MySpace Music’s long awaited leader has arrived. As expected, MTV Networks’ EVP Digital Music and Media Courtney Holt has taken the job, says the LA Times.
Until today Holt was EVP of Digital Music for the MTV Networks Music and Logo Group. Prior to joining MTV, Holt was SVP of New Media, Creative and Strategic Marketing at Interscope Geffen A&M.
This is the second MTV exec MySpace has hired in the last few months. Angela Courtin, previously MTV’s Vice President of Integrated Marketing, joined MySpace in July.
In an email to MTV staff today, President Van Toffler wrote:
I wanted to let you all know that Courtney Holt, our EVP of Digital Media for the Music & Logo Group, and owner of arguably the most extensive vinyl record collection at MTV Networks, will be moving on at the end of the year.
We’re sorry to see him go, and there’s been lots of buzz about his potential next moves, but I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his hard work, and determination, as well as his musical and technological prowess.
Courtney championed and drove through several important initiatives during his tenure here. He kick started the re-imagination of MTV.com when he first got here in 2006, paving the way for future innovation and growth of the site. He was instrumental in seeing through and launching our joint venture with Real Networks to create “Rhapsody America” and most recently, he and his team persevered to design and launch a beta version of mtvmusic.com, where we can finally showcase our incredible history of music video and exclusive content in one place. It’s sleek and simple to browse and is being met with rave reviews even though we haven’t even officially launched or turned our spotlight on it. Courtney has been a true champion of mtvmusic.com since day one and I am thankful to him for all his creativity on this and everything else he touched during the time he’s been with our company. We wish him the best.
In the meantime, Courtney and I are working on the transition plan and I will be communicating more details very soon. We truly have great momentum on all digital fronts including continued growth and innovation at each of our branded .coms with MTV.com, VH1.com, CMT.com and LOGOonline.com and killer success with our music video game Rock Band. We’ve only just begun to unlock our precious music vaults on mtvmusic.com, making us the pre-eminent place to not only see music videos, but a wealth of content that no one else has anywhere…more than 27 years worth. We also have more than 30 verticals and ancillary sites that connect to our on-air content and drive traffic online.
So look for more from our digital music space — there truly is so much opportunity for us. And again, a thank you to Courtney for serving us so well.
much better picture then the last one posted
that’s right. it’s a new age leardership : design, young, dynamic
i guess if he wanted to be in charge of music, MTV was not the place to be. Maybe if he wanted to be in charge of Real World 44, Road Rules vs Real World, or any other crap shows, he should have stayed.
this is i think a amjor musical and media move .. It really means that myspace is going thru the producing path. And i won’t be suprised to see shows made by myspace just like youtube did..
Congrats to both!
It is interesting to see the social networks becoming such big game players in the music realm – all the while helping to change how we listen to music, find music, purchase music, etc.
Just for thoughts and for some feedback to my own question. Do Techcrunch readers think that there might be another player to come in and really hammer down the gauntlet with music versus the likes of Myspace and Facebook being such big music hot spots?
It just seems that they are able to be successful because of their huge user base and pocket books. I wonder if when Murdoch purchased Myspace if he even saw the possibility of becoming such a huge player in music.
Hopefully I got my question/point across!
Gary
Facebook doesn’t do anything with music currently, so your whole “point” makes no sense.
doesnt sound like mr internet man. sounds more like a mr connections man from a dinasaur industry that is dying a slow and painful death. nothing wrong with that as long as it pays him well.
ArtistLocator.com
what has mtv done on the digital front? didn’t they *just* launch an online video site?
Weird letter. Does anyone else think it spends much more time hyping MTV than thanking Courtney?
Something needs to replace the old storefront music stores – and iTunes is too closed to really break out. Myspace seems to have it all – a social network right for marketing, the ability to distribute, and now production/content. I’m sure they’ll see some competition.
wtf?! a GUY named Courtney????
lol
double lol!
Name like that… you have to be either tough or good. Thus the overachiever – MTV exec.
Only since the 70s in the States has Courtney been a female name. Traditonally it’s male.
MySpace music is dying. Much like MTV was dying in 2006 when he joined. Can he turn around MySpace? For the music industry and musicians, I hope so. But was he able to turn around MTV? We probably won’t be able to answer that for a few more months, maybe years. I’m sure he’ll take more talent from MTV Digital with him though.
Ahh so they will be bringing reality tv to Myspace???? By the way, what does the M in MTV stand for??? Not music!!!! Right now Paris Hilton’s BBF is on….
How is Myspace music dying? Where else can you discover top-rated talent that isn’t even signed to a major record label? Where else can bands get major publicity without paying a crap load of money?
I agree with highdrake. it’s hard to create interest in a band without myspace. sure, gigging is necessary but doesn’t have the coverage of myspace. for me, a manager of a new band called Cavalier (www.myspace.com/cavalieruk) myspace is vital. P
Hopefully, he will have the desire to push the envelope with the technology that is already available. I’d love see Myspace Music actually innovate the music industry for real. First, as anyone that has seen CNN.com Live knows, internet video streams are like watching television now. Myspace Music has a real opportunity to become a global streaming version of MTV. I’d love to see a weekly live music program with an in-studio audience, a global streaming version of the Myspace Music Awards (similar to the MTV music awards but worldwide), and other content that will engage. What artist wouldn’t want to play to Myspace Music’s global audience of 160,000,000. Imagine debuting a new CD that way. And since it’s the web, the audience could push one button below the live video streams and have access to every song the artist ever did. It would be a live version of a point of purchase display that reaches 160,000,000. Now that’s what I call revolutionary.
The challenge or the social media music Challace – is to get people to purchase music on social media sites- streaming is easy & free, (and hopefully will be better montetized more for artists/labels) It fuels the clicks – and therefore generates ad revenue for the sites-
but music sales pay the bills so that artists, producers and small labels can surrvive -
Courtney- crack this one and your Queen- if you need my help- call me.
In the meantime- I am building an indie quietly- with all your help it can be done- it’s about true soul.
http://www.myspace.com/goldenanimals
Interesting piece. At the end of the day MySpace was founded on the propagation of music. Viacom had music (a lot of music) and News Corp did not. When corporations fool with basic structural concepts that bring users to specific online experiences in vast numbers they rarely understand the impact. Good luck Courtney!
Charles L Mauro CHFP
President
MauroNewMedia