CHRIS NILSSON
Tenth Street Entertainment
10thst.com
Chris Nilsson is president of Tenth Street Entertainment. He began his career 20 years ago as a marketing and sales manager for PSB Records, and then ventured into management. Nilsson has been Tenth Street’s Chief Marketing Officer since 2009, until 2014 when he was named president. According to the company’s founder and CEO Allen Kovac, “Chris’ leadership has created a creative marketing environment that is the gold standard for management.” Tenth Street has had a run of successful projects, via strategic partnerships, that spawned campaigns for artists as varied as Garth Brooks, the Beatles and Meatloaf’s Bat Out of Hell II. Meanwhile, Kovac’s work with artists like MЪtley CrЯe, Duran Duran, Yes and Blondie is an example of what can be achieved through Tenth Street’s ethos.
What’s the biggest change you’ve noticed in management?
You can’t rely on a record company to do anything other than funding a recording. They just don’t provide the same level of services they used to. That puts a lot of pressure on management. We have to take up the slack and fill in the gaps. In fact, great managers never relied on a label to come up with big ideas and marketing strategies. They don’t wait for someone else to do all the work. And, often, they do a better job than labels.
What is your opinion of streaming services?
You have to be aware of how people want to consume their music. It’s not productive to argue about streaming royalties versus sales. We still have a way to go, but it’s comparing apples and oranges… and it’s not going back to CD’s.
Do you work with new artists?
New artists are the future of the business. It’s very rewarding when you help an act achieve success. Sure, it’s a lot of work, but you can’t just work with acts that are already established. I believe you have to hedge your business around new talent.
Today, fans seem to demand more than ever. How do you deal with that?
You have to be honest with your artists on how to satisfy the marketplace. You have to be nimble and navigate what fans and consumers want. For example, I think a new record should be released every 18 months, instead of every three to four years, as it is now.
How has the Internet affected the business?
You can’t change history. The fact is, it’s made it easier and harder. But, it makes no sense to get nostalgic for what used to be. In fact, the biggest mistake the music industry made was sitting around for way too long, being upset with the Internet and what it has done to business.
What is special about your management approach?
We’ve never been a genre specific company. We’re much more like a marketing and advertising company. Because of that, we need to understand who the fans are and we use various methods to do so, such as surveys, quantitative research and simply talking with them. That information can help you establish theories that can lead to new strategies.
Have you ever gone above and beyond for your artists?
I put my reputation on the line every day. If I have to piss off an attorney or business manager, so be it. I will always do what’s best for my client. •
