Barry Weiss
| Barry Weiss | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 11, 1959 Demarest, New Jersey, United States |
| Genres | Hip hop, rap, pop |
| Occupations | Executive Producer, Producer |
| Years active | 1981-present |
| Labels | Island Def Jam Music Group/Universal Republic (2011-present) RCA/Jive Label Group (2008-2011) Jive Records (1991-2011) |
For the buyer on Storage Wars, see Storage Wars
Barry Weiss (born February 11, 1959 in New York, New York) is an American music executive. He is the current Chairman & CEO of The Island Def Jam Music Group and Universal Republic. He served as chairman and CEO of RCA/Jive Label Group from 2008 to 2011 and was also the CEO of its constituent Jive Records from 1991 to 2011. Both companies were under the purview of Sony Music Entertainment.[1] Weiss is best known as an important force in the careers of Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync, among numerous others. Weiss' father, Hy Weiss, was a music entrepreneur from the first generation of rock'n'roll, owning and operating Old Town Records from 1953 until 1996.
Contents |
[edit] Career
[edit] Jive Records & RCA/Jive Label Group
In 1981, Clive Calder of Zomba started his first U.S. record label Jive Records, which released British dance and pop music such as Q-Feel, A Flock of Seagulls and Tight Fit. In 1982, Calder was introduced to a young Barry Weiss, fresh out of college at Cornell University. For his job interview with Zomba, Weiss took Calder out to hip-hop and black clubs all over New York City, demonstrating his keen awareness of the scene at the time.[2] Calder was immediately impressed and hired him to scan sales data from all over the country searching for unknown acts with significant sales. Together, Weiss and Calder turned Jive into a veritable hip hop and rap empire throughout the eighties, beginning with Whodini.
Weiss continued working for Jive in various capacities helping establish such blockbuster pop acts as Britney Spears, Usher, Backstreet Boys, Justin Timberlake, 'N Sync and T-Pain. When Calder sought to retire from the business and sold Zomba to Bertelsmann, Weiss was appointed head of the resultant Zomba Label Group in 2004. In 2008, Weiss replaced music executive Clive Davis as Chairman of BMG Label Group, which was renamed RCA/Jive Label Group in early 2009.[1] Weiss left the company in March 2011. Later on that year Sony Music underwent a major restructuring where multiple Jive Records artists were moved to Epic Records while other stayed with Jive as it moved under the RCA Music Group. In October 2011 Jive Records was dissolved with their artists being moved to RCA Records. [3]
[edit] Island Def Jam/Universal Republic
Weiss left the RCA/Jive Label Group in March 2011.[4] On March 17, 2011 he became Chairman & CEO of The Island Def Jam Music Group and Universal Republic.[5] [6] In November 2011 Weiss was joined by Ivan Gavin who became Chief Operating Officer and Peter Thea who became the Executive Vice President at Island Def Jam/Universal Republic. Gavin and Thea worked alongside Weiss at the RCA Jive Label Group. [7]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Moody, Nekesa Mumbi (April 18, 2008). "Clive Davis replaced by Barry Weiss as BMG head". USAToday.com. Gannett Co. Inc.. http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/2008-04-17-1299599427_x.htm. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
- ^ Malan, Rian (July 25, 2002). "The $3 Billion Man: Clive Calder". Rolling Stone 901: 26, 28.
- ^ http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/record-labels/rca-s-peter-edge-tom-corson-on-the-shuttering-1005394732.story
- ^ http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3i2878352c385d4321d21d0216301aa5c2
- ^ http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/record-labels/barry-weiss-named-chairman-ceo-of-island-1005079562.story
- ^ http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/record-labels/ethiopia-habtemariam-named-senior-vice-president-1005312132.story
- ^ http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/record-labels/ivan-gavin-named-coo-of-universal-republic-1005482352.story
| Preceded by L.A. Reid (Island Def Jam) Mel Lewinter (Universal Motown Republic) |
Chief Executive Officer of Island Def Jam/Universal Republic March 2011-present |
Succeeded by incumbent |
| Preceded by Clive Davis (RCA Music Group) |
Chief Executive Officer of RCA/Jive Label Group April 2008-March 2011 |
Succeeded by Peter Edge (RCA Music Group) |
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