Spotify has hired major artist manager Troy Carter as Global Head of Creator Services – a role in which he’s likely to be tasked with battling the exclusive releases currently flocking to rival services such as TIDAL and Apple Music.
A Spotify spokesperson confirmed that Carter would be starting at the company next week, reporting into Chief Content and Chief Strategy Officer Stefan Blom.
The Atom Factory founder will lead three divisions at Spotify: Artist Relations, Songwriter Relations, Label Relations.
Carter is the former manager of Lady Gaga, and has also managed the likes of Eve, Lindsey Sterling, Charlie Puth John Legend and Meghan Trainor.
On his Facebook page, Carter said:
“I started my career as a kid who loved hip hop. I would read the back of liner notes and knew every studio, engineer, and producer you could think of. I had a crazy “rain man” like recall on all things music. I loved music so much that I dropped out of high school and dedicated my life to it. It was never about making money; it just spoke to my soul and gave a skinny, shy kid the words he didn’t know how to say and the confidence he didn’t know he had. Music gave me life and fueled the culture around me.
“When Eve asked me to be her manager, I had no clue what that meant. All I knew was that my job was to protect my friend. And that role of protector is one that I would find myself taking on for many artists over the years. So after 15 years of talent management, I’ve decided that it’s time to explore new roads.
“I’m a firm believer that spotify is the future of music… my [new] job is a natural continuation of what I’ve always done – protect the voice of artists.”
“I’d like to thank all of the artists that gave me such an incredible opportunity by entrusting me and the Atom Factory team with their careers: Eve, Lady Gaga, John Legend, Meghan Trainor, Charlie Puth, and many many others. THANK YOU!
“There’s a famous quote from JFK that says, ‘Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.’ With that said, I’m a firm believer that Spotify is the future for music. In my new role as Global Head of Creator Services, my job is just a natural continuation of what I’ve always done – protect the voice of artists. Always have and always will.
“Through Atom Factory, my team will stay in place to run our tech, culture and hustle outlet SMASHD.co as well as launch a brand innovation agency. And through Smashd Labs and Cross Culture VC, I’ll still continue investing in great founders that have the ability to deliver next wave disruption to culture.”
There’s no further word on what Carter’s duties will be at Spotify, but you can bet on one thing: he will be expected to help combat the spate of streaming exclusives and windowed releases which have kept albums from the likes of Kanye West, Rihanna, Drake, The 1975 and Coldplay off Spotify for varying periods.
Whispers in the market suggest that Spotify will soon announce its own exclusive in the coming months.Music Business Worldwide
