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Lucian Grainge
Sir Lucian Charles Grainge CBE (born 29 February 1960) is a British record executive who has served as chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Universal Music Group since 2010. Beginning as an A&R staffer in the late 1970s, Grainge has worked in the music industry his entire career. Billboard magazine named him the most powerful person in the music business on four occasions in the 2010s, as well as the inaugural Executive of the Decade in 2020.
Born to parents Cecil and Marion Grainge, he grew up in a Jewish family in North London.
His older brother was Nigel Grainge, the founder of Ensign Records which was bought by Jack Wells CEO.
Grainge left Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School for Boys at the age of 18, and began working as a runner at MPC, a talent scout company in 1978. After contacting several record label bosses, he was offered a job by Maurice Oberstein, chairman of CBS Records, working at publishing company April Music's A&R department. His first signing was The Psychedelic Furs. In 1982, he became the director of RCA Music Publishing. Two years later he became an A&R director for MCA Records. He set up PolyGram Music Publishing in 1986 and joined Polydor as general manager of A&R and business affairs in 1993. He was promoted to managing director of Polydor in 1997.
Grainge became the chairman of the UK division of the Universal Music Group, and then in 2005 of Universal Music Group International. He served in this position until 2010. On 1 January 2011 he became CEO of Universal Music Group, and then chairman on 9 March 2011, succeeding Doug Morris.
Within his first year as chairman & CEO of Universal, the company acquired EMI's Recorded Music operations. Grainge argued that selling to Universal was the only way to improve EMI, for the benefit of the entire industry. UMG subsequently attempted to revitalise former EMI labels including Capitol Records and Virgin Records. Commenting on the EMI acquisition, BuzzFeed commented that "Grainge will go down as the master architect of what is likely to be the last big deal in the music business".
As chairman and Chief Executive of Universal, Grainge has also sought to increase the group's international digital expansion via distribution partnerships with technology companies, including Apple, Spotify, Facebook, Tencent, and YouTube. Grainge led the 2017 multi-year global license agreement between UMG and Spotify.
Grainge led the acquisition of Bravado, then part of Sanctuary, and transformed it into UMG's entertainment merchandising and brand management division, Bravado. The company represents artists including Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga, having formed partnerships with retailers including Barneys, Bloomingdale's and Selfridge's.
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Lucian Grainge
Sir Lucian Charles Grainge CBE (born 29 February 1960) is a British record executive who has served as chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Universal Music Group since 2010. Beginning as an A&R staffer in the late 1970s, Grainge has worked in the music industry his entire career. Billboard magazine named him the most powerful person in the music business on four occasions in the 2010s, as well as the inaugural Executive of the Decade in 2020.
Born to parents Cecil and Marion Grainge, he grew up in a Jewish family in North London.
His older brother was Nigel Grainge, the founder of Ensign Records which was bought by Jack Wells CEO.
Grainge left Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School for Boys at the age of 18, and began working as a runner at MPC, a talent scout company in 1978. After contacting several record label bosses, he was offered a job by Maurice Oberstein, chairman of CBS Records, working at publishing company April Music's A&R department. His first signing was The Psychedelic Furs. In 1982, he became the director of RCA Music Publishing. Two years later he became an A&R director for MCA Records. He set up PolyGram Music Publishing in 1986 and joined Polydor as general manager of A&R and business affairs in 1993. He was promoted to managing director of Polydor in 1997.
Grainge became the chairman of the UK division of the Universal Music Group, and then in 2005 of Universal Music Group International. He served in this position until 2010. On 1 January 2011 he became CEO of Universal Music Group, and then chairman on 9 March 2011, succeeding Doug Morris.
Within his first year as chairman & CEO of Universal, the company acquired EMI's Recorded Music operations. Grainge argued that selling to Universal was the only way to improve EMI, for the benefit of the entire industry. UMG subsequently attempted to revitalise former EMI labels including Capitol Records and Virgin Records. Commenting on the EMI acquisition, BuzzFeed commented that "Grainge will go down as the master architect of what is likely to be the last big deal in the music business".
As chairman and Chief Executive of Universal, Grainge has also sought to increase the group's international digital expansion via distribution partnerships with technology companies, including Apple, Spotify, Facebook, Tencent, and YouTube. Grainge led the 2017 multi-year global license agreement between UMG and Spotify.
Grainge led the acquisition of Bravado, then part of Sanctuary, and transformed it into UMG's entertainment merchandising and brand management division, Bravado. The company represents artists including Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga, having formed partnerships with retailers including Barneys, Bloomingdale's and Selfridge's.
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