Industry veteran Michael LoBiondo has joined Warner Chappell Music as head of business development, the company announced on Wednesday. Based in Los Angeles and reporting to CEO Guy Moot and global CFO David Woirhaye, LoBiondo’s role will include identifying and executing acquisitions and partnerships for the publisher’s songwriters and song catalog.
LoBiondo most recently worked at artist development company mtheory, whose roster includes A$AP Rocky, Twenty One Pilots and Major Lazer. Prior to mtheory, he spent a number of years as senior director at WCM’s parent, Warner Music Group, where he supported the 2013 acquisition of Parlophone Label Group and a number of Series A music technology investments. He began his career as an analyst at Goldman Sachs.
“Michael brings with him a wealth of experience in music and business development from both the recorded and publishing sides of the business,” said Moot and COO Carianne Marshall in a joint statement. “With music becoming increasingly more global, his wide-ranging expertise will be instrumental in helping us execute big picture deals such as catalog acquisitions and partnerships with emerging technology companies.”
LoBiondo added, "Warner Chappell is committed to building long-term value for its songwriters while fostering a collaborative, forward-thinking culture for its team. With increased activity around catalog acquisitions and new digital platform licensing, the company is ideally positioned to further capitalize on opportunities in the market and I'm excited to contribute to the growth of the company.”
LoBiondo arrives at a time of accelerated growth for Warner Chappell, which saw its revenues grow 15.7% to $192 million during its second fiscal quarter.
LoBiondo added, "Warner Chappell is committed to building long-term value for its songwriters while fostering a collaborative, forward-thinking culture for its team. With increased activity around catalog acquisitions and new digital platform licensing, the company is ideally positioned to further capitalize on opportunities in the market and I'm excited to contribute to the growth of the company.”
LoBiondo arrives at a time of accelerated growth for Warner Chappell, which saw its revenues grow 15.7% to $192 million during its second fiscal quarter.
The estate of Prince has shared a previously unheard recording of “With This Tear,” a track the late icon originally wrote before passing it on to Celine Dion in the early 1990s.
The newly revealed version, released through NPG Records and Legacy Recordings, presents Prince’s own recording of the piano driven ballad, fully written, produced and performed by him. It was initially recorded at Paisley Park in November 1991 and had stayed in the vault until now.
Dion’s interpretation of “With This Tear” was included on her 1992 self titled album, highlighting one of many moments where Prince created songs for other artists while holding back his own versions. His original recording feels more minimal, putting the focus on his vocals and piano arrangement.
The newly issued version has been given an updated mix by Grammy nominated producer Chris James, who has worked on several Prince related releases before. This drop is part of the Prince Estate’s ongoing effort to open up more of his deep archive of unreleased music.
The release arrives at a meaningful moment, just ahead of the 10th anniversary of Prince’s passing. Since 2016, a consistent flow of archival material including deluxe reissues, vault recordings and rare collaborations has kept his legacy active in today’s music landscape while offering a closer look at how much he created.
“With This Tear” also highlights Prince’s long established role as a songwriter for others. Across his career, he wrote and produced tracks for a wide range of artists, often shaping songs that evolved into entirely new identities outside his own discography.
The release comes amid growing attention around Prince’s archive in recent years. In 2024, a demo of “Baby Doll,” an unreleased collaboration between Prince and Kylie Minogue, surfaced online and showed just how much material still remains unheard.
While there has been no official confirmation of a larger vault project, reports continue to suggest that more archival releases could be on the way.
