Music industry strategic advisor and former Cooking Vinyl Head of Digital Sammy Andrews has joined independent data solution developer Entertainment Intelligence (Ei) as a Director.
In addition, existing Ei director Erik Gilbert has assumed executive duties after stepping down from the board of Essential Music & Marketing.
Ei founder Greg Delaney, co-founder of CrowdSurge, completes the roll call of directors. [Pictured L-R: Gilbert, Delaney and Andrews.]
In contrast to the other data companies that are now owned by the likes of Apple (MusicMetric), Spotify (The Echo Nest) and Pandora (NextBigSound), Ei is wholly independent, which it says enables it to gain access to a greater spread of granular data from across all services – from playlist consumption to listening device preferences.
“I’ve spent a lot of time over the years speaking publicly about the incredible wealth of data we are generating as an industry – and how ludicrous it is that so many sectors within the business still don’t understand it.”
Sammy Andrews, ei
According to Companies House filings, Cooking Vinyl boss Martin Goldschmidt stepped down as a Director of Ei in January. MBW understands that the Cooking Vinyl Group no longer owns a stake in Ei.
Ei says it has developed a centralised solution capable of blending enormous volumes of consumption and social data from across an artist’s global footprint.
The company has spent the last two years absorbing millions of lines of data from 150 labels to inform its development and build an out-of-the-box dashboard (currently in Beta).
Ei can add tools to this dashboard on the fly, with playlist popularity tracking a recent addition.
Before joining Cooking Vinyl in 2013, Sammy Andrews was Head of Digital at the record division of 19 Entertainment, though her remit there expanded beyond music to cover brands including the Beckhams, the England football team and Honda
In addition, Andrews has led her own digital consultancy firm, Sabotage New Media since 2008, working with a range of artists and organisations including Annie Lennox, Robyn, Skunk Anansie, the Camden Rocks music festival, the Mama group, the United Nations and Comic Relief.
In addition to her Directorship at Ei, Andrews will continue as a strategic advisor to other organisations in the industry.
“Ei allows a clearer window into our artists’ ecosystems, allowing us to make more efficient and well-informed decisions – saving both time and money.”
John Leahy, Ignition records
Said Greg Delaney, Founder, Entertainment Intelligence: “We are delighted to welcome Sammy to Ei and benefit from Erik’s wisdom full-time.
“Their collective knowledge and understanding of the needs of the music business is unparalleled.”
Sammy Andrews added: “It is no secret that I’ve spent a lot of time over the years speaking publicly about the incredible wealth of data we are generating as an industry and how ludicrous it is that so many organisations and sectors within the business still don’t understand it, don’t have the facilities or resources to process it, or the ability to use it to make informed decisions to drive revenue and efficiency.
“Entertainment Intelligence offers all sectors of the industry an answer to these problems.”
Jeremy Silver said of Ei: “In the creative industries, data and digital are now mainstream not niche but you still need specialists to help you navigate your business through the rapids. Ei is launching onto the white water at just the right time.”
John Leahy of Ignition Records & Management noted: “With the volumes of data available, often isolated and platform locked, from so many different services and social networks, the ability to collate and blend this in one independent hub is needed now more than ever.
“Ei allows a clearer window into our artists’ ecosystems, allowing us to make more efficient and well informed decisions, saving both time and money.”Music Business Worldwide
