Republic Records has promoted Executive Vice President of A&R Rob Stevenson to Executive Vice President of the label, effective immediately. This announcement comes on behalf of co-founders and chief executives Monte and Avery Lipman.
Mr. Stevenson will bring two decades of A&R acumen to this new all-encompassing post, extending into the realms of marketing, promotions, video creation, and more. In the past year, he helped re-introduce Casablanca Records into the marketplace and galvanize the legendary brand as an electronic music powerhouse with a platinum-selling, record-breaking smash “Animals” from Martin Garrix, the signing of genre icon Tiësto, and more. In addition, he oversaw the signing of James Bay, Phantogram, Gotye, Of Monsters and Men, and many other key acts. 2014 sees him spearheading the launch of Jessie J’s long-awaited sophomore album and the introduction of The Ruen Brothers, among various projects.
Monte Lipman says, “Rob remains one of the industry’s most respected A&R executives. His track record and tenacity to identify and sign important artists continues to expand the foundation of our extraordinary roster. Rob’s love of music and passion for artistry is both contagious and inspiring.”
Avery concurs, “This is an important evolution for the label. With his incredible insight and intuition in the A&R space and every aspect of making a record, Rob remains integral to our progression. We’re looking forward to watching him soar in this new role.”
Mr. Stevenson comments, “I want to thank Monte and Avery for this opportunity and I’m excited about my new role on the Republic team. A&R doesn’t just happen in the studio anymore. In this new post, I have the opportunity to apply my experience working so closely with artists to other facets of the company. You have a better chance of success when you spend time cultivating what the entire package will be. I want to guide all of our acts towards achieving a cohesive and clear vision. Music and video aren’t separate in the modern age. It’s about bringing all creative aspects of an artist together.”
In 2011, Stevenson joined Republic Records as Executive Vice President of A&R. Prior, he served as President of A&R at Virgin Records where he worked on crucial albums from Katy Perry, The Beastie Boys, and 30 Seconds To Mars, in addition to signing Alice In Chains. From 1998 until 2008, he worked in A&R at Island Def Jam Music Group signing and fostering the success of The Killers, Fall Out Boy, Sum 41, and more. Entertainment Weekly dubbed him the “Must A&R Guy” on the magazine’s 2006 “Must List”, while New York Magazine awarded him “The Industry Award” in their 2005 Pop Culture Awards Issue.