Education
University of Illinois system. University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.
chairman manager entertainment executive
University of Illinois system. University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.
Since September 2013, he has been chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Azoff MSG Entertainment, a venture with The Madison Square Garden Company. Prior to this he served as chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ticketmaster Entertainment and was executive chairman of Live Nation Entertainment and Chief Executive Officer of Front Lincolnshire Management. He is also on the board of Clear Channel Communications, Starz Incorporated., and Image. In 2012, he topped Billboard"s Power 100 and was named the most powerful person in the music industry.
Raised in a Jewish family in Danville, Illinois, Azoff began promoting and booking bands while a student at Danville High School and then in college at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
He moved to Los Angeles in 1970 with his first client, Dan Fogelberg. He worked for Geffen-Roberts Management and there began working with the Eagles, a relationship that has lasted a lifetime.
During his career he has worked as an agent, personal manager, concert promoter, movie producer, independent record label owner, merchandiser, music publisher, and Chief Executive Officer of a record company. From 1983 to 1989, Azoff was chairman of Master of Computer Applications Records and is credited for turning around that label"s fortunes.
According to Thomas R. King"s book The Operator (2001), David Geffen manipulated Azoff into leaving Master of Computer Applications and going to Warner Music Group, where Azoff started Giant Records.
King writes that Geffen wanted Azoff out at Master of Computer Applications to clear the way for Master of Computer Applications to buy Geffen Records. Geffen convinced Mo Ostin at Warner Music to offer Irving Azoff a "dream" label deal. Giant Records operated for much of the 1990s until Azoff decided to return to concentrating on artist management.
Azoff co-produced the movies Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Urban Cowboy, Jack Frost (1998 film), Above The Rim, and The Inkwell, and was executive producer of The Hurricane.
In 2012, Azoff appeared in Artifact, a documentary film about the modern music business focused on the legal battle between Thirty Seconds to Mars and record label Electric and Music Industries.
In September 2013, Azoff unveiled Azoff MSG Entertainment, a venture with The Madison Square Garden Company (MSG) In addition to his role as chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Azoff MSG Entertainment, Azoff would serve as a consultant to MSG in connection with the management of its live event venues, including the Forum in Inglewood, California and other MSG-managed buildings. In 2012, he topped Billboard Magazine"s Power 100, being named the most powerful person in the music industry.
Azoff serves on the boards of iHeartCommunications, Incorporated. and Starz Limited Liability Company.