Tap to take home top gong at Artist & Manager Awards

Lana Del Rey managers Tap Management will be collectively crowned manager of the year at the 6th annual Artist & Manager Awards, organisers Music Managers Forum (MMF) and Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) have announced.

Founders Ben Mawson and Ed Millett will accept the award, recognising Tap’s successes with artists such as Lana Del Rey (whose fifth album, Lust for Life, spawned the first UK no1 for a solo female since Adele in 2015), Dua Lipa, DJ Shadow and Angus and Julia Stone, as well as “an innovative and multi-faceted approach to music management”, on 14 November.

Also honoured will be Niamh Byrne and Régine Moylett, the founders of Eleven Management (Damon Albarn/Blur/Gorillaz, The Clash, Roisin Murphy), who receive the entrepreneur of the year award for their global campaign around Gorillaz’ fifth studio album, Humanz.

Other previously announced winners include Depeche Mode’s manager, Jonathan Kessler, who receives the Peter Grant award for lifetime achievement; Tracey Thorn, who will pick up the artists’ artist award; and Echo Beach’s Jill Hollywood, for writer/producer manager.

“To succeed in the modern-day music business, managers need to think outside the box while keeping a multitude of plates spinning,” says Annabella Coldrick, chief executive of the MMF. “This is no easy task, but the judging panel unanimously felt that 2017 was Tap Management’s year.

“This is no easy task, but the judging panel unanimously felt that 2017 was Tap Management’s year”

“As well as the phenomenal success of Lana Del Rey and Dua Lipa, we felt the entire team’s integrated approach across music publishing, music production and brand strategy was worthy of recognition. This is a company with music at its heart but with the ambition to forge new paths and set new trends.

“Similarly, Niamh and Régine have instigated a truly groundbreaking campaign for Gorillaz’s Humanz, amplifying the scope of the album’s collaborative vision with a series of eye-catching partnerships that opened new creative potentials, including augmented reality apps and a stunning VR video. Always sensitive to Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett’s vision, they also curated the highly successful Demon Dayz festival in Margate.

“As with Tap Management, Eleven are worthy winners at the Artist & Manager Awards.”

The Artist & Manager Awards 2017, hosted by BBC Radio 1’s Gemma Cairney, takes place at the newly opened Printworks venue in London on Tuesday 14 November.

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