Dr. Richard James Burgess is stepping down as President and CEO of The American Affiliation of Unbiased Music (A2IM) at the start of 2026 after ten years.
The group mentioned that Burgess has been “instrumental in advancing the pursuits of impartial music”, and has left “an indelible mark” on the org and the broader music trade.
He introduced the information on the group’s Annual Normal Assembly throughout A2IM Indie Week.
A2IM mentioned that Burgess has “overseen a interval of serious progress and innovation” for the org throughout his tenure, “cementing its popularity as a robust advocate for impartial music”.
The Board of Administrators mentioned that it has initiated a seek for his successor.
Based on A2IM, beneath Dr. Burgess’s management, the physique’s membership has grown to greater than 750 member corporations.
A2IM has additionally highlighted Burgess’s advocacy and coverage work throughout his tenure, noting that he “ensured the impartial voice was on the desk in all conversations on Capitol Hill which may have an effect on the independents by hiring a DC-based lobbying agency, collaborating with different commerce associations on coverage and advocacy initiatives that aligned with A2IM members’ pursuits, and by personally collaborating in a mess of different advocacy efforts”.
Elsewhere, throughout Burgess’s tenure, A2IM mentioned that the group “prioritized variety and inclusion inside the trade, launching initiatives to assist underrepresented communities and setting an instance by gender balancing and diversifying its employees, board, and occasions (back and front of home)”.
A2IM additionally launched a healthcare plan providing for its member corporations, their workers, contractors, and artists throughout his tenure, and expanded A2IM Indie Week “from a single-room occasion to a premier worldwide convention for the impartial music trade”.
A2IM says it was based in 2005 “in response to the digital disruption of the music trade, in search of financial parity and market equivalency, and as an advocacy platform addressing the issues, challenges, and benefits that an amalgamated but exceptionally numerous impartial sector represented”.
“As A2IM approaches its twentieth anniversary in 2025, I’m crammed with immense satisfaction for our collective achievements and honored to have been the longest-serving head of A2IM thus far.
Dr. Richard James Burgess
“As A2IM approaches its twentieth anniversary in 2025, I’m crammed with immense satisfaction for our collective achievements and honored to have been the longest-serving head of A2IM thus far,” mentioned Burgess.
“Main this distinctive group has been a unprecedented expertise. I’m profoundly grateful for the assist and dedication of our board members, the invaluable work of our founding members and prior presidents who arrange the group to succeed, and the unwavering dedication of our many members. Our success is a testomony to the laborious work and fervour of the numerous workforce members I’ve had the pleasure to work alongside.
“Thanks for entrusting me with the well-being of your group for all these years. I’m assured that the longer term holds nice promise for our impartial group, and I sit up for celebrating our continued progress and accomplishments a decade from now.”Music Enterprise Worldwide
