Nick Lippman joined Lippman Entertainment in 2004. His industry experience started with an internship at EMI Records at age 15, followed by a successful stint at Interscope. He was named a partner at Lippman Entertainment in 2014, where he’s currently focused on guiding the company’s impressive artist and producer roster in today’s multi-faceted music business.
Combining innate “record biz” acumen, a trailblazing spirit, and an informed understanding of digital trends, he set a new paradigm for multi-platinum pop rock icons Matchbox Twenty in 2007. At Nick’s urging, the band became the first in history to sell a full-length album, Exile on Mainstream, on a USB wristband in the mass market. The record debuted at #3 on the Billboard Top 200 and was quickly certified Gold. The group continues to sell wristbands at all live shows, allowing fans to purchase the audio of performances they just attended—a model soon adopted by Bruce Springsteen, George Michael, and others. Also, for that tour cycle, Nick orchestrated a tie-in with Facebook and eHarmony where online daters went on their very first date at a show on the Exile tour.
He continued pushing the envelope with Matchbox Twenty in 2012. Initiating a groundbreaking cross-promotion between the artist, Facebook, and Spotify, he launched a campaign incorporating the concept of “Timeline” and listeners’ own memories of the group as set up for the release of their latest record North. The record would debut #1 on the Billboard Top 200—their first to do so in their 15-year career. Eventually, he helped grow the band’s social following to over 1.8 million fans in less than 10 months. The digital rollout included a trend-setting artist app. This was the first time a band included both augmented reality and geo-fencing on tour to communicate directly with fans, an innovation lauded by Billboard in 2013.
In setting up George Michael’s 2014 album Symphonica (a #1 debut in the UK and four other countries), Nick engineered a slick roll out. The artist’s website underwent a “black out”, inciting the fans to question his next move. Then, he launched an interactive app and unique events throughout the two weeks leading up to the album’s release.
To continue his rollout of artist to fan tour innovation, Nick introduced the world to the first ever Hologram Selfie Experience, where fans who purchased VIP packages will have the opportunity to sing in real time next to Rob Thomas, both in Hologram form. Within minutes, the footage is emailed to the fan to share with friends, family and on social media. This is truly a unique and once in a lifetime experience. This went off extremely well garnering huge press from top-tier outlets as well as fan satisfaction. Additionally, he developed a groundbreaking “Digital Tour Book” that reinvigorates the classic tour program and pushes it online with modern technology. It started with Matchbox Twenty and was mass released in 2017.
Nick reintroduced Ryan Cabrera into the marketplace with a highly successful 2013 tour that showcased the artist to a new younger audience. He created an online monthly charity event called “Live from Ryan’s Living Room”, which has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for various charities, and continues to be a fan favorite event.
360 Magazine included him among its “Top 100 Innovators, Intellectuals, Peacemakers, and Trendsetters” list in 2011 with Bono, Jay-Z, Michelle Obama, and more. He received a 2012 nomination for Billboard Magazine’s “40 under 40′′. In the summer of 2016 Nick and his business partner and father, Michael, were featured in Billboard Magazine’s “From the Desk Of”.
He built strategic partnerships with top startups like Co-Promote, one of Billboard’s “Top 10 Startups of 2011”, Daqri, one of Billboard’s “Top 10 Startups of 2013”, and 2014’s SXSW top 10 accelerators Fliptu. He also teamed with both G-TV and YouTube to create the MCN, G-TV Music.
Nick started the technology Incubator Ava Jade, LLC. Ava Jade specializes in connecting innovative technology with the entertainment world emphasizing on the music industry. The company expanded when he created the Ava Jade Producer Incubator as well as the Ava Jade Artist Incubator. Nick partnered with acclaimed neuroscientist Dak Brandon and brought in multi-talented producers and writers to create a hit making machine. Ava Jade also has an extensive investment arm and has minority ownership in over 10 different companies.
In the summer of 2017 Nick led the incredibly successful Matchbox Twenty “A Brief History of Everything Tour” with smart marketing and the ability to maximize playing off the band’s nostalgia. The band played to over 850,000 people during this run.
Expanding his genre reach, Nick grew the career of rapper Chris Webby from what was a decline to a height greater than his initial prime. With Nick at the helm, Webby got more than 70 million streams, did a partnership with Live Nation, doubled his touring guarantee and grew the financials almost 10x in less than 2 years. Nick was able to secure both a record deal and publishing deal for Christian artist Jack Cassidy, who was on team Alicia on season 15 of “The Voice”.
His client, then 16-year-old Noah Urrea, was the star of the Simon Fuller created, Now United, who toured the world all throughout 2018. Juan Pablo di Pace got rave reviews singing the music of the late George Michael with an incredible symphony and was a finalist on the hit tv series “Dancing with the Stars”. Juan Pablo played “Fernando” on one of Netflix’s biggest shows, “Fuller House” and performed on the “Dancing with the Stars” tour.
During the pandemic, Nick was able to adapt to the new way of life with Rob Thomas thriving on the live stream circuit, as well as signing LA rock band Beauty School Dropout alongside Managers, Alex Lunt and Jacoby Nations. The three of them developed the rock trio into one of LA’s hottest bands and the second the doors opened in 2021 the band was off and running. Nick then teamed up with industry veteran Scott Ross to help catapult the career of viral spinal surgeon, Dr. Elvis Francois. Dr. Elvis appeared on the Masked Singer as well as going viral with his rendition of “Imagine”.
2022 has been off to an incredible start. Nick partnered with Veeps founder Sherry Saeedi, blink-182 frontman Mark Hoppus and Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz, to launch the “record label” Verswire. The label is a new spin on how labels and artists partner up, by creating the best possible financial situation for artists, while still competing at the major label level. Taking advantage of the hard work put in by Nick, Alex and Jacoby, Verswire’s first signing was Beauty School Dropout. The label and band’s debut album releases August 18, 2022.
But that’s not all, 2022 has continued the good fortune, as Nick got Hudson Thames a record deal with Atlantis Entertainment, a record label and full multimedia conglomerate, headed by Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme & Rihanna) and Rene Rigel. Additionally, Nick is launching Rihops Music, a label created by Ryan Cabrera, which will release Cabrera’s first single in many years, “Worth It”, written by Ryan for his now wife.
Nick sits on the Board of Advisors for fast growing technology startups; Co-Promote, Crowdzilla, Ampsy, Top-Fan, Fan Flex, Gigmor, Rage-On and Dreamchain. Dreamchain was Ava Jade’s first company working on the blockchain and in cryptocurrency. To date each one of these companies has grown exponentially since Nick joined the respective teams.
Nick’s passion and acumen drives results and breeds loyalty. “It’s about understanding the transformation in the business and being proactive without being too eager,” he said. “Risk taking is inherent in show business but as managers we need to focus on taking calculated risks that protect and impact artists, enhance the fan experience, and move the industry forward.”