Paul McGuinness

It’s hard to tell what helped McGuinness more: his knowledge of a fast-moving marketplace or his deep understanding of top client U2. His 35-year association with the band started with accompanying the act on tours by van and bus and ended in 2013 when he sold his firm and was succeeded by Guy Oseary. The Joshua Tree sold 25 million copies, and U2 was so successful that the members reportedly received equity in their label, Island Records, which later earned them 30 million pounds. When music sales declined, McGuinness helped U2 adjust: The group’s 2009 No Line on the Horizon sold a comparatively modest 5 million copies, but U2 grossed a reported $750 million on the accompanying global tour — a figure McGuinness has suggested may never be broken.