Doug Morris

One day after signing an agreement to buy PolyGram for $10.4 billion, Seagram Co. designated Doug Morris the future head of the combined music entity--the largest record company in the world. Morris, a former songwriter and highly regarded industry veteran, will take over as chairman and chief executive of the record giant, to be named Universal Music Group, following approval of the deal by government regulators--a process that could take five months or more.

Industry veteran Doug Morris, the chief executive of Sony Music Entertainment and founder of Vevo Inc., has issued a threat to Google Inc.: Give us a better rate for our music videos or we'll take them elsewhere. Morris, who launched his music career in the mid-1960s by writing the Chiffons' song "Sweet Talkin' Guy," now is talking tough when it comes to renewing Vevo's contract to distribute its videos on Google's YouTube when the deal expires at the end of the year. That's a serious threat given that Vevo - which features videos of Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Rihanna and about 11,000 other artists - is YouTube's most popular channel, according to ComScore Inc. In May, Vevo's videos generated 617.8 million views on the site, which Google acquired in 2006 for $1.65 billion.

One of Doug Morris' first jobs in music in the 1960s was working as an assistant to the late songwriter Bert Berns, known for such hits as "Twist and Shout" and "Hang On, Sloopy." A periodic task was to cash Berns' paychecks at a bank. Morris would then head over to Atlantic Records' New York studio, where he would deliver the cash to Berns. Some 30 years later, Morris is still delivering the cash at Atlantic, albeit in considerably higher sums.

Doug Morris has been named the new chief executive of Sony Music Entertainment, an appointment that was widely expected when Morris last year said he would step down as head of Universal Music Group at the end of 2010. Morris, 72, will succeed Rolf Schmidt-Holz on July 1, and Schmidt-Holz will exit Sony at the end of the month, when his contract expires. In the interim, Sony Corp. Chairman Howard Stringer will helm the music company. In a high-level corporate talent swap, a number of Sony executives are expected to move to Universal over the next few months, including Barry Weiss, the chairman of Sony's RCA/Jive Label Group, who is expected to lead Universal's operations in New York.

Less than two years ago, music veteran Doug Morris launched a tiny New York label with a unique management philosophy. Morris, 57, who had just been fired as domestic chief of Time Warner's music division, decided to build a record company with a diverse, multicultural staff and executive team. The label was financed by Seagram, which later hired Morris to run its global music division.

Warner Music Group has promoted Doug Morris, head of its Atlantic division, to chief of North American operations, signaling the start of a dramatic shake-up at the world's biggest record conglomerate. The move, which is expected to be announced today, culminates a months-long power struggle among the company's executives and is the first step in a sweeping realignment at Time Warner's domestic music division, home to such superstar acts as Madonna, Metallica and Snoop Doggy Dogg.

In a startling corporate shake-up, MCA Inc. on Thursday ousted Al Teller, the company's longtime top record executive, and replaced him with former Warner Music Group executive Doug Morris. Rocking the music industry, the announcement came shortly after Time Warner Inc. fired its global music chief, Michael J. Fuchs, who had fired Morris a few months ago. Morris ascended to his new position within minutes of Fuchs' firing. "Do I have a weird life or what?"

Ahmet Ertegun, the legendary co-founder of Atlantic Records, leaves his Manhattan brownstone most weekdays just before noon for the 10-minute ride to his office at Time Warner headquarters in Rockefeller Plaza. Ertegun--whose signings over the last 47 years range from Aretha Franklin to Led Zeppelin--had a different destination in mind, however, when he slipped into the back seat of his chauffeured Mercedes sedan on the last Thursday in October.

As the head of the world's largest record company, Universal Music Group Chairman Doug Morris could spend all morning hobnobbing with the power-breakfast crowd at the Peninsula Hotel. Here comes Dave Glew now, Epic Records Group chairman and Morris' old friend. "Dave, you're looking great. Everything OK?" Morris, in town from New York for the week, could be talking about his latest successes: the mounting sales of the Eminem album or the critical back flips over the new Beck CD.

Doug Morris is expected to be tapped soon to oversee Seagram Co.'s new global music operations in the wake of its $10.6-billion deal to purchase music giant PolyGram, sources said. The company has yet to make a formal announcement. Morris has been chairman of Seagram's Universal Music Group since 1995 and is credited with transforming the once-dormant record division into a domestic rock powerhouse with the addition of his own Universal label and Interscope Records.

As the head of the world's largest record company, Universal Music Group Chairman Doug Morris could spend all morning hobnobbing with the power-breakfast crowd at the Peninsula Hotel. Here comes Dave Glew now, Epic Records Group chairman and Morris' old friend. "Dave, you're looking great. Everything OK?" Morris, in town from New York for the week, could be talking about his latest successes: the mounting sales of the Eminem album or the critical back flips over the new Beck CD.

Industry veteran Doug Morris has signed a five-year contract to continue running Vivendi-owned Universal Music Group, the world's largest record conglomerate with such stars as Eminem and Shania Twain. Morris was hired in 1995 by Seagram and has seen its Universal music arm through a series of mergers with Dutch giant PolyGram and French utility behemoth Vivendi. Morris, a songwriter whose credits include the Chiffons' hit "Sweet Talkin' Guy," joined Universal after being forced out as U.S.

Doug Morris has come a long way since his first big hit: the Chiffons' 1966 smash, "Sweet Talkin' Guy." Sitting in an office on Broadway near the tiny storefront where he co-wrote that song, Morris now heads the world's largest record corporation, Seagram Co.'s Universal Music Group. Morris' emergence as arguably the most powerful figure in music follows some very bizarre twists.

One day after signing an agreement to buy PolyGram for $10.4 billion, Seagram Co. designated Doug Morris the future head of the combined music entity--the largest record company in the world. Morris, a former songwriter and highly regarded industry veteran, will take over as chairman and chief executive of the record giant, to be named Universal Music Group, following approval of the deal by government regulators--a process that could take five months or more.

In its first move since acquiring PolyGram for $10.6 billion, Seagram Co. is expected this morning to name Doug Morris as the future global chairman of the combined music entity--the largest record company in the world, sources said.

Doug Morris is expected to be tapped soon to oversee Seagram Co.'s new global music operations in the wake of its $10.6-billion deal to purchase music giant PolyGram, sources said. The company has yet to make a formal announcement. Morris has been chairman of Seagram's Universal Music Group since 1995 and is credited with transforming the once-dormant record division into a domestic rock powerhouse with the addition of his own Universal label and Interscope Records.

Industry veteran Doug Morris has signed a five-year contract to continue running Vivendi-owned Universal Music Group, the world's largest record conglomerate with such stars as Eminem and Shania Twain. Morris was hired in 1995 by Seagram and has seen its Universal music arm through a series of mergers with Dutch giant PolyGram and French utility behemoth Vivendi. Morris, a songwriter whose credits include the Chiffons' hit "Sweet Talkin' Guy," joined Universal after being forced out as U.S.

MCA Music Entertainment Group Chairman Doug Morris is expected to announce a reorganization today that will include the appointment of Melvyn R. Lewinter as vice chairman of the record company and Zack Horowitz as president. The move comes just 12 days after Morris took over the reins of MCA Inc.'s music operations after the sudden ouster of former chairman Al Teller. MCA is 80% owned by Seagram Co.

Less than two years ago, music veteran Doug Morris launched a tiny New York label with a unique management philosophy. Morris, 57, who had just been fired as domestic chief of Time Warner's music division, decided to build a record company with a diverse, multicultural staff and executive team. The label was financed by Seagram, which later hired Morris to run its global music division.

MCA Music Entertainment Group Chairman Doug Morris is expected to announce a reorganization today that will include the appointment of Melvyn R. Lewinter as vice chairman of the record company and Zack Horowitz as president. The move comes just 12 days after Morris took over the reins of MCA Inc.'s music operations after the sudden ouster of former chairman Al Teller. MCA is 80% owned by Seagram Co.