Rumor Mill

Azoff Tops Music Biz Salary Chart

May 4, 2012

SALARY DRIVE: To no one’s surprise, Live Nation Chairman Irving Azoff topped the list of music executive compensation with a take last year of $34.6 million, according to the Hollywood Reporter, which reveals $25.3 million of that total came from “all other compensation,” driven by the sale of his ownership stake in management firm Front Line to Live Nation. UMG Chairman/ CEO Lucian Grainge saw the year's biggest pay jump, his salary rising 114.5%, from $7.6 million in 2010 to $16.3 million last year, after adding the Chairman title and seeing UMG’s EBITDA rise, though revenues were down. (5/3p)