Yesterday’s announcement that Troy Carter was leaving artist management to join Spotify was confirmation that the music streamer intended to chase exclusive content much like its competitors. But it was also a head scratchier. Why would a wildly successful artist manager and tech investor want to take a job at Spotify?
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Troy Carter has confirmed that hew will be shutting down is managment company and joining Spotify as its new Global Head Of Creator Services. But why ditch a successful career as an artist manager (past and current clients include Lady Gaga, John Legend, Charlie Puth, Meghan Trainor and Kendrick Lamar) and tech investor (Spotify, Uber, Lyft and Dropbox, along with soda alternative Pop Water and Smashd Labs, a tech accelerator) for a job at Spotify.
“I’m a firm believer that Spotify is the future for music,” Carter said in a Facebook post. “In my new role as Global Head of Creator Services, my job is just a natural continuation of what I’ve always done – protect the voice of artists. Always have and always will.”
Carter’s job will not be an easy one, both because of competition from a deep pocketed Apple Music, artist-controlled Tidal, Panodra and others; and an artist community deeply concerned by the revenue that they receive from the music streamer.
Carter To Keep Atom Factory Open
While he’s exiting artist management, Carter says that, “Through Atom Factory, my team will stay in place to run our tech, culture and hustle outlet SMASHD.co as well as launch a brand innovation agency. And through Smashd Labs and Cross Culture VC, I’ll still continue investing in great founders that have the ability to deliver next wave disruption to culture.”