Music Business Strikes: Elektra Ups Jacob Fain to Government VP, Head of A&R; We Are Transferring the Needle Faucets Skye Landgraf as Director

Elektra Entertainment has elevated Jacob Fain to the role of executive vice president and head of A&R. Fain will continue to work out of Los Angeles and report to Elektra President Gregg Nadel.

After joining Elektra in 2020, Fain signed country star Bailey Zimmerman to the Warner Music Group label. He previously held a publishing role at Sony Music Publishing and also signed Grammy-winning artists such as the Chainsmokers and Leon Bridges, as well as Of Monsters and Men, Russ, and Chase Rice, among others.

“Jake is a standout A&R with incredible, creative instincts shaped by years of experience,” said Nadel. “He has an innate ability to form genuine, meaningful relationships and has helped our artists at every stage of their career articulate their vision and surpass their potential. I’m thrilled for him to take on this much-deserved new post.”

Prior to Sony Music Publishing, Fain worked in A&R at Republic Records and marketing at RCA Records.

+ We Are Moving the Needle has appointed Skye Landgraf as its first director of partnerships and programs. The announcement was made today by Emily Lazar, We Are Moving the Needle’s founder.

Based out of Washington, D.C., Landgraf will spearhead the growth of WAMTN through the expansion of its core programs, including WAMTN’s Scholarships Program and College/University Chapters, as well as its annual Fix The Mix Report. Skye will also work to expand WAMTN’s institutional partnerships.

“In just two short years, WAMTN has already made a difference in the careers of women and non-binary individuals pursuing careers behind the boards, but we still have much work to do,” said Lazar. “Bringing in Skye, whose decade of experience in the nonprofit world, deep knowledge of music, and commitment to gender inclusivity and equity, will allow us to make an even bigger impact on our industry.”

Landgraf joins We Are Moving The Needle with experience as a non-profit leader with more than a decade of experience in fundraising. She also served as the director of institutional advancement for the American Association of University Women, as well as the associate director of foundation relations at George Washington University.

+ Oak View Group has tapped Ade Patton to direct and oversee their global finances as chief financial officer. Patton joins from his previous post as chief financial officer of HBO Max/Global DTC at Warner Bros. Discovery and previously held investment management roles at Millennium Management LLC and Citadel LLC.

Said Tim Leiweke, OVG’s chairman/CEO, “I’m pleased that ADE will be joining OVG as our new Chief Financial Officer. He is a seasoned financial executive who has helped lead world-class companies, and I look forward to having him on our team to help guide OVG’s continued strategic and sustainable growth at scale.”

“I am both proud and excited to join [OVG],” added Paton. “We truly have an opportunity to transform the sports, live entertainment, and hospitality industries globally, and I am eager to join the world-class management team that Tim and Irving Azoff have assembled.”

+ The Society Management has signed bassist Blu DeTiger to a new representation deal for her future fashion endeavors. Her music-related releases and ventures will remain under the purview of Alt Vision.

Blu released her debut EP “How Did We Get Here?” in 2020 and has since racked up over 120 million global streams to date. She has toured with acts such as Sabrina Carpenter and Charlie Puth. She’s also performed with Dominic Fike, Caroline Polachek, Chromeo, Bleachers and Fletcher and was also featured as a special guest in Olivia Rodrigo’s “Driving Home 2 U” film on Disney+.

“I’m so excited to be working with the Society family! I’m very passionate about the fashion and beauty world and I’m really looking forward to expanding and exploring this side of me,” said Blu. “Some of the most inspiring talent is on the Society roster and it’s an honor to be able to join them.”

+ The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) has hired Melissa White, as director of membership, and Jasmine Lopez-Alvarez as marketing manager. In their new roles, White will oversee A2IM’s label relations and membership engagement strategy, while Lopez-Alvarez will manage marketing initiatives and work to expand membership.

“We are delighted to welcome Melissa White as Director of Membership and Jasmine Lopez-Alvarez as Marketing Manager. Their experience and passion for independent music will play a crucial role in developing our reach and furthering our mission,” said Richard James Burgess, CEO of A2IM.

White got her start as an executive assistant at Tommy Boy label and Tracklib, the online marketplace for sample clearance. At Tracklib, she was promoted to music catalog director. Lopez-Alvarez is the founder of multimedia platform UnPeeled and was a marketing manager for the San Francisco music venue Bottom of the Hill.

+ Tom Becci has joined Concord in the newly created role of chief executive. He will oversee Concord’s entire recorded music division, inclusive of global frontline label and catalog operations.

“Having admired the work of Concord for years, I am thrilled to join this incredible company,” says Becci. “It is abundantly clear that the Label Group’s passionate, dedicated team works day in and day out in service of its artists and has built something truly unique. With the help of the label presidents, the entire Concord staff, and inimitable artists like Pierce the Veil, Killer Mike, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Allison Russell, and so, so many more, I can’t wait to continue building on what has been established and usher Concord Label Group into a new era.”

Becci got his start in the music business as the manager of special projects for EMI North America and comes to Concord with over 30 years of industry experience, most recently a seven-and-a-half-year tenure at Red Light Management.

While at Red Light, he developed the artist roster to include Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Lady A, Sam Hunt, Chris Stapleton, and more. Prior to Red Light, Becci was the COO of Universal Music Group Nashville and was responsible for the signing of the Brothers Osborne.