Spotify Hires Lady Gaga's Former Manager to Compete With Apple Music and Tidal

Spotify has hired Troy Carter, Lady Gaga's former manager, as global head of creative services to compete with Apple Music and Tidal.

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Complex Original

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In an effort to better compete with streaming services Tidal and Apple Music, Spotify has added a well-known industry figure to its ranks: famed music manager Troy Carter.

According to Hits Daily Double, the 43-year-old Philadelphia native has landed a role as Spotify’s global head of creative services, a position that will assist in creating original content, as well as landing exclusive deals with artists. The job is fitting for Carter, as he’s spent the last two decades working with big names such as Eve, Will Smith, Biggie Smalls, John Legend, and Lady Gaga. His experience as the chairman and CEO of Atom Factory, a talent management and production company, is also expected to benefit Spotify’s relationships with artists, managers, and record labels.

"There's a famous quote from JFK that says, 'Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future,'" Carter wrote on Facebook. "With that said, I'm a firm believer that Spotify is the future for music. In my new role as Global Head of Creator Services, my job is just a natural continuation of what I've always done – protect the voice of artists. Always have and always will."

Spotify reportedly earned $2.1 billion in revenue last year. In March of 2016, the Swedish company also announced it had reached 30 million paying subscribers and 75 million users, securing its place as the leading streaming service. But its competitors are quickly gaining momentum, thanks in large part to exclusive content that has garnered millions of new subscribers. Tidal has it's deals with Beyoncé and Kanye West, while Drake cut an agreement for VIEWS with Apple Music.

So will Spotify’s latest hire help the company land exclusive rights and stay ahead of the pack? We’ll just have to wait and see.

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