Caryl Atwood has exited her role as senior vice president of commercial partnerships at Sony Music Entertainment after 26 years with the company and 30 years in the music business, MusicRow reported on August 3. She recently earned a second bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Memphis and plans to pursue clinical mental health counseling and life coaching.
Atwood began her career at Island Records and PolyGram Distribution, working with artists including U2, The Cranberries and Tonic, before joining RCA Label Group in 1999. Over the next 26 years she rose from coordinator to senior vice president across RCA Label Group, Sony Music Nashville and Sony Music Entertainment, working in country music with artists including Luke Combs, Kenny Chesney, Kane Brown, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert and Megan Moroney, and helping build partnerships with Spotify, Apple, Amazon, Walmart and Target.
"If there's one thing my career has taught me, it's that success has always been about people," Atwood said. "Whether I was building partnerships, leading teams, or supporting artists, the most rewarding moments came from helping others grow."
"As I begin this next chapter, I'm grateful for everything the music industry has given me," she added, "and I'm excited to dedicate the next season of my life to helping people navigate challenges."
Her industry honors include MusicRow's Rising Women on the Row in 2014, the Nashville Business Journal's Women in Music City in 2017, Variety's Hitmakers list in 2021, and Billboard's Women in Music list in 2023 and 2024.
The facts
- Caryl Atwood has exited Sony Music Entertainment
- She was senior vice president of commercial partnerships
- She spent 26 years at the company and 30 years in music
- She worked with Luke Combs, Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood and others
- She plans to move into clinical mental health counseling
- She earned Rising Women on the Row and Billboard Women in Music honors
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