Universal Music Group chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge was among the first music industry executives to contract COVID-19 this year, getting in the healthcare facility quickly after his 60 th birthday celebration at the end of February. The scare was among the subjects he pointed out in a year-end letter to staff, flowed earlier today.
In the note, he described the numerous successes UMG has actually seen in 2020 in spite of the ongoing pandemic and an annihilated live music market. “Putting music’s power to work for great might have been more essential this year than it’s ever been,” composed Grainge.
Grainge also pointed to a future effort to provide UMG artists “past and present” access to heath care.
Resolving his own health, Grainge composed: “My own individual fight with COVID highlighted for me simply how truly blessed I am to be working in the industry I enjoy, and to be surrounded and supported by all of you– the very best damn group this service has actually ever known!”
Touting UMG’s organization wins, Grainge kept in mind consumption awards by The Weeknd, Drake, Taylor Swift, Lil Infant, J Balvin, Pop Smoke and Juice WRLD, and shouted out Universal Music Publishing Group’s massive Bob Dylan deal, which was announced previously this month. Looking ahead, UMG is planning to focus on extra label launches in high-growth markets, immersive musical experiences, “meaningfully expanding” the business’s D2C (direct-to-consumer) efforts and delving even more into sectors such as physical fitness and video gaming.
” There’s no question that 2020 was a year of battle and disasters, but it was likewise a year of nerve and heroes,” wrote Grainge. “It will be a year we keep in mind with unhappiness for what we lost however it will likewise be a year we remember with pride for how we weathered the difficulties we were forced to confront.”
Check out Grainge’s note in its whole listed below:
” Dear Colleagues:
2020!
For a lot of us, those four easy digits state all that needs to be stated about the exceptionally tough year now lastly coming to a close. “2020” has pertained to represent discomfort and loss on a scale none people ever could have thought of. We can never forget the suffering that this year inflicted on a lot of. We must never forget that even in the face of historical obstacles, so numerous of you accomplished fantastic things– personally and expertly.
A little later, I’ll explain the spectacular and record-breaking success we had in 2020.
Putting music’s power to work for excellent may have been more important this year than it’s ever been. With your aid, our artists and songwriters not just raised the spirits of millions all over, however likewise brought awareness to rewarding causes that will help to repair a world so terribly in need of repair work. And usually, that awareness will activate action, funding, and, eventually, results.
In a variety of ways– arranging, volunteering, informing, contributing– we reacted to the difficulties of 2020, both as a company and as people, by standing up and showing up. Whatever we did, we did it in a huge way, doing something about it around the globe on crucial issues such as healthcare, social justice and inclusion.
To deal with a few of the pandemic’s devastating effects, we donated millions to support artist organizations, launched our own foundation to help artists and employees, financed programs in the U.S., the UK and somewhere else to deal with problems of mental health, homelessness and food insecurity, and with Blowing and our partners at Tencent, assisted provide majority a million masks to hospitals and frontline employees.
When the harsh truths of inequality and racism exploded across the world, our artists were galvanized and, together with them, we reacted rapidly. We expanded our industry-leading work with the USC Annenberg Addition Initiative to attend to variety and addition issues dealing with the music service.
All this is simply the beginning.
Next year, for instance, we are introducing an initiative to assist our artists– both previous and present– discover critical heath care resources at a time when they’re needed most. In addition, we will: expand our support for independent locations; expand our education efforts; and release an employee-led action committee to fight homelessness in the communities where we live and work.
Our purpose– our continuing dedication– is to harness our collective talents and resources to form culture through the power of music and the artistry and imagination that give it birth.
Given all the challenges that 2020 has dealt us, and provided all the time and effort a lot of you have actually personally expended to assist those in need, it is truly incredible that in some way you still found the bandwidth to remain laser-focused on attaining unmatched success for our artists.
Take A Look At what we achieved in one of the most difficult years any of us has actually ever experienced. To share simply a few of the highlights with you, in 2020, we had:
- 4 of the Leading 5 artists of the year on Spotify internationally (Drake, J Balvin, Juice WRLD and The Weeknd), as well as the No. 1 song of the year (The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights”) and 2 of the Leading 3 albums (The Weeknd’s After Hours and Post Malone’s Hollywood’s Bleeding);-LRB- .
- Artist and Songwriter of the Year on Apple Music (Lil Baby and Taylor Swift);-LRB- .
- For the 3rd consecutive year, J Balvin was the most-streamed artist on Deezer and Karol G was the most-streamed female Latin artist across all significant platforms;-LRB- .
- Based upon Nielsen information, eight of the Leading 10 artists in the U.S. YTD consisting of No. 1– with Drake, Taylor Swift, Juice WRLD, The Weeknd, Post Malone, Pop Smoke, Lil Infant and Eminem, and all of the Leading 5 albums– Lil Baby’s My Turn, Pop Smoke’s Strive The Stars Aim For The Moon, Taylor Swift’s folklore, The Weeknd’s After Hours and Juice WRLD’s Legends Never Ever Pass Away;-LRB- .
- All of the Leading 3 biggest debut weeks in the U.S. (Taylor Swift, Juice WRLD, The Weeknd) and the No. 1 album 34 weeks up until now this year;-LRB- .
- The all-time industry high for U.S. catalog share for the 4th successive year;-LRB- .
- 4 of the Leading 5 tunes on the Billboard Hot 100 year-end chart by UMPG authors, including No. 1 (The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights,” Post Malone’s “Circles,” Dua Lipa’s “Don’t Start Now,” and DaBaby accomplishment. Roddy Ricch’s “Rockstar”);-LRB- .
- 13 of the Leading 20 artist albums in the UK YTD, consisting of No. 1 (Lewis Capaldi’s Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent) and 4 of the Top 5 most-streamed artists (Drake, Eminem, Billie Eilish and Lewis Capaldi);-LRB- .
- The No. 1 and No. 2 most-streamed artists of all time in Germany (Capital Bra and Bonez MC) and 5 of the Leading 10 albums YTD (Sarah Connor’s Herz Kraft Werke, Die Ärzte’s Hell, Metallica’s S&M 2, Kerstin Ott’s Ich muss Dir was sagen, Bonez MC’s Hollywood);-LRB- .
- The No. 1 and No. 2 albums of the year up until now in France ( Versus by Vitaa/Slimane and Les Derniers Salopards by Maes);-LRB- .
- In Canada, the No. 1 album 38 weeks so far this year, with Pop Smoke’s Shoot For Destiny Aim For The Moon holding the leading spot for 10 non-consecutive weeks, as well as 9 of the Leading 10 albums and artists, consisting of all of the Top 5 artists: Eminem, Drake, The Beatles, Queen and Post Malone;-LRB- .
- All of the Top 5 most-streamed artists on Spotify in Australia: Juice WRLD, Drake, Taylor Swift, Eminem and The Weeknd, along with the most-streamed Australian artist of 2020, Hill Hoods;-LRB- .
- The No. 1 streaming market share in Japan;-LRB- .
- Three of the Top 5 albums in China on QQ Music consisting of Chen Linong’s 格格不入 (Unbelonging), Taylor Swift’s folklore, and Sunnee’s 天气 ： 晴 ( How’s The Weather condition?), along with the biggest advancement male and female solo artists of the year with Chen Linong and Sunnee respectively, which is a first for the China company;-LRB- .
- Relaunched or broadened a variety of iconic brands in both recognized and high-growth markets, including EMI, Motown UK, 0207 Def Jam, Def Jam Africa, Def Jam Vietnam, Island Records Philippines and Astralwerks Asia, and even more enhanced our worldwide footprint through new operations or key collaborations in Israel, Morocco, Vietnam, Senegal, Cameroon, Nigeria, Italy, India, Indonesia, Thailand and Korea, to call simply a few; and
- Re-engaged fans and presented our music to new audiences through acclaimed movie and tv productions including Polygram Home entertainment’s The Apollo, The Bee Gees, Beastie Boys Story, The Go-Go’s and Zoey’s Amazing Playlist, in addition to Mercury Studio’s That Little Ol’ Band From Texas
Once Again, all this is simply a tasting.
With devotion like that, it’s not surprising that once more this year many artists made UMG their partner, from Stormzy to Daddy Yankee for documented music, from Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar to Bob Dylan for music publishing, amongst lots of, numerous others. We are, undeniably, the location of option for the world’s biggest artists at every phase of their professions.
Metrics are a clear and measurable sign of our success, however metrics don’t explain our success.
In a market that loves to buzz brand-new companies they identify as “disruptors,” our culture of constant internal interruption makes us the most effective driving force for innovation this industry has ever seen. And next year, will be no exception. We desire our existence and reach to continue to grow.
As 2021 unfolds, we’ll be:
- Bringing into our household a few of the industry’s finest brand-new and recognized artists and songwriters while broadening our relationships with our presently signed talent;-LRB- .
- Launching more brand-new creative labels in high-growth markets;-LRB- .
- Offering independent artists and entrepreneurs with the most powerful, worldwide resources readily available;-LRB- .
- Expanding our digital partner portfolio to consist of new innovators in social, physical fitness, gaming and other sectors;-LRB- .
- Providing fans really immersive musical experiences;-LRB- .
- Meaningfully broadening our ecommerce and direct-to-consumer organizations; and
- Building on our success in film, TV and other audiovisual content.
Simply put, in terms of imagination, innovation and industrial success, I want us to build upon our stature as the most successful music-based entertainment business ever.
There’s no question that 2020 was a year of struggle and disasters, however it was also a year of guts and heroes. It will be a year we keep in mind with unhappiness for what we lost but it will likewise be a year we keep in mind with pride for how we weathered the obstacles we were required to face.
Thank you for whatever you achieved this year.
Have a terrific vacation with your family and friends. Stay safe. Stay well.”
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