I.B. Bad Part 3 tease

THE $20 BILLION MAN: Today's record businesses is clearly a two-horse race between Sony and Uni, but never underestimate Len Blavatnik, a Russian Member of the Tribe worth more than $20 billion. Those who know the WMG owner say he would buy both of the other two major music groups if given the opportunity. Although Blavatnik failed in his attempt to buy EMI, he did snag Parlophone, the jewel in the crown of the British company, for $765m. But as a pair of music industry novices, Blavatnik and CEO Stephen Cooper don’t seem to realize that the classic money strategy of cutting A&R budgets eventually shrinks a company—quite the opposite of what they had in mind. Cameron Strang is unwilling to fall into this trap, however, bringing in experienced A&R exec Dan McCarroll as President of Warner Bros. Records. The preceding is just a sample of the third and final installment in our own I.B. Bad’s year-end wrap-up, which also addresses Nashville, indie labels, the publishing world, TV, touring the Grammys and much more. Read it in its entirety here. (12/27a)