THE RECORDING ACADEMY® AND CLIVE DAVIS WILL HOST THE GALA ON SAT, FEB. 3, 2024, AT THE BEVERLY HILTON
Commended for his indisputable impact on the music business, Sony Music Publishing Chairman and CEO Jon Platt is the 2024 GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons® honoree. The Recording Academy® and Clive Davis will celebrate Platt’s achievements at the renowned Pre-GRAMMY® Gala on Sat, Feb. 3, 2024, the evening preceding the 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards®.
“One of the most influential figures in the industry, Jon has consistently set the bar for leadership in music,” said Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy. “His ongoing commitment to equity, his dedication to quality, and his advocacy for artists across all crafts and genres have been an inspiration to music leaders everywhere. We look forward to an incredible evening dedicated to honoring his incredible impact.”
“Jon Platt is one of the music industry’s most illustrious leaders and I am thrilled that he will be this year’s Salute to Industry Icons honoree,” said Clive Davis. “Jon’s longtime trailblazing commitment to supporting songwriters across the music spectrum as well as his staunch dedication to advocacy, diversity and equality in the music business are exemplary. Artists and the industry at large are fortunate to have his insight and passion at the helm.”
Jon Platt is Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Publishing (“SMP”), the number one global music publisher. Since his appointment in 2019, Platt has worked to revitalize the company’s Songwriters First mission for the 21st century, emphasizing service and transparency at every level, prioritizing equity, and reshaping the company’s administration services.
During Platt’s tenure, Sony Music Publishing has strengthened both its legacy and its future, creating historic partnerships with songwriting legends like Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon and Ashley Gorley, signing the next generation of superstars like Olivia Rodrigo, Jack Harlow, Latto, Anitta, Central Cee, Kane Brown, and the Kid LAROI, and delivering opportunities for DIY creators through a landmark deal with BeatStars.
As he has been throughout his career, Platt has been a strong advocate in the fight for fair compensation for songwriters. Under his direction, SMP has focused on improving the lives of songwriters — in simple terms, putting more money in songwriters’ pockets, and getting that money in their pockets sooner. In an increasingly global music business, SMP has worked to ensure songwriters are paid quickly as their hits move around the world, eliminating long delays in the delivery of foreign royalties. The company has also expanded its leading presence internationally into India, Indonesia and Nigeria.
Reflecting Platt’s commitment to artist development and his long-held belief that it’s better to grow hits than to chase them, SMP has built out its services for songwriters and composers at every stage of their careers. Songwriters Forward — a global initiative — has seen SMP providing mental health and wellness support to its roster through the Songwriter Assistance Program. SMP’s Legacy Unrecouped Balance Program has offered new financial opportunities to legacy songwriters. And SMP has provided over $1 million in grants to working songwriters in collaboration with organizations such as the 100 Percenters, Songwriters of North America (SONA), and Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI).
Jon Platt’s career in the music business began in the mid-‘80s, when, as a DJ in his hometown of Denver, he was credited with breaking records from Public Enemy and Arrested Development in the Midwest. He brought the same passion for spotting hits-in-the-making to his career in music publishing, signing and collaborating with prominent songwriters including Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Drake, Rihanna, Pharrell Williams and Usher, to name a few. Platt is widely credited for elevating how hip-hop and R&B artists are respected and compensated as songwriters.
Platt has consistently shared his belief in building a music business every bit as diverse as the music it represents. His dedication to equity and inclusion is evident, having increased diversity across senior leadership teams throughout his career. He has also supported the development of a pipeline of female executives with SMP’s global Women’s Leadership Program. This commitment extends to empowering the next generation of songwriters and composers with initiatives like SMP’s Screen Scoring Diversity Scholarship at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music.
Platt previously served as chairman & CEO of Warner Chappell and led the company’s turnaround. He also spent 17 years at EMI Music Publishing, where he cemented his reputation for recognizing icons-in-the-making by signing Jay-Z on the release of his 1996 independent debut album, Reasonable Doubt. Platt sits on the boards of Berklee College of Music, Songwriters Hall of Fame, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Motown Museum, Living Legends Foundation, and the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA), and his numerous recognitions include City of Hope’s prestigious Spirit of Life Award, SONA’s Warrior Award, NSAI’s President’s Keystone Award, SESAC’s Visionary Award, Billboard’s Power 100, Variety’s Variety500, and Morehouse College’s Candle Award. In 2005, he launched The Big Jon Platt Scholarship Program for college-bound students from his Denver community in Montbello.
For the past decade, the invitation-only Pre-GRAMMY Gala has included a presentation to honor industry luminaries through the Recording Academy's GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons award. Sponsored by Hilton, IBM and Mastercard, the night has become one of the music industry's most distinguished events as it convenes music's most innovative and influential creators and professionals.
ABOUT THE RECORDING ACADEMY
The Recording Academy represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music's history while investing in its future through the GRAMMY Museum®, advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through MusiCares®, and celebrates artistic excellence through the GRAMMY Awards® — music's only peer-recognized accolade and highest achievement. As the world's leading society of music professionals, we work year-round to foster a more inspiring world for creators.
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ABOUT CLIVE DAVIS
Clive Davis began his career at Columbia Records where he was appointed president in 1967 and signed such legendary rock artists as Earth, Wind & Fire, Billy Joel, Janis Joplin, Santana, and Bruce Springsteen. In 1974, Davis co-founded Arista Records where he signed Whitney Houston, Barry Manilow and Patti Smith. and further developed the careers of Aretha Franklin, the Grateful Dead, the Kinks, and Dionne Warwick. His business ventures include forming LaFace Records in 1989 with Babyface and L.A. Reid, and creating Bad Boy Records in 1994 with Sean "Diddy" Combs. In 2000, J Records was born (in partnership with BMG) and emerged as a dominant force, producing the works of Alicia Keys and Maroon 5. Davis was then appointed chairman/CEO of BMG U.S. Label Group where he oversaw an expanded RCA Music Group, including J Records, RCA Records and Arista Records. After BMG and Sony Music merged, in 2008 Davis was appointed chief creative officer, Sony Music Worldwide, where he continues to nurture and develop talent. In 2000, Davis received the Trustees Award from the Recording Academy and was recognized with the President's Merit Award at the 2009 GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons. As a humanitarian, Davis has made tireless efforts in the battle against AIDS, spearheading donations of millions of dollars for AIDS research. In 2002, the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music was created at his undergraduate alma mater, New York University. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School. His autobiography The Soundtrack Of My Life, published in 2013, has become the largest-selling book involving music in history and a New York Times bestseller. The Ridley Scott firm produced, and Chris Perkel directed, a documentary film on his life: Clive Davis: The Soundtrack Of Our Lives, which Apple TV, Apple Music and iTunes launched worldwide in 2017 and debuted at No. 1 on iTunes. The documentary has earned awards and accolades worldwide and made its premiere on Netflix in September 2019. In November 2022, Davis was also one of seven honorees of the National Portrait Gallery's Portrait of a Nation awards, and his portrait was painted by David Hockney.