Power 50 - #20: Stephen Wade

BACKGROUND CHECK

Stephen Wade was a touring musician (The Fergies) and a venue booker in New South Wales before setting up Select Music, a booking agency – together with his business partner, Rob Giovannoni – in 2005.

THE YEAR THAT WAS

With Select Music's "We build careers" mantra proving true for artists such as Amy Shark, Baker Boy (who was named Young Australian Of The Year last year), Client Liaison and Crooked Colours, the company had another huge year in 2018. As CEO, Wade has overseen the growth of Select Music while always working to strategise according to the individual needs of each artist, the global success of Amy Shark, The Paper Kites, Stella Donnelly and RUFUS DU SOL – to name a few – speaking volumes about the effectiveness of this approach. Consistently keeping an eye out for new talent to represent and foster, Select signed 2018 triple j Unearthed High winner KIAN last year. 2018 also saw the merging of Blue Murder Touring and Select Touring to form a new touring entity, SBM Presents, which has already presented tours by the likes of Fall Out Boy, NOFX, Killswitch Engage plus Bill Murray, Jan Vogler & Friends. 

2018'S CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT?

"RUFUS DU SOL – album released in 2018 and tour was set up for early 2019. Headlined Field Day five years after their first Field Day show playing the smallest stage. Album tour has sold 65,000 tickets in 2019 and that doesn’t include Sydney shows."