Kirk Sommer

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Kirk M. Sommer
Born1977
New York, New York
Alma materNew York University
OccupationTalent agent
Years active2000–present
EmployerWME
TitlePartner and global co-head of music
SpouseChloe Sommer (m. 2006)
Children2
AwardsBillboard Power 100
Variety 500
Pollstar Impact 50

Kirk M. Sommer is an American entertainment industry executive and talent agent. Based in New York and Los Angeles, he is partner and global co-head of music at WME.

Early life and education[edit]

Sommer was born in New York. A music fan since childhood, he briefly played several instruments, but other interests kept him from practicing regularly. He liked to work, and in grade school went door-to-door in his neighborhood to pick up jobs such as shoveling snow, washing cars, and raking leaves.[1] He was also an athlete, and played basketball and soccer.[2] He attended New York University.[3]

Career[edit]

NYU, William Morris Agency, WME[edit]

Sommer began booking small concerts during his freshman year at NYU. The first show he booked was successful, and for the next four years, he created, booked, and promoted events ranging from open mic nights and small parties to large bridge and tunnel events at diverse venues throughout Manhattan. He also interned for an independent concert promotion company, Delsener/Slater.[1] During the internship, he realized that he was more interested in being an agent than in being a promoter; in an interview with Pollstar, he said he wanted to be more involved in artist development and "the decisions that help artists grow." [4] He decided to pursue a career as a talent agent, and in 2000 he was hired as an agent trainee at William Morris in Los Angeles.[1]

Sommer started in the mailroom,[3] and was promoted to partner when William Morris merged with Endeavor in 2009.[5] He was appointed global co-head of music in 2015.[6]

The Killers, Amy Winehouse, Adele[edit]

Sommer's first signing was The Killers, who he began working with in 2003, just as their debut, Hot Fuss, was released. The band toured heavily in support of the album, and while their audience grew significantly, they continued to play in small venues. The demand for tickets increased and the buzz intensified, and eight months after playing the 1200-capacity 9:30 Club in DC, they sold out the 16,000+ capacity Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland.[7] As of 2024, the Killers had performed in more than 50 countries on six continents.[8][9]

Amy Winehouse, Coachella 2007

In addition to booking concerts and tours, Sommer focused on scouting new artists in the US and the UK. In 2006, he signed Amy Winehouse.[10] In January 2007—prior the North American release of Back to Black—Winehouse played her first US dates, selling out two nights at Joe's Pub in New York. Music Week reported that the shows were "stellar, and that "everybody in New York was talking about Amy Winehouse after she left." [11] A month after Back to Black came out in the US, she played Coachella. A story in The Times was headlined: "Amy Winehouse Finds Fame at Coachella." [12]

Adele live in 2009

Sommer signed Adele in 2007, prior to the release of 19.[13] She played shows in Los Angeles and New York at very small clubs In March 2008,[14] and returned in May for a string of sold-out theater dates.[15] In 2015, rather than using a national promoter such as AEG or Live Nation, Sommer booked her tour market-to-market, in part to support the independent companies who promoted Adele dates earlier in her career.[16] In 2022, he booked her 100-date residency at The Coliseum at Caesars Palace. Billboard estimated that Adele was paid more than $2 million per show.[17][18]

Arctic Monkeys, Sam Smith, Hozier[edit]

Among others, Sommer signed Sam Smith, Arctic Monkeys, and Hozier in 2013.[19] Arctic Monkeys broke in the US in 2014 and moved up to arenas such as Madison Square Garden and upper lineup slots at festivals including Summerfest and Lollapalooza.[20] Arctic Monkeys, Sam Smith, and Hozier each generated $30 million in touring revenue in 2023.[21]

In addition to the Killers, Adele, Arctic Monkeys, Smith and Hozier, he represents artists including Steve Aoki, Miley Cyrus, Morrissey and Weezer.[22][23] WME booked an estimated 40,000 shows globally in 2023.[24]

Recognition[edit]

In 2005, Sommer was named to Billboard's "30 Under 30"; ten years later, he was included in the magazine's "40 Under 40." [6] He appeared on the Billboard Power 100 for 10 consecutive years, beginning in 2014. [25][26][27][28]

In 2021, 2022, and 2023, Sommer was included in the Variety 500, Variety's annual list of the most influential people in the global entertainment industry.[29] He was named to Pollstar's "Impact 50" in 2022[30] and 2023,[31] and was nominated for the Pollstar Agent of the Year/Bobby Brooks Award every year that the award was presented from 2010 through 2023.[32][21][33][34][35][36][37][38]

Personal life[edit]

Sommer and his wife, Chloe—a jewelry designer and former journalist—were married in 2006. They have two daughters.[39]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Kirk Sommer, Partner and Co-Head of Music, WME - Pollstar News". 2021-05-12. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  2. ^ Newall, Kevin (October 16, 1993),The Record, page 6
  3. ^ a b Duffy, Tom (2006). "2006 Power Players/30 Under 30", Billboard, Vol. 118, pp 35-36,38-39.
  4. ^ "Executive Profile: Kirk Sommer - Pollstar News". 2016-05-06. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
  5. ^ Cieply, Michael (2009-04-28). "A Merger of Agencies Shakes Up Hollywood". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
  6. ^ a b Staff, Billboard (2015-09-24). "40 Under 40: Music's Top Young Power Players Revealed". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-05-17.
  7. ^ Waddell, R. (2005). Sommer's modern rock renaissance. Billboard, 117(43), 24.
  8. ^ DEALMAKERS. (2022, Dec 28). Variety, p. 94-108.
  9. ^ "The Killers sell music publishing catalog to Eldridge, including hits like Mr. Brightside and Human". Music Business Worldwide. 2020-11-17. Retrieved 2024-05-17.
  10. ^ Govan, Chloe (2013), Amy Winehouse The Untold Story, Thistle Publishing, 2013, 9781909609518
  11. ^ "Making It in America: Amy Winehouse. (2007, Feb 17). Music Week, , p. 9.
  12. ^ Rivalland, Monique (2024-05-13). "Amy Winehouse finds fame at Coachella". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
  13. ^ Newkey-Burden, Chas (2015). Adele: The Biography. Abrams. p. 20. ISBN 9781468313390. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  14. ^ Roberts, Randall (2016-02-10). "Adele announces surprise Los Angeles show at the Wiltern on Friday". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
  15. ^ Harding, C. (2008). "Chasing Glory", Billboard, v. 120, (19), p. 29-31.
  16. ^ "Adele Plots U.S. Tour With Indie Promoters Snubbing Live Nation, AEG". Hypebot. 2015-11-16. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
  17. ^ "Adele in November: Las Vegas Strip headliner resets schedule". Las Vegas Review-Journal. 2024-04-05. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
  18. ^ Brooks, Dave (2021-12-06). "Adele's Las Vegas Residency Is Her Most Exclusive and (Likely) Expensive Outing Yet". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
  19. ^ "Fall Album Preview: October 2014". Billboard. 2014-08-22. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
  20. ^ Jurgensen, J., & Karp, H. (2014, May 09). "Live Music's Big Summer", Wall Street Journal.
  21. ^ a b "Pollstar Award Winners - Pollstar News". 2012-02-03. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  22. ^ Shah, Neil. "From Lady Gaga to Bad Bunny: What to Know About Live Music's Return". WSJ. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
  23. ^ Sisario, Ben (2022-04-14). "Coachella Kicks Off a High-Stakes, Still Uncertain Concert Season". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
  24. ^ Karp, Hannah (2024-01-31). "Agencies on Billboard's 2024 Power 100 List". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  25. ^ Staff, Billboard (2022-01-26). "The 2022 Billboard Power List Revealed". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  26. ^ Staff, Billboard (2017-02-09). "No. 16: Marc Geiger, Sara Newkirk Simon, Kirk Sommer & Rob Beckham | Power 100". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  27. ^ Staff, Billboard (2020-01-24). "The 2020 Billboard Power List Revealed". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  28. ^ DiGiacomo, Frank (2023-02-02). "Billboard's 2023 Power 100: Executives List Revealed". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  29. ^ Variety staff (2021-12-17). "Kirk Sommer". Variety. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  30. ^ "2022 Impact 50: Kirk M. Sommer - Pollstar News". 2022-05-16. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  31. ^ "2023 Impact 50: Kirk Sommer - Pollstar News". 2023-05-15. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  32. ^ "Nominations Announced For 35th Annual Pollstar Awards, Voting Open Now - Pollstar News". 2023-11-10. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  33. ^ Nicholson, Jessica (2014-11-12). "26th Annual Pollstar Awards Nominees Announced". MusicRow.com. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  34. ^ "Pollstar Awards Nominees - Pollstar News". 2016-11-11. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  35. ^ "Pollstar Awards Nominees Unveiled - Pollstar News". 2017-11-17. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  36. ^ "30th Annual Pollstar Awards Nominations Announced - Pollstar News". 2018-11-30. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  37. ^ "31st Annual Pollstar Awards To Honor The Year's Best - Pollstar News". 2019-11-24. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  38. ^ "Voting Opens for 34th Annual Pollstar Awards: Everything You Need To Know - Pollstar News". 2022-11-11. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  39. ^ Tettamante, Maria (February 7, 2019). "This Miami Beach Native is Making the World a Cooler Place, One Bangle at a Time". Retrieved May 12, 2024.

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