AIR TYLER MAKES VERTICAL LEAP AT SONY MUSIC LABEL GROUP

The extreme makeover continues at Sony Music Label Group U.S., where Bruce Tyler has been named Executive Vice President, Promotion/Market Strategy, by SMLG President/COO Michele Anthony. The promotion veteran, who will report to Anthony, will partner with Epic’s Charlie Walk, Columbia’s Steve Barnett and Sony Urban Music’s Lisa Ellis in overseeing promotion strategies and initiatives.

In this newly created position, Tyler will manage the Group’s promotion departments, working in tandem with the management of each label. In other words, the promotion departments of Columbia, Epic and Sony Urban will report to their respective label heads, as well as to Tyler. He’ll be responsible for developing innovative marketing and promotion strategies to maximize the impact of SMLG releases.

In related news, we’ve learned that fellow promotion executive Ken Lane, whose hiring we reported in December, has been given the title of Senior Vice President of Promotion at Columbia.

Said Anthony in making the Tyler announcement: “Bruce is one of the most respected and forward-thinking executives in his field. He will provide guidance to all of our labels and divisions and put us in a position to roll out cohesive, long-term strategies. Bruce has the right blend of skills and talents to fully integrate the Group’s efforts and implement a marketing and promotion model that will quickly become an industry standard.”

Tyler came to Sony Music from Active Industry Research, where he was CEO. He’d been at AIR since its founding in 1983.