Peter Edge is an English-American record executive. He is the chairman and CEO of RCA Records.
Early life and education Edge was born near Coventry, England. Fueled in part by his sister's record collection – which included influential records by Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, and Marvin Gaye—he developed an early passion for music. As a university student at Coventry Polytechnic, Edge dj’d at local radio stations, clubs and parties and formed a friendship with 2 Tone and The Special AKA founder, Jerry Dammers. He graduated with honors and earned a degree in Communication Studies, which required coursework in film, art, psychology and sociology.
Career Switch, Chrysalis Music Publishing, Cooltempo Following his graduation, Edge moved to London, where he was hired as a music researcher for Channel Four's television series Switch. He booked up-and-coming artists such as Sade and Grace Jones for Switch, and was hired by Simon Fuller to work a side gig as an A&R representative for Chrysalis Music Publishing. As he gained recognition for his “ears,” he was invited to meet with Doug D’arcy, then the head of Chrysalis Records. Edge had planned to pitch D’Arcy on creating another music program for television, but was instead recruited to start a label. In 1985, the label, Cooltempo, was launched as an imprint of Chrysalis Records, where, by then, Fuller also worked. A reflection of his own taste in music as well as the burgeoning house and hip hop scene of the mid-80s, the Cooltempo roster was anchored by pioneering hip hop artists including Doug E. Fresh, Erik B and Rakim, EPMD, The Real Roxanne, and Monie Love, as well as house artist Adeva. Edge worked in partnership with producer Danny D of D Mob, and with a string of best-selling albums and hit singles including Paul Hardcastle's "19," Monie Love's "Grandpa's Party," and Adeva's "Respect," Cooltempo became the preeminent dance label of the time.
A reflection of his own taste in music as well as the house and hip hop scene of the mid-80s, the Cooltempo roster included hip hop artists such as Doug E. Fresh, Erik B and Rakim, EPMD, The Real Roxanne, and Monie Love, as well as house artist Adeva. Edge worked in partnership with producer Danny D of D Mob, and with a string of best-selling albums and hit singles including Paul Hardcastle's "19," Monie Love's "Grandpa's Party," and Adeva's "Respect," Cooltempo became a prominent dance label of the time.
Warner Bros. Records, Alicia Keys, Arista Records Edge began working at Warner Bros. Records in 1991, after he met Benny Medina and Lenny Waronker, who then ran the label. Over his five-year tenure at Warner Bros., he signed Monie Love to a US contract and signed and worked closely with Meshell Ndegeocello and the artists associated with Native Tongues, including the Jungle Brothers. He moved to New York in 1993.
In 1996 Edge was introduced to the then 14-year-old Alicia Keys by her manager, Jeff Robinson. Later that year, he met Clive Davis, who hired him as vice president of A&R at Arista Records. Robinson and Edge set up showcases for Keys, but the timing was off, and as Edge transitioned from Warner Brothers to Arista, Keys was signed by Columbia Records.
At Arista, Edge continued to focus on dance and pop music, notably signing the trip hop trio Faithless, who went on to sell more than 10 million records worldwide. Along with Sister Bliss and Maxi Jazz, Faithless included Rollo Armstrong, whose sister, Dido, sang on several of the group's tracks. Impressed, Edge signed Dido to Arista, and oversaw the recording of her first album, No Angel, which sold 21 million records worldwide. Edge also signed Angie Stone, a three-time Grammy nominee, in addition to others, and in 1998 was reunited with Keys, who had been released from her contract at Columbia. Edge served as the executive producer on her debut album, Songs in A Minor.
J Records, RCA Music Group
In 2000, with $150 million in funding from BMG, Davis founded J Records and brought Edge and other key executives from Arista to the newly formed label. Keys' Songs in A Minor was released on J, and entered the Billboard charts at #1. It earned five Grammy Awards, and as of 2015 had sold more than 13 million albums. Keys' catalogue has exceeded 75 million in global sales.
With Edge running A&R, J released multi-platinum records from Luther Vandross, and Jamie Foxx, among others, as well as Mario's self-titled debut album, which was certified gold. Two years after it was launched, BMG bought a majority stake in J, and it was folded into the RCA Music Group; in 2004, as the result of a joint venture between BMG and Sony, the label operated as part of the Bertelsmann Music Group. Subsequently, Edge was appointed executive vice president of A&R at RCA, and in 2007, he was named president of A&R for RCA Music Group. He continued to work with Keys—her second album, The Diary of Alicia Keys, surpassed 15 million in sales—and served as the A&R executive on Dido's multi-platinum records Life for Rent and White Flag.Edge had additional success with records by Jamie Foxx, Jazmine Sullivan and Mario, who had a worldwide hit with "Let Me Love You."
RCA Records
Following a series of sales, mergers and reorganizations between 2007 and 2011, Sony Music became the parent company of RCA Music Group, which then included Jive Records, Arista, J, and RCA. In 2011, Doug Morris, formerly the chairman of Universal Music, was named chairman of Sony Music Entertainment and, with an acknowledged focus on a&r and artist development, appointed Edge RCA Records chief executive officer. Shortly thereafter, the Jive, Arista, and J label imprints were folded into RCA Records.
Edge has remained involved in the process of making records at RCA, and works with A&R executives including Keith Naftaly, Mark Pitts, and Tunji Balogun. Under his auspices, RCA has released hit records by Christina Aguilera, Chris Brown, Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus, D’Angelo, Foo Fighters, Kings of Leon, Ray LaMontagne, P!nk, Mark Ronson, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Shakira, and Usher, among others, and achieved breakthrough success with artists including A$AP Rocky, A$AP Ferg, G-Eazy, Childish Gambino, H.E.R., Khalid, Miguel, Pentatonix, Bryson Tiller, SZA, and Sia.
Edge has been included on Billboard's "Power 100" list for 14 consecutive years, beginning in 2012.
Philanthropy Edge has been involved in the charitable organization Keep a Child Alive since it was established in 2003. Founded by Alicia Keys and Leigh Blake, a longtime AIDS activist, the organization provides HIV treatment, care, food and support services to children and families affected by HIV in Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda and India. He serves on the Global Board of Directors for Arms Around The Child, an outgrowth of Keep A Child Alive, which provides housing, medical treatment, education and additional services to children who have lost their parents or are living in adversity. Edge was honored for his work with the charity in 2013 at the inauguration of The Other Ball, an annual fundraiser for Arms Around The Child.
In June 2016, both Edge and Tom Corson, then the president and COO of RCA, were presented with the music visionary of the year award by the UJA, the United Jewish Appeal. An annual award for professionals in the music industry, Corson and Edge were honored for demonstrating leadership and philanthropy, both at work and in the community. $1.2 million was raised at the 2016 event to support a network of nearly 100 nonprofits that serve 4.5 million people in New York and in 70 countries around the world through programs that provide food, medicine, job training and more to people in need.
Discography Year Album Artist Credit 2016Mind of Mine ZAYN A&R2015 Love Stuff Elle King A&RReality ShowJazmine Sullivan Producer Nina Revisited: A Tribute to Nina Simone Producer, executive producer2014 JHUD Jennifer Hudson Executive producerShakira Shakira A&R2012 Girl on Fire Alicia Keys A&RNew Life Monica ProducerPerfectly Imperfect Elle Varner ProducerTwo Eleven Brandy Executive producer 2011 Late Nights & Early Mornings Marsha Ambrosius ProducerThe Essential Whitney Houston Whitney Houston A&R2010 Love & War Daniel Merriweather A&R, executive producer31 Minutes to Takeoff Mike Posner A&RBest Night of My Life Jamie Foxx Executive producer, producerLove Me Back Jazmine Sullivan ProducerWhat Did You Think Was Going to Happen? 2AM Club A&R2009 D.N.A. Mario ProducerImpossible Daniel Merriweather A&RThe Element of Freedom Alicia Keys Executive producerThrowing Bricks Instead of Kisses Inward Eye A&R2008 Fearless Jazmine Sullivan Executive producerIntuition Jamie Foxx Executive producerSafe Trip Home Dido A&R2007 As I Am Alicia Keys Executive producerGo Mario Executive producer2006 Blue Collar Rhymefest Executive ProducerDefected in the House: Eivissa 06 Various artists Executive producer East Side Story Emily King Executive producerMTV2 My Block: Chicago Various artists Executive producer2005 Dido Live Dido A&RGreatest Hits Live Angie Stone Executive producerStone Hits: The Very Best of Angie Stone Angie Stone Executive producerUnplugged Alicia Keys Executive producerUnpredictable Jamie Foxx Executive producer2004 Don't Leave Home Dido A&RIf I Ain't Got You Alicia Keys Executive producerStone Love Angie Stone Executive ProducerTurning Point Mario Executive producer2003 Life for Rent Dido A&RThe Diary of Alicia Keys Alicia Keys Executive producerWhite Flag/Paris Dido A&R2002 How Come You Don't Call Me Alicia Keys Executive producerLearning From Falling Lamya ProducerMario Mario Executive producerNo Fear Abra Moore A&R2001 Fallin' (German CD) Alicia Keys A&R, executive producerFine Whitney Houston A&RLuther Vandross Luther Vandross A&RMahogany Soul Angie Stone Executive producerOlivia Olivia A&RSongs in A Minor Alicia Keys Executive producerThank You Dido A&R2000 The Greatest Hits Whitney Houston A&R1999 Black Diamond Angie Stone Executive producerNo Angel Dido A&R1997 Money Talks soundtrack album Various artists A&R1994 Natural Thing Juliet Roberts Executive producerAmbushed Da Bush Babees A&RDa Bush Babees - Ambushed (CD liner notes). Reprise Records. 45449-21993 In a Word or 2 Monie Love Executive producerThe Voice Mavis Staples Executive producer
References
External links
RCA Records Keep a Child Alive Arms Around The Child