Not only was Chris Taylor once a lawyer for stars including Drake, Avril Lavigne and Nelly Furtado, from 2016 to 2024 he ran MNRK (formerly eOne Music) as president & CEO.
Following the launch of his new venture Hall Of Fame Artists, he talks ambitions for the management firm, challenges for new talent and the return of UK legends Cymande...
How are you enjoying focusing on management after several years at MNRK/eOne?
“I’ve been very bullish about management for a while. I really do think that well-resourced, experienced management companies are where it’s at today in the music business. So, I’m excited every day and inspired to work more closely with the artists. We’re also on a journey to get closer to film and TV as part of this new strategy as well.”
What will that involve for Hall Of Fame clients?
“I joined Entertainment One in 2016 at least partly to get closer to film and TV. I’ve always been really passionate about the bridge between that media and music, and where it interfaces in terms of sync licensing or soundtracks, even casting and putting together film and TV projects. Artists themselves are looking for opportunities beyond music.”
Is this something where you are thinking about bringing together existing IP and music catalogues, or is it more developing new ideas?
“It’s a combination of the two. There will probably be more announcements on alliances and partnerships [this year].”
What are the plans for developing Hall Of Fame?
“First is the growth into the film and TV area. That might mean working with actors, directors and comedians. Secondly, looking at some acquisitions in the management space – there are several management companies that we’re talking to about joining us. There’s a strategy to look at acquisitions in the recording and publishing space as well.”
Is the aim to expand quite quickly in order to become a major player in music management?
“Yeah, that’s the goal. At Entertainment One, we had built up that division. We were managing over 100 recording artists. Unfortunately, with Covid and then the sales process we went through [MNRK was sold to Blackstone in 2021], we had to trim down the management division, just because we didn’t know when Covid was going to finish, when artists would be back on tour and when that division would be profitable again. So it was an unlucky storm at that point, but we’re going to try to put the band back together.”
Are you looking at international expansion with management acquisitions?
“Yeah, there’s one management team in the UK currently [that we’re in discussions with], and then the others are in North America.”
Do you think management is increasingly important in terms of powering artists’ releases?
“Yeah, very much. I know it’s a popular media topic, [the idea] that artists can do everything themselves. But when you look behind the curtain, it’s great that management companies are actually providing a bunch of the services that, historically, record labels have done. That’s why I say, as long as that management company is well resourced and experienced, they can provide quite a few services today that they couldn’t 10 or 15 years ago. So there is lots of opportunity there.”
Are you supportive of the indie label sector, too?
“There’s more opportunity today in the independent sector than ever before, just because of the tools available. The pathways to the market are wide open. There’s unlimited shelf space with respect to the DSPs, which can be a good and a bad thing. But again, if you’re resourced, experienced and you have great music, there are opportunities for independents to battle with other major record label recording artists in terms of marketing and promotion. So those opportunities level the playing field for the independents.”
There’s more opportunity today in the independent sector than ever before
Chris Taylor
With the heavy costs involved in touring, how challenging is the live sector for emerging acts?
“There was a time in history where artists were relying on tour support quite a bit. That’s where developing artists were benefitting from major label support and even independent support at that stage [of their career]. For the artist that is now playing at a club level, or even anything that is under 2,000-capacity, it’s tough to tour. Touring costs have gone up, and it’s just tougher and tougher to break even and make significant money on the road.”
What are your hopes for the return of influential UK funk pioneers Cymande during 2025?
“There’s a new album [Renascence, released January 31 via BMG] that’s incredible; a call back to their history, but forward-facing as well. Keith [Hagan, Cymande’s manager at Hall Of Fame] has put together the building blocks for this; he started almost three years ago when I first met him. This year is really the culmination of all that work, putting them in a real prestige position in terms of festivals and with more dates yet to come.”
Was it welcome recognition for the band and their team to be honoured at the Artist & Manager Awards in November?
“I know the band and Keith were very excited about that. Historically, they haven’t been a group that’s been recognised to the degree we think they should have been. But that’s all been changing over the last six months or so – 2025 is going to be a victory lap for everybody on the campaign.”
Turning to a different generation, how do you approach managing Gen-Z artist Powfu?
“He’s someone who exploded off the back of TikTok. It’s a ferocious release plan to keep up with. There’s normally an EP every three or four months; he’s releasing new music all the time, he’s very creative. Keeping up with that release plan and supporting that from an administrative standpoint is a challenge. But that’s the way he works.”
Finally, how was it working with Snoop Dogg when he acquired Death Row Records from MNRK back in 2022?
“Snoop is an icon, a businessman and a creative genius. His whole performance around the Olympic Games was iconic and definitively put him on the map – he seems to be in every commercial break for each NFL football game of late. As an important part of Death Row, we were dealing with Snoop and his team all the time at Entertainment One and later at MNRK, and then when MNRK sold the label back to him as well. So I’m very happy for him.”
PHOTO: Michelle Quance