LOS ANGELES / LONDON (CelebrityAccess) – Julie Greenwald, Chairman of Atlantic Music Group (AMG), has sent a farewell note to the company’s staff as she prepares to leave her leadership role after two decades. Greenwald, who has played a significant part in the success of numerous artists, will officially step down at the end of September but will continue as a consultant through January 2025.
Greenwald’s career at Atlantic spans 20 years, during which she helped propel artists like Cardi B, Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, and Lizzo to international success. She was also instrumental in projects such as Barbie the Album and the Original Broadway Cast Recordings of Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen. Under her leadership, Atlantic Music Group expanded to include labels like 300, Fueled By Ramen, Roadrunner, and more. Greenwald played a crucial role in acquiring 300 Entertainment in 2021, bringing artists such as Megan Thee Stallion and Young Thug into the fold.
Read Greenwald’s farewell note in full below:
To All My Friends, Family and Colleagues,
I’ve been thinking about this goodbye letter for the past few weeks. For someone who is never short on words, this one has been a real challenge. I came into Atlantic Records 9 months pregnant with a mission on my back to rebuild the house that Ahmet created. Lucky for me, I found a partner ready to roll up his sleeves and start something new. Craig and I were in lockstep, sharing one vision: not to be the biggest company in the industry but to be the best.
We wanted to create a risk-taking culture that rewarded creativity. For all of the old crew, remember our magic number was 34 albums a year. And our strategy worked. We signed, nurtured and delivered some of the greatest artists on the planet. No matter how long the single took or how many mixtapes or albums, we stayed in the fight. The weirder the marketing plan, the better.
Our goal wasn’t simply a plaque but selling lots and lots and lots of hard tickets. MSG was first in our sights, and then came the O2. World building wasn’t a buzzword we threw out in pitch meetings but a true accomplishment. I subscribe all of our successes to the perfect melding of extraordinary artists who meet the most gifted employees.
For everyone who has passed through Atlantic High, Elektra, FBR, Roadrunner, 300 and WMG, I can not say thank you enough.
(And when I see you in person, I will properly do so.)
To Lyor, Steve, and Max, I am filled with tremendous gratitude for all the support and generosity you gave us throughout our years.
It was always a team effort.
To my day-one partners Craig, Kyser and Sheila, I will be eternally grateful for one of the greatest rides in the history of the music business.
To Len, Robert, Elliot, Zach and Tony, I’m handing over the keys to Ahmet’s house. I wish you all the best and will remain the greatest cheerleader for all things Atlantic.
And to all my artists, I will never stop being your #1 Fan.
Love,
Julie
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Max Lousada, CEO of Recorded Music at WMG, also announced his departure, which will take effect on September 30 after 20 years at the company. In a note to WMG staff, Lousada said, “Although I’ll be working in an advisory capacity till the end of January, it feels like this is the moment to thank you all for what has been the most extraordinary experience and the most incredible honor.”
Lousada joined Warner Music UK in 2002 and rose to become CEO of Recorded Music in 2017. He worked with artists including Ed Sheeran, Muse, and Paolo Nutini and played a pivotal role in leading the company through a period of growth.
You can read Lousada’s farewell note in full below:
Hi everyone,
Monday will be my last day as CEO, Warner Recorded Music. Although I’ll be working in an advisory capacity till the end of January, it feels like this is the moment to thank you all for what has been the most extraordinary experience and the most incredible honour.
My entire career, from my indie roots through my 21 years here at Warner, has been guided by one simple truth: People who can make music that moves people are special. The world needs them. It’s a privilege to help those artists be seen, heard, appreciated and, ultimately, to succeed.
So I want to express my gratitude to all the artists and managers who put their faith in me and in Warner to support them. Being there from the beginning with superstars like Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Dua Lipa, and David Guetta; our partnerships with legends like Coldplay and Linkin Park; being entrusted with the catalogs of icons like David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, Madonna, and Led Zeppelin; seeing artists like Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Uzi Vert, CKay, Zach Bryan, Myke Towers, Gunna, Lizzo, Jack Harlow, Benson Boone, and Charli xcx make their mark on culture…these and so many others are memories and relationships I will treasure.
I want to give huge respect to everyone who champions artists every day by supporting their creativity, telling their stories, fuelling their fandom, and taking them global, as well as the unsung heroes protecting artists’ rights, getting them paid, and making sure all of us are equipped to do our best work. Everyone here plays their part and, whatever your role, know that I see you and I appreciate you. It has been my privilege to work with you and to lead you.
I would like to thank Len for backing Warner, and to wish him, Robert, and the WMG leadership team every success in steering this unique and historic company forward.
For all of you taking Warner into its next era, remember that, at its very best, music is the sound of change. What the most iconic artists and the most enduring businesses have in common is evolution. Sometimes that’s exhilarating, sometimes it’s messy and difficult. I encourage you to embrace ALL of it because it’s when we challenge ourselves to move forward that artists win, fans win, and we win. Ultimately, music has to win. It’s just too important not to.
Whatever my next era looks like, I’ll always be rooting for you and I hope many of our paths will cross again.
For now, I’m going to go and put a record on…
Thank you, all of you, for everything.
Max
