Jay Frank (1971-2019) *47

was an American author and music industry executive. He was the owner of DigSin, a digital record label that distributes content free to subscribers. Frank was born in Livingston, New Jersey. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Ithaca College. At the start of his career, he worked variously as the manager of a music venue, programming broadcast radio stations, and creating two local music video shows. He then acted as a marketing and A&R for Ignition Records before serving as senior music director at The Box Music Network. Prior to joining CMT in 2007, Frank was vice president of music programming and label relations for Yahoo! Music and the senior vice president of music strategy. He joined Universal Music Group in 2015, and at the time of his death, was senior vice president of global streaming marketing.

Frank was a blogger and published his first book, Futurehit. DNA, in 2009. In the book, Frank studies what elements have contributed to past hit songs, including available technology, song structure, and instrumentation, and fifteen points he believes songwriters today must consider if they want to write hit songs. His second book, Hack Your Hit, offers low cost marketing tips for musicians utilizing tricks with social networks. "Futurehit.DNA" has garnered mostly positive reviews.

Frank sat on the board of directors of the Academy of Country Music, the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, and Leadership Music, and was a member of NARAS, the CRS Marketing Committee, and Leadership Music Digital Summit.

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