Musical Chairs: March 23

JIMMY IOVINE EXITING AS MUSIC HEAD AT APPLE?

Rumours have resurfaced that Jimmy Iovine is stepping down as Apple’s head of music operations in August.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Iovine will stay on as a consultant.

He is one of two executives who is considered the face of Apple Music, alongside Apple senior vice president Eddy Cue.

Reports circulated earlier this year that Iovine, who joined Apple in 2014 after it bought out his Beat Electronics for $3 billion, was getting itchy feet.

At the time he rejected the rumours, saying “I am almost 65, have been with Apple for four years and in 2 1/2 years the [Apple Music] service has gotten to well over 30 million subscribers and Beats has continued its successful run.

“But there’s still a lot more we’d like to do.

“I am committed to doing whatever Eddy [Cue], Tim [Cook] and Apple need me to do, to help wherever and however I can, to take this all the way. I am in the band.”

ARN APPOINTS TWO CDS

Australian Radio Network appointed Sue Carter as content director for Melbourne’s GOLD104.3, effective April 9.

Carter joined ARN in 2015 as content director for Adelaide’s Mix102.3 and Cruise 1323, keeping Mix high in the ratings.

Her replacement is Tony Aldridge, formerly with Nova Sydney which he joined after he relocated from the UK.

Aldridge took over in Adelaide earlier this week.

FRESH FACES AT MUSIC SA

South Australia’s peak music association Music SA announced staff changes.

Two new faces are Sian Walden as live music coordinator and Tom Gordon as industry development coordinator.

Both come with industry experience, Walden working on Little Acorn Music (managing local acts as MANE, Tom West and Wanderers) and Gordon playing in both Horror My Friend and West Thebarton as well as managing SIAMESE and Paradise Club.

Taking over as head of training is Kim Roberts (Last Days of Kali) after Matthew Hayward departed after two years to pursue his career in the creative fields overseas.

Also at Music SA is Yewth co-editor Lewis Brideson who won the Peter Hanlon Internship program.

ATLANTIC SETS UP HIP HOP LABEL

Atlantic Records has set up a new hip-hop label No Jumper Records with tastemaker Adam Grandmaison aka Adam22.

He runs a YouTube channel No Jumper which has generated 241 million views since he launched it in 2012.

He has successfully championed rap acts such as XXXTentacion (whose second album is heading to #1 Stateside), Lil Yachty and The Suicide Boys.

SONY / ATV PROMOTES JACOB FAIN

Sony/ATV has promoted Jacob Fain to SVP of A&R and head of research & analytics.

Fain, who has been with the company for ten years and based in New York, will oversees the research & analytics department – which has offices in Sydney as well as New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, Miami, London, Paris and Stockholm – alongside his senior role in Sony/ATV’s A&R team.

Sony/ATV chairman and CEO Martin Bandier said: “Jake’s ability to recognise artists and songs that we should pursue has grown considerably as a result of both his A&R talent, and the utilisation of data and research.

“This is a well-earned promotion.”

EDITOR FOR PUNKEE

Junkee Media’s Gen Z title Punkee is expanding its editorial team and advertising on its website for an editor.

The successful applicant is expected to be “an experienced editor and writer who loves all things entertainment, pop culture and online”, and will report to managing editor Tom Pitney.

NEW ROLE FOR NATALIE KING AT VAC

Natalie King, a senior research fellow at the Victorian College of the Arts at the University of Melbourne since 2014, is now appointed enterprise professor.

BEN STEVENSON HEADS TO COFFS

Ben Stevenson has landed a breakfast co-hosting gig at the Hit Network in Coffs Harbour, effective April 9.

He was previously hosting breakfast at Hot100 Darwin, the #1 FM show with an awesome 35.2% share.

GOING TUFF AT PEERMUSIC

Peermusic has promoted LA-based Tuff Morgan to senior director of A&R, working in the pop and urban genres.

Company president Kathy Spanberger, to whom he reports, says, “Tuff is one of the best A&R guys in the business.

“He began his career as an artist so he’s able to connect with writers on a creative level that’s rare for someone on the business side,”

STEVE MAYHEW BROKERING ARTOUR QUEENSLAND

Steve Mayhew joins arTour Queensland as creative broker, effective next month.

The touring services provider supports performing artists and producers to travel throughout regional Queensland and nationally.

Mayhew has extensive experience working with arts in regional areas, with his track record including the National Regional Arts Conference, Festival for Regional Arts Australia and Country Arts SA.

BELINDA KELLY RELOCATES TO TASMANIA

Belinda Kelly, a project producer at Arts Centre Melbourne, is relocating to Hobart to take over as executive producer of Terrapin Puppet Theatre.

NEW COUNSEL AT SOUNDCLOUD

SoundCloud has poached Antonious Porch from Shazam’s London office as its new general counsel.

Based in New York, Porch will lead SoundCloud’s legal affairs and public policy strategy, and its global team of legal experts in content licensing, copyright, data protection and privacy, and corporate matters.

NEW GIRLFRIEND EDITOR

The new editor and content director of Girlfriend is Stacey Hicks, former deputy editor of That’s Life.

Girlfriend’s last editor, Tamara Davis, is joining InStyle as deputy editor.

ALDWORTH MADE PERMANENT

Triple M South West, who brought in one-time Spirit announcer Allan Aldworth as a temporary presenter on its breakfast show, has now made him a permanent hire.

EUROPEAN EXEC FOR THE ORCHARD

The Orchard has appointed Mona Fimreite as international sales and marketing director for Europe.

She was previously head of marketing at Oslo-headquartered distributor Phonofile, which the Orchard acquired last year.

FREMANTLEMEDIA CEO QUITS FOR YOUTUBE

In a surprise move, Cécile Frot-Coutaz resigned as CEO of London-based global TV production company FremantleMedia after 23 years to join YouTube.

The French exec was behind the recent reboot of American Idol and commissioned high drama series as American Gods and The Young Pope.

Frot-Coutaz won nine Emmy nominations for the original American Idol.

She will head up the video streaming site’s operations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), working with YouTube’s chief business officer Robert Kyncl to build up its content supply and market share in the region.

GREG RUST JOINS PODCAST ONE

Motorsports broadcaster Greg Rusthas joined PodcastOne to produce a new automotive series Rusty’s Garage, which launched earlier this week.