Michael Gudinski named most influential person in Australia’s music industry

Michael Gudinski, Executive Chairman of the Mushroom Group, has been named as the most influential person in the Australian music industry for 2019 by The Power 50, a listing of the Australian music industry’s 50 most influential people.

Gudinski remains in the top spot after also taking out the top position for 2018.

The listing’s Top 10 also includes Sony Music Entertainment’s Denis Handlin, Universal Music Australia’s George Ash, Secret Sounds’ Jessica Ducrou and Paul Piticco, Live Nation Australasia’s Roger Field, Spotify’s Alicia Sbrugnera, TEG’s Geoff Jones, Mushroom Group’s Matt Gudinski, Sounds Australia’s Millie Millgate and Apple Music’s Katie Hardwick.

Welcoming the acknowledgement, Gudinski (pictured) stated “it’s an honour to once again take out the #1 spot in The Music’s Power 50, and to see so many of the great Mushroom Group staff on the list this year.

“2019 was a huge year for Mushroom as a company, and for me personally. Frontier Touring announced our partnership with global touring giants AEG, we joined again with Chuggi and the Chugg Entertainment family, and the publishing and record label businesses continued to make strides. Our artists were trailblazers in 2019, and they’ll continue to be our lifeblood. The whole industry is under strain now because of COVID, but I know my people will use this time to take stock and, together with my son, continue to make the Mushroom Group stronger than ever.”

The 2019 Power 50 has been compiled following input from a cross-section of music industry representatives along with the publishers and editorial team of The Music. / theMusic.com.au.

The first 40 entries were revealed on The Music website last week, garnering record numbers to the site.

Craig Treweek, Publisher of The Music, advises “we are hoping a celebration of the industry’s successes in 2019 is a welcome reprieve at this point. A positive story that can hopefully light up a dark time.

“As I’ve followed the release of this list over the past few days, I’ve realised it is these people we will rely on to reignite the industry as we move through these challenging times.”

The Australian music industry’s most influential people are:

#1 - Michael Gudinski AM 
(Mushroom Group - Executive Chairman)

#2 - Denis Handlin AO 
(Sony Music Entertainment - Chairman & Chief Executive, Australia & New Zealand)

#3 - George Ash 
(Universal Music Australia & New Zealand - President)

#4 - Jessica Ducrou and Paul Piticco 
(Secret Sounds - Co-Chief Executives)

#5 - Roger Field 
(Live Nation Australasia - Chief Executive)

#6 - Alicia Sbrugnera 
(Spotify - Head Of Music)

#7 - Geoff Jones 
(TEG - Chief Executive)

#8 - Matt Gudinski 
(Mushroom Group - Executive Director)

#9 - Millie Millgate 
(Sounds Australia - Executive Producer)

#10 - Katie Hardwick 
(Apple Music - Music Business Partnerships ANZ)

THE FIRST FORTY

The 2019 Power 50 industry figures revealed last week are (divided by sector):

Labels 
• Nicole Richards (Island Records - GM/Head Of Island Records);
• Johann Ponniah (I OH YOU / Converge Management - Founder/Co-Founder);
• Sarah Hamilton (Ditto Music - Regional Manager Australia & New Zealand);
• Sebastian Chase (MGM Distribution - Chief Executive); 
• Heath Johns (BMG Australia - Managing Director, Australia & New Zealand);
• John O'Donnell (EMI Recorded Music Australia - Managing Director);
• Meg Williams (Inertia Label Group - Director);
• Jaddan Comerford (UNIFIED Music Group - Chief Executive & Founder);
• Tim Janes (Caroline Australia - General Manager);
• Leigh Gruppetta and Stu Harvey (Cooking Vinyl Australia - Co-Managing Directors);
• Niko Nordström (Warner Music Australasia - President)

Media & Managers 
• Regan Lethbridge (Lemon Tree Music & Lonely Islands Agency - Co-Founder and Co-Director);
• Meagan Loader (rage - Talent Manager / Content Director);
• Bill Cullen (One Louder - Managing Director);
• Zan Rowe (Double J / ABC - Double J Mornings Presenter / ABC National Music Correspondent);
• Gregg Donovan and Stuart MacQueen (Wonderlick - Owners);
• Jodie Regan (Spinning Top Music - Founder & Chief Executive);
• Nick Findlay (triple j - Music Director)

Agents & Associations 
• Maggie Collins (BIGSOUND / Morning Belle - Executive Programmer / Founder & Director);
• Owen Orford (New World Artists - Executive Director / Agent);
• Dean Ormston (APRA AMCOS - Chief Executive);
• Catherine Haridy (Catherine Haridy Management / Association Of Artist Managers (AAM) - Director / Executive Director);
• Stephen Wade (Select Music - Chief Executive & Senior Agent);
• Brett Murrihy (William Morris Endeavour (WME) - Head Of Asia Pacific For Music) 

Publishing & Streaming 
• Linda Bosidis (Mushroom Music Publishing - Managing Director);
• Simon Moor (Kobalt Music Group - Managing Director Kobalt Music Group APAC);
• Marion Briand (YouTube Music - Manager, Music Content Partnerships (AU/NZ), YouTube & Youtube Music);
• Jaime Gough and Matt Tanner (Native Tongue Music Publishing - Managing Director & Head Of Creative Services)

Promoters 
• Sahara Herald (Frontier Touring - Tour Director);
• Michael Chugg (Chugg Entertainment/Chugg Music Executive Chairman);
• Jane Slingo (Electronic Music Conference / Global Cities After Dark / Young Strangers Director / Executive Producer / Founder);
• Peter Noble OAM (Bluesfest - Festival Director);
• Emily York (Penny Drop - Owner);
• Steve Halpin and Rod Little (Groovin' The Moo / Cattleyard Promotions - Co-Founders / Directors);
• Danny Rogers (St Jerome’s Laneway Festival / Lunatic Entertainment - Partner);
• Sharlene Harris (ALH Group: Live At Your Local - National Entertainment Manager);
• Nicholas Greco and Michael Christidis (Untitled Group - Co-Directors);
• Ben Turnbull (Staple Group - Director);
• Susan Heymann (Chugg Entertainment - Managing Director);
• Paul Dainty AM (TEG Dainty - President & Chief Executive)

The criteria for making The Power 50 are: a proven ability to shape the local music scene; having made a significant impact on the music industry through actions, programs and initiatives; working in a role that has had a positive economic impact on the industry; possessing a public profile as an industry worker/representative and having received recognition for industry accomplishments by being nominated for Power 50 inclusion.