Power 50 - #50: Matt Emsell

BACKGROUND CHECK

In 2005, Matt Emsell got his start in the music business in London working at MTV Europe overseeing brand partnerships before moving to Sydney in 2008 and accepting the role of General Manager at Scorpio Music management company. He founded the not-for-profit fundraising festival Secret Garden in 2009 and then Wonder Management in 2010. In 2016, Emsell also launched 1825 Records.

THE YEAR THAT WAS

When you consider that Wonder Management's roster includes 5 Seconds Of Summer and Matt Corby, it's easy to imagine what kind of year Emsell has had. For the first time since Gotye did so in 2011, 5SOS topped both the ARIA Albums and Singles Charts simultaneously with Youngblood and the album's title track. The Sydney foursome also made history in the States when they became the first ever to see their first three full-length albums top the Billboard chart (in the Nielsen SoundScan era). It's hard to compete with those stats, but Corby also made an impressive return to the charts in 2018 with his Rainbow Valley release peaking at #4 on the ARIA Albums Chart. 

2018'S CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT?

"Matt Corby getting Richard Kingsmill's pick for album of the year. And it was really special seeing 5SOS come home to win three ARIA Awards."