Freya Ridings Freya Ridings (born 19 April 1994) is an English singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Ridings rose to prominence in 2017 with her ballad, " Lost Without You", which became a top ten hit on the UK Singles Chart. She followed this with ...
. During the week of January 7, 2019, Capitol Music Group artists held the #1 spots on four separate charts: On the Billboard Hot 100 with Halsey's hit single "Without Me," at Urban Radio with
Lil Baby Dominique Armani Jones (born December 3, 1994), known professionally as Lil Baby, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He rose to mainstream fame in 2017 following the release of his mixtape ''Perfect Timing''. *Alt URL* * His deb ...
& Gunna's "Drip Too Hard," at AAA Radio with Maggie Rogers' "Light On," and at AC Mainstream with Katy Perry's "Cozy Little Christmas." On January 15, 2019, it was announced by CBS Television that on February 12, 2019, two days after the 2019 Grammy Awards, the Grammys will tape a salute in Los Angeles to
Motown Records Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmant ...
, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. The debut album from
Maggie Rogers Margaret Debay Rogers (born April 25, 1994) is an American singer-songwriter and record producer from Easton, Maryland. Her big break came when her song "Alaska" was played to Pharrell Williams during a master class at New York University's ...
, ''Heart It In A Past Life,'' entered Billboard Magazine's AAA Album Chart at #1 on February 2, 2019, as well as hitting the top spot on the Top Album Sales and #2 on the Billboard 200. It was the highest-charting album on the Billboard 200 by a solo woman in four months. On August 6, 2019, Caroline artist partner NF debuted in the #1 spot on Billboard Magazine's Top 200 with his fourth album, The Search, and rose to No. 1 on the magazine's Billboard Artist 100 chart and landed three tracks from the album on the Billboard Hot 100. Barnett hosted what has become one of the music industry's most notable yearly events: CMG's 6th Annual Capitol Congress, on Wednesday, August 7, 2019 at the ArcLight Theatre in Hollywood. During the afternoon gathering, CMG's superstar and developing artists presented forthcoming music and projects to the company's staff, its international affiliates, entertainment industry representatives from around the world and influential consumer and trade media. During his introductory remarks, Barnett welcomed hundreds of CMG staff, artists, industry partners and media from around the world to the annual event, setting up the afternoon's presentation of new music and projects slated for release in the coming months. He also spoke about the company's commitment to diversity, stating, “Diversity is our superpower. We don't just welcome it, we strive to achieve it and embrace it fully. Diversity is reflected in the broad range of our artists and the music genres they represent, as well as the backgrounds and identities of our CMG family, from those holding entry-level positions through those in our executive ranks. During the event,
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her Camp (style), campy style, she has been ...
was presented with an RIAA-certified award commemorating 100 million RIAA song certifications. Perry is one of only five artists in history to have topped 100 million certified units with their digital singles, and the first-ever Capitol Records recording artist to join the elite RIAA 100 Million Certified Songs club. At the same Capitol Congress, Barnett announced that the company and its Caroline arm signed an agreement with K-pop supergroup SuperM through Seoul, Korea-based SM Entertainment Co., Ltd. SuperM's members have been assembled from some of the most popular K-pop acts in the world., and it was revealed during the day's events that SuperM will officially launch in the US in October 2019. CMG/Caroline will provide distribution and will orchestrate marketing, promotion and publicity campaigns in support of SuperM. Barnett served as Executive Producer for ''Hitsville: The Making of Motown'', the first documentary film on the storied label made with the cooperation of Motown Records founder
Berry Gordy Berry Gordy III (born November 28, 1929), known professionally as Berry Gordy Jr., is a retired American record executive, record producer, songwriter, film producer and television producer. He is best known as the founder of the Motown record la ...
. The film chronicles the enormous success and enduring cultural impact of Motown Records, which celebrated its 60th anniversary in September, 2019. Directed by Benjamin and Gabe Turner (''Class of 92'', ''I Am Bolt'', ''One Direction: This Is Us''), the feature-length documentary, which debuted on Showtime on August 24, 2019, focuses on the period beginning with the birth of the company in Detroit in 1958 until its relocation to Los Angeles in the early 1970s. The film tracks the unique system the company's visionary founder, Berry Gordy, assembled that enabled Motown to become one of the most successful record labels of all time. The creation and initial success of Motown was achieved during a period of significant racial tensions in America and amid the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement. The company's music and post-racial vision were significant factors in helping the U.S.–and the world–evolve through this transformative period in history. On October 14, 2019, K-pop supergroup Super M became the first group in the genre to launch at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 with its debut release, ''The 1st Mini Album ‘SuperM’'', achieving the biggest-ever debut by a K-pop group in the United States. They also became only the second K-pop act to hit #1 on Billboard's Artist 100 chart. On October 28, 2019, Lewis Capaldi's breakthrough ballad "Someone You Loved" rose to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The track by the 23-year-old Scottish singer-songwriter, released on Vertigo/Capitol Records, previously ruled multiple charts globally, including the Official UK Singles survey, for seven weeks beginning in March.


Retirement From The Music Industry


2020

On November 5, 2020, Barnett announced that he would retire from his position as Chairman & CEO of Capitol Music Group on December 31, 2020, capping a 50-year career in the music business, including eight years at the helm of CMG. In a letter to the CMG staff, Barnett, 68, called the move “a long-planned decision,” one that he made in conjunction with his wife and children “through many hours of discussion and soul-searching.” In an email to CMG's staff, Universal Music Group Chairman Sir Lucian Grainge wrote, “Today Steve Barnett announced that after an incredible five-decade career in music, capped by nothing less than the revitalization of our iconic Capitol Music Group, he has decided to retire at the end of the year. When Capitol joined our family as part of the EMI acquisition, it was in desperate need of vision, passion and drive. Steve brought all of that and more to the Tower, and today, once again, Capitol stands as a symbol of creative and commercial success in music—a magnet both to great artists and great music business professionals." The Los Angeles Times marked the occasion of Barnett's retirement by acknowledging his "24-karat ears which helped propel the careers of artists including
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
,
Adele Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a reco ...
,
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her Camp (style), campy style, she has been ...
,
AC/DC AC/DC (stylised as ACϟDC) are an Australian Rock music, rock band formed in Sydney in 1973 by Scottish-born brothers Malcolm Young, Malcolm and Angus Young. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock, and Heavy metal ...
,
One Direction One Direction, often shortened to 1D, are an English-Irish pop boy band formed in London in 2010. The group are composed of Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and previously Zayn Malik until his departure from the gr ...
and
Lil Baby Dominique Armani Jones (born December 3, 1994), known professionally as Lil Baby, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He rose to mainstream fame in 2017 following the release of his mixtape ''Perfect Timing''. *Alt URL* * His deb ...
, among dozens of others." The completion of Barnett's tenure at CMG marked the end of a career in which he successfully ran three separate U.S. record companies: CMG, Columbia Records and Epic Records.


References


External links


Capitol Records

NYpost.com

Barnett named Chairman Columbia Records
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barnett, Steve American music industry executives Universal Music Group 1952 births Living people