WASHINGTON, DC (May 15, 2024) – The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), today announced the elevation of Erin D. D. Burr to Senior Vice President, Media Relations | Gold & Platinum Program and Matthew Bass to Vice President, Research and Gold & Platinum Operations.
RIAA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mitch Glazier announced the promotions this week saying, “Erin and Matt are stars who have already shined so brightly at RIAA and in their new roles will be even more visible and effective. As the music community works together to address unprecedented new opportunities and challenges from the meteoric rise of streaming to the current effort to chart a path towards responsible and pro-artist AI, we are all lucky to have Erin and Matt embracing greater responsibilities.”
RIAA President and Chief Operating Officer Michele Ballantyne observed, “This is a great day for RIAA, elevating two leaders from inside our organization who have seized every opportunity to learn and grow. They have both made themselves indispensable to our work – and to the fabric of our team. Erin and Matt aren’t just brilliant professionals, they are both extraordinarily decent people who make our entire community stronger.”
“Connection through people, stories and music has always been instinctual to me – and has also served as the basis for my entire career. I’m grateful for this amplified role, RIAA’s culture of community and passion advocating for the creative talents across the entire industry. As we navigate ever-evolving opportunities where artistry intersects with policy and technology, I’m excited to explore more ways to support human creators and our member labels while nurturing a vital relationship with media,” said Erin.
Erin will continue to lead RIAA’s press outreach and serve as a communications strategist for RIAA initiatives such as celebrating Gold & Platinum certifications, elevating C-suite profiles and supporting the Human Artistry CampAIgn – a growing global coalition of 180+ organizations whose mission is to keep irreplaceable human expression at the core of technological innovation. While maintaining her love of sharing stories and creating moments, she now helps others understand the challenges and opportunities the music industry faces. Erin secures executive op-eds on the state of the industry and helps make policy that effects creators more digestible, knowing the urgency of protecting art and rights nationwide – and recently with the ELVIS Act press conference to modernize the Tennessee right of publicity law. Prior to joining RIAA, her decade-plus tenure at Big Machine Label Group in Nashville involved executing high-profile releases for Reba, Carly Pearce and The Mavericks, among others to share their art and perspectives across major television, print and digital outlets; crafting specific awards campaigns; developing multi-genre roll-outs and navigating consistent messaging as layers built around projects. The Buckhannon, WV native is a past Music Row magazine “Next Big Thing” honoree, was nominated for the Country Music Association (CMA)’s Touring Awards “Publicist of the Year” in 2018, has been named to HITS Daily Double Noisemakers and her work also led to past nominations for Big Machine as PR Week’s Campaign of the Year and In-House PR Team of the Year. Erin currently serves on the inaugural Musicians On Call Music Industry Advisory Board.
Matt said, “I feel privileged to have spent the last 11 years at RIAA, where I’m able to combine two of my passions – music and data – and call it work. I’m proud to produce our annual revenue reports, work with esteemed researchers and economists as well as uncover trends in the industry or new milestones in our Gold & Platinum program that celebrate artist and label successes.”
The Accident, MD-raised executive began his career working with federal agencies in the renewable energy field, managing federal funds for the research and development of projects within the Geothermal and Solar Energy Departments at the Department of Energy. Matt has also held roles with the General Services Administration on technology projects and as an analyst under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. But it was his true passion for music that led him to RIAA, where he has spent the last decade telling the story of the recorded music industry through annual reports that set the table for policy discussions and support efforts to protect copyright in the U.S. Matt explores findings in these research efforts with industry panels, universities, reporters, legislators and other stakeholders. He also manages the Association’s authoritative data holdings and has played a vital role in modernization efforts across RIAA’s Gold & Platinum Program.
ABOUT RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) advocates for recorded music and the people and companies that create it in the United States. RIAA’s several hundred members – ranging from major American music groups with global reach to artist-owned labels and small businesses – make up the world’s most vibrant and innovative music community, working to help artists reach their potential and connect with fans while supporting hundreds of thousands of American jobs. Since 1958, the RIAA Gold & Platinum program has celebrated sales/streaming milestones for albums and singles, recognizing the incredible successes of artists and their label partners. To learn more, please visit riaa.com.
