In a recent interview with Joe Budden, Gamma CEO Larry Jackson made bold claims about Drake’s commercial impact in the streaming era, asserting that the Canadian rapper’s value eclipses that of all artists from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s combined.
Jackson, who previously served as Apple Music’s global creative director for seven years, discussed Drake’s record deal and the dominance of his music in the streaming landscape.
According to Jackson, the most consumed catalogs on streaming platforms are from the ’90s onwards, particularly music from the 2000s and 2010s, indicating Drake’s unparalleled popularity among contemporary listeners.
“The thing I will say to you about the artist you just mentioned, is that if you look at his music, he’s bigger than the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s combined,” Jackson remarked.
“I don’t mean like one artist from that era, I mean all of those eras combined.”
He emphasized the significance of Drake’s impact on his career trajectory, citing the confidence and conviction derived from their achievements at Apple Music. He underscored the intangible value of their collaborations, highlighting the transformative effect on his professional journey.
The assertions align with market data obtained by Billboard, which revealed that Drake outpaced all pre-1980 records combined in terms of U.S. on-demand streams in 2021.
The report, based on data from Luminate (formerly known as MRC Data), underscored Drake’s dominance in the contemporary music landscape.
These remarks from Jackson come nearly a year after Drake tied Michael Jackson for the most chart-topping songs by a solo male artist, securing his 13th No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, Jackson’s media company, Gamma, launched in March 2023, boasts a roster of artists including Snoop Dogg, Usher, Rick Ross, French Montana, and Sexyy Red.
During his tenure at Apple Music 1, Jackson spearheaded innovative projects such as Drake’s OVO Sound Radio, Nicki Minaj’s Queen Radio, and Frank Ocean’s Blonded show
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