July 13th, 2021 | Updated on June 30th, 2022
When we think about the music industry, the first people that come to mind are the artists. Whether we listen to Pop, Hip-Hop, Rock or EDM, the big name artists are usually the first faces that come to mind.
Behind the scenes of the music and artists we love, there are managers and management agencies working around the clock to ensure their talent’s work makes it to the audiences who love it. Let’s take a look at a manager making a huge splash in the industry worldwide, Mark Gillespie.
Mark Gillespie and Three Six Zero
Mark Gillespie is the founder of the global music management company, Three Six Zero. Since their conception in 2007, they have represented countless stars including Scottish DJ Calvin Harris, Frank Ocean, Mark Ronson, Jada, Jayden, Willow and Will Smith and so many more.
Mark Gillespie founded the organization in London, but relocated to Los Angeles to embark on a global journey with Three Six Zero. By looking at the collaborations of some of his artists, it’s easy to see his goal in joining UK artists with American ones.
Three Six Zero Recordings
Founded in 2014 by Mark Gillespie and Pete Tong, the labels president, Three Six Zero Recordings represents emerging UK artists with an emphasis on pushing them into the US markets. With Three Six Zero headquarters in Miami, Los Angeles and London, these collaborations have been fruitful for Gillespie.
Calvin Harris
Calvin Harris plays a pivotal role in the Three Six Zero story. Harris was Mark Gillespie’s first major client and has released 10 albums since 2007. With his second album, Ready for the Weekend, the pair enjoyed a bump up to the top of the UK charts.
Harris has collaborated with numerous American electronic, hip hop and pop artists and continues to produce top tracks for the best emerging artists in both the American and UK scene.
Mark Gillespie’s roots in the UK club scene
Mark Gillespie grew up outside of Birmingham, England. He was just removed enough from the bustle of the city for a music career to feel like a big dream. But he persevered and at the age of 16 began booking his first acts.
By 18, he was the primary booking agent for a local nightclub. It wasn’t until discovering Calvin Harris’s social pages, however, that Gillespie made the turn to management.
His primary focus had been labels, but decided to make a shift when discovering Harris’ music. This decision, along with Harris’ to move away from a singer-songwriter identity for a DJ persona, is making history in the music management industry today.
Three Six Zero acquired Westbrook Entertainment
Westbrook Entertainment was acquired by Three Six Zero in 2019, adding the Smith family and their manager to Gillespie’s impressive roster. The decision appears to be part of a larger push to expand Three Six Zero’s reach into film and digital content.
Mark Gillespie’s instincts as a businessman and manager make him one of the strongest players in the management game. His global and technological mindset are sure to secure Three Six Zero’s position as leaders in the digital media landscape.
