UMG’s Lucian Grainge tops Billboard Power 100 for second time

Billboard magazine has named Universal Music Group’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Lucian Grainge as #1 on its list of the 100 most powerful people in the music industry.

UMG executives in the power ranking make up 13.7% of the list, more than any other company. It’s also the second time Grainge has topped the list and he makes history as the first person to take the top spot twice. The first time was in the 2013 list, following Universal’s acquisition EMI Music.

“It has been nothing less than a privilege to be able to spend my life working with and on behalf of great artists and the music they create,” Grainge said in a statement. “For if power is to be found anywhere, that power is found, and exclusively resides, in the music of our artists. I’m so proud of our many executives who were recognized for their contributions.”

At the end of 2014 UMG boasted a 38.7% share of the US market (Neilsen). It also distributed seven of the Top 10 albums that year and broke Australian acts Iggy Azalea and 5 Seconds of Summer as well as UK multiple Grammy winner Sam Smith and Grammy nominee Ariana Grande.

The Top 10 also honours Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino, who sits at #2 and is up for #4 last year. In the last two years since Rapino took over the 100-office company, Live Nation’s stock price has risen 22%.

At #4 is Sony/ATV Chairman Martin Bandier, up from #5 last year. Yesterday Bandier was honoured at The 2015 GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons, organised by Clive Davis. He received the NARAS President’s Merit Award. In his speech he said he felt songwriters didn’t receive the credit they deserved:“This is particularly the case today when something like 95% of the songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart are written in whole or part by someone other than the performer,” he said.

Jimmy Iovine, who along with Dr De sold his Beats Electronics to Apple last year, made #5, up from #10 last year; and Sony Music CEO and Chairman Doug Morris came in at #7 – Sony finished 2014 with nine of the Top 15 albums and 11 of the Top 20 in the UK.

There are no women in the Top 10, however Universal Music Group’s Michele Anthony and Boyd Muir share the #12 spot.

Elsewhere artist management mogul Guy Oseary came in at #18, up from last year’s #38 placing; Spotify CEO Daniel Ek is #20, up from #25 and Scott Borchetta of Taylor Swift’s Big Machine Label Group ranked at #23, up from #40.

View the Top 10 of the 2015 Billboard Power 100 below

1. Lucian Grainge, Chairman/CEO, Universal Music Group

2. Michael Rapino, CEO, Live Nation

3. Irving Azoff, Chairman/CEO/ Azoff MSG Entertainment

4. Martin Bandier, Chairman, Sony/ATV

5. Jimmy Iovine, Executive, Apple

6. Coran Capshaw, Founder, Red Light Management

7. Doug Morris, Chairman/CEO, Sony Music

8. Bob Pittman, Chairman/CEO, IHeartRadio

9. Rob Light, Head Of Music, CAA

10. Eddie Cue & Robert Kondrk, Executives, iTunes/Apple