Sylvia Rhone closed out her legendary six-year stretch as chair and CEO of Epic Records on Sunday, stepping down from the top job at Sony Music’s label after a career that repeatedly reshaped the music business and shattered industry ceilings.
“It’s been an extraordinary journey: eleven years since my promotion to President of Epic Records and six years since my appointment as Chairwoman and CEO,” Rhone wrote in a farewell memo obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. “And today, I am moving on from this historic role at Epic and I’m very excited about the future.”
Her departure leaves Epic without its longtime leader and the major label system without a single woman CEO.
Rhone, 72, exits with a résumé that includes firsts no one else has matched: the first woman and first Black executive to run multiple major record companies under Fortune 500 ownership.
During her time at Epic, Rhone helped shape the sound of modern Hip-Hop and pop, guiding the careers of Travis Scott, 21 Savage, DJ Khaled, Future, Meghan Trainor, Madison Beer, and Camila Cabello. Her influence helped Epic maintain relevance in a rapidly changing landscape.
Sony Music Group chairman Rob Stringer, who tapped Rhone for the CEO role in 2019, praised her leadership.
“It’s been our honor to work with a true icon,” he said. “In an industry defined by its constant evolution, Sylvia has adapted and embraced change, time and time again.”
Before her Epic chapter, Rhone led a series of major labels, beginning in 1990 when she became CEO of Atlantic’s EastWest Records. Four years later, she was appointed chair and CEO of Elektra Entertainment Group, where she built a genre-spanning roster that included artists such as Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, AC/DC, Metallica, and Björk.
She called the Elektra era “a cultural renaissance” and her impact continued at Motown, where she worked with Stevie Wonder on his final studio album and helped push Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, and Drake into global superstardom through Cash Money’s distribution deal.
Rhone’s path began at Buddha Records as a secretary after graduating from The Wharton School. She rose through the ranks, eventually becoming senior vice president of Black Music at Atlantic Records.
Her decades in the business earned her numerous honors, including an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music.
“I have worked in our industry since vinyl ruled, and women were rarely, if ever, in line for C-level or even vice-presidential roles,” she wrote in her memo. “I am proud of my achievements, and of my commitment to those who take inspiration from them.”
No successor has been named.
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