The transfer of talented ‘old media’ creatives to streaming services continues.
Rolling Stone Executive Editor Nathan Brackett (pictured) has this month joined Amazon Music as Head Of Editorial.
The move comes just weeks after Amazon launched its Amazon Music Unlimited product in the US – including a tempting discount price plan for Amazon Prime members.
Bracket joined Rolling Stone in 1996 as Associate Editor, before stepping up to Senior Editor in 2001.
He remained in that role until 2007, before becoming Editor of RollingStone.com and Deputy Managing Director of Rolling Stone itself.
In 2013, he became Executive Editor of the revered US-born music title.
Brackett follows in the footsteps of other well-regarded music media executives who have recently joined streaming services in editorial and curation roles.
Zane Lowe led the way early last year when he quit BBC Radio 1 to become a vital member of the team that launched Beats 1 radio at Apple Music in California.
He was quickly joined by no less than four BBC Radio 1 producers, including Kieran Yeates, Natasha Lynch and James Bursey – in an exodus which insiders at the Beeb termed the ‘Apple crumble’.
Spotify‘s been no slouch in this regard, either.
As Lowe was leaving for Apple, the Swedish company poached three key programming execs in New York from more traditional media brands: Austin Kramer (Global Head-Dance & Electronic Music) from US satellite radio giant Sirius XM, Tuma Basa (Global Programming Head of Hip-Hop) from Revolt TV and Mjeema Pickett (Global Programming Head – R&B/Soul) from VH1.
In the UK, Spotify scored a coup by recruiting BBC Radio 1’s former Head Of Music, George Ergatoudis, as Head of Content Programming for the UK.
Ergatoudis then raided the BBC himself to hire the likes of 1Xtra music chief Austin Daboh (Senior Editor), Dextor Batson and Sara Sesardić.
Amazon unveiled Amazon Music Unlimited in the US on October 12, complete with two subscription packages that bested its rivals on price.
It offers a $7.99-per-month option for those people who already subscribe to Amazon Prime (plus a $79 per year option), while those happy to simply use an on-demand service locked to their Echo speaker can get Amazon Music Unlimited for a bargain $3.99-a-month.
Amazon Music Unlimited came to the UK, Germany and Austria earlier this month.Music Business Worldwide
