Music programmer and radio personality Ben Harvey has been named President of Palm Tree Records, a new joint venture label from superstar producer/DJ Kygo (aka Kyrre Gørvell-Dahll), music manager Myles Shear and Sony Music Entertainment.
Harvey will report to Kygo and Shear, and work closely with them to supervise the overall management and day-to-day operations of Palm Tree. He also will be responsible for identifying and developing artists and projects for the label.
The exec is based in New York City at the Palm Tree offices in Sony Music headquarters.
Harvey joins Palm Tree from SiriusXM Radio where he was an influential tastemaker in the dance music world, serving as Program Director of SiriusXM Chill (downtempo and deep house electronic music) and SiriusXM Pop2k (pop music from the 2000s), as well as the long-running afternoon on-air host on SiriusXM BPM, the electronic dance music channel.
“Kygo, Myles Shear and their team have built a consistent and quality global music brand, and I look forward to working alongside them as we create a sonic movement all about good vibes with a roster of like-minded artists.”
Ben Harvey
Stated Kygo, “Really excited to have Ben on board as the President of Palm Tree Records. He was instrumental in bringing my music to North America since the remix days. Ben has a great ear and is a big supporter of emerging artists.”
Stated Shear, “I’m looking forward to working with Ben Harvey. I’ve always respected his work and love for music. Happy that we can be a part of the next chapter in his career.”
Stated Harvey, “I’m thrilled to be joining the Palm Tree crew and Sony Music. Six years ago, I discovered a Kygo remix on SoundCloud, and ever since then I have been proud to be part of his journey.
“Kygo, Myles Shear and their team have built a consistent and quality global music brand, and I look forward to working alongside them as we create a sonic movement all about good vibes with a roster of like-minded artists.”
Harvey brings over 20 years of music industry experience to his new role. He spent the early part of his career as a broadcaster for Y100 in Philadelphia and K-Rock in New York before joining SiriusXM in 2012, where he has held a variety of on air and programming roles.
Harvey was one of the first U.S. radio programmers to play Kygo in the U.S. when Kygo was still an unsigned artist, and among the first in North America to focus a channel on the “tropical house” sound.
Under Harvey’s leadership, Chill’s genre was reinvented around DJs including Felix Jaehn, Thomas Jack, Klingande, and Shallou, as well as Kygo, who now has over 30 original and remix songs in its rotation.
In 2017 Harvey was named one of Billboard’s “40 Under 40 Top Young Music Power Players,” and he has been acknowledged for his role in breaking electronic artist Petit Biscuit in North America.
He got his start in the industry as Assistant Programming Director of his college rock station at Brown University (WBRU).Music Business Worldwide
