Quantcast
“Dan has an unswerving commitment to putting the artists and repertoire back into A&R.”
——Roger Faxon

McCARROLL NAMED PRESIDENT OF CAPITOL & VIRGIN LABEL GROUP

Well-Liked, Highly Regarded Publishing Exec Appointed to Key Record Company Gig by His Longtime Boss and Champion
As we told you yesterday in Rumor Mill, Dan McCarroll has been moved from publishing to records by EMI Group CEO Roger Faxon. What’s interesting about the appointment is the job title: McCarroll will be President of Capitol & Virgin Label Group in North America. This is newly coined, Faxon-era nomenclature, apparently replacing the previous Capitol Music Group.

According to this morning’s announcement, and despite the specificity of his title, McCarroll, who is currently EVP of North American Creative at EMI Music Publishing, “will lead EMI Music’s artist discovery and development [a.k.a. A&R] efforts in the U.S.,” and not just Capitol and Virgin A&R—and despite the absence of an A&R reference. He’ll work in EMI’s New York HQ, report directly to Faxon, and work in close partnership with EMI Music N.A. COO Colin Finkelstein. McCarroll starts his new gig Oct. 12.

McCarroll will be specifically tasked with enacting a key part of the plan Faxon laid out in September: “reinvigorating the company’s creative performance in the U.S., and shaping a creative team that will give momentum to EMI’s global rights management agenda, and its service commitment to artists.”

The announcement failed to address certain issues. Marketing and promotion have been reporting to Finkelstein; will they continue to? Is McCarroll’s primary role as President to create a new A&R team and work with the artist and the creative community? That would appear to be the most logical move. The release confirmed the departures of A&R execs Steven Melrose and Leonard Brooks, but what will become of current Virgin A&R President Rob Stevenson, who was hired by the ousted Nick Gatfield?

Said Faxon: “Dan has an unswerving commitment to putting the artists and repertoire back into A&R. He has demonstrated a phenomenal ability to work in partnership with artistic talent in order to create positive outcomes for the people he represents. It is this passion and commitment that makes Dan stand out, and that will make him such a success in this new role.

The release also contained testimonials from Train’s Pat Monahan (“Dan McCarroll was one of the few people that cared enough about Train to help us achieve what seemed to be impossible”) and songwriter Toby Gad (“Dan is driven by music, and he helps create success as a result”).

McCarroll joined EMP’s A&R team in Santa Monica in 2001, before moving to New York in 2007 to lead the company’s East Coast A&R operations. During his nine years at the pubbery, he’s signed and worked with such artists and songwriters as John Mellencamp, Cobra Starship, Travie McCoy, Steve McEwan, David Hodges, Alter Bridge, Death Cab for Cutie, Butch Walker, Brian Howes and Panic at the Disco.

He’d previously run the A&R department for The Music Company, the Elektra imprint formed by Lars Ulrich. Prior to that, he drummed for a living, working with Sheryl Crow, Aimee Mann, Michael Penn and Lloyd Cole, and as a member of The Grays with Jon Brion, Jason Falkner and Buddy Judge. The release fails to mention the five minutes Dan spent at HITS, immediately before taking the EMP job.

EMP's A&R ops will continue to be led by President of North American Creative Jon Platt (who has dropped the “Big”).

NEAR TRUTHS: SPRING BLOOMS
Here come the big guns. (3/28a)
THE COUNT: COLDPLAY IS HOT, COUNTRY'S COOKIN' IN THE U.K.
The latest tidbits from the bustling live sector (3/28a)
CITY OF HOPE TAPS MARCIANO FOR TOP HONOR
This year's philanthropic model (3/28a)
TRUST IN THE TOP 20
Hip-hop is no longer hibernating. (3/28a)
UMG BROADENS SPOTIFY OFFERINGS
Sir Lucian and Daniel are in harmony. (3/28a)
THE NEW UMG
Gosh, we hope there are more press releases.
TIKTOK BANNED!
Unless the Senate manages to make this whole thing go away, that is.
THE NEW HUGE COUNTRY ACT
No, not that one.
TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN PLAYLIST
Now 100% unlicensed!
 Email

 First Name

 Last Name

 Company

 Country
CAPTCHA code
Captcha: (type the characters above)