The AvA Connection

The Weekly Buzz:

• Endeavor, the holding company that controls IMG & WME, is going private in a deal that values the company at $13B.

  • The deal, lead by private equity firm Silver Lake Capital, is the largest in entertainment history and the biggest in any sector over the past decade. Read more

  • The media conglomerate TKO Holdings, which was created to merge the WWE and the UFC, will remain publicly traded.

  • Endeavor CEO Ari Emmanuel and Executive Chairman Patrick Whitesell each scored a private jet in the deal, according to the their filing with the SEC.

  • Patrick Whitesell also announced he is launching a brand new media company backed by a $250M investment from Silver Lake.

• Paramount Global has entered into exclusive merger talks with David Ellison's Skydance Media. Read more

  • The bid has been faced with backlash from a major Paramount shareholder.

• Spotify announces changes to their pricing model. Read more

• IMPALA (Europe’s trade association for indie labels) has sided with Universal Music Group in its ongoing dispute with TikTok.

  • Read more

• KISS sells their catalog, name and IP to Pophouse for $300M

  • The Swedish-based music investment firm is behind ABBA’s hologram show “Voyage,” and has acquired catalogs by Aicii, Swedish House Mafia and Cyndi Lauper over the last 2 year. Read more

• Made in America Festival (Philly) canceled for the 2nd year in a row.

  • Read our dive into the rough festival landscape.

The Call Log: Ashley Graver, Head of Dance, Pop & Indie at Spotify

AvA: How did you get started in the music industry? 

Graver: I went to USC where I majored in communications and minored in entrepreneurship. I started my career working at a media agency in New York City, and Spotify just so happened to be one of our clients. I took a big interest in them as a client, and they took a liking to me.. it kind of all happened serendipitously, and I’ve been at Spotify for 10 years now. 

I've always had a deep passion for music, and have leaned into the artistry of the way people build things on a creative level. Those interests really led me to pursue the opportunity at Spotify. 

AvA: Can you define your role at Spotify?

Graver: Everyone at Spotify wears lots of hats, but currently, I'm the Head of Pop, Dance and Indie, and oversee those three genres on the artist partnerships team. I am the liaison between artists and Spotify, and develop strategic relationships with artists, managers, and key industry collaborators. I am also focused on how Spotify as a brand shows up across the culture, working with the label partnerships, editorial, music, and marketing teams. Our team thrives on collaboration, so we’re constantly working together to build incredible experiences for artists and listeners alike. 

AvA: How do you approach each uniquely creative artist marketing campaign?

Graver: Every artist and their music is unique. We believe in leaning in and learning the artist’s vision first before we ideate around any sort of campaign. We start by deeply understanding the artist, their audience, and the goals they have. Then we will bring in the right people to contribute different expertises and different perspectives. I always lead with the artist and their creative vision to make sure we develop innovative strategies and campaigns to authentically represent their brand and resonate with their fans. 

Spotify is also a very diverse and global company, and we definitely have a unique perspective in our approach to projects. 

AvA: The Billions Club Series has become a centerpiece of music culture. Can you talk about the effect it has had on Artists and the industry as a whole? 

Graver: We recently launched the Spotify Billions Club video series that celebrates the artistry and cultural impact of all the songs that have hit a billion streams on Spotify. That evolved from a playlist that we created as a home to host all the songs that have hit a billion streams.

We wanted to offer a behind-the-scenes intimate look at how artists celebrate incredible achievements. We've already had episodes featuring Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, Post Malone, Jungkook, and Lisa from Black Pink. We debuted it early this year on Spotify and it’s become a significant fixture of music culture, telling artist stories in a very authentic way. 

AvA: How do you foresee the artist-to-fan and fan-to-artist relationship continuing to evolve? 

Graver: Artist-to-fan and fan-to-artist relationships will certainly continue to evolve. As a result, our Spotify product will continue to evolve as well. We see more of a direct and personalized interaction between artists and fans, not only through Spotify, but through social media, live streams, and virtual experiences. 

We're working to build more tools for artists to have greater access to data and analytics, allowing them to understand their audience better and tailor their content accordingly. Fan communities play an increasingly important role in shaping how we build our campaigns to foster deeper connections on Spotify. When we're thinking, building, and evolving these products, we always ask ourselves “what does the artist need, and how can we be helpful in connecting them on a deeper level with their fans?” 

AvA:  How are you seeing Artists effectively "break through" in a landscape that is more crowded than ever before? 

Graver: Continuing to deliver great music, meaningful experiences, and staying true to themselves. 

Artists need to be innovative and stay authentic to stand out in today's crowded music landscape. When an artist stays true to themselves, fans see that authenticity.  Collaborations, strategic partnerships, and unique storytelling will also help artists capture the attention of not only their current audience but also new fans amidst all the noise.

It's challenging though, because artists have to deliver so many different assets on so many different social platforms in authentic ways. 

AvA: What is one piece of advice for someone just getting started in the music industry? 

Graver: Stay curious, stay very proactive, and be resilient. You need to take every opportunity to learn, network and immerse yourself in the industry. Don’t be afraid to take risks and think outside the box. 

Stay true to your passion for music, and stay true to what you like.. don't conform to everyone else around you. 

The Job Board

💼 = Job | 🎒 = Internship

💼 Tour Marketing Assistant - Wasserman - Nashville - Apply Here

💼 Coordinator, Music Royalty Administration - Sony Pictures - LA - Apply Here

💼 Music Coordinator - Paramount Pictures - LA - Apply Here

💼 A&R Assistant - Sony Music - LA - Apply Here

💼 Publicity Coordinator - Sony Music - LA - Apply Here

💼 Media Planning & Strategy Coordinator - LA - Apply Here

💼 Digital Marketing Coordinator - NBCUniversal - LA - Apply Here

💼 Senior Talent Buyer - Sony Hall - NYC - Apply Here

💼 Administrative Assistant - Padell Business Management - NYC - Apply Here

💼/🎒 Some great jobs & internships at Red Light Management in LA and Nashville - Learn more here

🎒 Graphic Design Intern - RCA Records - Los Angeles - Email portfolio and resume to [email protected] by April 7th

🎒 Global Partnerships & Activations - AEG - LA - Apply Here

🎒 Digital Marketing Intern - SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park - LA - Apply Here

🎒 Creative Intern - LN Urban - LA - Apply Here

🎒 Integrated Marketing Intern - Recording Academy - LA - Apply Here

🎒 Emerging Talent Associate Program - Atlantic Records - NYC & LA - Apply Here

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