Billboard Announces First Annual Top Women in Music; List Unveils Executives, Artists that Broke through Boy’s Club; Judy McGrath, Jennifer Lopez Top Lists

NEW YORK, June 6 -— Billboard today unveiled its Top Women in Music list. From label executives to digital gurus, publishers to artists, the women included have not only helped shape the music business, they are the architects of its future. The criteria used to decide the ranking weighed accomplishments during the past year, power to greenlight projects, status in their respective companies and overall career achievements. The artists listed were chosen based on their business prowess and ability to transform their fame into a multi-layered brand.

Judy McGrath, chairman/CEO, MTV Networks, topped the list of executives and Jennifer Lopez, a triple threat singer, actress and businesswoman, crowned the artist category.

“Because of the achievements of these women, other female executives have found their way to the music business,” said Tamara Conniff, executive editor of Billboard. “We are inspired and awed by their successes and Billboard takes great pleasure in recognizing the accomplishments of these top people in business.”

Artists:

1. Jennifer Lopez, artist, Epic Records

2. Madonna, artist, Maverick Records

3. Queen Latifah, artist, Flavor Unit Entertainment

4. Missy Elliott, artist, The Gold Mind/Atlantic Records

Top 20 Executives:

1. Judy McGrath, chairman/CEO, MTV Networks

2. Michele Anthony, COO, Sony Music Label Group U.S.; executive VP, Sony BMG Music Entertainment

3. Lesley Bleakley, CEO, Beggars Group U.S.

4. Julie Greenwald, president, Atlantic Records Group

5. Lisa Ellis, GM, Sony Urban Music

6. Polly Anthony, president, Geffen Records

7. Sylvia Rhone, president, Motown; executive VP, Universal Records

8. Donna Hilley, president/CEO, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville

9. Debra Lee, president/COO, BET Holdings

10. Christina Norman, president, MTV

11. Lia Vollack, president of worldwide music, Columbia Pictures

12. Kathy Nelson , president of film music, Universal Pictures

13. Andrea Ganis, executive VP/head of promotion, Atlantic Records

14. Hilary Shaev, executive VP of promotion, Virgin Records America

15. Jody Gerson, executive VP for the West Coast, EMI Music Publishing

16. Diane Warren, songwriter; founder, Realsongs

17. Marilyn Bergman, chairman/president, ASCAP

18. Angelia Bibbs-Sanders, VP of member services, the Recording Academy

19. Sharon Osbourne, manager, Sharon Osbourne Management; TV personality

20. Luana Pagani, senior VP of global marketing for Latin America, Sony BMG Music Entertainment

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EDITOR’S NOTE: For more information on the Women in Music list or to set up an interview with a Billboard editor, please contact Arlyn Davich at 212-255-8455 or arlyn@rosengrouppr.com.

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About Billboard:

Now in its 111th year, Billboard is the world’s premier music publication and a diverse digital, events and brand-licensing platform. Billboard publishes the most trusted charts and offers unrivaled reporting about the latest music, video and digital entertainment issues and trends. Billboard is the flagship property for the Billboard Information Group, which also consists of Billboard.biz, Billboard.com, Entertainment Law Weekly, Billboard Chart Alert, Billboard Information Network (BIN), Billboard Directories, Billboard Licensing & Events and Billboard Radio Monitor. Billboard’s many strategic partners include Fox-TV, Microsoft, mForma, Reuters, Sirius Satellite Radio, Telemundo, Univision Radio, ABC Radio Networks, Azteca America and Billboard sister companies Nielsen SoundScan and Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems. These partnerships leverage Billboard’s proprietary data, charts and information resources to develop broadcast entertainment, digital and mobile platforms and contextual commerce applications that expand Billboard’s franchise and consumer reach.

Billboard is headquartered in New York with bureaus in Boston, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville and Washington, D.C. The Group is a unit of VNU Business Media, a worldwide media company that provides specialized publications, electronically delivered data, expositions and marketing services and is owned by VNU Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Netherlands-based VNU, an international publishing and information company.

Contact Information

Arlyn Davich

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