Gareth Mellor of Downtown Music on Democratizing the Industry

Plus: Everything old is new again

Gareth is the senior vice president of global marketing & communications at Downtown Music. He oversees marketing for its four divisions and 10 businesses, which serve B2C and B2B clients worldwide and represent a catalog of over 50 million music assets.

Earlier tenures include Kobalt Music Group and Tunecore.

We spent two minutes with Gareth to learn more about his background, his creative inspirations and recent work he’s admired. 

Gareth, tell us …

Where you grew up, and where you live now.

I grew up in a small village in the middle of England called Wilbarston (current Population: 750). After six years in Bristol and 10 in London, I’ve moved to the south coast so my two young children can enjoy the sea and the countryside (and I can still commute to London).

Your earliest musical memory.

The Beatles and the like. My parents grew up in the ’60s, and their music taste covers everything you’d expect. The first CD I bought with my own money was Jive Bunny’s Christmas Party from a roadside diner. Thankfully, it didn’t shape my musical future too much.

Your favorite bands/musicians today.

It depends on the setting. I find it difficult to write long-form if I’m listening to anything with lyrics, so I listen to a lot of techno, film scores and neo-classical music. My go-to list is anything from The Chemical Brothers, LCD Soundsystem, Run the Jewels, Max Richter, Nine Inch Nails, Queens of the Stone Age, Jon Hopkins and Stromae—and anything related to Keinemusik. At the moment, I can’t stop listening to Lady Blackbird, Meryl Streek and Amon Tobin’s Two Fingers.

One of your favorite projects you’ve ever worked on.

The work I did at AWAL around Covid. Partnering with clothing company Lucy & Yak for online performances, “Comfort Sounds gave artists stuck at home a much-needed way of reaching half a million new fans each week and gave that audience something to look forward to every Friday. The big one, though, was the partnership with Zoom and the United Nations, using the substantial reach of AWAL’s marquee artists to help support the Covid response.

A recent project you’re proud of.

We recently launched “The Music Industry Lives Here,” celebrating the incredible clients at Downtown and aligning them under one banner. It is It’s a multi-channel, multi-year project featuring nearly 100 artists and songwriters. These includeJohn Lennon & Yoko Ono, Tori Amos, The Hives and Yoss Bones. We’ve also got interviews with 50+ clients in a dozen global locations and multiple languages. The digital campaign is paired with real-world moments, such as surprise merch drops in partnership with some of the world’s most celebrated graffiti and street artists.

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One thing about how the music world is evolving that you’re excited about.

It would be easy to say the influence of new technologies. But I actually think the democratization and localization of the music industry is very exciting. The sector continues to move away from the dominance of majors and globalization, and the indies gain market share. Major labels have historically made global superstars, and they still do, but often in a particular mold. However, local markets—often in non-English speaking regions—are creating their own superstars. This is fueling an evolving global marketplace.

I also think the cyclical nature of music that brings old influences into new or evolving genres is being disrupted by an unstoppable clash of styles, tastes and genres. Think Doja Cat using “Walk On By” and the track exploding on TikTok, or songs like “Call Me Maybe” having renaissance moments on social media, or Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” seeing a new lease of life after a cover.

Someone else’s work, in music or beyond, that you admired lately.

I talk to my team about Nike adverts being the high point of simplicity, relatability and execution. 2018’s “Nothing Beats a Londoner” is a highlight (despite the ensuing legal dispute). “I don’t even have a whole bike!” might be one of the best lines in an advert ever.

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A book, movie, TV show or podcast you recently found inspiring.

A show that caught me off-guard was Reservation Dogs. I think it’s one of the most touching and hilarious things on TV. It’s brilliantly acted and it opened up my appreciation of a culture I knew very little about. 

An artist you admire outside the world of music.

I’m fortunate to be working with an artist I admire very much—Ben Eine. In his 30-year career, he’s partnered with Banksy and collaborated with Louis Vuitton. David Cameron gave his Twenty First Century City artwork to President Obama. As soon as I had the idea about working with graffiti and typography artists for “The Music Industry Lives Here,” he was at the top of the list.

Your favorite fictional character.

Darius from Atlanta. He is the perfect foil to everything else going on. His presence is felt in every episode, and he is played brilliantly by LaKeith Stanfield. Side characters are often the best ones.

Someone worth following on social media.

@mba_ish for entertainment and Slack-worthy memes. @zillowgonewild to fulfill my need to see strange houses and know which have potato sheds. But most of all, @kevinmccarthytv, because he is one of the best interviewers around.

Your main strength as a marketer/creative.

Because I worked for small companies early in my career, often with a minimal budget, I taught myself a lot of things. This means I can provide support at an operational level in various channels. I understand the way things work and how to talk to different teams in their language. 

Your biggest weakness.

Looking at my answers, probably brevity. But in truth, my most significant strength is very close to my biggest weakness—knowing when to delegate. I still struggle with knowing when to get actively and operationally involved in a task and when I should hand it over to my talented team.

Something people would find surprising about you.

I am exceptionally untalented musically. I can DJ and I can tell you why a song works or doesn’t—and sometimes, how to improve it. But when it comes to playing musical instruments, I am an absolute failure.

What you’d be doing if you weren’t in the music business.

Writing. I have two novels slowly on the go and ideas for about eight more books, two plays and a TV show. One day, I hope they will become a more active part of my life.