25 Must-Follow Music Insiders on Twitter

We came up with a list of people in the music business you need in your timeline.

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Image via Complex Original
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Benjy Grinberg

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Benjy Grinberg

Twitter: @benjybenjy

Followers: 11,719

Joined: July 29, 2008

Affiliated With: Rostrum Records

Example Tweet: Was just at ID with @RealWizKhalifa @RealTaylorGang and @IdlabsMusic making some changes for tonights show. Felt like old times.

Why You Should Follow: After years of a steady grind, in the last few years Grinberg has helped steer the rise of both Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller under his label, Rostrum Records. One of the coolest label heads out there, follow him for a behind-the-scenes look at how the Rostrum camp makes its moves.

Bob Lefsetz

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Bob Lefsetz

Twitter: @Lefsetz

Followers: 30,707

Joined: March 30, 2009

Affiliated With: N/A

Example Tweet: Universal Music accused of using fraudulent DMCA notices as a negotiating tactic in licensing music from other labels: http://bit.ly/oB4pxG

Why You Should Follow: Bob Lefsetz is a music business writer whose tweets address everything from illegal downloading to copy protection to music pricing. Although he's often tweeting links to great articles about the business, he's best known for authoring “The Lefsetz Letter”—a highly influential newsletter read by industry heads. Follow him to stay current on everything you need to know about what makes a strong business model in the recording industry.

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Chris Lighty

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Chris Lighty

Twitter: @clighty

Followers: 36,494

Joined: January 21, 2009

Affiliated With: Violator Management

Example Tweet: [Ed-note: Light's tweets are actually protected, but there's always this.] 

Why You Should Follow: Chris Lighty is a man that has had his hand in many great artists' careers including Nas, Q-Tip, and 50 Cent. He's still helping develop artists today and making them into household names. However, he did recently embarrass himself by twitpicing a photo of himself with Big Sean, but claiming he was standing next to Wale. LOL.

Christian Clancy

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Christian Clancy

Twitter: @christianclancy

Followers: 10,317

Joined: February 16, 2009

Affiliated With: Odd Future

Example Tweet: The business of music took the emotion out of the art.. Frank is one of the FEW artists putting it back in without any fear attached.

Why You Should Follow: As the manager of OFWGKTA, Clancy has struck some pretty nice deals for the rap collective without compromising their art. If you’re interested in reading the tweets of one of music’s modern-day visionaries, Clancy’s your guy.

Corentin

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Corentin

Twitter: @Corentin

Followers: 11,187

Joined: December 17, 2008

Affiliations: 50 Cent

Example Tweet: Damn it's my b'day on Sunday.. I wanna dress up but I know 50's gonna make fun of me .. "Oh you think you're Justin now" lol

Why You Should Follow: You didn't really think 50 Cent was behind ThisIs50.com did you? Get acquainted with Corentin, the man behind the scenes, and follow him on Twitter.

Daniel Ek

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Daniel Ek

Twitter: @eldsjal

Followers: 8,219

Joined: December 12, 2007

Affiliations: Spotify

Example Tweet: we're looking for people in NYC. Check out our jobs page!

Why You Should Follow: The last few weeks have been dominated by talk of Spotify after the Swedish-based music streaming service debuted in America. Its creator and CEO, Daniel Ek, is just ahead of the curve as people start to realize that they don't need all their music on their iPod if it's all online anyway. Follow him on Twitter to keep up with this important innovator.

Don Passman

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Don Passman

Twitter: @DonPassman

Followers: 3,816

Joined: July 1, 2009

Affiliations: N/A

Example Tweet: Monies paid directly to the artist r not the only recoupable monies. Recording costs are also recoupable from royalties, & so are some..P.81

Why You Should Follow: So what if he hasn't tweeted all year? As the writer of All You Need To Know About The Music Business, Passman wrote the Bible of the music biz. His tweets are mainly advisable tidbits from his book, but they are absolutely crucial for anyone looking to get into the game.

Joey IE

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Joey IE

Twitter: @Joeyie

Followers: 15,606

Joined: December 30, 2008

Affiliations: Asylum Records

Example Tweet: Send those over RT  I made some bangers yesterday.

Why You Should Follow: Warner Bros. Records Executive VP, Joey IE, is a well-known name in the rap game from working with legends like UGK and Scarface. He knows his way around good music, but also how to make money in the notoriously fickle record industry. Definitely someone to follow if you want to learn from the best.

Jonny Shipes

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Jonny Shipes

Twitter: @jonnyshipes

Followers: 6,884

Joined: December 29, 2008

Affiliations: Cinematic Music Group

Example Tweet: Yooooooowzerz @HitBoy_SC #1ofthebestproducers hand sdown

Why You Should Follow: Jonny Shipes, real name Jon Shapiro, has been making his own way in the industry, with success, for a while now. He founded Cinematic Music Group, and has been involved in the careers of stars like Sean Kingston and up-and-comers like Nipsey Hussle, Big K.R.I.T., and Smoke DZA.

Mike Caren

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Mike Caren

Twitter: @mikecaren

Followers: 5,669

Joined: December 13, 2008

Affiliations: Atlantic Records

Example TweetLooking for a few more killer engineers for Atlantic Studios. Must be ultra fast on protools, be ready to pay dues, and want to be the best

Why You Should Follow: Mike Caren is a must-follow just for his insanely impressive resume. Although he's also a producer and songwriter, he's best known for being the Vice President of Atlantic Records' A&R department. He's helped sign artists like T.I., Wiz Khalifa, and Trey Songz, so it's great to see him on Twitter because he's a person in a position of power who still clearly has a passion for music.

Mike Dean

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Mike Dean

Twitter: @THEREALMIKEDEAN

Followers: 12,409

Joined: April 6, 2009

Affiliations: Kanye West

Example TweetPEOPLE CAN TALK ALOT ABOUT THIS WTT ALBUM AND THAT IT WONT LEAK BUT DUDE THIS IS A MSG FROM A HACKER

Why You Should Follow: Mike Dean is a super-producer who's been lacing some of hip-hop's biggest names with some serious heat since the '90s. Most recently he's been putting in work with the best in the business—Kanye West—with extensive credits on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and Watch The Throne. He's a good bet to follow for an inside look into the behinds-the-scenes of making a great album. Furthermore, his feed was recently taken over by a hacker who went and claimed that they could have leaked WTT months ago, but choose not to.

Mike Kyser

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Mike Kyser

Twitter: @LittleBurger

Followers: 32,529

Joined: February 3, 2009

Affiliations: Atlantic Records

Example TweetRT  @LittleBurger u not about that real life monopoly tho, smh <----Joey pls set it up!!! I'm tired of beating the computer

Why You Should Follow: Record executive Mike Kyser has been in the game for nearly 20 years. The hip-hop veteran was recently appointed as the first President of Black Music for the Atlantic Records Group, which seems like payoff after a career of working with some of the biggest names in music including Jay-Z, T.I., and LL Cool J. A must-follow if you want some insight from someone at the top of the foodchain.

Paul Rosenberg

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Paul Rosenberg

Twitter: @bunyan71

Followers: 18,680

Joined: August 20, 2008

Affiliations: Eminem

Example Tweet: Wait until you see the Bad Meets Evil baby t's.

Why You Should Follow: Who better to follow for industry intellect than the man who managed the most successful career in rap history? Paul Rosenberg—Eminem’s manager—tweets with perspective. Follow him and learn how to stop thinking like an amateur and start moving like a pro.

Plain Pat

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Plain Pat

Twitter: @plainpat

Followers: 13,281

Joined: January 8, 2009

Affiliations: Kanye West

Example TweetNew asap rocky vid is craaaaazy!! Shouts to  for putting me on early.

Why You Should Follow: Pat’s made quite a name for himself among industry heads not only because of his songwriting and producing skills (he's worked with everyone from Drake to Kanye to Kid Cudi), but also because of his keen understanding of the culture. Pat knows how this game works as well as anyone. Follow him to stay ahead of trends and the curve.

Rich Kleiman

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Rich Kleiman

Twitter: @richkleiman

Followers: 9,356

Joined: April 29, 2009

Affiliations: Roc Nation

Example Tweet": @richkleiman Thanks 4 Dinner. Safe Travels" My Man! Let's Go

Why You Should Follow: Now the head of new music development over at Roc Nation, Kleiman has extensive knowledge in everything from television to music and new media. Follow his movements to learn how to carefully craft an image and keys to longevity in multiple industries.

Scooter Braun

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Scooter Braun

Twitter: @scooterbraun

Followers: 959,422

Joined: October 10, 2008

Affiliations: Justin Bieber

Example TweetEarlier today  played me some new songs for the new album. #impressive 

Why You Should Follow: Braun’s business acumen and management skills have taken Justin Bieber from small-time YouTube sensation to bonafide pop-culture phenom. Hit the follow button on this game-changer for innovative tweets about how to get ahead and retain an inspiring humility that will keep you there.

Sean Pecas

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Sean Pecas

Twitter: @therealpecas

Followers: 3,587

Joined: April 28, 2011

Affiliations: Def Jam

Example TweetMe  @StevoBOBO got that heat.  we on our way #ouwwwwski #watchthethrone #otis http://lockerz.com/s/122077134

Why You Should Follow: Def Jam Senior Vice President Sean Pecas is a perfect example of someone who's risen to the top of the executive chain, but hasn't lost the love for hip-hop that makes people want to get into the business in the first place. The best place to see that? On Twitter.

Sha Money XL

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Sha Money XL

Twitter: @ShaMoney_XL

Followers: 1,686

Joined: May 6, 2011

Affiliations: Def Jam, 50 Cent

Example TweetSend me your demo through #mcma.com Thnks

Why You Should Follow: Sha Money XL is best known for his contributions to making 50 Cent the superstar that he is today and building G-Unit Records into a powerhouse. Whether producing or A&Ring, anyone reading the liner notes for Get Rich Or Die Tryin' is well aware of the role he played in Curtis' come-up. What some people might not know is that he's the head of his own company, Money Management Group, and a senior VP of A&R at Def Jam. His Twitter is scattered, but there's some good stuff in there.

Spiff TV

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Spiff TV

Twitter: @Spifftvfilms

Followers: 27,170

Joined: November 10, 2009

Affiliations: Rick Ross & Maybach Music Group

Example Tweet And Brandon Jennings  Back Stage In Milwaukee #MMG #Bucks http://lockerz.com/s/128194102

Why You Should Follow: Even though TV stations aren't playing music videos as much anymore, the demand for visuals to your favorite songs are on the rise. Spiff TV is known for directing many of Rick Ross' videos. But he is also Rozay's go-to A&R who found street bangers like "B.M.F.," "MC Hammer," and "Tupac Back" and many others.  He's someone whose style precedes him and separates him from the pack. He's branching out, but his Twitter is still the go-to guy for up-to-date MMG news and behind-the-scenes chatter.

Stephen Hill

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Stephen Hill

Twitter: @StephenGHill

Followers: 35,520

Joined: March 11 2009

Affiliations: BET

Example TweetJay-Z/Kanye video "Otis" premiere's tonight on BET at 8:56pm. So fun. So dope. 21st century Frank and Dean shtuff.

Why You Should Follow: It's always great to see people as passionate as we are about music on Twitter, and Stephen Hill is no exception. The BET President of programming has his taste on lock and Tweets from behind the scenes all the time. In fact, last year he memorably got into a back and forth with Waka Flocka after Waka failed to show up and perform at the BET Awards (they later squashed it). Definitely a good look to have in your timeline.

Steve Rifkind

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Steve Rifkind

Twitter: @steverifKIND

Followers: 30,117

Joined: February 8, 2009

Affiliations: SRC Records

Example TweetGM What r we going to do today I'm finalizing  's album today have a great day and follow your dreams

Why You Should Follow: Steve Rifkind has been a music industry heavy-hitter for 25 years. While running Loud Records, he helped craft the careers of some of the biggest acts in history, including Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, and Big Pun. Follow the SRC Records founder for a daily glimpse of what it really takes to be a music mogul.

TJ Chapman

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TJ Chapman

Twitter: @TJSDJS

Followers: 34,032

Joined: January 1, 2008

Affiliations: B.o.B

Example TweetB.o.B rocked 20,000+ in Seoul Korea last night...the energy was insane! 

Why You Should Follow: TJ Chapman is living the life. He spent a lot of time discovering and developing artists out of Atlanta, and is definitely partially responsible for the meteoric rise of B.o.B as one of his managers. Right now he's hanging with Bobby, but still keeping his ears to the street and taking submissions, even if that means having to do it from Indonesia while on a world tour.

Todd Moscowitz

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Todd Moscowitz

Twitter: @toddmoscowitz

Followers: 15,737

Joined: August 16, 2008

Affiliations: Warner Music Group

Example Tweet: honored to have  join the warner bros records family!! big day!

Why You Should Follow: As the CEO of the third largest music company in the record industry, Moscowitz makes all the big moves for Warner Music Group. He’s also a pretty funny dude. Hit the follow button to stay abreast of what Warner’s doing to keep winning in the digital age.

Virgil Abloh

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Virgil Abloh

Twitter: @virgilabloh

Followers: 5,055

Joined: February 25, 2009

Affiliations: Kanye West

Example TweetSidebar. Don't exactly trust any snippets currently in your itunes. #deluxe

Why You Should Follow: It's not even debatable at this point that the man to watch, not just in hip-hop, but in music in its entirety, is Kanye West. That's why we were all so excited when he got on Twitter. It was like everything he said was an instant retweet. But 'Ye must have gotten bored because he hasn't tweeted in months. Enter Virgil Abloh. Virgil is around Kanye all the time and he tweets about it, making him someone you need to follow.

Wendy Day

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Wendy Day

Twitter: @RapCoalition

Followers: 16,629

Joined: December 31, 2008

Affiliations: N/A

Example Tweetthere's a clause in ALL contracts stating artists are not employees.

Why You Should Follow: Everyone knows Industry Rule #4080 and that's why Wendy Day has spent her career trying to save artists from getting screwed over by their record company. She even helped engineer deals for Master P, Cash Money Records, and Eminem. With loads of insight as to how business is really handled in hip-hop, following her is a must for anyone trying to get a record deal, but doesn't want to get screwed.

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