Aaron Randall and Bill Ashton have been named as the new Managing Directors of Warner Music Group-owned, live music discovery platform, Songkick.
They will be based in Songkick’s London HQ and report to Emmy Lovell, EVP, WEA Europe.
Ashton moves into his job after serving as Senior Vice President, Artist Services at Warner Music and Randall taking on this new title in addition to his existing role as Songkick’s Chief Technology Officer.
Mark McIntyre, Songkick’s outgoing CEO, will support the transition to the new leadership team, and will remain an advisor to Songkick, as well as working on other Warner Music projects from this summer.
The Songkick concert discovery app was acquired by Warner Music Group in 2017 and operates as a standalone brand, overseen by WEA, Warner Music’s artist and label services division.
The acquisition was part of Warner Music’s strategy of expanding its network of online direct-to-fan destinations.
Songkick reports to have seen record growth in audience, traffic and revenues last year.
The platform is used by more than 15 million music fans worldwide.
Randall has worked at Songkick since 2012, joining as a software developer and rising through the ranks to become Chief Technology Officer in 2018.
He previously worked as a software developer for numerous technology companies including Azzurri Communications, Tangaro and VOSS.
Ashton has served in a number of roles at Warner Music since joining the company in 2013.
Most recently, he’s led the international expansion of its Artist Services division and helped oversee the acquisition and integration of both Songkick and leading international online store EMP.
Prior to joining Warner Music, Ashton worked in a number of senior roles across the live music industry for companies including Live Nation and Ticketmaster. He started his career in the music business as a producer and project manager at the legendary Blue Note Jazz Club.
“This is a hugely exciting time for Songkick. We’ve got ambitious expansion plans and we’re delighted to lead the team as we set about implementing them.”
Aaron Randall and Bill Ashton
Aaron Randall and Bill Ashton said: “This is a hugely exciting time for Songkick. We’ve got ambitious expansion plans and we’re delighted to lead the team as we set about implementing them.
“Building connections between fans and artists is what really excites us and that ethos is at the heart of Songkick’s business.
“We want to keep developing our technology and products so we can super serve and further grow our community of passionate, engaged users.”
“Bill was instrumental in helping bring Songkick into Warner Music and aligning its strategy with ours, while Aaron has developed its unbeatable tech that makes it such a user friendly experience.”
Emmy Lovell, WEA
Emmy Lovell added: “Bill was instrumental in helping bring Songkick into Warner Music and aligning its strategy with ours, while Aaron has developed its unbeatable tech that makes it such a user friendly experience.
“Together, they’re the perfect choice to take the lead as we seek to further accelerate Songkick’s growth.
“Aaron and Bill will be building on an amazing legacy left by Mark McIntyre, who did an incredible job of building the business and then bringing it into the Warner family.”
Tony Harlow, WEA
Tony Harlow, President, WEA, said: “Aaron and Bill will be building on an amazing legacy left by Mark McIntyre, who did an incredible job of building the business and then bringing it into the Warner family.
“There’s a huge global market for the type of service Songkick offers and we’re in a great place to meet that demand. And we’re proud that it’s a service which offers real value to our artists, enabling them to strengthen and deepen their relationship with fans.”
Music Business Worldwide
