Lucian Grainge | |
|---|---|
 Grainge at theHollywood State of the Entertainment Industry convention in 2018 | |
| Born | Lucian Charles Grainge (1960-02-29)29 February 1960 (age 65) London, England |
| Occupations | Businessman, record executive |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Title | CEO ofUniversal Music Group |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3, includingElliot |
| Signature | |
 | |
Sir Lucian Charles GraingeCBE (born 29 February 1960) is a British record executive who has served as chairman andchief executive officer (CEO) ofUniversal Music Group since 2010.[1][2][3] Beginning as anA&R staffer in the late 1970s, Grainge has worked in the music industry his entire career.[4]Billboard magazine named him the most powerful person in themusic business on four occasions in the 2010s, as well as the inaugural Executive of the Decade in 2020.[5][6] In 2025,Variety ranked him among the top ten in its '120 Most Powerful Executives in Entertainment' list.[7][8]
Born to parents Cecil and Marion Grainge, he grew up in a Jewish family inNorth London.[9][10]
His older brother wasNigel Grainge, the founder of Ensign Records which was bought by Jack Wells CEO.[11]
Grainge leftQueen Elizabeth's Grammar School for Boys at the age of 18, and began working as a runner at MPC, a talent scout company in 1978.[4] After contacting several record label bosses, he was offered a job byMaurice Oberstein, chairman ofCBS Records, working at publishing companyApril Music's A&R department. His first signing wasThe Psychedelic Furs. In 1982, he became the director ofRCA Music Publishing. Two years later he became an A&R director forMCA Records. He set up PolyGram Music Publishing in 1986 and joined Polydor as general manager of A&R and business affairs in 1993. He was promoted to managing director of Polydor in 1997.[12]
Grainge became the chairman of the UK division of the Universal Music Group, and then in 2005 of Universal Music Group International. He served in this position until 2010. On 1 January 2011 he became CEO of Universal Music Group, and then chairman on 9 March 2011, succeedingDoug Morris.[13]
Within his first year as chairman & CEO of Universal, the company acquiredEMI's Recorded Music operations.[14] Grainge argued that selling to Universal was the only way to improve EMI, for the benefit of the entire industry.[15] UMG subsequently attempted to revitalise former EMI labels including Capitol Records and Virgin Records.[16] Commenting on the EMI acquisition,BuzzFeed commented that "Grainge will go down as the master architect of what is likely to be the last big deal in the music business".[15]
As chairman and Chief Executive of Universal, Grainge has also sought to increase the group's international digital expansion via distribution partnerships with technology companies, includingApple,Spotify,Facebook,Tencent, andYouTube.[17][18][19][20][21][22][23] Grainge led the 2017 multi-year global license agreement between UMG and Spotify.[24]
Grainge led the acquisition of Bravado, then part of Sanctuary, and transformed it into UMG's entertainment merchandising and brand management division, Bravado. The company represents artists includingJustin Bieber andLady Gaga, having formed partnerships with retailers including Barneys, Bloomingdale's and Selfridge's.[25][26][27][28]
Grainge also oversaw the expansion of classical labelsDeutsche Grammophon andDecca Classics, and agreed a global strategic partnership with entertainment companyLive Nation.[29]
In 2017, UMG was worth $22 billion, triple what it was worth when Grainge took over at the company.[30] In July 2018,JPMorgan said that UMG could be worth as much as $40 billion[31] and then increased the valuation to $50 billion in 2019.[32]
In 2015, Vivendi announced that Grainge had agreed to extend his tenure as UMG's chairman and CEO until at least 2020, stating he was key to its strategy.[33] Under his management, UMG experienced growth in annual revenue, digital recorded music revenue andEBITDA.[34] Grainge successfully floated UMG into its IPO in 2021.[35]
In 1993, Grainge's first wife, Samantha Berg, experienced complications while giving birth to their sonElliot, and fell into a coma from which she never recovered.[36][37] She died in England in 2007.[37] Elliot Grainge is founder and CEO of independent record label10K Projects.[38]
In 2002, Grainge married his second wife, Caroline.[39] Their daughter Alice was born in 2001. Grainge is also stepfather to Caroline's daughter from a previous marriage, Betsy.[40][41] In November 2012 Grainge and his wife reportedly paid US$13 million for a house inPacific Palisades.[42] They had previously leased aBrentwood, Los Angeles home from the owner ofRhino Entertainment.[42]
In March 2020, Grainge was admitted to intensive care for a month in Los Angeles after contractingCOVID-19, subsequently fully recovering.[36]
In 2008, Grainge received the Music Industry Trusts' Award, which recognizes the world's most successful music executives. The award was presented by members of U2, and Take That performed at the ceremony.
Grainge was appointedCommander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2010 New Year Honors for services to the creative industries.[43] In 2012, he was appointed a British Business Ambassador by the UK Prime MinisterDavid Cameron.[44][45] He wasknighted in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to British business and inward investment.[46] He was inaugurated to appointment to the Order of the British Empire and Knight Bachelor on 29 November 2016.[47]
In 2013, he received the Humanitarian Award fromThe Foundation for Ethnic Understanding. That same year, UMG was honoured with a SAG-AFTRA American Scene Award, recognising the company's commitment to diversity as exemplified by its "entire catalog and roster of artists."[48] In 2014, he was awarded the President's Merit Award ("Icon Award") by theGrammy Award in recognition of his significant contributions to the music industry.[49][50] In 2015, he received the Spirit of Life Award from the City of Hope, awarded for outstanding achievements in business and dedication to philanthropic causes.[51]
Grainge serves on the board ofNortheastern University.[52]
In 2015, Grainge was featured inAmy, adocumentary film depicting the life and death of British singerAmy Winehouse.
In October 2016,Variety presented Grainge with its 2016 Empowerment Award for overseeing a "noticeable shift in the demographics of the industry leader’s C-suites" with women occupying some of the highest executive positions at Universal Music Group.[53]
In May 2017, theCannes Lions International Festival of Creativity announced that Grainge would be honored as the 2017 Media Person of the Year, the first music executive to receive this honour.[54] Philip Thomas, CEO of Ascential Events, organizers of Cannes Lions, praised his "bold investments in music and technology that helped return the industry to growth, while continuing to foster an environment that puts artists first".[55]
In June 2018, Grainge was inducted into theSongwriters Hall of Fame with the Howie Richmond Hitmaker award. At the ceremony,Ariana Grande performed in his honor and Grainge was inducted byThe Weeknd.[56]
He was awarded an honorary doctorate of music by theBerklee College of Music in May 2016[57] and an honorary doctorate of global commerce byNortheastern University in May 2017.[58]
In March 2019, Grainge received aPTTOW! Icon Award, which "honors trailblazers in their industries who have had an impact on culture around the world."[59]
In September 2019, Grainge received the Golden Plate Award of theAmerican Academy of Achievement presented by Awards Council memberPeter Gabriel.[60][61]
In 2020,Billboard named Grainge as the first-ever Executive of the Decade after he topped the magazine's "Power 100" list as the most powerful person in the music business in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2019.[5][6] He is the only person to ever hold that distinction four times and for consecutive years.[2][62][63][64] He was subsequently named No. 1 on the list for 2022 and 2023 for a record six times.[65]
Irving Azoff called him "the great hope for the music business" andJimmy Iovine commented that Grainge "is working to restore [a] spirit of risk-taking and innovation" by being "willing and open to entrepreneurship and that kind of thing the record industry has gotten depleted of."[66] An interview feature inBillboard described Grainge as "a fierce and tireless advocate for the recorded-music business".[67] In 2013, CNET wrote that "Grainge is positioning Universal to lead the pack" of major labels in their embracing of new digital opportunities.[68] A 2014 front-pageLos Angeles Times profile said that "if anyone can save the music business, it might be Grainge."[66]
In January 2020, Grainge was awarded a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame with UMG artists includingBeck,Justin Bieber,Birdman,Lewis Capaldi,Tori Kelly,Sam Smith, andHailee Steinfeld in attendance.Shawn Mendes andLionel Richie were the ceremony's featured presenters.Ellen K ofKOST Radio Morning Show host, the emcee of the event, said, "I've never seen so many stars show up to a Walk of Fame ceremony before."[69]
In 2025,Variety ranked him eighth on its list of the most powerful executives in the entertainment industry.[7][8]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)| Preceded by | Chairman & Chief Executive Officer ofUniversal Music Group 1 January 2011 to Present | Succeeded by incumbent |