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CEO Elliot Grainge: Atlantic's Comeback Kid
5 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Atlantic Music's market share rose significantly in Q3 2025.
- Success driven by new artists like Alex Warren and established stars.
- Grainge emphasizes nurturing 'superfans' over passive listeners.
Atlantic Music Group has achieved a significant turnaround in the past year under CEO Elliot Grainge. The label's market share surged to 7.83% in the third quarter of 2025, a substantial increase from the previous year. This success is attributed to a balanced approach, nurturing both newly prioritized artists like Alex Warren and Rosé, and continuing support for long-standing acts such as Bruno Mars and Cardi B.
Grainge's strategy moves beyond traditional metrics, emphasizing the cultivation of "superfans" rather than chasing passive listeners. He believes this focus on deep fan engagement is crucial for artist development, drawing parallels to successful fan-driven models in J-pop and K-pop, and the vinyl collector market.
Despite initial skepticism surrounding his appointment due to his age and lineage, Grainge's leadership has demonstrably revitalized Atlantic. His approach prioritizes investing in artists based on belief and vision, a core strength of major labels, while leveraging data to understand and scale engaged fanbases.
