– Press Release
As the music industry gathers to celebrate the best artists of the past 12 months at the ARIA Awards today, theMusic.com.au is once again celebrating the best of the music industry with the release of the AMID Power 50 – the definitive ranking of the Australian music industry’s most powerful individuals.
Michael Gudinski has returned to the summit of the AMID Power 50 in 2014, re-asserting his authority as the most powerful person in the Australian music industry.
The full list of the Power 50 – a ranking of influence, ability and achievement in the music industry – has been released on theMusic.com.au today and in the Australasian Music Industry Directory, which is now available for purchase.
It was a year of ups and downs for the Chairman of the Mushroom Group, with The Rolling Stones providing many of them. Gudinski retained, however, the ability to influence and shape the local industry like no other and receives the same #1 ranking he did in 2012.
“It’s a great pride to be number one,” Gudinski says in the 2014 Australasian Music Industry Directory Power 50 Edition. “It [holds] great significance, because we’re an independent group which gives me more power to make decisions myself.”
Former business partner and rival promoter Michael Chugg was a close second in 2014 and there’s an insightful interview with Chuggi on the highs – and lows – of life in the 50th anniversary year of being in the business in the current edition of AMID.
The most powerful female – and artist – in Australian music at the moment is undoubtedly Sia Furler, who ranks three this year (up 23 spots from 2013, the biggest jump of anyone on the list). As well as her own chart-topping releases, Sia’s one of the most sought after songwriters and guest vocalists in the pop world. She can pick and choose who she works with.
The major labels are represented in the top ten with Universal’s George Ash and Sony’s Denis Handlin while tastemakers Nathan McLay and Chad Gillard of Future Classic have the Midas touch that is the envy of the rest of the industry. Last year’s number one AJ Maddah remains in the top ten as a powerhouse of the Australian festival scene, landing at seven with a rollercoaster year, with triple j’s Richard Kingsmill ranked ninth and Sounds Australia’s Millie Millgate in at ten.
“It gets tougher and tougher to come up with this list each year,” said AMID Editor Scott Fitzsimons. “But the more we discussed it (it took hours, and whisky) things just seemed to fit into place. We’re looking forward to having conversations about this for the next six months.”
The 2014 Australasian Music Industry Directory Power 50 Edition is available for purchase here.
The AMID Power 50 is determined by the editors and journalists of the Australasian Music Industry Directory following extensive industry consultation.
THE AMID POWER 50 FOR 2014
- Michael Gudinski – Mushroom Group
- Michael Chugg – Chugg Entertainment
- Sia Furler – artist
- George Ash – Universal Music Group
- Jessica Ducrou/Paul Piticco – Splendour In The Grass
- Denis Handlin – Sony Music Entertainment
- AJ Maddah – Soundwave
- Nathan McLay/Chad Gillard – Future Classic
- Richard Kingsmill – triple j
- Millie Millgate – Sounds Australia
- Danny Rogers – Lunatic Entertainment
- Nick O’Byrne – BIGSOUND
- Colin Daniels/Ashley Sellers – Inertia
- Jaddan Comerford – Unified
- Michael Coppel – Live Nation
- Brett Murrihy – Artist Voice
- Peter Noble – Bluesfest
- Jodie Regan – Spinning Top Music
- Dror Erez – Totem Onelove Group
- Tony Harlow – Warner Music Australia
- Matt Gudinski – Mushroom Group
- Dan Rosen – ARIA & PPCA
- Sebastian Chase – MGM
- Paul Dainty – Dainty Group
- Harvey Lister – AEG Ogden
- Stephen Halpin/Rodney Little – Groovin The Moo
- Chris Scaddan – triple j
- Claire Collins – Bossy Music
- John Wardle – National Live Music Office
- Tim Levinson – Elefant Traks
- Matt Tanner/Jaime Gough – Native Tongue
- John Butler – artist
- Brett Cottle – APRA AMCOS
- Eric J Dubowsky – producer
- Matt Emsell – Wonder Management
- Steve McPherson – Hillsong
- Nick Cave – artist
- Johann Ponniah – I OH YOU
- Liam Mazzucchelli – Boomtick
- David Walsh/Brian Ritchie – MONA
- Brad Mellen – Mellen Events
- Mardi Caught – Atlantic Records
- Ben Turnbull – Staple Group
- Denise Foley – QMusic
- Ian James – Mushroom Music Publishing
- Iggy Azalea – artist
- Neil Ackland – Sound Alliance
- Richard Moffat – festival programmer
- Adrian Basso – Community Broadcasting Association Of Australia
- Patrick Donovan – Music Victoria
Top Ten New Entries
Dror Erez 19
Harvey Lister 25
Chris Scaddan (re-entry) 27
Claire Collins 28
John Wardle 29
Jamie Gough 31
John Butler (re-entry) 32
Eric J Dubowsky 34
Matt Emsell 35
Johann Ponniah (re-entry) 38
Top Ten Gainers Within The 50
Sia Furler Up 25 (3)
Nathan McLay Up 22 (8)
Chad Gillard Up 22 (8)
Jaddan Comerford Up 15 (14)
Steve MacPherson Up 14 (36)
Jodie Regan Up 13 (18)
Stephen Halpin Up 10 (26)
Rodney Little Up 10 (26)
Denis Handlin Up 8 (6)
Matt Tanner Up 8 (31)
Drop Outs From The 2013 List
Richie McNeill 7
Janelle McCarthy 8
Rae Harvey 21
Graham Ashton 22
Adam Zammit 24
Ken West 24
Karl Richter 32
Brett Robinson 34
Jason Ayoubi 34
Grant Smillie 40
Rob Potts 43
Andrew Walker 44
Damien Trotter 46
Matt Colwell (360) 47
Rhoda Roberts 48
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