Faith Blackinton, special to CNBC.com

From Bob Dylan plugging in his electric guitar for the first time to Super Bowl commercials, there have always been moments in music history when the most die-hard fans will accuse their idols of doing the unthinkable: selling out. But right now ”’selling out” has a new connotation, and it is a boom market for both investors and superstar recording artists.

A wave of boomer rock icons are selling out of their song catalogs. The moves, the latest of which was made by Paul Simon last week, point to a straightforward truth about the intersection of art and money: Music has always been a business, and one where creative genius deserved to be rewarded with riches. And it is a business that right now is seeing major changes caused by streaming, and further disruptions caused by the pandemic. The deals from Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Neil Young (in Young’s case a 50% stake) and Stevie Nicks (80% of the rights to her songs), highlight major trends in the entertainment industry, capital markets and wealth management.

Music publishing companies like Hipgnosis Songs Fund and Primary Wave Music, and conglomerate players like BMG, Sony, Warner Music Group and Vivendi’s Universal Music Group, are buying up premier song catalogs in big deals fueled by record low interest rates with the belief there will be more lucrative returns in the future from selling the rights to these songs across entertainment platforms.

Record low rates fuel music deals

Larry Mestel, CEO of Primary Wave Music, the company that just acquired a majority stake in the catalog of two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Stevie Nicks, told CNBC the economic environment that the Coronavirus pandemic has created has worked in favor of companies looking to purchase large assets. These low interest rates make it easier to borrow money, and high rates of return have created a perfect opportunity for acquirers.

“You’re talking about a low interest rate environment and you can achieve a 7% to 9% … and then increase that through marketing and generate mid-teen returns. That’s a very attractive place for people to put money,” he said.

Music catalogs also have proven to be recession-proof, and the pandemic has only heightened the amount of deals being made as the music industry goes through a massive disruption caused by the shutdown of live venues and touring.

Streaming music’s rise

The deals also come at a time when streaming music — for all of its controversy and skepticism on the part of the musicians themselves about getting a raw deal — has proved to be an economic juggernaut, at least for the record companies. In 2020, Goldman Sachs forecast that global music revenue would reach $142 billion by the end of the decade, reflecting an 84% increase when compared to the 2019 level of $77 billion and streaming capture 1.2 billion users by 2030, four times its 2019 level, and primarily benefiting companies like Sony, which bought Simon’s catalog, and Universal, which acquired Dylan’s songs.

Global streaming music revenue hit an all-time high as percentage of the industry last year (83% according to a recent report) and it favors the superstars, too. Spotify has said its mission is “giving a million creative artists the opportunity to live off their art,” but as a recent New York Times analysis noted, Spotify’s data shows only about 13,000 generated $50,000 or more in payments last year.

It’s not just streaming, though. The rights to bigger acts catalogs, once acquired, can be used in sync placements that license music across various forms of media, including film, television shows, advertisements, and video games.

“From a publisher’s perspective, it is extremely valuable to obtain the rights to a certain catalog that we can pitch for synch,” said Rebecca Valice, copyright and licensing manager at PEN Music Group. “A catalog can do its own pitching just because of its legendary success.”

Valuing rock icons

The more recognizable a catalog is, the more valuable it becomes for companies to purchase and use in movies or television. The best catalogs “pay for themselves” over time, she says, as synch helps recoup the money acquirers spent “and then some as time goes on.”

“I do believe that the icons and legends are worth more than the other artists,” Mestel said. Primary Wave owns the catalogs of stars like Whitney Houston, Ray Charles, and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

Some famous musicians of the boomer era have lashed out at the situation the industry has placed them in, such as David Crosby, who said in a tweet in December, ” I am selling mine also … I can’t work … and streaming stole my record money … I have a family and a mortgage and I have to take care of them so it’s my only option … I’m sure the others feel the same.”

He sold his entire catalog to Irving Azoff’s Iconic Artists Group in March, which had also recently acquired a controlling stake in The Beach Boys’ intellectual property, including a portion of the song catalog.

“Given our current inability to work live, this deal is a blessing for me and my family and I do believe these are the best people to do it with,” Crosby said in a statement announcing the deal.

Boomer generation estate-planning

For the musicians themselves, there is a mega trend at work: the estate-planning needs of America’s wealthiest generation. Boomer musicians (and those born just on the cusp of that generation’s start like Simon and Dylan in 1941), just like their fans, are aging. “Artists are getting older now so they can use cash, they can estate plan,” Mestel says.

Of course, the downside can be loss of control over an artist’s most precious asset: the creative genius that made their careers.

“These aging rock stars may want to cash out to provide for their estates … but you lose control of your brand and your legacy, to some extent, depending on what protections you put in place as part of the deal,” said John Ozszajca, musician and founder of Music Marketing Manifesto, a company that teaches musicians how to sell and market their music.  

Crosby and Azoff have been friends for a long time, a point Azoff made in the release announcing the deal.

“It seems like anybody that has a relationship in the music business that knows anybody is trying to raise money.” – Larry Mestel, PRIMARY WAVE RECORDS CEO

Some fans aren’t too happy about hearing hits like Nicks’ “Edge of Seventeen” or Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” selling cars and clothes — though Dylan has done multiple Super Bowl commercials dating back many years for GM and IBM, and his songs have been featured alone in others — but the decisions to sell catalogues can also help musicians avoid posthumous legal battles like the estates of Tom Petty, Prince, and Aretha Franklinhad to endure.

BMG acquired the catalog interests of Nicks’ bandmate, Mick Fleetwood, of Fleetwood Mac early this year and noted some stats in its announcement that show that as old as boomer acts may be, they can get renewed life from viral streaming hits. The Fleetwood Mac song ‘Dreams’ generated over 3.2 billion streams globally (during an eight-week period September 24 to November 19, 2020) due to a video with a cranberry juice-loving fan, and introduced a new generation, more accustomed to TikTok, to Fleetwood Mac. The band’s album “Rumours” reached No. 6 on Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart 43 years after its release.

Dylan’s deal is the biggest reported so far, estimated at $300 million though no sale price was officially disclosed and Universal only said in a release it was “the most significant music publishing agreement this century.”

Mestel believes the boom isn’t nearing an end.

“It seems like anybody that has a relationship in the music business that knows anybody is trying to raise money. But that doesn’t mean that they can go out an identify assets to sell or even know what they’re doing.”

BMG and private equity giant KKR recently signed a deal to go out and make a major musical rights acquisition, and as one executive told Rolling Stone, “We’re not chasing hits from January 2021. We’re looking at repertoire that’s proved itself about being part of our lives.”

KKR has been in on big music deals in the past, and the trend of buying rights is not new, but the current boom is notable, and fits within the asset class appreciation taking place across so many parts of the market as investors seek more ways to put their money to work. While the boomer deals are the biggest headlines, recent acts are seeing big paydays as well. Earlier this year, KKR bought a stake in the catalog of OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder for a reportedly high sum.

Companies like Primary Wave are working with artists like Nicks to try and keep them as part of the deal, and make that deal even better for them in the future, according to Mestel, who says many didn’t understand that they could enter into a partnership, sell a piece of their catalog, and that piece potentially become more valuable in the future than the 100% they owned before.

“If all goes well, [artists] get the most out of what they’re trying to sell it for, and it’s usually a win-win scenario for the buyer and the seller,” Valice said.

Read more here.

With entire generations’ worth of hits between them, a pair of ageless soul-funk outfits shared the Verzuz stage on Sunday night (Apr. 4), in a battle and mutual celebration of their respective catalogues of classics.

Sunday’s matchup between The Isley Brothers and Earth, Wind & Fire was matched in Verzuz history perhaps only by the September lovefest between Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight in terms of decade-spanning ranges of smashes — with Earth, Wind & Fire’s hitmaking career dating back to the early ’70s, and the Isleys dating all the way back to the late ’50s for their “Shout” breakthrough. Listening through their dozens of gems alongside one another was almost like a tour through funk, soul, pop and rock history, with countless trends both reflected and forecasted by the hits played.

Hosted (with a somewhat heavy touch) by star comedian Steve Harvey, and with music courtesy of veteran DJ and quarantine-era sensation D-Nice, the event was clearly going to be a special one even before the two groups began spinning. D Nice span ’80s classics from Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan, before Harvey introduced himself, offered a prayer for “down bad” Verzuz veteran DMX, and raved about the formative importance of the two groups in his own life: “These groups made me. This music shaped me.”

See Billboard‘s round-by-round scorecard for the epic showdown below — a supersized 25-round match, in accordance with the bands’ stunningly expansive catalogues — with our final winner tallied up and declared at the bottom.

Round 1: The Isley Brothers’ “Love the One You’re With” vs. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “That’s the Way of the World” (Live) 

The Isleys start off with their hit cover of Stephen Stills’ solo smash, a rendition still soaring five decades later. But it can’t compete with the live version of signature Earth, Wind & Fire cut “That’s the Way of the World,” which just minutes earlier both Harvey and Ernie Isley had been raving about being a personal favorite of theirs. Hard not to be as miffed as Harvey was at the early fade out on that one.

WINNER: Earth, Wind & Fire

Round 2: The Isley Brothers’ “This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak For You)” vs. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Let’s Groove”

The Isley Brothers kick it up a notch and take it back to their first Motown single with the sweetly radiant “This Old Heart of Mine.” Would be an automatic W against most competition, but Earth, Wind & Fire aren’t backing down early, countering with the forever floor-filler “Let’s Groove,” the biggest and best of the group’s ’80s hits. Tough break early for the Isleys.

WINNER: Earth, Wind & Fire

Round 3: The Isley Brothers’ “Hello It’s Me” vs. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Keep Your Head to the Sky”

The Isley Brothers pick another one of their covers of a then-contemporary hit, with their blissful rendition of Todd Rundgren’s singer-songwriter perennial “Hello It’s Me.” EWF are still going strong responding with their similarly sublime “Keep Your Head to the Sky,” even getting up and performing along with the early hit, but the Isleys are finally on the board with this one.

WINNER: Isley Brothers

Round 4: The Isley Brothers’ “(At Your Best) You Are Love” vs. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Reasons” (Live)

The Isleys put away the covers to play a song of theirs famous for being covered: 1976 slow jam “(At Your Best) You Are Love,” a top 10 hit for Aaliyah two decades later and a fan favorite for Frank Ocean two decades after that. The original still more than stands on its own — and yet it gets quickly eclipsed by EWF’s “Reasons,” another all-timer which, as Steve Harvey takes great glee in pointing out, a lot of folks watching were likely conceived to.

WINNER: Earth, Wind & Fire

Round 5: The Isley Brothers’ “Harvest For the World” vs. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Got to Get You Into My Life”

Ernie Isley has broken out the guitar for the last couple songs, and he sounds spectacular playing over the Isleys’ topical 1976 hit “Harvest For the World” — an appreciated turning up of the tempo after two rounds of slow songs. EWF also go uptempo for their next pick, this time doing a cover of their own: The Beatles’ “Got to Get You Into My Life,” a fun rendition that can’t quite compare with the Isleys’ original.

WINNER: Isley Brothers

Round 6: The Isley Brothers’ “Groove With You” vs. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Love’s Holiday”

Steve Harvey’s call to D Nice for four “sexy ass” love songs in a row begins with the Isley Brothers’ 1977 A-Side “Groove With You,” before segueing seamlessly into Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Love’s Holiday” from the same year, off their classic All ‘n All album. With inspired and well-mixed picks of two underrated cuts in the groups’ respective catalogues, the win for this one should go to D-Nice — otherwise, it’s too close to call.

WINNER: Tie

Round 7: The Isley Brothers’ “Summer Breeze” vs. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Be Ever Wonderful” 

The Isleys go back to the cover well with perhaps the finest of their ’70s hit renderings: Seals & Crofts’ “Summer Breeze,” an absolutely smoldering version that eclipses an already immaculate original. B-side “Be Ever Wonderful” is a pleasantly unexpected counter — one with personal meaning to Harvey, as he says he had a father-daughter wedding dance to it. Still, “Summer Breeze” floats by with this one.

WINNER: Isley Brothers

Round 8: The Isley Brothers’ “It’s Your Thing” vs. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Devotion” (Live)

All right, now the Isleys mean business, as Ron Isley has gotten up to sing along with his highest-charting hit on the Billboard Hot 100, the No. 2-peaking ode to individuality “It’s Your Thing.” Earth, Wind & Fire aren’t exactly laying down in this round with their pick of the gorgeous groover “Devotion” from live album Gratitude — recently sampled for Drake in his Kanye West-featuring “Glow” — but the greatness of “It’s Your Thing” remains indefatigable.

WINNER: Isley Brothers

Round 9: The Isley Brothers’ “Make Me Say It Again Girl” vs. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “After the Love Has Gone” 

Earth, Wind & Fire are in danger of letting this get out of hand early, as the Isleys pull out another transfixing ballad with the underrated “Make Me Say It Again Girl,” closer to their Billboard 200-topping 1975 album The Heat Is On. EWF are ready for this one, though, hitting back with their classic No. 2-peaking jam “After the Love Has Gone,” owner of one of the great unexpected verse-to-chorus melodic pivots in pop history. A trump card well played here.

WINNER: Earth, Wind & Fire

Round 10: The Isley Brothers’ “Footsteps in the Dark” vs. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Shining Star”

“That’s ‘Footsteps,’ baby!” Right you are, Steve Harvey, as the unmistakable drum saunter and liquid guitar groove of one of the Isleys’ most enduring jams — aided by an incalculably large mid-’90s assist from Ice Cube — even has Halle Berry crying in the IG comments. Not a lot of songs to take that one down, but Earth, Wind & Fire’s lone Hot 100 No. 1 might just have to be considered one of them: “Shining Star,” a guiding light for every wedding, graduation, bar mitzvah or other joyous celebration for 46 years and counting. We’ll call it a draw between the fan favorite and the populist pick.

WINNER: Tie

Round 11: The Isley Brothers’ “Twist and Shout” vs. Earth, Wind & Fire feat. The Emotions’ “Boogie Wonderland”

That’s right, the Isleys go back so far that The Beatles were covering them — on their debut album, no less! “Twist and Shout” still packs the energy nearly 60 years later, as does Earth, Wind & Fire’s highly flammable “Boogie Wonderland,” featuring The Emotions, which inspires D-Nice’s first misstep of the evening being a little over-anxious with the transition. Sorta hard to blame him, though.

WINNER: Earth, Wind & Fire

Round 12: The Isley Brothers’ “Choosy Lover” vs. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “On Your Face” 

The Isleys had barely scratched the surface on their deep reserve of ’80s quiet storm jams, but they unleash a big one in the plush “Choosy Lover.” EWF respond by trying to run them off the court with the effervescent Spirit cut “On Your Face” — sample source for Queen Pen’s underrated late-’90s rap hit “Party Ain’t a Party,” as D-Nice cleverly reminds folks during the ensuing bathroom break — but the Isley Bros’ cool can’t be out-heated.

WINNER: The Isley Brothers

Round 13: The Isley Brothers’ “Voyage to Atlantis” vs. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Brazilian Rhyme (Beijo)” (Live)

You knew the piercing guitars and languid grooves of “Voyage to Atlantis” were going to be making an appearance at some point, and it’s an inspired choice for the Isleys’ first song out of the intermission. EWF appear well-rested as well, harmonizing along with their live version of one of the greatest album interludes of all time in All ‘n All‘s “Brazilian Rhyme.” Way too close to call this one.

WINNER: Tie

Round 14: The Isley Brothers’ “Here We Go Again” vs. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Sun Goddess” 

Back to the ’80s for the Isleys with their infectious Go All the Way R&B hit “Here We Go Again,” more winning with each Ernie Isley guitar growl. EWF hasn’t finished with their non-verbal singalongs though, pulling out one more with their Ramsey Lewis collab “Sun Goddess,” whose levels of pure jazz-funk cannot be measured by mere celsius and/or Fahrenheit thermometers. Well played.

WINNER: Earth, Wind & Fire

Round 15: The Isley Brothers’ “Work to Do” vs. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “I’ll Write a Song For You” 

Things are really zipping now, as Steve Harvey was apparently instructed at the intermission to get out of the way, and now the two bands are really just zooming through the back-and-forths, with D-Nice putting them through their paces like a drill sergeant. The Isleys rip through their early ’70s grinders’ anthem “Work to Do” accordingly, before EWF return to All ‘n All for their “I’ll Write a Song For You” ballad. Pretty clear which one fits the current tone of the proceedings better.

WINNER: The Isley Brothers

Round 16: The Isley Brothers’ “Between the Sheets” vs. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Serpentine Fire”

If you’re not floating by the time those velvety opening chords and fat bass hit to introduce “Between the Sheets,” you’re probably tuned into the wrong channel. Nearly 40 years later and there has still never been a song colder — it didn’t need the Notorious B.I.G.’s validation for that, but Ron Isley isn’t too proud to remind you of the connection anyway by offering an “I love it when you call me ‘Big Poppa'” at the beginning of his performance singing along to the stone classic. EWF have a scorcher of their own in tow for this round with “Serpentine Fire,” but they may as well have just tossed out a dud for this round really.

WINNER: The Isley Brothers

Round 17: The Isley Brothers’ “For the Love of You” vs. Deniece Williams’ “Free” 

The Isleys’ are clearly heading into crunch time here, returning with the pitch-perfect “For the Love You,” a love song sweet and transmutable enough to be covered on Whitney Houston’s Diamond-certified sophomore album, which even gets EWF up and singing along. Earth, Wind & Fire return with the first song of the night performed by an outside artist — Deniece Williams’ oft-covered (and ofter-sampled/interpolated) 1976 classic “Free,” co-written by Maurice White and featuring EWF. A great pull on their part, but “For the Love of You” was one of the night’s flashbulb moments.

WINNER: The Isley Brothers

Round 18: The Isley Brothers’ “Don’t Say Goodnight (It’s Time For Love)” vs. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Can’t Hide Love” 

This is getting unfair: Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Can’t Hide Love” is obviously nothing to sneeze at, but Ron Isley singing along to the alternately seductive and tearjerking “Don’t Say Goodnight” — especially after the Dilla sample — creating an echo effect between his original vocal and the new one… it’s just an experience that’s tough to match.

WINNER: The Isley Brothers

Round 19: The Isley Brothers’ “Smooth Sailin’ Tonight” vs. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Fantasy” 

Finally, a window for Earth, Wind & Fire: “Smooth Sailin’ Tonight,” the latest hit played by the Isleys thusfar, is another gem, but not quite on the level of the handful of unimpeachable classics to precede it. EWF don’t waste the opportunity, either: “Fantasy” is one of the group’s most transportive hits and joyful singalongs, a classic until the 12th of Never.

WINNER: Earth, Wind & Fire

Round 20: The Isley Brothers’ “Sensuality” vs. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Getaway” 

The Isleys having a song called “Sensuality” feels on the nose to the point of being downright redundant, but the Heat Is On deep cut earns its title even by the Brothers’ heightened standards, with one of their most narcotically slow grooves and ecstatically pained Ron vocals — which Ron matches live in one of the evening’s many “how lucky are we to get to watch this?’ moments. EWF’s “Getaway” is a fine hit, but it’s not quite on that level.

WINNER: The Isley Brothers

Round 21: The Isley Brothers’ “Fight the Power” vs. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Mighty Mighty” 

Time for Ernie to plug the electric back in to jam along with “Fight the Power,” a forever-timely jam that lays to waste any questions about if the group could do righteous and raging as well as they did smooth and sexy. Once again, EWF’s “Mighty Mighty” is a worthy entry that just can’t quite eclipse its opponent’s shadow.

WINNER: The Isley Brothers

Round 22: The Isley Brothers’ “Contagious” vs. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “In the Stone”

The Isleys’ final top 40 hit to date remains a knockout, but given the inextricable involvement of R. Kelly — who wrote “Contagious” (and features on the song’s denouement) and who performed “Down Low,” the Ron Isley-featuring ’90s soap R&B smash that “Contagious” served as the sequel to — gives it a sour connotation for the evening. Luckily, sourness never lasts long around Earth, Wind & Fire, who sweeten the proceedings right back up with the blindingly bright “In the Stone.” The group cites it as an HCBU band favorite, and not hard to see why.

WINNER: Earth, Wind & Fire

Round 23: The Isley Brothers feat. JS’ “Busted” vs. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Magic Mind”

They’re not bad songs, but it’s hard to see why the Isleys are leaning on their R. Kelly era so heavy this late in the game, when this one in particular wasn’t a major hit and they still have some pretty massive songs to get to. “Magic Mind” isn’t one of EWF’s best, but they take this one practically by default.

WINNER: Earth, Wind & Fire

Round 24: The Isley Brothers’ “Shout” vs. Philip Bailey feat. Phil Collins, “Easy Lover” 

We might never hear another song from the ’50s played on the Verzuz stage again, let alone one that’s proven so impossibly enduring that the majority of millennials and probably even Gen Z folks watching it are familiar with it. “Easy Lover” still goes as hard as anything, but it can’t compete with that kind of staying power, and it’s not really a proper EWF song anyway.

WINNER: The Isley Brothers

Round 25: The Isley Brothers’ “That Lady” vs. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September”

Steve Harvey’s insistence that the closing songs get played in full makes sense once the Isleys’ final choice is revealed: “That Lady,” their two-park mid-’70s funk masterpiece, with falsetto and guitar so vivid you can practically see the horniness radiating off of it — certainly not to be abbreviated. An absolute five-star classic, but you already know what Earth, Wind & Fire have been saving for last: “September,” maybe one of the ten most beloved and enduring pop songs of the entire rock era, and now basically even its own annual holiday. No shame in even the Isleys bowing to that one.

WINNER: Earth, Wind & Fire

BONUS ROUNDS

Wider Catalogue: The Isley Brothers

They had Hot 100 hits — original ones, as lead artists — in six separate decades. No disrespect to Earth, Wind & Fire, but when it comes to catalogue width, the Isleys are close to without peer in the history of popular music.

Biggest Snub: Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Sing a Song” (Point: Isley Brothers)

Maybe a little corny for the setting, but it was still surprising to see EWF leave one of their four top five Hot 100 hits on the table — one whose ebullience is still too infectious to be written off.

Gladys Knight vs. Patti LaBelle in ‘Verzuz’ Battle of Soul Legends: See Billboard’s Scorecard For the Event

Best Banter: Draw

Sadly, neither group had much to offer in the way of banter in this one, since most of the possible oxygen for between-song storytelling and general repartee was swallowed up by the evening’s host. Seemed like they were mostly letting fine with him (and moreso, the songs) do the talking anyway.

Biggest K.O.: The Isley Brothers

When they pulled out “Between the Sheets,” it was the peak of one of the best runs we’ve ever seen on a Verzuz. It was Ron and Ernie’s show basically from then on.

People’s Champ: The Isley Brothers

Earth, Wind & Fire showed why they’re still one of popular music’s greatest institutions, and will be a major live draw until the day they (or we) turn to dust. But even on the verge of his 80th birthday, Ronald Isley just has that inextinguishable star power that makes him transfixing whenever he’s on the screen — and the voice that’d make him an icon even if he wasn’t one of the most stylish dudes to ever put on a suit and shades. He hasn’t been a pop fixture for over 60 years now by accident, you know.

FINAL SCORE: 16-10-4, The Isley Brothers

Read more on Billboard here.

Written by Eric Baker

People often ask me the secret to my 34-year career in the music industry. How did I get started? How did I land my first job at a record label, where I started in field marketing, then transitioned to radio promotions, and eventually started my own event promotions, festival and management company? Now as a partner at Primary Wave and manager to iconic artists like Jefferson Starship, The Isley Brothers, Bell Biv DeVoe, and recently passed Toots and the Maytals, I have to answer that the two most important tools have been RELATIONSHIPS and MENTORS.

Having benefitted from both, I feel strongly about helping others along the path. I firmly believe in following your passions, and one of mine is lacrosse. To stay involved in the sport, I am a high school lacrosse coach as well as mentor to student-athletes at my alma mater, Boston University.

That’s where my story about an NCAA Division 1 lacrosse player who is an aspiring art director and now album and packaging designer of Jefferson Starship’s Mother of the Sun album, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, begins.

I knew Nick Mohler and his family back before his days at BU. He was a high school lacrosse player and I coached at a competing school. He went on to Boston University to play lacrosse where he was assigned to me in the men’s lacrosse team’s mentorship program in his third year. I knew his skills on the field and that he was and is a student in the College of Communication. We’d had conversations pertaining to student-athlete development, but never about career goals or leveraging relationships. At the men’s lacrosse Alumni Weekend last year, both Nick and I were reminded just how successful mentorship can be.

I had just finished my keynote address at the annual men’s lacrosse Kickoff Dinner when I found myself in a group conversation about my experience in the music industry, my current clients and some of our upcoming plans. Jefferson Starship was just finishing up their first album in 12 years, including tracks co-written by Grace Slick. We were in planning on the go-to-market strategy on this politically and socially charged album from the iconic musicians and social activist band.

As I spoke about some of the plans, head coach Ryan Polley mentioned, “I don’t know if you know this, but Nick is a talented artist.” I didn’t know, but said, “Hey, maybe you should take a stab at the Jefferson Starship album art.” The entire alumni group looked at me like I was on drugs. I looked back with shock, saying, “why not, someone has to do it.” I felt secure with the band’s trust in my recommendation. We also had time, which is not usually the case.  

In the weeks and months that followed, the band and I worked closely with Nick to put together the artwork. Then an audible comes up, and as artists and managers do, we come up with another “brilliant” idea. “Let’s create a limited addition ‘Space Box’.” We created a unique cube as a special promotional package for the Target physical music rollout. The launch has been a great success.

Then came release day, and it was my job to figure out how to make an impact since we are not on the road. Our Primary Wave team of public relations, digital marketing and branding have done an incredible job, but I needed a “WOW” moment for release. David Freiberg, one of the founding members of Jefferson Starship, has his bass guitar hanging in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, so I decide to reach out. With enthusiasm, they say they would love to do a livestream and acoustic performance for the Rock Hall members. During the interview portion, Cathy Richardson, (Jefferson Starship’s lead singer) said “the incredible art designed by Nick Mohler, a college student, who our manager knows from lacrosse, created all the designs from collage art.” Everything that is promoted by the Rock Hall is recorded and archived. With that interview, Nick Mohler went from Division I lacrosse player to an art director with one of the great honors in music, being archived in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. That was all based on an off-the cuff conversation at an unrelated networking/mentoring event. 

The lesson here is that you never know where your next opportunity might come from or who, however unrelated they may seem, can help provide that game-changing opportunity.

Read more here.

Written by: Joe Lynch

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced its 2021 nominees on Wednesday (Feb. 10) morning, revealing the most gender-inclusive ballot in the Rock Hall’s history.

Mary J. Blige, Kate Bush, Devo, Foo Fighters, The Go-Go’s, Iron Maiden, Jay-Z, Chaka Khan, Carole King, Fela Kuti, LL Cool J, New York Dolls, Rage Against the Machine, Todd Rundgren, Tina Turner and Dionne Warwick are all on the 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ballot.

Seven of those 16 acts feature women, with two of those women already in the Rock Hall: Carole King’s era-defining songwriting earned her Rock Hall entry in the non-performer category, and Tina Turner was previously inducted as part of the duo Ike & Tina Turner. Both, however, enjoyed blockbuster solo success, releasing seminal GOAT albums (King’s singer-songwriter lodestone Tapestry; Turner’s resilient comeback classic Private Dancer) and see their impact continue to grow with each passing decade. One other nominee, Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters, was previously inducted, as part of Nirvana.

Hard rock mainstays Foo Fighters and East Coast hip-hop icon Jay-Z see their names on the ballot during their first year of eligibility (an act is eligible 25 years after their first commercial recording is released). In addition to the Foos and Hova, five previously eligible acts see their first nominations in 2021: new wave hitmakers The Go-Go’s (the first all-female band to top the Billboard 200 while writing their own songs and playing their own instruments), new wave of British heavy metal rockers Iron Maiden, queen of hip-hop soul Mary J. Blige, Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti and soul-pop vocal pro Dionne Warwick.

Of returning acts hoping for more luck this year, hip-hop pioneer LL Cool J receives his sixth nomination, and soul-funk dynamo Chaka Khan sees her seventh nomination in some form (this is her third solo nom; she was also nominated as part of Rufus & Chaka Khan four times).

Fan votes, which you can cast at RockHall.com, contribute to the induction process, but don’t guarantee entry.

In 2020, the Rock Hall inducted Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, the Notorious B.I.G., Whitney Houston, T. Rex and the Doobie Brothers into its ranks during a virtual ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read the article here.

THE LABEL THAT HELPED BIRTH ROCK MUSIC IS HOME TO THE MASTER RECORDINGS OF JOHNNY CASH, JERRY LEE LEWIS, ROY ORBISON, & MORE

On October 1, 1949 Sam Phillips signed a lease on a storefront at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis and on that day, music would forever be changed. In 1952, Phillips’ Sun Records would establish itself as a label where artists would be treated with respect and honesty. Every artist, from Elvis Presley to Charlie Rich, was provided with a non-critical environment that invited creativity and vision. In 1969 music producer and label executive, Shelby Singleton, continued that environment after he purchased the iconic label from Phillips for an undisclosed sum. Over seven decades later, a new day and a new beginning has come as Primary Wave Music, the home of legends, announces its acquisition of the legendary recording company that changed so many lives.

“Do you know Sam Phillips?” -John Lennon

The multimillion-dollar deal encompasses master recordings for legendary artists including Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, The Dixie Cups, and more, all of the music publishing owned by Sun, as well as the iconic Sun Records logo and all other trademarks owned by Sun, including that of Nashville’s Sun Diner. John Singleton, President of Sun Records, will remain at the label, and he will now have additional resources provided by Primary Wave under the terms of this exciting deal. Primary Wave will help expand the Sun Records brand by providing access to their internal infrastructure which includes marketing, branding, digital strategy, licensing, synch opportunities, and film & TV production.

“We are extremely pleased to pass the Sun Records baton to Primary Wave and are confident that they will continue to reach new heights for the crown jewel of the music business created by Sam Phillips, which my brother, Shelby, and I have kept alive and relevant for the past 50 years” says John A. Singleton, President of Sun Entertainment Corporation.

“Sun Records is the original home to some of the biggest legends in music,” said Larry Mestel, CEO & Founder of Primary Wave Music. He continues, “Sam Phillips treated all of his artists with the utmost respect and provided a space of creativity unlike no other. His vision for Sun aligns perfectly with the creative ethos of Primary Wave, and I am overjoyed that this historic label is now a part of our family.”

Recordings included in the monumental deal are some of the most beloved and well-known tracks that came out of Sun Records such as “Raunchy” famously recorded by Bill Justis, the Jerry Lee Lewis classic “In the Mood,” as well his smash hits “Whole Lot of Shaking Goin’ On” and “Great Balls of Fire.” Upon the release of “Whole Lot of Shaking Goin’ On,” the song soared to #3 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and made Lewis an instant sensation. “Great Balls of Fire” was a huge success for Sun and Jerry Lee Lewis, selling a million copies within a week of it being released. The single went on to sell more than five million copies, making it one of the best-selling singles in the States. Both songs remain on Rolling Stone’s list of Greatest Songs of All Time.

Multiple Johnny Cash recordings are also a part of the acquisition including “I Walk the Line” and “Folsom Prison Blues.” Both were huge hits for Cash who once said, “If it had not been for Sam Phillips, I would still be working in the cotton field today.” Cash’s first number one in the United States was “I Walk the Line.” It remained on the charts for over 43 weeks and sold two million copies. After writing the song, a conversation with label-mate Carl Perkins, whose Platinum-certified song “Blue Suede Shoes” is also included in the acquisition, steered Cash to name the then untitled song, “I Walk the Line.” One of Johnny Cash’s signature songs, “Folsom Prison Blues,” appeared on his debut album. A live version that was recorded in front of an audience of inmates at Folsom State Prison became a number one hit in 1968.

The Sun “sound” began when Sam Phillips launched his record company in February of 1952. He named it Sun Records as a sign of his perpetual optimism: a new day and a new beginning. Sam rented a small space at 706 Union Avenue for his own all-purpose studio. The label was launched amid a growing number of independent labels. As a businessman, Phillips was patient and willing to listen to almost anyone who came in off the street to record. Memphis was a happy home to a diverse musical scene: gospel, blues, hillbilly, country, boogie, and western swing. Taking advantage of this range of talent, there were no style limitations at the label. In one form or another Sun recorded them all. Then in 1954 Sam found Elvis Presley, an artist who could perform with the excitement, unpredictability and energy of a blues artist but could reach across regional, musical and racial barriers. He helped form the beginnings of the Sun “sound” by infusing Country music with R&B. Elvis’s bright star attracted even more ground-breaking talent to the Sun galaxy. Listed among his contemporaries and label mates were Johnny Cash, the inimitable Jerry Lee Lewis, and the “Rockin’ Guitar Man”, Carl Perkins. These four soon became known as the Million Dollar Quartet. Right behind them came Roy Orbison, Charlie Rich, Bill Justis, Harold Jenkins (a.k.a. Conway Twitty) and other equally memorable musical talents. All eventually sold on Pop, R&B and Country charts and grew to international fame. In early 1969, Sam began negotiations with his good friend Shelby Singleton for a deal to purchase Sun. A successful music producer, Shelby had earned his stripes at Mercury Records. He started out in regional radio promotion and wound up as head of A&R before leaving in 1966 to start his own company. In July of 1969, Sam and Shelby finalized their deal and Sun Records was sold. Shelby would soon move the label to Nashville, joining Singleton’s already existing stable of labels – SSS International and Plantation. Shelby and his partner/brother, John A. Singleton, managed the label group until Shelby passed in 2009. John continues to guide the Sun legacy started by Sam Phillips.

Inherent in the music of Sun is a vibrancy that survives to this day. Sincere, passionate music. Music that has stood the test of time. It is music that has reached across race, age and gender boundaries. It reflects the diversity and vision of the talent that recorded on the Sun label, and indeed, American popular culture itself.

One of the most important figures in the history of rock, Sam Phillips has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Country Music Hall of Fame, Blues Music Hall of Fame, Alabama Music Hall of Fame, R&B Foundation Hall of Fame, Rockabilly Hall of Fame, Radio Hall of Fame, and Memphis Music Hall of Fame.

In 2017, Variety Magazine named Sun Records one of the best record labels of the 20^th century, with the historic recording company coming in at number 9

Read more at Primary Wave, The New York Times, Variety, USA Today, Billboard, NY Daily News, & Yahoo!