Full-Time

Music Partnerships and Development Lead

Genius

Posted on 8/7/2025

MediaLab

MediaLab

51-200 employees

Acquires and manages consumer internet brands

No salary listed

New York, NY, USA

Hybrid

Candidates must be located in, or willing to relocate to, New York.

Category
Business & Strategy (1)
Requirements
  • 10+ years in the music industry with strong relationships across DSPs, labels, publishers, and music tech platforms.
  • Track record of successfully negotiating and closing complex licensing, distribution, and data partnership deals with major DSPs and music partners.
  • Comprehensive understanding of music licensing, publishing, content distribution, and revenue strategies in the music industry.
  • Skilled in shaping and executing partnership strategies, collaborating cross-functionally, and representing Genius externally at the highest levels.
Responsibilities
  • Own, develop, and expand partnerships with all major DSPs, labels, music services, and adjacent platforms to embed Genius into the music ecosystem.
  • Identify and negotiate licensing and distribution opportunities for Genius data products.
  • Collaborate cross-functionally with Product, Legal, and Revenue teams to operationalize and execute deals.
  • Represent Genius externally with industry stakeholders and internally with leadership.
  • Monitor industry trends and emerging platforms to identify new business opportunities and inform partnership strategy.
  • Drive the launch and adoption of new Genius products or features in collaboration with partners to maximize reach and revenue impact.
Desired Qualifications
  • Passion for the intersection of music, technology, and data.
  • Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail.
  • Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.
  • Self-starter who thrives in fast-paced environments.
  • Excellent time management and prioritization skills.

MediaLab is a holding company that buys and runs consumer internet brands. It manages a portfolio of digital media and social platforms, including WorldStarHipHop, Imgur, Kik, Amino, and DatPiff, to build and sustain online communities. The company monetizes these platforms mainly through targeted advertising and creator partnerships, leveraging its deep ad tech and product management capabilities to keep users engaged. Its approach centers on combining a large, diverse audience with precise marketing tools so brands and creators can connect with specific user groups. MediaLab differs from competitors by owning a wide, complementary mix of popular platforms with 180 million monthly users, allowing cross-platform advertising and collaboration opportunities at scale. The goal is to grow the value of its portfolio by increasing user engagement and delivering effective, targeted advertising solutions for advertisers and creators.

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

Series A

Total Funding

$200.5M

Headquarters

Santa Monica, California

Founded

2018

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Genius acquisition boosts portfolio beyond 80M MAU with artist focus.
  • Heavy investment in Genius annotation for emerging artists grows engagement.
  • Ad tech expertise sustains revenue from diverse creator partnerships.

What critics are saying

  • Genius layoffs erode trust, dropping MAU 20-30% in 6-12 months.
  • Apple/Google privacy blocks slash Kik/Amino ad revenue 40% in 3-6 months.
  • FTC antitrust probe forces divestitures of Kik/WorldStarHipHop in 18-24 months.

What makes MediaLab unique

  • MediaLab holds WorldStarHipHop, Imgur, Kik, Amino, DatPiff reaching 180M users.
  • Specializes in targeted ads to 1 in 3 US internet users monthly.
  • Acquired Genius for $80M, expanding music lyrics and communities.

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Benefits

Remote Work Options

Flexible Work Hours

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

-2%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

2%
MediaLab
Aug 9th, 2024
Our Brands | MediaLab

Advertise with our brands that reach 180M+ monthly users. MediaLab is the holding company behind the online communities Genius, imgur, WorldStarHipHop, kik, DatPiff, Amino Apps, and whisper.

Business Insider
Sep 20th, 2022
Retail tech firm Swiftly just became the latest startup to enter the unicorn club. Meet the 6 other adtech firms that reached $1 billion valuations despite the economic downturn.

Seven adtech startups drew in investors and reached $1 billion valuations this year, despite shaky economic conditions.

Variety
Sep 16th, 2021
Genius Acquired for $80 Million by MediaLab, Which Is Making Layoffs at Music Lyrics Company

Genius Media, the lyrics-database company founded as Rap Genius, has been acquired by holding company MediaLab for $80 million.

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