'Fortunes are going to be made." - Lyor Cohen, Global Head of Music, YouTube & Google
by Vikki Jones, Photos by Alice Trott|
Lyor Cohen is the head of global music at YouTube and Google. He oversees domestic and international music partnerships for YouTube, as well artist and labels relations. He is also founder of 300 Entertainment, an independent music label that uses digital technology to discover and break artists, working with the likes of Fetty Wap, Migos and Young Thug.
During Cannes Lions, he sat down with Annie Mac of BBC Radio 1 and shared his thoughts on the present and future of the music business and the part YouTube plays in it:
Evolution & Change
If change means evolution then I'm evolving. I’m not fighting change/evolution. I’m not trying to hold onto the past.
Solution to Consolidation of Distribution
Creators, labels and Artist needs many distributors. If only one or two labels are the major players in on distribution that’s problematic for the creator, the artist.
YouTube is the greatest place where artist are discovered.... I believe that the present and the future of the music business is direct to consumer.
As the business expands we are going to figure out how to grow this music business and make the overall health of it better.
New YouTube App
We 'heard' the music industry, and my colleagues built an amazing app.
Why YouTube Music App is Different:We have the largest and the greatest depth of catalog in the history of music.
The app is smart and simple to use.
This is an evolution, this product is going to leave all and get better and better.
Artist and Career
Fortunes (artist) are going to be made right now.
More artist are going to be able to make a living.
Personal Note:
"I fed my family and sit my kids to college from the music business. So this is a gift for me to be a part of." - Lyor Cohen
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