WEBVTT - Grammys Showcase Music Industry's Diversity, Inclusion

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<v Speaker 1>This is Bloomberg Business Week with Carol Messer and Tim

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<v Speaker 1>Stenebeck on Bloomberg Radio.

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<v Speaker 2>All Right, everybody this weekend. It's not the super Bowl,

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<v Speaker 2>it's the Grammys, which I guess we could say is

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<v Speaker 2>the super Bowl of the music industry.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I think that's fair to say. Hey, we've got

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<v Speaker 1>back with us Harvey Mason, Junior CEO at the Recording Academy.

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<v Speaker 1>It's the organization that oversees the Grammy Awards. I gotta give,

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<v Speaker 1>like you know, not just a brief intro of heart.

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<v Speaker 1>Harvey Mason has done everything. Okay, check this out. He's

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<v Speaker 1>not just a CEO. He's also a music producer and songwriter.

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<v Speaker 1>He's worked with Beyonce, Bieber, Aretha Franklin, Elton, John Whitney, Houston,

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<v Speaker 1>Ariana Grande. Okay, so he knows a thing or two

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<v Speaker 1>about music. He's a movie producer. He's done scores for

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<v Speaker 1>many of the movies that you know and love. He

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<v Speaker 1>recently produced the Aretha Franklin biopic respect He's working on

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<v Speaker 1>other movies right now. I'm very pleased to have Harvey

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<v Speaker 1>back with us. How are you, Harvey?

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<v Speaker 3>So good? Thank you? That intro was much too long,

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<v Speaker 3>but I appreciate it.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, you've done a lot.

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<v Speaker 1>You have done a lot, and I didn't even mention

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<v Speaker 1>at all. Hey, let's talk a little bit about the

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<v Speaker 1>industry right now, because look, since we last spoke to you,

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<v Speaker 1>a lot has happened. We saw touring just roar back

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<v Speaker 1>over the last year. Big thank you to Beyonce and

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<v Speaker 1>Taylor Swift. But those are only two huge artists. The

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<v Speaker 1>vast majority of artists are not able to do what

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<v Speaker 1>they're able to do. Talk to us a little about

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<v Speaker 1>the environment out there right now.

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<v Speaker 3>It's definitely unique since COVID, there's just an appetite, there's

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<v Speaker 3>a hunger for live experiences, and I think music has

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<v Speaker 3>been thriving because of that. But as you said, it's

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<v Speaker 3>not just Beyonce and Taylor, thank you, they had great seasons,

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<v Speaker 3>great years, but it's also the other touring working musicians,

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<v Speaker 3>the people who hang the lights, the people who you know,

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<v Speaker 3>set the microphones and work the soundboards. There's so many

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<v Speaker 3>music people associated with big tours and small performances, So

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<v Speaker 3>venue owners think about all the different people that are

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<v Speaker 3>in this eCos. We're just thankful that we're through COVID

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<v Speaker 3>and we're able to enjoy music. And what I like

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<v Speaker 3>most about the live shows, whether it's the big, massive

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<v Speaker 3>arena tours or intimate stages, it just brings people together.

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<v Speaker 3>It gets people to sing and nod their head and

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<v Speaker 3>feel good and share a human experience. So happy to

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<v Speaker 3>be doing music right now and involved in the environment.

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<v Speaker 2>Hey, we'll talk to us about the environment for award shows.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, it's gone under some difficult times, whether we're

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<v Speaker 2>talking about the Oscars or the globes, you know, in

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<v Speaker 2>terms of diversity issues and just kind of being more

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<v Speaker 2>relevant in terms of what is going on. We're broadly

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<v Speaker 2>at the world. I feel like music, to some extent

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<v Speaker 2>often is more in tune to culture, but it's had

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<v Speaker 2>its own rough moments. How do you think about it

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<v Speaker 2>as you approach this year's Grammys?

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<v Speaker 3>So much to unpack there. Actually it's probably a ten

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<v Speaker 3>minute response I'd love to give you, but I'll start

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<v Speaker 3>with the work we've done over the last four years

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<v Speaker 3>around our membership. You know, we're twenty four thousand members.

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<v Speaker 3>We've totally rethought and overhauled who our members are. We're

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<v Speaker 3>now at almost forty per cent people of color, where

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<v Speaker 3>over thirty percent women, which is totally different than we

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<v Speaker 3>were four years ago. Our awards and the diversity around that,

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<v Speaker 3>the representation has changed. But to your point of making

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<v Speaker 3>sure we're relevant, it means listening to what's going on

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<v Speaker 3>in the music industry. It means listening to our creators,

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<v Speaker 3>our members, and them telling us. You know, we can't

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<v Speaker 3>sit back in a room and say, Okay, we're the Academy.

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<v Speaker 3>We're going to do this and this and this. We

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<v Speaker 3>have to make sure we're representing the music people and

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<v Speaker 3>we're listening to what's happening. This stuff moves so fast.

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<v Speaker 3>As you said, music is driving culture. In order to

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<v Speaker 3>keep up with that, we have to make sure we're

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<v Speaker 3>paying attention, we're inviting the right people in to share

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<v Speaker 3>their knowledge and their experience. It could be as small

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<v Speaker 3>as one genre saying, Harvey, you and the Academy are

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<v Speaker 3>totally missing this. Let's make sure we get a new category,

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<v Speaker 3>which is great because we've done three new categories this year.

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<v Speaker 2>Which is very cool. Who are the right people when

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<v Speaker 2>you say that, what does that mean?

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<v Speaker 3>The right people are the professionals in those different groups

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<v Speaker 3>of music makers, whether they're songwriters' producers, engineers, but there's

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<v Speaker 3>all these different genres, and it's also more complicated because

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<v Speaker 3>genres are blurring and people are coming together, but reaching

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<v Speaker 3>out to the different areas geographically speaking, gender speaking, genre

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<v Speaker 3>and making sure that we have information coming to us

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<v Speaker 3>from all the different constituencies.

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, how do you make the show the actual Grammy

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<v Speaker 1>Awards more relevant in terms of viewers, in terms of

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<v Speaker 1>getting people to tune in. I'm just reminding myself. We

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<v Speaker 1>learned earlier this month that a new low in terms

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<v Speaker 1>of ratings for the Emmy Awards, So people are definitely

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<v Speaker 1>getting their content other places. The award shows are not

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<v Speaker 1>attracting the audience that they used to. How do you

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<v Speaker 1>change that?

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<v Speaker 3>Well, we're actually trending the other direction. We were up

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<v Speaker 3>thirty percent last year and we continue to grow our audience.

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<v Speaker 3>But it's an interesting point something we have to consider.

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<v Speaker 3>Consumers aren't necessarily always watching linear or traditional television. We

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<v Speaker 3>have to make sure we're going out to where people

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<v Speaker 3>are absorbing their content, taking in their content that could

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<v Speaker 3>be digital, that could be social, that could be streaming.

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<v Speaker 3>And we're doing all that, and we're really happy and

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<v Speaker 3>proud that our engagement is higher than it's ever been.

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<v Speaker 3>More people are taking in Grammys and the music related

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<v Speaker 3>content than ever before.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it's interesting. You know, I was thinking about the

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<v Speaker 2>super Bowl.

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<v Speaker 3>Which are you thinking about?

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<v Speaker 2>I was thinking about Taylor Swift. You know what's so funny.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, we did this whole story about, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>the Tailor and Travis combination, and you know, folks have

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<v Speaker 2>done some calculating of kind of that brand and the

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<v Speaker 2>impact it's having on the NFL and the super Bowl

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<v Speaker 2>coming up a week after the Grammys. But I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>when you think about the brand that is Grammys, what

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<v Speaker 2>do you hope people think that it is?

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<v Speaker 3>Well initially and on the surface, we hope people really

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<v Speaker 3>enjoy the show and say, wow, that was incredible. I

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<v Speaker 3>saw something on stage that blew me away, or I'm

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<v Speaker 3>so amazed. But my hope and our messaging and the

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<v Speaker 3>more I reach out and talk to people, I would

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<v Speaker 3>love it if they would understand what the Academy does.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, the other three hundred and sixty four days

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<v Speaker 3>of the year, which is advocate for music people make

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<v Speaker 3>sure they have a safe and healthy ecosystem to operate in.

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<v Speaker 3>We are doing Music Cares, our health and human services organization.

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<v Speaker 3>We gave out over thirty five million dollars during COVID,

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<v Speaker 3>and then our museum and the education, the preservation of music,

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<v Speaker 3>making sure the next generation of people like me or

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<v Speaker 3>like our members have music at their fingertips to make

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<v Speaker 3>sure they're learning and understanding. And so it's a wide

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<v Speaker 3>range of things we do at the Academy. Yes, the

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<v Speaker 3>Grammys are here. It's exciting, it's amazing. Please enjoy it,

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<v Speaker 3>but also know this is a not for profit organization

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<v Speaker 3>that does everything within our power, within our mission to

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<v Speaker 3>serve and uplift music.

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<v Speaker 2>I love what you said, and there's so many You

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<v Speaker 2>started off the conversation about all the people behind the

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<v Speaker 2>scenes and often the musicians, And I think about years

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<v Speaker 2>ago I was in college and our college radio station

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<v Speaker 2>was all about jazz here in New York and the

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<v Speaker 2>jazz musicians who for years were never paid and there

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<v Speaker 2>were a lot of them where that were homeless, Like

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<v Speaker 2>it was really upsetting. And I just think about, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>being an advocate for those who are behind the scenes,

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<v Speaker 2>right that aren't necessarily the front singer, if you will,

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<v Speaker 2>or what you but that's a really important part of this.

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<v Speaker 3>And knowing your audience, Bloomberg, I'll talk a little bit

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<v Speaker 3>about that, making sure that musicians are paid fairly and

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<v Speaker 3>there's equitable system for royalties and ownership of intellectual properties.

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<v Speaker 3>Whether it's the jazz musician who's working a day to

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<v Speaker 3>day gig job somewhere, or it's a superstar and all

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<v Speaker 3>the team that works with them, we have to make

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<v Speaker 3>sure there's legislation in place. We're advocating federally and locally

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<v Speaker 3>for laws and things that we passed to protect the

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<v Speaker 3>art form and protect the work. That's very important. And then,

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<v Speaker 3>as I touched on music cares, when a musician is

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<v Speaker 3>falling on hard times, do they have a safety net?

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<v Speaker 3>They have somebody that they can call for support, for

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<v Speaker 3>help financially or otherwise. And so that's what I'm proud

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<v Speaker 3>about the Academy. For sixty five years, We've had ups,

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<v Speaker 3>we've had downs. People have been happy with us, they've

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<v Speaker 3>been angry with us. But what's been consistent that we

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<v Speaker 3>have not missed is the opportunity to serve our music

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<v Speaker 3>community and will continue to do that.

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, Harvey, I just want to end with kind of

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<v Speaker 1>people understanding more of how you do things, because I'm

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<v Speaker 1>kind of still in awe of everything that you're able

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<v Speaker 1>to do not just see the recording Academy, but outside

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<v Speaker 1>of that job, how do you make sure that you're

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<v Speaker 1>dedicating enough time to your CEO position but also pursuing

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<v Speaker 1>these projects, including songwriting, producing, and then also working on

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<v Speaker 1>these films.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, that's a delicate bouncing a good question. I don't

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<v Speaker 3>know quite yet how I do it myself. I spend

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<v Speaker 3>a lot of the time juggling. I do do the

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<v Speaker 3>CEO thing pretty much all day every day, and then

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<v Speaker 3>the evening comes to the music comes to me, and

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<v Speaker 3>I can get into the studio and create. So it's

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<v Speaker 3>a juggling act. My kids are growing up. I don't

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<v Speaker 3>have pets, I don't have any hobbies. I love to work.

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<v Speaker 2>I love that. Is there any AI involved? Just got

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<v Speaker 2>about ten fifteen seconds.

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<v Speaker 3>AI's definitely involved. A I has always been involved, not always,

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<v Speaker 3>but in the last ten or so years, it's been

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<v Speaker 3>involved in how I make music, how people write, how

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<v Speaker 3>people create, and it's going to continue to go that direction.

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<v Speaker 3>We have to make sure we're figuring out how to

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<v Speaker 3>put some guardrails around that and protect the human creative community.

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<v Speaker 2>It's a really good point.

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<v Speaker 3>Listen.

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<v Speaker 2>We're looking forward to the Grammys this week, and thanks

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<v Speaker 2>for finding some time for us. We know you're really busy.

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<v Speaker 2>Harvey Mason, Junior Chief executive Officer at the Recording Academy,

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<v Speaker 2>As we said, oversees the Grammy on Grammys, excuse me

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<v Speaker 2>on Zoom from La