Chart Topping Thrills
Two years into her tenure as Warner Bros. co-president/COO, Livia Tortella can point to a wide scope of victories during the past year that fulfill the label’s mandate to develop global touring artists. “Look at Gary Clark Jr., whose album debuted at No. 6,” she says of the guitarist signed to a 360 deal. “There’s no radio song driving that. It’s touring and word-of-mouth, and he’s already a bona fide headliner here. That was a two-year setup.”
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| My Mentor:Julie Greenwald, chairman/COO, Atlantic Records Group. “She leads with her brain and her heart.” |
She points to other building artists, like Kimbra, who, after coming to prominence on Gotye’s smash “Somebody That I Used to Know,” is spreading her wings and selling out her own shows in the United States. Don’t even get Tortella started on Green Day’s ambitious decision to release three albums over a three-month period. “I’m exhausted just talking about it,” she jokes, before noting that Warner’s direct-to-consumer campaigns have grown exponentially the past year. “GreenDay.com was the second-highest retailer for preorders for all three albums,” she says. Add in continued success from acts like Linkin Park, Black Keys and Muse, as well as rapper Meek Mill (through Rick Ross’ Maybach Music), and it’s easy to see why Tortella is bullish on the label’s diverse roster. Going forward, expect to see increased emphasis on direct-to-consumer growth, whether for vets like Neil Young or newer acts like Tegan & Sara. “Online is where it all comes together,” Tortella says