Ienner & Anthony Out At Sony. Columbia’s Greenberg May Be Next.

UPDATED: The major label purging continued today as Don Ienner and Michele Anthony resigned from the Sony Music Label Group, effective immediately. Ienner was only promoted to his post three months ago.

Rob Stringer brother of Sony chief Sir Howard Stringer, has been named President of the Sony Music Label Group effective September 1. In the interim, the labels will report to Sony BMG Music Entertainment COO Tim Bowen.

Separately Billboard Radio Monitor is quoting sources that Columbia Records President Steve Greenberg is also close to stepping down. Reportedly Greenberg and Sony BMG are negotiating a restructuring or buyout of his contract which is believed to have multiple years left.

Read the text of the Sony memo after the jump below.

Commentary from Bob Lefsetz:

"…The slate’s been wiped clean…the replacement slate is irrelevant…It’s no longer about machinations, but acts.  Working them from the ground up.  Bonnaroo has got much more to do with the future of the record business than Top Forty radio.

The major labels are not prepared to deal with this paradigm.  They want big acts..This is a business, they’ll continue to rule it, but its share of the music pie will be ever-decreasing.

Furthermore, as any teenager will tell you, the stuff on major labels is SHIT!  Indie’s where it’s at."

Comment On The Velvet Rope:

Everyone was dancing in the hallways at 550 Madison today. Everyone but Steve (Greenberg) and Charlie that is. Corks of Dom will be popping tonight and all weekend. Today was a good day.

Related stories @ HITS, FMQB, AP. Velvet Rope

From: SONY BMG Broadcast
Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2006 1:31 PM
Subject: Letter From Rolf Schmidt-Holtz

FROM: Rolf Schmidt-Holtz

TO: SONY BMG Employees

DATE: June 1, 2006

It is with regret that today I announce that Don Ienner and Michele Anthony have decided to resign from SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT. Donnie and Michele have been the bedrock upon which Sony Music’s success has been built over the last 18 years and we are very appreciative of their important contributions during this period.

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Rob Stringer as President of the Sony Music Label Group reporting directly to me, effective September 1, 2006. I am delighted that Rob has agreed to join us in New York. Rob has been with Sony Music throughout his 20-year career and now is the perfect time for him to take on this senior role.

From now until September the label group will report to Tim Bowen, Chief Operating Officer, SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.