WASHINGTON, DC (CelebrityAccess) – The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has announced the promotion of Erin D. D. Burr to Senior Vice President, Media Relations, Gold and Platinum Program, and Matthew Bass to Vice President, Research, Gold and Platinum Operations.
RIAA Chairman and CEO Mitch Glazier emphasized the impact Burr and Bass have had within the organization and their potential to address the evolving landscape of the music industry. Glazier stated, “Erin and Matt are stars who have already shined so brightly at RIAA and, in their new roles, will be even more visible and effective. As the music community works together to address unprecedented new opportunities and challenges from the meteoric rise of streaming to the current effort to chart a path towards responsible and pro-artist AI, we are all lucky to have Erin and Matt embracing greater responsibilities.”
RIAA President and COO Michele Ballantyne also expressed her confidence in the newly promoted leaders. She noted, “This is a great day for RIAA, elevating two leaders inside our organization who have seized every opportunity to learn and grow. They have both made themselves indispensable to our work – and to the fabric of our team. Erin and Matt aren’t just brilliant professionals; they are both extraordinarily decent people who make our entire community stronger.”
Burr will continue to spearhead RIAA’s media outreach and act as a key communications strategist for various RIAA initiatives. These include celebrating Gold and Platinum certifications, enhancing the visibility of C-suite executives, and supporting the Human Artistry CampAIgn, a coalition of over 180 organizations committed to ensuring human expression remains central to technological advancements. Burr expressed her enthusiasm for her new role, saying, “Connection through people, stories, and music has always been instinctual to me – and has also served as the basis for my entire career. I’m grateful for this amplified role, RIAA’s culture of community, and my passion for advocating for creative talents across the entire industry. As we navigate ever-evolving opportunities where artistry intersects with policy and technology, I’m excited to explore more ways to support human creators and our member labels while nurturing a vital relationship with media.”
Burr’s responsibilities also involve securing executive op-eds on industry topics, simplifying complex policy matters for better understanding, and advocating for artist rights. She recently played a significant role in the ELVIS Act press conference to modernize Tennessee’s right of publicity law. Before joining RIAA, Erin spent over a decade at Big Machine Label Group (BMLG) in Nashville, where she managed high-profile releases for artists like Reba, Carly Pearce, and The Mavericks. Burr also serves on the inaugural Musicians On Call Music Industry Advisory Board.
Bass will continue combining his passion for music and data in his new role. He will produce RIAA’s annual revenue reports, collaborate with researchers and economists, and identify industry trends and milestones in the Gold and Platinum program. Reflecting on his tenure, Bass said, “I feel privileged to have spent the last 11 years at RIAA, where I’m able to combine two of my passions – music and data – and call it work. I’m proud to produce our annual revenue reports, work with esteemed researchers and economists, and uncover industry trends or new milestones in our Gold & Platinum program that celebrate artist and label successes.”
Raised in Accident, MD, Bass’s career began in federal agencies within the renewable energy sector, managing research and development funds for the Department of Energy’s Geothermal and Solar Energy Departments. He has also held positions with the General Services Administration on technology projects and worked as an analyst under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. His passion for music ultimately led him to RIAA, where he has spent the past decade contributing to policy discussions, copyright protection efforts, and the modernization of the Gold and Platinum Program. He engages with industry panels, universities, reporters, legislators, and other stakeholders to share insights from his research.
The new positions are effective immediately. Erin Burr can be reached at eburr@riaa.com, and Matthew Bass is available at mbass@riaa.com.
