Genius Appoints Translation Founder Steve Stoute to Board of Directors

Genius has added Steve Stoute, the CEO of communications firm Translation and a former major label executive, to the lyrics and annotation site's board of directors. Stoute joins Genius co-founders Tom Lehman and Ilan Zechory, Andreessen Horowitz co-founder Ben Horowitz and Quicken Loans owner Dan Gilbert in the board room.

"As a firm believer in the power of songwriting, I feel privileged to be part of a team that continues to help us all understand the true force and impact of lyrics and music around the world," Stoute said in a statement. "Genius is special -- it's remixing the digital playbook and owning a new space in music and tech. Now I just have to get creative about which lyrics to quote on the next board call."

Stoute founded Translation in 2004 and has amassed a client list that includes Apple Music, the NBA, State Farm, Jeep, and the NFL. Before becoming a star marketer, Stoute spent a decade in the music business that included executive positions at Sony Music Entertainment, where he was president of urban music, and later Interscope Geffen A&M Records, as executive vice president. He also notably executive produced the Oscar-winning 8 Mile film and soundtrack.

Genius founders Lehman and Zechory called Stoute's experience across entertainment, sports, tech and advertising "unmatched, but it's his ability to buck tradition and supercharge new movements at the intersections of those industries that resonates with us most. We're honored to have him and his genius on our board."

(Disclosure: Billboard recently announced a content sharing partnership with Genius — details here.)