Sir Lucian Grainge issued the following year-end message to his company's troops.
Dear Colleagues:
2020!
For many of us, those four simple digits say all that needs to be said about the incredibly difficult year now finally coming to a close. “2020” has come to represent pain and loss on a scale none of us ever could have imagined. We can never forget the suffering that this year inflicted on so many. Likewise, we must never forget that even in the face of historic challenges, so many of you achieved great things—personally and professionally.
A little later, I’ll describe the spectacular and record-breaking success we had in 2020. It’s a success I’m extremely proud to share with you. But first, I want this year-end note to remind each of you of the instrumental part you played in bringing to the world something powerful, inspiring, uplifting, and yes, universal: music. A force for good unlike any other in the world.
Putting music’s power to work for good may have been more important this year than it’s ever been. With your help, our artists and songwriters not only raised the spirits of millions everywhere, but also brought awareness to worthwhile causes that will help to repair a world so badly in need of repair. And more often than not, that awareness will trigger action, funding and, ultimately, results.
In a wide variety of ways—organizing, volunteering, educating, donating—we responded to the challenges of 2020, both as a company and as individuals, by standing up and showing up. Whatever we did, we did it in a big way, taking action around the globe on critical issues such as health care, social justice and inclusion.
To address some of the pandemic’s devastating consequences, we donated millions to support artist organizations, launched our own foundation to aid artists and employees, funded programs in the U.S., the UK and elsewhere to tackle problems of mental health, homelessness and food insecurity, and with Bravado and our partners at Tencent, helped deliver more than half a million masks to hospitals and frontline workers.
When the harsh realities of inequality and racism exploded across the globe, our artists were galvanized and, together with them, we responded quickly. We created the Task Force for Meaningful Change. Its goal is simple: be a driving force for social justice in the music industry and beyond. To achieve that goal, we created a number of initiatives—to provide housing assistance; to promote wellness; to improve education by addressing the digital divide; to establish mentorship programs; and more. We expanded our industry-leading work with the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative to address diversity and inclusion issues facing the music business. And we raised our individual and collective voices to ensure that we were heard—through our support for voter registration, the census and other initiatives.
All this is just the beginning.
Next year, for example, we are launching an initiative to help our artists—both past and present—find critical heath care resources at a time when they’re needed most. In addition, we will: expand our support for independent venues; broaden our education initiatives; and launch an employee-led action committee to fight homelessness in the communities where we live and work.
Our purpose—our continuing commitment—is to harness our collective talents and resources to shape culture through the power of music and the artistry and creativity that give it birth. When, in collaboration with our artists, we come together as a company, as a community, what we can achieve is truly remarkable. And it’s never been more urgent or more necessary to do so than right now.
Given all the challenges that 2020 has dealt us, and given all the time and effort so many of you have personally expended to help those in need, it is truly amazing that somehow you still found the bandwidth to remain laser-focused on achieving unprecedented success for our artists.
Look at what we accomplished in one of the most difficult years any of us has ever experienced. To share just a few of the highlights with you, in 2020, we had:
Again, all this is just a sampling. In country after country and region after region, the achievements are simply astonishing. And I’m awed when I realize that even as the world seemed to have lost its bearings in 2020, you managed to achieve all this… while working from home!
With dedication like that, it’s no wonder that once more this year so many artists made UMG their partner, from Stormzy to Daddy Yankee for recorded music, from Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar to Bob Dylan for music publishing, among many, many others. We are, undeniably, the destination of choice for the world’s greatest artists at every stage of their careers.
Metrics are a clear and measurable sign of our success, but metrics don’t explain our success. Our expertise, our global resources, our experience, our thousands of passionate employees are, of course, a part of the answer. But I believe the ultimate key to our success is our unique culture—a complex mix of independent entrepreneurialism and strength through unity. We are simultaneously many and one.
In an industry that loves to hype new companies they label as “disruptors,” our culture of constant internal disruption makes us the most powerful driving force for innovation this industry has ever seen. And next year will be no exception; we want our presence and reach to continue to grow.
As 2021 unfolds, we'll be:
In short, in terms of creativity, innovation and commercial success, I want us to build upon our stature as the most successful music-based entertainment company ever.
There’s no question that 2020 was a year of struggle and tragedies, but it was also a year of courage and heroes. It will be a year we remember with sadness for what we lost, but it will also be a year we remember with pride for how we weathered the challenges we were forced to confront. My own personal battle with COVID underscored for me just how truly blessed I am to be working in the industry I love, and to be surrounded and supported by all of you—the best damn team this business has ever known!
Thank you for everything you accomplished this year. It was an extraordinary performance under any conditions, let alone in the most trying circumstances. Thank you again.
Have a wonderful holiday with your friends and family. Stay safe. Stay well.
Lucian
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