British singer-songwriter Sam Ryder has signed with management company mtheory and will release his second album in 2025.
Ryder, who was placed second in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2022 while representing the U.K., released his debut album on Parlophone that year and hit #1 in the U.K. He’s had two #2 singles at home: Eurovision entry “Space Man” and “You’re Christmas To Me.”
Lewis Allen, who has been a key part of Ryder’s previous setup over the last few years, and Derek Gridley, will assist in the advancement of Ryder's career.
Next year, Ryder has multiple festivals booked and a tour in the pipeline.
Cameo Carlson, CEO of mtheory, added, “mtheory could not be more thrilled to partner up with Lewis Allen and Derek Gridley to help take Sam Ryder’s incredible talent to the next level. Sam embodies everything we believe in as a company: unmatched global talent, drive, and he’s a damn good person."
The number of festival cancellations in the U.K. continues to rise, with 72 events either postponing, being cancelled or announcing a complete closure in 2024—double the amount in 2023.
According to the Association of Independent Festivals, 204 U.K. festivals have disappeared since 2019, including 96 events lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
After taking place in October, the 31-year-old Tenterden Folk Festival was among recent closures, with rising costs given for the decision to not continue in 2025.
Since the start of February, AIF has campaigned for a temporary lowering of VAT on festival tickets from 20% to 5%. It says a reduction of this kind would have saved most of the events that closed this year. However, intervention from the U.K. government has not yet materialized.
“This has been a devastating period for the U.K.’s festival organisers," AIF CEO John Rostron said. "We have campaigned tirelessly for targeted, temporary government intervention which, evidence shows, would have saved most of the independent events that have fallen in 2024. It is sad to see that this erosion has been allowed to continue under this government. We have great events, with great demand, and we’re doing all we can. They need to step up, and step up now.”
One under-recognized aspect of a music agency’s services is hooking up their clients with all manner of brand partnerships.
UTA’s Music Brand Partnerships group, headed by Toni Wallace, has been an industry leader in that category. The division, which Wallace says is by far the largest among its competitors, saw a 40% growth in revenue last year, thanks in part to high-profile deals starring Bad Bunny (Adidas, Pepsi, Jacquemus) and Cardi B (NYX Cosmetics, McDonald’s).
Meanwhile, in the company’s Nashville office, Emily Wright counts Rauw Alejandro, Brittney Spencer, Carin León, Megan Moroney, Midland and Tyler Hubbard among her clients, and as country music has expanded both its audience and its sound in the past year, Wright has been on the forefront of creating new opportunities for her artists.
We somehow managed to figure out how to use Zoom and spoke to Wallace and Wright about the explosive growth of their business, and why top-tier brands continue to ignore us.
Tell me about UTA’s Music Brand Partnership division. What does it do, and how many people work in it?
Toni Wallace: We started the group about eight years ago. It was just me and an assistant. Today, we’ve grown to a team of 23 people globally, in L.A., New York, Nashville and London. We’re actually three times larger than any of the other agencies in terms of our brand partnership groups.
The team is focused on building brand partnerships and strategies for our UTA roster of over a thousand musicians globally. Those could be endorsements, sponsorships, equity-based deals, licensing deals, the gamut.
We want to really understand what our clients are looking for in terms of brand partnerships. What are they really passionate about? Do they love fashion? If so, who are their favorite designers? So on and so forth. And the only way you can really know that is if you’re really close with them.
We want to build partnerships that last. If an artist has a 30-year career, we want them to work with that brand partner over and over again. And you really find that when there’s true love and passion for one another.
What’s a good example of that kind of true, simpatico connection between artist and brand?
Wallace: Bad Bunny and Adidas are a great example. When he signed with us, he really wanted to work with a footwear partner. He viewed the shoes that he wore as an important part of his lifestyle. And so we put together a partnership between him and Adidas. It’s not just a traditional endorsement, it’s actually a joint business. They’ve released a number of collaborations together. We just released an indoor Gazelle sneaker that is doing incredibly well.
Emily, tell me about what’s going on in Nashville these days. Must be exciting times, as country grows and broadens its audience.
Emily Wright: It’s great to see artists blending genres. It’s opening up new audiences. It’s great to see Kane Brown collaborating with a Regional Mexican musician like Carin León, or Beyoncé working with emerging artists like our client, Brittney Spencer. It’s growing the audience and reshaping the way people are thinking about country. I mean, even just last night, our client Machine Gun Kelly won two People’s Choice Country Awards for his projects in the country space. So it’s great to see new voices being welcomed.
And that expands into brand business as well. Recently we put Carin in a deal with Boot Barn alongside Miranda Lambert, Riley Green, Ian Munsick and Elle King. We think it puts him in the right positioning of where he wants to take this new genre that he’s spearheading.
Brittney Spencer wanted to be in mass fashion. We worked really intentionally with her publicist and her management team to help build her credibility in that category. Eventually, we put her in a Victoria’s Secret campaign. To this day, it’s the only time they’ve ever featured a country musician, let alone Black woman who represents extended sizing. It was a huge win and really created a lot of momentum for her.
Brands have always been a part of the country community, and country fans have always been fiercely loyal and such strong audiences. But what’s been fun to see is country grow beyond the standards of trucks, beer and boots. They’re always going to be an instrumental part of the genre. But now there are lot more brand categories —beauty, say, or athleisure—taking a more serious look at country.
Do you find that there are some genres of music in which artists are more amenable to striking brand deals?
Wallace: To be honest, no. Regardless of genre, everybody’s looking to partner with brands that make sense and are authentic to them. Those dollars are important to unlock and can help support a lot of different tours and endeavors, creative projects, music releases that need financing in new and interesting ways. And on the flip side, brands need new ways to reach audiences because younger consumers are just not watching television the the way they used to. The way we look at it, an artist’s Instagram or TikTok channel functions the same way that Cartoon Network or the Disney Channel do. That’s where audiences are going.
How did the Megan Moroney/Charlotte Tillbury deal come about?
Wright: Megan is very intentional with everything that she’s doing and she knows what’s going to make sense. And we’re very protective of how that needs to happen for her, particularly in the brand space, because she brings a lot of value into a relationship. Charlotte Tillbury is one of Megan’s favorite beauty brands, something she wears rather consistently. Anna Gregorek in our London office knew them pretty well, and when Megan was in London, she made the initial intro. Then we had their team come out and see Megan on the first headline show she did for the Lucky tour at Bowery Ballroom. Ultimately the timing was right and we were able to put together a partnership.
Wallace: We don’t view successful partnerships as transactions. We’re not just getting an offer, reviewing it and sending it to a client. It’s much deeper than that. We’re very thoughtful in having a point of view, what’s happening in the category, how does that dovetail into what the artist is doing, where they’re looking to go, how they’re looking to build. Does it make sense to do this right now? It really is a very deep and thoughtful strategic approach to every partnership and conversation.
Categories like soft drinks and fashion have long been traditional partners with artists. What’s a brand category that hasn’t traditionally worked with musicians where you think there’s room for growth?
Wallace: That’s a great question. If you’d asked me a couple of years ago, I would have said we hadn’t seen much innovation in the QSR (Quick-Service Restaurant) space. But we’ve recently seen some really innovative partnerships. I think one of the best is Post Malone and Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers. It’s one of his favorite foods. He’s had it on every set I’ve been on with him since 2016. Now they’ve built two restaurants together and Post co-designed those. We also put together the Cardi B-Offset partnership with McDonald’s, which was the first time McDonald’s had ever done a couple’s meal.
I also think there’s room for growth with financial services. They’ve always been part of tours and pre-sales, but there’s a lot of opportunities to think about: co-branded cards, special VIP access for fans in new and interesting ways. You’ve sort of seen that with the likes of Cash App. We did partnerships with them and Karol G and Lil Nas X.
Finally, I’d love to see hotels and airlines do more in music. A lot of those programs went away post-COVID. Artists fly everywhere, they stay in hotels when they’re on the road, they stay in Airbnbs. There’s a lot of opportunity there. A lot of those programs went away post-COVID.
Is there a non-UTA artist-brand partnership that you particularly admire?
Wallace: I loved the Chappell Roan-MAC partnership. I thought that was really organic, authentic, no-brainer, made complete sense. I thought it was very, very well done. I also think the Feid-Salomon partnership was incredible. He’s helped completely rejuvenate the popularity of that brand.
Wright: I like the Kacey Musgraves x Reformation collaboration. I thought it was an authentic pairing that showcased their shared values of sustainability, creativity and just being cool.
It would be hard to find a buzzier British act than RAYE, who swept this year’s BRIT Awards with a record-breaking six wins and has ticked off further major successes globally. After splitting from her major-label deal, she hit #2 on the U.K. Official Albums Chart with her independently released (and long-awaited) 2023 debut, My 21st Century Blues. That followed a #1 and Ivor Novello Award-winning single, “Escapism.” (feat/070 Shake), the biggest-selling track by a British female artist in 2023.
Later in the year, RAYE featured on “Prada” by cässo and D-Block Europe, which peaked at #2 and reached Top 10 in multiple European markets. This year’s busy live schedule has seen her headline BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend, play a sold-out O2 Arena show (17k seats), and perform at Coachella, Lollapalooza, Global Citizen and Reading & Leeds, not to mention opening for Taylor Swift at London’s Wembley Stadium in August.
Jonelle Ahiligwo, Head of Product at RAYE’s distributor, Human Re Sources, credits her success to date to talent, storytelling and a strong team. “It starts with her talent and dedication to her music and artistry. But beyond that, her story is what’s really powerful. She draws from her own raw experiences and makes a connection with her fans in that way. She’s super-eloquent not only with lyrics but in interviews and in live performances. It’s very special. Also, we have an incredible team built around her that works together with RAYE at the helm.”
That team includes her managers, parents Paul and Sarah Keen. They look after their wildly talented brood, which also includes Abby, who performs under the artist moniker of Absolutely, and songwriter Lauren, under S1bling mgmt. “What Paul and Sarah are building, from a management perspective, is groundbreaking,” says Human Re Sources founder J. Erving. “They’re building a real legacy.”
In September, RAYE made an appearance on The Daily Show and she released “Moi” with Central Cee early that same month.
She’ll be in the studio writing her next album at the end of the year. The strategy for her career going forward is to “continue making another amazing body of work, continue to plant the seeds of who she is as an artist and continue to build an audience,” says Erving. “The most important thing for her is integrity in her art, and I think she’s okay with wherever that lands in terms of what people would consider tentpoles for success. Her success starts with being true to herself, being true to the art and really standing for something that she believes in.”
Erving has solid faith in RAYE’s longevity. “‘Escapism.’ was a big hit two years ago,” he adds, “and we’re still talking about RAYE in a very real and current way. That’s a testament to her artist proposition and the fact that she’s bigger than any one song or album.”
Alt-rock four-piece The K’s burst onto the U.K. music scene with a bang this year thanks to their debut album, I Wonder If The World Knows?, which hit #3 on the Official Albums Chart. To date, it’s the best-selling debut album of the year, having shifted 25.5k in sales. The band have followed up this chart success in the live arena, selling more than 20k tickets for their U.K. shows in April and May and drawing a crowd of 12k at Glastonbury, according to Mark Orr, director of their label, LAB Records.
The K’s, who hail from the Northwest of England, trade in melodic, impassioned guitar anthems. It’s their “work ethic, electric live show and one of the most loyal and committed fan bases we’ve seen in 15 years of our label” that makes them special, according to Orr.
Alongside Glastonbury, this summer they played the main stages at Reading & Leeds and the Isle of Wight Festival. They also started to make in-roads in mainland Europe, playing shows and festivals across France, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands. In October, a limited edition 12” live album, recorded at Manchester venue Victoria Warehouse, sold out in one day. That precedes a special edition re-pressing of their debut later in the year. Album two is slated for summer 2025.
The next step, says Orr, is getting The K’s to the U.S. (he says they did have an offer for SXSW last year but it clashed with promo around the debut album). There, the band will be supported by a “fully committed” team at the label’s distributor, ADA, as well as Scott Brothman, LAB’s New York-based MD,. “When the time is right, we absolutely have ambition to grow the band internationally,” says Orr. “Our social and streaming data show extremely positive signs in the market, so it’s top of mind. For any U.K. act, the acid test of their global appeal is whether they can make inroads into the U.S.”
The ultimate ambition is for The K’s to be a festival headliner in “A-markets across the U.K., mainland Europe and beyond,” concludes Orr. “Ultimately, we are in the business of releasing records that are still meaningful three, five or 10 years into their life.”
British hip-hop duo D-Block Europe have been on an incredibly impressive trajectory. They’ve achieved eight U.K. Top 10 albums in less than five years, including January’s #1, Rolling Stone, 30 Top 40 hits and sold out London’s O2 Arena a record-breaking seven times (more than any other U.K. rap act). As Ali Neale, GM of EGA,the group’s distributor, says, “D-Block Europe is a phenomenon. They are like nothing that’s come before them, and I can’t imagine anything like them coming again any time soon. They’ve pioneered the wave genre in the U.K, always stayed true to themselves and done everything in their own time and way.”
“It’s also their fans who set them apart,” he continues. “They have a diehard, loyal and dedicated fan base which is unrivaled. Not only can they accumulate hundreds of millions of streams, but they can also sell hundreds of thousands of tickets. Not many can do both.” After playing four O2 Arena dates earlier this year, DBE completed a Europe tour in spring and have visited a number of festivals, including Splash! in Germany and Glastonbury. They also brought their DBE Fest to 
Ibiza Rocks and and Neale promises new music later in the year, following “Gold Mine” f/Aitch, which landed in August.
After taking the U.K. by storm, DBE have their sights set on the U.S. They’ve already got a footprint over there, having been originally co-signed by Jadakiss and releasing collaborations with acts including Offset, Lil Baby, Kodak Black and Rich the Kid. Playing a tour and festivals stateside is the next step, says Neale.
“Having their boots on the ground will further cement the foundations already built and provide more opportunities to collaborate with artists and for people to see and feel their star power. This, accompanied by their look and lifestyle, is something that sets them apart from other U.K. artists and is what we feel can resonate with the U.S. audience.” The ultimate ambition, adds Neale, is for DBE to be “the biggest rap group in the world.”
We last heard from the Maisie Peters team in 2020, when the British artist was early in her development but had already hit a plethora of major milestones. Those included selling out London’s 2k cap. Shepherd’s Bush Empire and picking up a legion of fans across press and radio.
Her career has only gone from strength to strength since. Peters hit #1 on the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart in June 2023 with her second set, The Good Witch, and has racked up over 1.5b streams. Her debut, You Signed Up for This, reached #2 in the U.K. in 2021.
In the live arena, she supported her mentor Ed Sheeran on his stadium dates, toured with Coldplay, Noah Kahan, Taylor Swift and Conan Gray and played the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury. For her own headline shows, she is now an arena artist, having played London’s Wembley last year and Australia’s Melbourne Margaret Court Arena earlier this year, as well as selling out New York’s Radio City Music Hall and the Hollywood Palladium in L.A.
“She is a first-class British entertainer who has really done her 10,000 hours of live performance,” says Atlantic Records U.K. Co-President, Briony Turner. “She is an exceptional storyteller, and her wit and wry narrative give her a really unique place in the landscape of amazing female artists who are dominating the global stage right now.”
After completing her busy 2024 live schedule, Peters will be working on her third album. Liz Goodwin, GM at Atlantic U.K., says continuing to build audiences in Europe, Southeast Asia and Australia, as well as the U.K., is also a priority, alongside “focusing in on her rich catalog of songs and her highly engaged and growing social platforms.
“The U.S. is a huge focus for us every day, and we’re hoping she and the band will spend a lot of time there, particularly around the third album.” Peters has already made appearances on Today, Jimmy Fallon and James Corden.
The ultimate ambition, according to Turner, is “super-serving her existing fan base as well as making sure that her music reaches as many people across the world as possible.”
Jordan Adetunji, who describes himself as equal parts rock and rap star, has been climbing up the charts on both sides of the Atlantic this year with “Kehlani.” The track peaked at #8 on the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart, #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has tallied over 300m worldwide streams.
He caught the attention of the Warner Records U.K. team after they noticed the then-independently released “Kehlani” bubbling on TikTok. It’s his second major-label deal, after previously being signed to Sony. “We’d been long-term fans of Jordan and had admired him from afar for a while,” says Tobi Omoloja, A&R consultant at the Warner label. “He was someone we really wanted to work with, and we felt he represented everything we stand for as a label.” The team brought in 300/YSL to have a global partner, and Adetunji was signed within a week.
Jordan’s DIY approach to making music makes him truly special, according to Jerome Porritt, head of A&R at Warner Records U.K. “His creation process is incredibly quick, he has a completely unique voice, and his writing style is a fascinating duality between underground and pop references, which is a real breath of fresh air.”
“Kehlani” has been boosted by a feature from Kehlani herself. That precedes some “amazing features” from artists in New York, London and Belfast that Omoloja promises will appear on a project that Adetunji will release later this year or early next. In the meantime, the plan is to keep building his profile to lay the groundwork for what Omoloja says will be an important milestone in his career.
“We see him as an artist who can sit between the Internet and pop culture—who takes an underground sound and style to the mainstream—and we want to help facilitate that as best we can,” he adds.
The U.S. is a big focus, as is the rest of the world. “There really is no ceiling for Jordan,” concludes Porritt. “There is no reason he can’t sit alongside the Drakes and Weeknds of the world. We want him to continue making authentic, groundbreaking music, and we want to help him reach as many people as possible.”
British singer and songwriter Myles Smith has been steadily climbing the U.K. Official Singles Chart this year with his hit, “Stargazing,” which peaked at #4 in August. The track has tallied 603m global streams and over 2m TTE, peaking at #27 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reaching #7 on the European airplay chart. He’s sold out tours across the U.K., Europe, North America, Australia and South Africa and has a bright future in the U.S., with the support of RCA worldwide.
Smith arrived on the radar of the RCA U.K. team with his self-released cover of The Neighbourhood’s “Sweater Weather.” Follow-up “Solo” sent the A&R team into “overdrive with excitement,” according to RCA U.K. Co-President Glyn Aikins. “After speaking with his manager, Eric [Parker], and then meeting Myles, where he played us a bunch of fantastic songs, we were all convinced he was an artist we wanted to be in business with.”
Aikins is bullish about Smith’s potential. “Myles has the voice, the songs, the story and viewpoint, the soft emotive skills, the ‘not what I was expecting’ element, the ambition and the smarts to make a very successful long-term career.” He’s had a host of playlist support across BBC, Global and Bauer radio stations, alongside major TV and press features.
He’s recently released two more singles, “Wait For You” and “Whisper.”
More new music will arrive in January and March. Touring-wise, Smith supported Imagine Dragons’ stadium tour in the U.S. in July and August, which preceded his own U.S. headline tour in autumn. Australia, U.K. and European headline tours will follow.
“We believe Myles Smith is an important U.K. artist who will break globally,” concludes Aikins. “The U.K. has a history of exporting commercially successful and critically lauded singer-songwriters. We believe Myles is a talent who will be commercially successful and deliver critical acclaim.”
Pop singer and songwriter Henry Moodie has attracted a worldwide fanbase with his melancholic songs and candid lyrics, written mostly in his bedroom. He honed his craft across break time at school before completing a songwriting diploma and later signing to Sony U.K. imprint Robots + Humans. It’s his “genuine musicianship,” which has been inspired by Taylor Swift and Coldplay, that makes him special, says label President Robert Ronaldson.
“He’s a genuine lover of pop music but with a real appreciation for the granular details of what makes a record connect. That analytical approach extends to everything he does, from his content to how he engages and builds excitement for his fans.”
Moodie signed to the label after releasing his debut single, “you were there for me,” and impressing the team with some “incredible demos.” Ronaldson continues: “We got a sense of his passion and desire to succeed within about five minutes of meeting him. He’s super-ambitious, so it was a no-brainer for us.”
So far, Moodie has racked up 600m+ streams across his catalog, which includes two EPs and a string of singles. “drunk text,” released earlier this year, reached #1 on the Spotify chart in Malaysia and Indonesia, peaking at #86 globally. He’s spent this year busily touring, with a number of U.K., European and Asian festivals throughout the summer, an Australian headline tour in August, and a U.K./Europe tour in October. His second EP, good old days, was released in September and precedes his debut album.
After playing his first U.S. shows earlier this year (with sold-out dates in New York and L.A.), returning to write and tour more is a “big priority,” says Ronaldson. Outside the U.S., building on his fanbase in Asia is also on the cards. “As clichéd as it is to say, the sky really is the limit for Henry,” concludes Ronaldson. “With his talent, ambition and vision, our goal—and expectation—is to make him a global pop star and household name.”
The Last Dinner Party have been a wildly successful British breakout story this year after hitting #1 on the U.K. albums chart with their widely-praised debut via Island and earning a BRITs Rising Star Award. Their first set, Prelude to Ecstasy, is among the biggest-selling releases this year so far for a U.K. act, shifting over 79k sales at home and 223k globally. It also earned the group a Mercury Music Prize nomination. They’ve hit high in the singles chart at home, too, with “Nothing Matters,” which peaked at #16 in March.
The five-piece band, who met while studying in London, have become known for their unique fusion of baroque-pop and theatrical styling. They signed to Island U.K. after A&R James Talbut saw footage of their first gigs. “We were all really taken by the musicianship, songwriting and captivating performance,” according to Jack Greengrass, senior A&R manager at UMG. After seeing them playing live over the course of a few shows, the team arranged to meet in a London pub and fell in love instantly.
Greengrass continues: “In the vibrant landscape of British music, The Last Dinner Party stands as a beacon of originality, captivating audiences with their eclectic blend of genres and appeal. Their sound is both timeless and contemporary. They are a true original.”
Alongside the aforementioned accolades, TLDP were named winner of 2024’s BBC Sound of 2024 poll and played Glastonbury’s Other Stage this summer. Their biggest U.K. and EU tour to date saw them stop at London’s 5.3k cap. Eventim Apollo for three sold-out nights in October before playing shows across Europe. Greengrass says the band members are constantly writing amidst their global touring schedule and are as “creatively ambitious as they have ever been. We are very excited for what the future holds for this band. Watch this space!”
Further afield, TLDP visited Australia for the first time this year and have been in the U.S. four times, including for their Lollapalooza debut. Their label partner in the States is Island, who “have been incredible; they truly get the vision,” says Greengrass. The ultimate ambition, he adds, is to develop them into being the next future festival headliner. “We truly believe The Last Dinner Party are a career artist; it is what we are all about here at Island, and they can be as big as any act.”
After spending several years in development, pop/soul singer and songwriter Olivia Dean released her debut album, Messy, last year, hitting #4 on the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart. The set was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize, and Dean garnered three BRIT Award nominations earlier this year for Best Pop Act, British Artist of the Year and Best New Artist.
Dean—who is described as “an incredible artist with a sublime voice” by her label boss, Jo Charrington at Capitol U.K.—has over 800m lifetime streams and 650k adjusted album sales globally. Charrington continues: “She exudes calm and has the ability to write songs that stay true to herself, but will also touch people and resonate with their own stories. She creates soulful, genre-fluid music and has towering star quality that translates globally.”
Touring has also been a particular focus for Dean, who played Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage this summer. Charrington says her team have set her up to tour every major market on her next album, which is currently being written with some “exciting world-class collaborators.”
“Olivia has been releasing music since 2018 and continues to build in confidence and radiate stage presence,” Charrington says. “Her band has now evolved to a full setup, which includes a brass section and BVs, nonetheless, she continues to emanate the same warm, intimate feeling and connect with her audience, no matter what size her band or the venue are.” In addition, Charrington mentions a strong “creative aesthetic,” driven by Dean and her manager, Emily Braham, which continues to evolve alongside her ambassadorship with Chanel.
In the U.S., Island is her label partner, coming on board just before the release of Messy. Since then, Dean has performed on Jimmy Kimmel, the CBS Morning Show and at Coachella and Lollapalooza. Charrington says the U.S. is now her top market for streaming. Dean went to Korea for a promo-only trip this year, ahead of visiting Japan for Summersonic, where she returned in October. There are talks about opportunities in Australia for 2025. “Olivia’s incredible work ethic means she can truly be global,” says Charrington.
The ultimate ambition is to keep building and evolving, Charrington concludes. “Olivia is an artist who comes into our lives perhaps once or twice in our careers. Our ambitions are to support her alongside her incredible manager Emily [Braham], with whom we have an excellent working relationship. Together we will keep building her story, audience and touring, and keep things moving creatively. We know it takes time, and we are as ambitious as she is. The teams around her match her energy, and if we continue to do so, the sky’s the limit.”
Damian Christian, who has been working in radio for over 35 years, during which time he’s stopped at BBC Radio 1, RCA Records, MCA and Warner Music U.K.’s Atlantic Records. The latter is where he’s spent the past 25 years, and now serves as managing director and president of promotions. There, he works with artists such as Ed Sheeran, Anne-Marie, Fred again.., Tion Wayne, Charli xcx and lots more.
Liv Carson, who runs independent plugging company They Do, which works with a host of acts including Alfie Templeman, Caroline Polachek and Holly Humberstone. She previously pulled a stint at Warner Brothers Records as national radio promotions manager and has spent over 10 years working in radio.
Steph Wilkinson, director of radio and streaming strategy at Sony Music U.K.’s Columbia Records. She’s worked on campaigns for Calvin Harris, Central Cee, Rag’n’Bone Man, Adele, Foo Fighters and Vampire Weekend. After starting her career at East West Records, Wilkinson later moved on to Atlantic, indie-promo company Hungry and Woods and Domino Records.
Suzy Walby, senior director of media for Universal Music U.K.’s Audience & Media Division. She’s worked at Universal for 17 years, starting at Island Records in 2006, and has spent the past 14 years with EMI. Acts Walby has worked with during her time at the label include Amy Winehouse, Florence & The Machine, Sugababes, Taylor Swift, Elton John, Katy Perry, Shawn Mendes, Niall Horan and Jennifer Lopez.
How important is radio to an artist campaign in 2024?
Damian Christian: When you’re trying to break a long-term artist, not just a single, radio comes into play more than some of the other services because it’s a bit more personal. Whether it’s being interviewed on the stations, doing a live performance, or doing one of the radio shows across one of the groups, it offers listeners the chance to learn about the artist and their journey. Hopefully, radio is going to see the act from the early stages and invest their time in the whole campaign: three, four songs and then the album. Radio is still very, very important in building careers and acts.
Liv Carson: It’s still a very integral part of artist campaigns. The landscape has changed a lot since I started working in radio. Streaming and social media have ramped up and you see that in label meetings. But I think it’s a bit of a duty of care for the music industry to keep radio relevant. It’s not something that I want to see slipping down meeting agendas. We work with a lot of independent artists, a lot of bands, and that kind of music in particular is something that streaming perhaps isn’t focusing on, but radio really does. If you’re an artist starting out and you can get a DJ on board who has a lot of respect with their listeners, like Steve Lamacq [of BBC Radio 6 Music] or Jack Saunders [who presents the new-music show on BBC Radio 1], that can be incredibly important for your career.
Steph Wilkinson: Radio is still so important, especially given the 100% human-curated element of it. These are brands and DJs that audiences really trust and whose backing of a track or artist can be game-changing. I’d argue in many ways it’s more important than ever. When touring costs are through the roof and it takes more than ever to break through, radio provides a much-needed platform. It’s also about much more than purely the traditional medium of radio now—stations have evolved quickly to have huge social reach, and we make the most of that around artist promo moments.
Suzy Walby: It is very important! Radio is a huge influence for festival bookers, DSP editorial playlists, international territories, to name just a few. When British radio supports an artist or a song, it’s a statement globally. For developing artists, it’s a way to get their music heard and enable listeners to discover them. For more established acts, it’s an opening to the masses. The latest RAJARs reported the biggest radio listening figures in eight years.
How have you seen the music business’s relationship with radio evolve during your time in the industry?
Damian: Not so long ago it was so important to get a record on the radio early to try and break the record. Now, radio often comes in when the record is about to become a hit and then elongates its success story. The pressure in the ’90s to get records on the radio was absolutely immense. Now, the pressure is still on but it kind of comes from within. Also, the people I deal with now in radio are far more engaged. They’re more interested in music and in going to see gigs. In the late ’80s, early ’90s, it was just a job that people did.
Liv: Pluggers and labels are starting to take artists to radio very early now, trying to get radio to be the one to build them, first and foremost. A while ago, people would wait for a band or an artist to build up their audience first. That’s definitely changed in the last few years. Yard Act is a good example of that. We took them on before they’d even done a show. It was around the time when the pandemic hit, and radio is so important for an artist like that. When they did play their first live show, there were lots of 6 Music listeners there.
Steph: Budgets are tighter, both on the label and radio side, and costs are higher, so when bringing international artists over for live radio events, they have to be worth it. As a result, there are more 360-degree offerings on the broadcast side, with online reach, often a televised moment, plus a commitment to support the artist. We’ve had to be more cautious with who we do those with and if the artist is in cycle or not. Another change in recent years is that Covid meant all promo became remote and the ability to do that now remains. You can still have strong launches in the U.K. when an artist is abroad.
Suzy: So much. When I started 18 years ago, I’d spend two weeks traveling around regional radio stations across the U.K. With the consolidation of networks and programmers, that doesn’t happen anymore. As a label, you’re speaking to [fewer] teams who cover larger audiences. Although very important, an A-list [playlist spot] on one large radio station isn’t enough in isolation to break an artist anymore. So a large part of the job now is timing radio effectively to boost what’s organically happening with an artist or a record.
How much of an influence do you see streaming being on radio playlist decisions?
Damian: Streaming and radio go hand in hand. Recently, one of the big DJs heard one of our records on streaming services and ended up playing it from hearing it there first. Equally, some of the streaming guys hear something on the radio, decide it sounds good and add it to one of their playlists. They both help each other, indirectly or directly. If you go to some of your radio contacts and you’ve got some massive streaming numbers, of course they’re going to be very excited, because we all love hit records and radio loves hit records. They equally like songs that sound good on the radio, and not every record is going to be a hit these days because it’s so hard to have hits.
Liv: In recent years, there has been quite a lot of influence from streaming data in playlisting. But what you certainly don’t get with streaming, and what you do with radio, is the whole artist story, where you start from the beginning and the station can really take ownership of it, build that story and get to know the artist. People tune in for the first time to hear a track for [Radio 1’s] Hottest Record, and you get the interview with it, you get the whole vibe of the artist and the story around the track. The same goes for live sessions.
Steph: For the more hits-driven stations, it’s definitely a factor and our job as a team is to try and line things up as best we can. We don’t want to be coming off a radio playlist just as we are starting to grow or peak at streaming. It’s an ecosystem where different platforms can feed each other. When everything is aligned, it can be really powerful. There are also recent examples of catalog artists having a resurgence online, then onto streaming and building there, then onto radio, introducing older artists to new audiences. What I love though is there are networks who will playlist unique music, regardless of whether it is streaming or not, and that airplay can then help drive streaming. My team is super-passionate and quite unique in the U.K. in that we pitch streaming partners alongside radio. This is something we have grown over the last eight years and love being involved with.
Suzy: It’s a real-time data point demonstrating trends and consumption. It’s a big part of playlist decisions. It’s a marker to build confidence in radio programmers who want to back an artist or a record but need confidence that their support will pay off. However, I would say it’s not a dealbreaker. I’m grateful in our current chart climate that many radio teams still make decisions based on other markers such as passion, artist potential, live following, etc.
How much risk-taking do you see being made when it comes to radio playlist decisions?
Damian: Sometimes they’ll go really early with things. They went early with “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims. Radio was playing that before it looked like it was going to be a thing, around six months before we had our big moment. I don’t think risk is the right word, but that was an example of hearing an artist and a record they believed in before we had the chart success. For other records, they will wait to see where they are going to end up in the chart.
Liv: There are definitely certain stations that will take more of a risk on early artists. There are arguments on both sides, and perhaps it might be too early sometimes for certain artists. But it creates such excitement for an institution to get behind stuff that early. You need to back artists up a little bit more, given how competitive it is and how much music there is out there, which is also hopefully where we come in as independent pluggers. We get sent a lot of music, and we’re always making sure we’re taking on the stuff we feel really passionate about and know is going to move in the right direction.
Steph: In the U.K., we are beyond lucky to have the diversity of stations that we do, which is unmatched anywhere in the world. We have so many places for different genres, and you see a lot of artists playlisted at the likes of BBC Radio 1Xtra, Radio 1, Radio 2, 6 Music and other BBC stations that you won’t see playlisted anywhere else. They also ensure that U.K. artists are prioritized, particularly into an album release, which is invaluable. Initiatives like the Brit List at Radio 1 have been fantastic for us—to know you have that support, locked in over, say, a year-long period, enable us to go for it at the right time, adjust marketing spend accordingly and line up other opportunities. You also have the likes of KISS backing new artists from the start and sticking with you for a campaign, as well as avenues like Capital XTRA’s homegrown track of the week and the support the station gives newer artists, Hits’ Trending Track and Absolute’s Sunday evening show with Danielle Perry.
Suzy: Not as much as I would personally like. Fewer stations champion newer artists, which can be challenging as we see what a positive effect it has when they do.
There have been some well-documented cuts made to the BBC’s new talent-support program, Introducing, over the last year. Have you felt the impact of those?
Damian: It hasn’t affected us, really. If you’re talking about the BBC specifically, you’ve got Jack Saunders, who has come out of the blocks in the new job. The specialist shows on Radio 1 are super-helpful for new acts as well.
Liv: It’s very sad to see, because there’s a lot of great stories that have come from those Introducing shows. It’s such an important step in the door for young artists. The heads of Introducing are doing a great job of trying to make sure new artists are heard, but it’s definitely made it a bit harder for brand-new artists to come through.
Steph: It was a sad time that felt like it galvanized the industry to speak up in support of any avenues that help new artists. I will say they have done an incredible job at BBC Introducing of ensuring artists are still cutting through. The team are all phenomenal and their passion is unrivaled. I don’t know how they keep on top of all the artists uploading and continue to fight for opportunities for them, but they do. Nothing beats seeing that journey from the first play on a local show to a first session to a first festival stage, through to a Live Lounge, A List records and then a main-stage Big Weekend moment. Using Declan McKenna as an example, they have been a constant in his career, and we are eternally grateful for their support.
Suzy: Too early to tell right now but not currently, no. BBC Introducing is a vital part for developing British talent, which is why it’s produced many huge acts we know and love. I hope that where it remains, it continues to give new artists a platform and a trajectory into daytime Radio 1 and beyond.
Would you change anything about the way British radio operates? Are there any improvements that you think could be made?
Damian: They could play even more of my records! We’re very proud of being the #1 airplay label for 10 straight years. So if it changed, maybe we wouldn’t get quite as much as we get. I wouldn’t change it too much. I think it works really well, and the RAJAR figures are a testament to that.
Liv: The volume of music that major labels and maybe some independent labels are working with is making it harder, in general, to get through. I think there’s more to be done for brand-new artists. I certainly don’t want radio to forget how they can build artists and make their careers. It feels a little like they’re starting to worry about going straight for the huge numbers, the big streaming artists and the TikTok one-hit wonders. It would also be great to see more female representatives in quite a male-dominated industry.
Steph: I’d like there to be more conversation about what stations might be able to contribute when it comes to ticketed events to make the playing field more level, particularly for newer artists and independent labels. The exposure we get is very compelling, but stations are also getting brilliant content from our artists, so perhaps that relationship could be more symbiotic. More steps from stations in terms of awareness of the environmental impact of things, like promo and events, would be great. It’s been encouraging to see things like plastic bottles banned from many radio events and the artist green memo that Radio 2 sent out for their Radio Two in the Park event in September. We should all continue striving towards things we can do to help on all sides.
Suzy: More opportunities for British artists to appear on radio shows beyond the playlists. With the exception of large-scale promo or events, there are very few promo opportunities nowadays, which can result in a disconnect between artists, the radio station and their listeners.
What’s the best thing about British radio?
Damian: British radio is loyal to artists; they genuinely want to develop them and help us do that. They will take risks on things. They are always looking for the next new thing, as we all are. Equally, with returning acts, they will be very supportive of acts that have worked for their stations. You know where you’re at—as long as the artist makes a certain record and it’s right for the station, you’re going to get support.
Liv: Getting the personalities of the artists across. When we’ve got Hottest Record or first plays anywhere, the excitement around that, getting the fans really pumped up to hear it for the first time and putting context around it, is not really comparable to anything else. The interaction between the artist, the radio and the listener can feel really quite special.
Steph: So many things! Our counterparts in other countries, as well as managers and artists, always comment on how lucky we are to have the stations we do, and I totally agree with that. We have world-class stations, producers, music teams and DJs, run by people who care about elevating and supporting artists. I love how you can have an artist like Rag’n’Bone Man, 10 years into his career, still sitting on so many different stations, from Radio 1 to Radio 2, to Hits, Magic and beyond, as well as some of his music still being supported at community stations. One of the best things is the breadth of genres supported across British radio and how willing the audience is to lean in. You have places like 6 Music, who, just over a decade ago, were threatened with closure and are now on record listeners and supporting such an eclectic mix of artists. Then you have Capital Dance, a relatively new station that’s grown to 1 million weekly listeners in a year and become the biggest dance station in Europe.
Suzy: So much. The communities built amongst the listeners, the live interaction. Falling in love with Lewis Capaldi whilst he’s playing ridiculous but genius features such as “Innuendo Bingo” [a game on BBC Radio 1]. British radio is good company whether you’re on a car drive, cooking in your kitchen or listening whilst on the way to work.
How do you see the relationship between the U.K. music business and radio evolving in future? Do you see any changes or developments on the horizon?
Damian: I would think it’s more of the same. There’s always conversations about putting airplay into the chart, and that would be a potential game changer if it happened. It would add to the chart position of your songs, which I think would be helpful. “Why shouldn’t it be in there?” is what some people say.
Liv: There have been a lot of changes recently at major U.K. stations, the BBC especially, and I think the focus on U.K. music should definitely still be a priority. Radio gives authenticity and there’s a lot of developments going on in the world with AI and things like that, which can be fairly dangerous for artists. Radio needs to stand at the forefront of all of that.
Steph: Continued transparency and partnership are key. Hopefully, more opportunities for new artists—this is going to be crucial to the continued success of British music. We need to be having more regular breakthroughs as an industry. A commitment from radio will help that to happen so we still have U.K. festival headliners in the future and a thriving industry. The relationship between us and radio is in a really good place, though. There are so many brilliant, passionate people at radio and new talent coming through. Here’s to many more years of radio remaining crucial to our campaigns.
Suzy: Radio is offering so much more than the three-minute-30-second play on air now. It has a huge digital footprint across socials, YouTube and online. The more the stations pull all these offerings together, the more attractive and impactful it is for the artist, therefore strengthening the relationship between radio and listeners with artists and their superfans.
