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David Massey will retire as president of Arista Records at the end of June, the label confirmed Monday. Massey spent the last seven years re-launching the company as president and CEO under Rob Stringer, chairman of Sony Music Group.
Massey guided the label — founded in 1974 by Clive Davis — through its revamp in 2018. He helped build a varied roster of artists with the additions of JP Saxe, Lola Brooke, Paul Russell, Måneskin and Damiano David, as well as Jonah Kagen, Bunt., Audrey Nuna and Sunday (1994).
“It has been a privilege to work with David on the rebirth of Arista,” said Stringer in a statement. “In two different eras at Sony Music, David has been a hugely respected key senior executive for the company worldwide and as a friend and colleague in both those eras I wish him all the happiness in his retirement. Arista will continue to grow from the roots he has developed!”
“It has been a great honour to spend this chapter of my career back at Sony Music, working with Rob Stringer, a visionary executive for whom I have the utmost admiration, and with the extraordinary Sony family worldwide,” said Massey. “Having started the label from scratch nearly seven years ago, I am so proud of the achievements of the team at Arista and our great young artists. I know that Arista will go from strength to strength in the future.”
Massey started his career in London as an artist manager for groups like Wang Chung in the 80s before moving over to A&R at Epic in 1991. During his 16 years at the company he signed Oasis as well as pre-superstardom iteration of the Jonas Brothers. Massey also led his own independent record company, Big World Records.
In 2007 joined Universal, where he signed Avicii and Iggy Azalea. That same year, Massey signed on as president of Mercury Records, where he worked with Duffy, Portishead, Taio Cruz, Neon Trees and others, and was named president of Island in 2013.
As president and CEO of Island Records, Massey worked on campaigns for such artists as Shawn Mendes, Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas, the Killers, Fall Out Boy, Mike Posner, Elton John, Bon Jovi, and Tove Lo, among others.
