Wolfgang Boss

Wolfgang Boss

Wolfgang Boss is a German music executive, producer and owner of the record label B1 Recordings, a joint venture with Sony Music Entertainment Germany GmbH.[1] He has also partnered up with the Sony Music International Team in London, where he holds the position of Executive Vice President A&R International. With more than 100 gold and platinum certifications Wolfgang Boss is one of the most successful A&R managers of the last ten years in Europe.

Biography and musical career

Boss entered the music world during his university studies. After working as a DJ, he became a club manager and established his own house music club, MACH 1. This brought him into regular contact with international DJs and artists in the house scene. In 2003 his Berlin-based company Mach 1 Records GmbH became a partner in the newly founded house label, Ministry of Sound Germany. Just one year later Boss’s new label MACH 1 scored two number-one hits with Dragostea Din Tei (Haiducii) and Obsessión (Aventura). The latter held the top spot on the German charts for seven weeks.

In 2005 Boss teamed up with German producer Reinhardt "Voodoo" Reith to create the music for their Crazy Frog project.[2] The single "Crazy Frog" by Axel F became the most sold single worldwide in 2005 topping the charts in more than 30 countries.

In 2006 Boss worked with Konrad von Löhneysen from Ministry of Sound Germany to produce an album for Goleo VI, the official mascot of the FIFA World Cup in Germany. The single GOLEO IV presents Bob Sinclar: Love Generation became the most sold single in Germany in 2006 topping the German charts for 11 weeks.

In 2007 Boss accepted an offer from Universal Music and founded B1 Recordings as a joint venture with Universal Music Germany.

Releasing hits by artists such as Milow (Ayo Technology), Tom Dice (Me And My Guitar), Stromae (Alors on Danse), Edward Maya (Stereo Love), Pitbull (I know you want me) and Klingande (Jubel), B1 Recordings frequently topped the charts.

B1 Recordings´ release of the single "Ai Se Eu Te Pego!" by Brazilian artist Michel Teló, which came out at the end of 2011, was a worldwide hit, reaching no 1 in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and it was the most downloaded song in Germany at the time. Two more releases of B1 are in the Top 10 of the most downloaded songs in Germany ever: Gotye´s "Somebody That I Used to Know", and Israel Kamakawiwo`ole (IZ) "Over The Rainbow".

In 2014 Boss accepted an offer from Sony Music and moved B1 Recordings as a joint venture over to Sony Music Entertainment Germany. He has also partnered up with the Sony Music International Team in London, where he currently holds the position of Executive Vice President A&R International.

Awards

At the German ECHO 2011 music awards on 25 March 2011, Boss and Jon de Mello received the Hit of the Year ECHO for Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole.[3] The Hawaiian singer, often known simply as IZ, recorded the song three years before his death in 1997. Boss bought the rights to release the single in Europe in 2010.[4] Over the Rainbow topped the German charts for four months in late 2010 and early 2011, selling over 800,000 copies, which made it the top-selling single of 2010.[5] The single overtook Lady Gaga’s Poker Face on the German all-time download chart, making it the most downloaded song of all time in Germany at that time. The song and the corresponding album Facing Future have also enjoyed success outside Germany. In France, for example, the single reached number one and the album went platinum.

Productions/releases

References

  1. ↑ Chicago SunTimes Jul 16, 2005
  2. ↑ Business Week Jul 23, 2005
  3. ↑ Starauflauf bei der Echo-Verleihung in Berlin Badische Zeitung, March 25th, 2011
  4. ↑ Germans Are 'Over The Rainbow' for Iz 29 October 2010
  5. ↑ BBC News Nov 18, 2010
  6. ↑ Discography. April 18, 2011

External links

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