SANTA MONICA (CelebrityAccess) – Universal Music Group’s (UMG) Chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge, has been named Number 1 on Billboard’s 2022 Power List, a list of the most influential executives in music. After a break in 2021, Billboard’s Power List returns and Grainge tops the list for a record fifth time. He was appointed “Executive of the Decade” in 2020 and appeared in the top slot in 2013, 2015-2016, 2019 and 2022.
Grainge took over the top job at UMG in 2011 and via PR Newswire said, “This honor is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire organization around the world, as well as the many amazing artists, executives, partners and entrepreneurs within the Universal Music family, many of whom are themselves individually recognized on this year’s list.”
Addtionally, executives, label and business units, and partner’s of UMG were also recognized by Billboard, including: Roc Nation founder Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, Bryan “Birdman” Williams and Ronald “Slim” Williams, Co-Founders/Co-CEO’s of Cash Money Records, Big Machine Label Group Founder, President and CEO, Scott Borchetta, HYBE Co-CEO’s Lenzo Yoon and Scooter Braun, Interscope’s Vice Chairman Steve Berman, Universal Music Publishing Group COO, Marc Cimino, Republic Records Co-Founder and Chairman, Monte Lipman, Motown Records Chairwoman and CEO Ethiopia Habtemariam and Ingrooves Music Group CEO Bob Roback, among others.
In 2021, UMG built on its track record of being the most successful company in the music industry. In the US UMG artists claimed the Number 1 spot of the Billboard album charts for a record 38 weeks, while Billboard’s year-end charts showed UMG had 8 of the Top 10 artists, and all of the Top 6 with Drake at No. 1, followed by Olivia Rodrigo, The Weeknd, Taylor Swift, Morgan Wallen and Ariana Grande; 7 of the Top 10 albums, including all Top 5: those by Morgan Wallen, Olivia Rodrigo and Pop Smoke.
