Bandier Program: Executive Q&A with Jon Cohen ’99, CEO of FADER Label

Please respect that the discussions in this lecture series are off-the-record, with a no social media policy.

The Rezak lecture series is going indie! Specifically, this week we will discuss the state of independent music, with guest and Newhouse alumnus Jon Cohen ’99, CEO of FADER Label. FADER Label is home to greats, including multi-platinum, NME award-winning singer/songwriter (and former Syracuse student) Clairo, platinum recording and VMA award-winning duo Matt and Kim, binki (named a 2021 Artist to Watch by Pandora, with single “Heybb!” featured in Apple’s 2020 iPad Air campaign) and more. We’ll discuss the shifting balances of power between major and indie labels, walk through the day-to-day experience of running an acclaimed label, and focus significantly on the art and science of artist development. There’s much more to discuss with Cohen, however. As a co-founder of the FADER brand, Cohen’s leadership imprint is on everything from FADER the publication, to the cutting-edge Cornerstone brand agency, to the fabled FADER Fort and more.

Please come prepared.
Read: “Fader Label Expands, Powered by Success of Clairo, Slayyyter, More”
Read: “I Trust You: The Oral History of The FADER”
Visit: Cornerstone Agency
Visit: Fader Label

Jon Cohen ’90, co-founder/CEO of The FADER, Inc.; co-CEO of Cornerstone Agency; co-founder/CEO of FADER Label; co-founder of FADER Films

Jon Cohen leads the vision of award-winning creative agency Cornerstone and global media company The FADER, playing an integral role in the careers of many artists and recognized in the industry as a pioneer in publishing and marketing, working for some of the most iconic brands world-wide, including AB InBev, Sonos, Major League Soccer, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Apple, Google, YouTube, Converse and Diageo.

Cohen has served as vice president of Columbia Records’ alternative music department and was head of Alternative Music at SBK/EMI. In those roles he worked with a wide array of artists including Blur, The Fugees, Alice in Chains and Jeff Buckley, and was instrumental in shaping their commercial success. In addition, Cohen serves as an advisor to Syracuse University’s Bandier Program, and is a member of the board of directors for Sweetgreen, the Children’s Cancer Association and MyMusicRx. In 2015 Cohen was a commencement speaker at Syracuse University and was selected as one of the Newhouse School’s 50 Forward.