about us
The Music Coalition is an alliance of top music marketers who offer top music-makers outstanding service and support to ensure the best in recorded music is effectively and creatively delivered to the worldwide marketplace. We provide breakthrough, trademark and established recording artists, major and indie labels, and distributors alike with dynamic and competitive turnkey marketing, distribution and consultation services. We offer a powerful and effective alternative to the prevailing models of label-takes-all or artist-does-all by marrying flexible services with professional expertise.
The Music Coalition is committed to our clients' music - their creativity and talent is met fairly and respectfully with the savvy and determination of our marketing and distribution team to bring our clients’ recorded work to a worldwide audience. This collaborative spirit is reflected in all aspects of our operations - from marketing and communications to philanthropy, accounting and business affairs.
working with the best
The Music Coalition provides customized marketing and distribution plans personally overseen by top industry professionals; full rates for international royalties with no onerous recoupment or accounting provisions; short-term contracts with significant approval rights; direct accountability to artists; and artists maintaining ownership of their masters. This includes:
- The most artist-friendly deals in the business
- Customized and personally supervised campaigns by leading industry professionals
- Best practices in digital and traditional marketing and distribution to click and mortar sites married with inventive lifestyle and ancillary promotional strategies
- We earn our money alongside the artist, sharing in a percentage of their profits
- No other fees or retainers associated with our services
- No additional costs for manufacturing, distribution, marketing and promotion
working for the best
We work with our clients who want to do more with their music by benefitting good causes that are important to them or their fans. We offer a range of “giving” services including artist placements and performances in cause-related activities, spokesperson/sponsorship arrangements, donor advisement, and re-granting, among others.
consultation services
The Music Coalition provides a suite of independent consultation services to help artists, managers and labels who directly oversee their own international distribution and who need assistance in sorting out of their options and developing their own work scopes in:
- Manufacturing
- Marketing and distribution
- Licensing, including digital licensing and exploitation
- Syndication
- Promotional trip and concert tour co-ordination
- Non-traditional distribution, marketing and licensing
senior management
Jennifer Cohen,
Managing Partner
An executive in the entertainment industry since 1978, Jennifer left her executive position at Warner Music International in 2001 (then the global arm of all Time Warner music labels), to assume full-time duties as Managing Partner of Songmasters, an organization she founded in 1994. She created the Music Coalition in 2006 as a Songmasters company to fill a gap many North American trademark artists experience with international marketing and distribution and to develop a more “artist friendly” business relationship to promote our clients' work. She oversees the design and coordination of all Songmasters' integrated marketing and brand communications programs, including those of The Music Coalition.
During her 20-year+ tenure at WMI, Cohen has worked in all areas of domestic and international recorded music marketing, press and PR, distribution and finance. Among her many accomplishments, Cohen created and launched the product management department at WEA International (Warner Music International) and ran the U.S. marketing of all artists signed to the company's 47 foreign affiliates as well as of all WEA International artists abroad.
She has had oversight of all areas of creative services (i.e., packaging, merchandising, video production and more), marketing coordination and artist development for the company's operations in over 65 countries. Cohen also had executive responsibility the international videos and tours for Warner, Elektra, Atlantic, Geffen, and Maverick Records, among others.
For Time Warner she served as the international representative at all Time Warner Music Group label/financial meetings. Cohen spearheaded Time Warner's acquisition strategy of companies engaged in various aspects of video and multi-media production and delivery. Because of her extensive experience in the negotiation of domestic and international licensing agreements, she opened several new markets, including China, for the Warner Music Group.
After leaving Time Warner, Cohen created and manages several Songmasters’ enterprises that bring great music to the widest possible audiences, with the best deals for artists, and with significant charitable and social benefits for partners & artists-identified causes. Songmasters and the Music Coalition truly work with the best, for the best.
Rainer Focke,
International Operations
Rainer followed his love for music into the industry in 1982, starting in Product Management at Metronome and at Polydor International. There, Rainer was involved in the successes of 'new German wave' artists like Extrabeit as well as international acts Style Council, Level 42 and many more. As Senior Product Manager - Pop Music for Warner Music Germany. his marketing campaigns resulted in top 10 chart successes for international acts like A-ha, Al Jarreau, Matt Bianco, Mike & the Mechanics and Simply Red and numerous No.1 albums for Madonna, Phil Collins, and the Bee Gees amongst others.
As former Marketing Director at Warner Music’ International’s (WMI) European Headquarters in London. Rainer coordinated the company’s efforts for world market domination through Tracy Chapman, AC/DC, Enya, Chris Rea and affiliate acts as diverse as Laura Pausini, Alejandro Sanz and Mana. He was also crucially involved in the massive global success of the 3 Tenors brand.
At WMI Europe, Rainer held a series of increasingly senior executive positions in marketing from 1990 -2002, during which he coordinated and supervised all facets of international marketing campaigns and activities - from promotions, tours, strategic planning and budgeting to liaising with artist managers, music publishers, agents and concert promoters and journalists. His work demanded close co-operation with manufacturing plants and stock controllers while continuously interacting with finance and business affairs departments of artists, labels, and across all of WMI’s international marketing operations.
Rainer established his own business in 2002 making his know-how, vast experience and extensive worldwide contacts available to artists, management and labels alike. While briefly managing Anglo-French Sony jazz artist Malia and UK-electronic act Baxendale, Rainer also worked as a consultant to simplyred.com. where he drew upon his ground-breaking network of “independents” - overseas partners in manufacturing, marketing and distribution - which made the band’s multimillion-selling comeback album Home an outstanding global success.
In the following years Rainer consulted with numerous artists and labels such as the Canadian label Quinlan Road and it’s multi-million selling world-music artist Loreena McKennitt, the UK Neo-soul artist Nate James, the No.1 UK artist, Nizlopi and the worldwide efforts for the debut of Martha Wainwright. Most recently, Rainer consulted on the successful launch of Andrea Corr and the latest album by top-selling UK soul diva, Beverley Knight. Rainer’s consulting work is also used by artists, labels and managements as diverse as ATC, Glassnote Records, Supafly Inc., Mn2S, Boy George, Suede/Brett Anderson and many more.
Rainer began consulting for Songmasters in 2010-11, and following his international work on Songamsters’ acclaimed 2011 release, Listen To Me: Buddy Holly, Rainer assumed responsibility for international operations of The Music Coalition in 2011.
advisory board
Tisha Fein
Tisha Fein has been a producer, creative consultant and talent executive for many of the industry’s most prestigious music awards events, concerts, broadcasts and feature films and TV shows, including The GRAMMY® Awards (for over 25 years), the Latin GRAMMY® Awards, the Billboard Music Awards, the Country Music Awards, the Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards, and more. She has arranged talent for events honoring for world leaders - such as the birthday concert/celebrations for President Bill Clinton and for Nelson Mandela - and for music legends as diverse as Ray Charles, John Lennon, Johnny Cash, and Songmasters' own award-winning tribute and PBS special honoring Buddy Holly, to name a few. Songmasters Holly PBS special has won top TELLY Awards in 2012. She has been the project talent producer for some of the most renowned music videos, such as the recent We Are the World 25 video with over 123 million YouTube hits to date. Tisha has also served as talent producer for numerous television series, including American Idol, HBO Sessions (respectively starring: Paul Simon/Gospel Session, B.B. King/Blues Session, Carlos Santana/Latin Session, James Brown and Aretha Franklin/Soul Session), the 11 hour Wembly Stadium Concert for Nelson Mandela, John Lennon All Star Tribute from Liverpool, An American Reunion, the Goodwill Games, PBS’ annual Memorial Day and July 4th Concerts (1998-2012), The World Music Awards, Frank Sinatra’s NBC Tribute and the President’s Gala at Ford’s Theatre, and hundreds more.
Tisha began consulting for Songmasters in 2011, and joined the Music Coalition Advisory Board in 2012.
Linda Moran
After more than 30 years as a music industry executive, Linda Moran currently serves as President of The Songwriters Hall of Fame and is an active board member of MusiCares, the philanthropic arm of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. For Linda's unique contribution to the recording industry and to numerous philanthropic efforts, she has been awarded the Recording Academy's New York Heroes Award, and the Dick Clark National Foundation Music Founders Club Award, among her many other honors.
Linda recently retired from her position as Special Advisor to Time Warner President Dick Parsons on music-related special projects, events and issues. Known for her unique blend of skills and experience, Linda is especially respected for the strong relationships she has built with artists and industry colleagues throughout her remarkable tenure in the music business. First as Vice-President and then as Senior Vice President of the entire Warner Music Group, Linda was responsible for Industry, Artist, Corporate and Community Relations, Public Affairs, Events and Special Projects as well as all Charitable Contributions for WMG and its divisions.
In these roles, Linda created and coordinated company and artist projects around the country and the world. Prior to joining the Warner Music Group, Linda worked her way up to Senior Vice President of Atlantic Records having joined that company in 1970 after five years in the A&R Department of RCA Records.
Tony O'Brien
Known for his ability to balance the creative and financial aspects of his work during his 25 year tenure in the entertainment business, Tony served as Executive Vice President/Chief Financial Officer for the entire Atlantic Group until the end of 2002. Responsible for all its financial, administrative and IT operations and strategic planning, Tony was a key partner during an important time in Atlantic's growth and development. A member of the Atlantic family for sixteen years, Tony was named Senior Vice President/CFO in 1993 having served as Controller since 1989. Tony joined Atlantic as General Manager of Atlantic Recording Studios in 1986.
Prior to his distinguished career at Atlantic, Tony served as the U.S. Financial Officer for the Robert Stigwood Organization (RSO) from 1975-1983 during the height of that company's success including the release of two number one motion picture soundtracks, Saturday Night Fever and Grease, which have combined sales exceeding 23 million copies to date. RSO's full range of entertainment activities during that time included recordings, films, music publishing, theater, artist management and tour management. A native of England, Tony worked in public accounting in the UK before moving to the States where he also worked in public accounting and as an independent financial consultant.
Carl Scott
Carl is one of the music industry's most respected and experienced artist development professionals. Renowned for his discerning eye for talent and his ability to create enduring relationships with artists, Carl's career in the music business has spanned more than 40 years during which he pioneered and mastered all aspects of artist development and management. Carl recently served as Senior Vice President of Artist Relations&Artist Development at Warner Bros. Records. During more than three decades with Warner Bros., he helped to develop the careers of such artists as Madonna, Prince, Rickie Lee Jones, the Doobie Brothers, Dire Straits, k.d. lang, and Van Halen, to name only a few.
Prior to his tenure at Warner Bros., Carl managed artists in San Francisco and Los Angeles for ten years, guiding the careers of such talents as Grace Slick, Captain Beefheart, Bobby Freeman, and Little Feat. In 1999, Mr. Scott left Warner Bros. to co-found the Burbank-based Simmons&Scott Entertainment, a management company that has successfully launched and developed the careers of a number of notable young actors, offering them a unique hands-on approach that includes training, coaching, guidance and publicity. Carl remains an active presence in the music industry and is a member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and lifetime member of the Country Music Association.
Ron Shapiro
Widely regarded as one of the music industry’s most innovative and accomplished executives, Ron Shapiro has forged his own path from record label publicity departments to the presidency of Atlantic Records to spearheading his own start-up. During his tenure at Atlantic, Ron was responsible for establishing or enhancing the careers of Jewel, Brandy, Phil Collins, Tori Amos, Lil' Kim, Stone Temple Pilots, Buena Vista Social Club, Sean Paul, P.O.D., Hootie&the Blowfish, Matchbox 20, Sugar Ray, The Corrs, Nappy Roots, and Duncan Sheik, just to name a few. He is the only senior executive in the music industry whose career path at a single label has taken him from publicity to presidency.
In early 2004, Shapiro launched Ron Shapiro Management&Consulting, LLC, calling on his extraordinary range of experience which spans all aspects of the modern music business. His enduring belief in long-term artist development would lay the foundation for a steady road to success.
In his first year of independent operation, he spawned a gold record with country artist Julie Roberts (Mercury Nashville) and a follow up debut at #4 on the country charts. He currently guides the careers of artists such as Regina Spektor on Sire/Warner Bros. Records (most recent album “far” debuted at #3 on Billboard Top 200, 2006 release “Begin To Hope” is certified gold in the USA, UK, Ireland, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand with over 1 million sold worldwide); R&B and Gospel icons BeBe&CeCe Winans, whose current album “Still” is approaching gold and won 2 Grammy Awards in early 2011; Lenka (EPIC Records/Sony, debut album spawned worldwide hit “The Show” (Top 10 in Germany and throughout Asia), with gold albums in South Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Poland); Lauren Pritchard, “Spring Awakening” phenom signed to Spilt Milk/Island UK/Universal; Jace Everett (Weston Boys Entertainment/Wrasse Records, known worldwide for his hit “Bad Things,” currently the theme song to HBO’s “True Blood”) and newcomers 2AM Club (RCA Music Group).
Shapiro is the co-owner of Plan A Media, a full service publicity company, which provided publicity for Songmasters’ award winning album and PBS broadcast concert tributes to Buddy Holly, “Listen to Me.” He has served as a consultant to AOL Music, Clear Channel Entertainment, and several independent record labels. Ron is well known for his groundbreaking success in pioneering numerous cross-marketing strategies including high-profile partnerships with the Wilhelmina modeling agency, Cover Girl cosmetics, Schick, Teen People, Seventeen, Vogue, Glamour and a variety of other unique ventures. Ron was formerly Senior Director, Media&Writer/Publisher Relations at BMI and advanced from National Publicity Director to Vice President, Public Relations during his 4 years at MCA.