16 John Janick
CHAIRMAN/CEO
Once known as “The House That Dre Built,” Interscope Geffen A&M has undergone some extensive remodeling — by “continuing to expand and diversify,” Berman says — while maintaining the integrity of the original label founded by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field. Armed with a patient artist-development philosophy, IGA’s team has spent the past few years breaking Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, Lana Del Rey, Kali Uchis and other generational stars to rejuvenate its roster of legacy acts, which includes U2, Eminem and The Rolling Stones.
Janick honed this approach at his DIY label Fueled by Ramen, and Interscope’s 8.8% 2023 current market share — the second-highest among labels last year — indicates it’s still working. So does the success of Rodrigo’s second album, Guts. Released through the reactivated Geffen label, lead single “vampire” topped the Hot 100 in July and returned there when Guts arrived in September and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The Stones’ first album of original material since 2005, Hackney Diamonds, debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, making them the first act to land new albums in the top 10 in every decade since the 1960s. In August, Interscope partnered with K-pop hit-maker HYBE for The Debut: Dream Academy, an audition program in which 20 women competed to become part of the global girl group KATSEYE. Those who make the cut will participate in a training program modeled after those used to develop K-pop groups, and a Netflix docuseries will follow this year. The label’s 4-yearold Interscope Miami division signed pop star Karol G, rising singer-songwriter Ivan Cornejo and singer Xavi, who started 2024 with a No. 1 single, “La Diabla,” on the Hot Latin Songs chart. And IGA is going into the Grammys with the most nominees of any label in the record, album and song of the year categories — boygenius, Del Rey, Rodrigo and Eilish — and a total of 38 in all categories.