Smithsonian Folkways’ Richard James Burgess Named CEO Of Indie Label Trade Group A2IM

The American Association Of Independent Music (A2IM) has named Richard James Burgess as CEO. He was head of business affairs at the highly respected non-profit Smithsonian Folkways Recordings and Chairman of the A2IM Board.

Burgess succeeds Molly Neuman, who had been serving as interim president. With his elevation from board chairman to CEO, Secretly Group co-founder Darius Van Arman steps in to replace him as A2IM’s chairman of the board, and Hopeless Records owner Louis Posen fills Burgess’s seat on the board.

“This search called for a unique, diverse set of skills: experience generating business in the indie space, first-hand understanding of indie labels’ needs, a strong command of current rights debates, and comfort with both digital partners and the artist community. Burgess’s wide range of credentials made him stand out,” said A2IM board member Martin Mills, Founder and Chairman, Beggars Group. 

“I am honored to have been chosen by the board to lead A2IM into the future,” says Burgess, who was elected chairman of the organization’s board in June 2015. “A2IM is the vital voice for Independent labels–the small and medium sized businesses that have grown to command more than a third of domestic market share for recorded music. We will continue to grow; we will spotlight the impact our members have on jobs and revenue; and we are determined to build greater accord within the music industry. We will persist in our quest for equitable conditions for artists, musicians, songwriters, publishers, and labels big and small. Our label members deliver the greatest diversity of choice in recorded history, and we will work to unlock the value inherent in this pinnacle of popularity. We intend to explore the synergies and grow the industry pie.

A2IM membership has grown by nearly 20% in the last two years, and now comprises 382 label and 171 associate members.