Antonio “LA” Reid To Head Both Epic & Jive Records

Antonio "LA" Reid

Music industry trade magazine AllAccess.com was the first to report today, that former head of the Island Def Jam Music Group, Antonio “LA” Reid is expected to join Sony Music as the chairman of Epic Records.  Sources also told  The Hollywood Reporter that Reid will take over the now restructured Epic Records Group, “which will now include Jive Records. The transition is expected to happen after the 4th of July holiday.   This move is planned to happen only days after former head of Universal Music Group, Doug Morris activates his new role as head of Sony Music on July 1st. Both of these moves serve as significant signals indicating the beginning of a new administration for Sony Music Entertainment.

Reid’s new impending position will have him pulling double duty.  As we first reported in March, he has already inked a deal to serve as a judge on Fox’s X Factor,  the latest music based talent show by Simon Cowell, to be imported from England. As the facts of the story unfold, Reid taking the position of judge on Cowell’s show, reveals to be a calculatedly advantageous move.  This is because  Cowell’s past music dealings  with American Idol, or X Factor while in the UK always resulted in some kind of record contract relationship with one of the various Sony Music labels.  If X Factor does pair with Sony Music Entertainment, who would appear to be a logical partner, Reid could essentially A&R personally from his judges chair to select his label’s next big thing.