Michael Gudinski crowned Billboard’s International Power Players Executive of the Year

Mushroom Group’s late founder Michael Gudinski has been posthumously honoured in Billboard’s 2021 list of International Power Players.

Sitting among local and overseas industry executives from more than 100 companies, Gudinski was crowned Executive of the Year, having been at the helm of Mushroom Group for decades steering its significant growth.

Gudinski died suddenly early last month. A state memorial service was held weeks later, featuring performances from Kylie Minogue, Jimmy Barnes, Vika and Linda, Paul Kelly and Ed Sheeran, who flew in from overseas solely for the event.

“The late Michael Gudinski of Australia, who died March 2 at the age of 68, achieved success in all of those roles and more,” the Billboard list reads.

“A music industry pioneer whose Mushroom Group would become a template for independent companies, Gudinski, with his exuberant personality, became the face of his country’s music scene.”

Other Australians who made the list include Concord’s Australian label manager Andrew Hajgato, Sony Music Australia CEO Denis Handlin, Warner Music Australasia president Dan Rosen and Kobalt’s Asia Pacific managing director Simon Moor.

The honour from Billboard follows shortly after the broadcast of Music From The Home Front over the weekend, which saw 230,000 metro TV viewers and a sold-out live concert in Melbourne.

Following Gudinski’s death, his son Matt was named the new CEO of Mushroom Group. The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) also renamed the award for Best Breakthrough Artist the Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist Award.