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No. 96
Steve Berman
Vice Chairman
Interscope Records
Twitter: @Interscope
High-Profile Projects...

Steve Berman has been with the label since its inception in 1991, and under Jimmy Iovine (see No. 10) leads the day-to-day marketing and sales charge at Interscope Geffen A&M, one of the industry's most prodigious hit-making labels. IGA has continually finished among the top labels in market share, coming in at No. 2 the past two years. In 2011, IGA claimed 7.9% of album and track-equivalent album sales, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The label's roster (which includes Eminem, Lady Gaga, the Black Eyed Peas, Maroon 5 and 2011 breakout act LMFAO) was bolstered by the recent signings of Madonna and Van Halen, in which Berman played a key role. He now has the gargantuan task of shepherding those high-profile new projects through the media and retail pipeline. Berman has been at the forefront of finding creative means to package and promote releases in an ever-changing retail environment. He recently orchestrated one of the biggest album launches in the past few years with Lady Gaga's Born This Way, which found its way into 25,000 nontraditional retail locations from Starbucks to CVS. The album was also offered as a download through a Gaga-branded "Farmville" promotion in conjunction with social game developer Zynga. An idea-generator who's known for his sense of humor and flawless execution of plans, Berman's power is palpable.

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