ANTHONY OUT AT SONY
AFTER 25 YEARS

Her contract was reportedly up for renewal at the end of the month. She immediately becomes a coveted free-agent.

The veteran exec’s departure ends more than 20 years at Epic, where she started in 1981 as Manager of Adult Contemporary promotion.

During her illustrious career, she has guided the development of label superstars like Celine Dion, Rage Against the Machine, Oasis, Korn, Jennifer Lopez, Pearl Jam, Good Charlotte, and Shakira as well as the Titanic and Chicago soundtracks. In the most recent nine-month marketshare report, Epic was ranked fifth among all major labels at 5.7.

Anthony’s exit is just the latest in the Sony Music executive ranks since Andrew Lack was brought in to replace Tommy Mottola as Chairman/CEO last January, with Epic Group Chairman Dave Glew retiring last spring. When Columbia Records Group Chairman Don Ienner was named President of Sony Music U.S. in April, Anthony began reporting to him.

Anthony began her music business career as a secretary, joining then-CBS Records in 1978. She was named Sr. VP Promotion at Epic Records in 1990, promoted to GM of 550 Music in ’93, then President of 550 Music and Sr. VP Epic Records Group in ’94, before adding the Presidency of Epic Records to her title in ’97. She was named President of the Epic Records Group in 1999.

Sources discount the N.Y. Post report that Richard Griffiths will return for a second stint as Epic President, saying the post will not immediately be filled and that Ienner will continue overseeing both Columbia and Epic Records. Griffiths had been head of international operations for The Firm, and for the last several months, has had a production deal with Sony U.K. Griffiths originally left Epic in 1997 to join BMG, overseeing the U.K. and Europe.