Guy Oseary forms company with high-profile managers and Live Nation

Guy Oseary, who manages U2, Madonna and Alicia Keys, has entered a partnership with Live Nation and eight artist management firms to form Maverick.

The company aims to source opportunities for its acts (the nine firms manage around 25 of the biggest-selling artists) in the realms of technology and consumer goods.

According to Billboard, Laffitte Management’s Ron Laffitte, I Am Other’s Caron Veazey, Blueprint Group’s Gee Roberson and Cortez Bryant, Reign Deer’s Larry Rudolph and Adam Leber, Quest Management’s Scott Rodger and Spalding Entertainment’s Clarence Spalding will join and rebrand their firms as Maverick.

The direct response to the global industry’s flailing record sales adds to the more than 20 companies in Oseary’s portfolio, including A-Grade Investments, a venture capitalist fund founded with Ashton Kutcher and grocery billionaire Ron Burkle. Maverick’s members will have a direct pipeline into any of Oseary’s relatable resources.

Oseary told Billboard: “There are still a lot of people who are scared of innovation. There’s still a group that’s so quick to judge anyone trying [new things], and that’s one of our handicaps in the music business. We could all do so much more if a bunch of us got in a room more often.”

The announcement of Maverick at Oseary’s Beverly Hills home last week comes after the widely-reported exclusive release of U2’s latest LP through Apple’s iTunes. Of the 500 million global customers sent Songs Of Innocence on September 9 for free, 81 million (or 16%) “experienced” it through iTunes, iTunes Radio and Beats Music. A staggering 26 million (or 5%) went on to download the record – equaling or bettering U2’s biggest global selling album, The Joshua Tree.

FUN FACT: Maverick is the name Oseary’s client Madonna gave her now defunct label in 1992. Oseary worked his way up to become Chairman/CEO of the label before it folded in 2007.