Jim Lucchese Named Berklee’s Fifth President

Berklee has announced that Jim Lucchese, a pioneering music industry executive and a dedicated artist advocate will become its fifth president, effective January 1, 2025. Lucchese brings to this role 20 years of experience innovating artist-focused services. A Boston-born musician who has served Berklee in many advisory roles over the course of his career, Lucchese is uniquely positioned to lead Berklee in providing unmatched learning experiences for today's students and realizing the institution’s vision to build the future of arts education.

“It is an immense honor to become a part of the Berklee community, an institution that means so much to me personally and has been a singularly positive force for creativity around the world,” said Lucchese. “I look forward to working with this amazingly talented and diverse community—students, faculty, staff, alumni, and supporters. I am eager to learn from their experiences and expertise across such a wide range of creative disciplines, from music education, dance, and theater to management, production, performance, music therapy, and more. All of these talents and perspectives are central as we uphold Berklee’s mission, honoring the artistic traditions of the African diaspora and centering diversity in all its forms.”

Lucchese began his career as an attorney representing artists across a range of ventures. In 2007, he became the CEO of The Echo Nest, a musician-founded start-up that aimed to improve music discovery, making it as easy to discover an unsigned artist on the other side of the globe as it is to discover a major-label pop star. The Echo Nest was acquired by Spotify in 2014, where Lucchese later founded the Creator team, building products and services directly for musicians, including the popular Spotify for Artists. In 2019, Lucchese was named CEO of Sofar Sounds, a global live music community that has curated over 30,000 live performances across 78 countries. As he did at Spotify, Lucchese focused at Sofar on artist services, launching a new Artist Services division and acquiring the company Seated to provide artists with tools to control their fan data and take ownership of their fan relationships.

A drummer since high school, Lucchese is an active member of the Boston music scene and often collaborates with Berklee musicians. His relationship with Berklee began in 1989 when he participated in the school’s five-week summer performance program, an experience he says transformed both his thinking and playing.

“Jim’s success as an entrepreneur has stemmed from his ability to recognize shifts in the music industry and engage in collaborations to shape those changes, always demonstrating profound respect for artists,” said Martin J. Mannion, chair of Berklee’s Board of Trustees. “He is a highly regarded and empathetic leader with a proven record of building career-advancing services for musicians and performing artists.” Berklee trustee Bill Kaiser, who led the search effort, echoed this sentiment: “We were struck by Jim’s humility, his deep connection to Boston’s music community, and his commitment to the success of artists.”

Berklee’s presidential search process was grounded in an extensive series of community listening sessions designed to provide a fuller understanding of the qualities needed in its next leader. From these sessions, the profile emerged of a collaborative leader and organizer with an instinctual understanding of creative industry trends and a proven commitment to providing equitable access to education and opportunities. This profile informed the process that led the Presidential Search Committee to Lucchese.

"Jim Lucchese is in the most unique position to advocate for music and the people that make it," said Matt Pincus, music publisher and investor. "As a musician, he understands the challenge inherent in creation, audience building, and establishing a durable career as an artist. As one of the leading executives in music technology, he has a cutting-edge view of the opportunities and challenges innovation will bring to music as we enter a critical time of profound innovation. I am thrilled that Jim is the one to lead Berklee as its next president."

“Jim’s appointment marks a transformative moment for Berklee. Having worked closely with him, I’ve witnessed firsthand how his curiosity, entrepreneurial mindset, and dedication to artist empowerment have continuously positioned him at the forefront of our evolving music industry,” said Katie Vitolins BM ’06, head of fan commerce at Amazon Music and a Berklee trustee. “I have every confidence that through Jim’s leadership, Berklee will achieve new levels of academic success and creativity, defining the future of arts education.”

“When we embarked on this search, we recognized that Berklee’s strength is rooted in its rich history, its commitment to excellence, and the transformative power of music and the arts,” said Sean Skeete, dean of the Professional Performance Division and search committee member. “Jim embraces and embodies this vision, bringing a distinguished record as a leader and pioneer. I believe his stewardship will propel Berklee to new heights in educational, technological, and creative leadership across music, dance, and theater."

“Throughout his career, Jim Lucchese has shown steadfast support for the artistic community," said Isaí Jess Muñoz, interim dean of music for Boston Conservatory at Berklee and search committee member. “His management of industry changes, global market insights, and empathetic leadership position him as a dedicated advocate for nurturing a thriving environment for Berklee's students and artists.”

Lucchese will begin his Berklee tenure on January 1, 2025. Until then, Berklee’s provost, David Bogen, will continue serving as interim president, and Betsy Newman, senior vice president of student enrollment and engagement, will remain as interim executive vice president.

About Jim Lucchese

Jim Lucchese is a seasoned leader in the music industry with over two decades of experience in artist advocacy and service innovation. He began his career as an artist-side music attorney at Greenberg Traurig in New York, where he represented artists on matters ranging from recording and publishing deals to music production and new digital businesses.

In 2007, Lucchese became the CEO of The Echo Nest, a musician-founded company that aimed to improve music discovery. Under Lucchese's leadership, the platform supported over 35,000 independent developers and major music and media companies. In 2014, after The Echo Nest was acquired by Spotify, Lucchese served as the founding global head of the Creator team, now known as Spotify for Artists, which supports artists in understanding, growing, engaging, and monetizing their fan bases. Under his leadership, Spotify for Artists reached hundreds of thousands of artists monthly, and the Fans First program generated direct revenue from ticket and merchandise sales.

In 2017 and 2018, Lucchese was a fellow at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School, where he focused on artists' rights to terminate exclusive grants of copyright. During this time, he also served as an advisor to music companies Splice, Sofar Sounds, and Superpowered.

In 2019, Lucchese joined Sofar Sounds as CEO. Under his leadership, Sofar Sounds expanded its mission to connect artists and audiences through unique live music experiences, hosting performances in non-traditional spaces across 400 cities in 78 countries. Shortly after joining Sofar, Lucchese launched the Artist Services division, helping thousands of artists manage their fan relationships and generate significant revenue. Sofar Sounds has paid artists over $40 million directly and facilitated an additional $600 million in ticket sales, merchandise, and other offers.

Lucchese holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston College and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University (magna cum laude). He has served on several Berklee advisory committees over the past 15 years, including the President’s Advisory Council, the Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship, and the Pre-College, Online, and Professional Programs Advisory Committee.

When he’s not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids or sitting behind a drum set trying to figure out what Tony Williams is playing on Miles Davis records.