Lyor Cohen has been hired by YouTube as their Global Head of Music to improve the strained relationship between the music and tech industries. Cohen has over 30 years of experience in the music industry, including serving as chairman and CEO of Warner Music Group. In his new role at YouTube, Cohen will work to make the platforms relationship with the music industry more equitable and help musicians receive a larger portion of the billions in revenue generated by YouTube.

1. LYOR COHEN TO MEND
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
MUSIC INDUSTRY & YOUTUBE
John DeTitta

3. INTRODUCTION
While the music and tech industries have definitely had a
tumultuous relationship on issues such as low payouts and other
business related tensions, within the past month Youtube has tried
to smoothen everything over by hiring a music industry man
named Lyor Cohen. Cohen has taken the stage as Youtube’s
‘Global Head of Music,” where his primary goal will be to save the
already crumbling relationship these two parties have.

4. This year alone Youtube has began to become even more heavily
involved in the music industry by launching its very own music app.
A large portion of the tech giant’s revenue stems from mostly pre-
roll :15 to :30 sec video ads that generate billions of dollars to the
company. The music industry main argument is that musicians
often see a minimal portion of that money in their pockets.

5. Cohen himself served as a well-respected and effective industry
executive for over 30 years, and has worked with a long list of artists
of all genres in the music world. Throughout his 30 years as an exec,
he has most notably been the chairman and CEO of Warner Music
Group. In this role, he successfully navigated the field of recorded
music, and has since then founded “300 Entertainment,” which is a
music label that is distributed by Atlantic Records.

6. “Lyor is a lion of the music industry,” said YouTube’s Chief
Business Officer Robert Kyncl in a statement. “From Rush to Def
Jam to Island Def Jam to WMG then 300, he has consistently been
a pioneer, charting the course for where music is heading. As we
enter the growth era of the music industry, Lyor is in a position to
make tremendous difference in accelerating that growth in a fair
way for everyone.
We are thrilled to welcome him to YouTube.”
In addition, Cohen will also help Youtube in further expanding its
involvement in the music industry since videos and songs
consistently bring in more views/listens than other platforms such
as Spotify, Apple Music, and Pandora.