# Elliot Grainge
**Elliot Grainge** (born 1993) is a British-born music executive, the founder of the Los Angeles record label 10K Projects and, since October 1, 2024, the chief executive officer of Atlantic Music Group at [Warner Music Group](https://www.edgepedia.org/warner-music-group)[1](https://www.wmg.com/news/warner-music-group-announces-reorganization-of-recorded-music-operations). He is the son of Sir Lucian Grainge, the chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group[2](https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/people/elliot-grainge/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1993; his mother, Samantha Berg, suffered complications during his birth and spent the rest of her life in a coma[3](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/02/05/inside-the-music-industrys-high-stakes-ai-experiments) |
| Education | Graduated from Northeastern University in Boston[4](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2023-04-20/elliot-grainge-lucian-sofia-richie-ice-spice-10k-projects-universal-music-group) |
| 10K Projects | Independent label founded in 2016, originally as Strainge Entertainment; behind numerous gold and platinum-certified singles[5](https://www.wmg.com/news/warner-music-group-and-elliot-grainges-10k-projects-announce-joint-venture) • [4](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2023-04-20/elliot-grainge-lucian-sofia-richie-ice-spice-10k-projects-universal-music-group) |
| Warner deal | Joint venture announced September 5, 2023; Warner acquired a 51% stake for $102 million[5](https://www.wmg.com/news/warner-music-group-and-elliot-grainges-10k-projects-announce-joint-venture) • [6](https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/the-importance-of-rejection-and-being-told-thats-impossible-5-things-we-learned-from-elliot-grainges-commencement-speech/) |
| Atlantic role | CEO of Atlantic Music Group from October 1, 2024, overseeing Atlantic Records and 300 Elektra Entertainment[1](https://www.wmg.com/news/warner-music-group-announces-reorganization-of-recorded-music-operations) |
| Expanded remit | Named Chairman of ADA, Warner's US distribution arm, in September 2026, in addition to leading Atlantic Music Group[7](https://www.wmg.com/news/wmg-evolves-global-leadership-to-drive-next-phase-of-growth) |
## Family and early life
Grainge was born in 1993 to [Lucian Grainge](https://www.edgepedia.org/lucian-grainge) and his first wife, Samantha Berg, who suffered an amniotic-fluid embolism while giving birth to him and spent the remaining years of her life in a coma[3](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/02/05/inside-the-music-industrys-high-stakes-ai-experiments). Music ran through the family on both sides: his father rose to lead [Universal Music Group](https://www.edgepedia.org/universal-music-group), his uncle Nigel Grainge founded the independent label Ensign, and, as Elliot put it in a 2025 commencement speech at Northeastern, "My grandfather ran a record store. My uncle founded an independent label. My cousins, my father… everyone in my family was in music"[6](https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/the-importance-of-rejection-and-being-told-thats-impossible-5-things-we-learned-from-elliot-grainges-commencement-speech/).
He is a British national who has spent roughly half his life in the United States[4](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2023-04-20/elliot-grainge-lucian-sofia-richie-ice-spice-10k-projects-universal-music-group). As a teenager he taught himself to trade commodities online, and he funded his first label with a couple hundred thousand dollars made flipping an apartment in Boston[8](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/00s/2019/Billboard-2019-09-28.pdf) • [4](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2023-04-20/elliot-grainge-lucian-sofia-richie-ice-spice-10k-projects-universal-music-group). He married [Sofia Richie](https://www.edgepedia.org/sofia-richie), daughter of the singer [Lionel Richie](https://www.edgepedia.org/lionel-richie), in 2023[4](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2023-04-20/elliot-grainge-lucian-sofia-richie-ice-spice-10k-projects-universal-music-group).
## Founding 10K Projects
After graduating from Northeastern, Grainge founded his label in 2016[5](https://www.wmg.com/news/warner-music-group-and-elliot-grainges-10k-projects-announce-joint-venture). He first called it Strainge Entertainment, but the veteran rapper [Tech N9ne](https://www.edgepedia.org/tech-n9ne) sued, claiming infringement on the trademark of his label [Strange Music](https://www.edgepedia.org/strange-music); unable to afford a legal fight, Grainge settled and renamed the business 10K, a reference to [Malcolm Gladwell](https://www.edgepedia.org/malcolm-gladwell)'s adage that expertise takes 10,000 hours[4](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2023-04-20/elliot-grainge-lucian-sofia-richie-ice-spice-10k-projects-universal-music-group).
The label's stated method was to use fine-grain online data to find new artists with small but fervent audiences that could be scaled quickly, and to reach Gen Z listeners through influencers promoting songs in short-form videos[4](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2023-04-20/elliot-grainge-lucian-sofia-richie-ice-spice-10k-projects-universal-music-group). Its early signings included [Trippie Redd](https://www.edgepedia.org/trippie-redd) and Tekashi 6ix9ine, and Grainge was also behind the signing of XXXTENTACION in 2016[5](https://www.wmg.com/news/warner-music-group-and-elliot-grainges-10k-projects-announce-joint-venture). In 2019, Trippie Redd signed a long-term deal with the label that the rapper valued at $30 million[9](https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/10k-projects-signs-trippie-redd-for-what-he-says-is-30m1/).
**Breakout hits.** The label's roster produced [Iann Dior](https://www.edgepedia.org/iann-dior) and 24kGoldn's "Mood," which spent eight weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and Internet Money's multi-platinum "Lemonade," which passed one billion Spotify streams and charted in more than 25 countries[5](https://www.wmg.com/news/warner-music-group-and-elliot-grainges-10k-projects-announce-joint-venture). Its most successful artist is the rapper [Ice Spice](https://www.edgepedia.org/ice-spice), whose records 10K releases in partnership with Capitol Music Group and Universal Music Group; Grainge signed her in 2022 over sushi at Nobu in Malibu, shortly after her song "Munch (Feelin' U)" exploded on TikTok[2](https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/people/elliot-grainge/) • [4](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2023-04-20/elliot-grainge-lucian-sofia-richie-ice-spice-10k-projects-universal-music-group). By 2021, Forbes credited the label with 18 gold and eight platinum or multi-platinum singles totaling 22 billion streams[10](https://www.forbes.com/profile/elliot-grainge/).
In 2022, Grainge acquired Homemade Projects, the label behind Surfaces, COIN, and Salem Ilese, along with its influencer management agency and merchandise operation; Homemade's co-founders Zach Friedman and Tony Talamo joined 10K as co-presidents overseeing A&R, marketing, publicity, and creative[11](https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/elliot-grainge-acquires-homemade-projects-label-founders-zach-friedman-and-tony-talamo-named-co-presidents-of-10k-projects/).
## 10K Ventures
In the summer of 2021, Grainge quietly launched 10K Ventures, an investment vehicle for early-stage, direct-to-consumer, and technology companies. It planned to spend between $100,000 and $1 million per round and to back 15 to 20 companies in its first year[12](https://www.forbes.com/sites/cathyolson/2021/11/10/elliot-grainge-expands-his-10k-portfolio/). Its first disclosed investment was a stake in the men's grooming brand Faculty World, part of a $3 million seed round led by Estée Lauder[12](https://www.forbes.com/sites/cathyolson/2021/11/10/elliot-grainge-expands-his-10k-portfolio/). Other early investments included the canned cocktail company Ohza, the Roblox studio Wonder Works, and the sunglasses brand FutureMood[12](https://www.forbes.com/sites/cathyolson/2021/11/10/elliot-grainge-expands-his-10k-portfolio/).
## Warner Music Group and Atlantic
On September 5, 2023, Warner Music Group announced a joint venture with 10K Projects, making the label a standalone company within the WMG ecosystem; Grainge remained CEO, joined WMG's global leadership team, and retained Ice Spice, whose recording agreement with 10K Projects and [Capitol Records](https://www.edgepedia.org/capitol-records) sat outside the deal[5](https://www.wmg.com/news/warner-music-group-and-elliot-grainges-10k-projects-announce-joint-venture). Warner's acquisition of a 51% stake was valued at $102 million[6](https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/the-importance-of-rejection-and-being-told-thats-impossible-5-things-we-learned-from-elliot-grainges-commencement-speech/).
In August 2024, Warner announced a reorganization of its recorded music operations under which Grainge would become CEO of Atlantic Music Group, effective October 1, 2024, reporting directly to WMG CEO Robert Kyncl. The group combined [Atlantic Records](https://www.edgepedia.org/atlantic-records) and 300 Elektra Entertainment and absorbed 10K Projects, while Julie Greenwald moved to a chairman role and Max Lousada stepped down as CEO of Recorded Music[1](https://www.wmg.com/news/warner-music-group-announces-reorganization-of-recorded-music-operations). Warner credited Grainge with a "distinctive approach to artist development" in announcing the appointment[1](https://www.wmg.com/news/warner-music-group-announces-reorganization-of-recorded-music-operations).
His tenure has included further structural change. In January 2026, Kevin Weaver was named to the newly created role of President of Atlantic Music Group, reporting to Grainge[13](https://www.wmg.com/news/kevin-weaver-elevated-to-president-atlantic-music-group). In September 2026, Grainge's remit expanded again: he became Chairman of ADA, Warner's US independent distribution arm, in addition to his roles as Chairman and CEO of Atlantic Music Group, with his 10K co-president Zach Friedman becoming ADA's Vice Chairman[7](https://www.wmg.com/news/wmg-evolves-global-leadership-to-drive-next-phase-of-growth).
## References
1. [Warner Music Group Announces Reorganization of Recorded Music Operations (August 1, 2024), Warner Music Group](https://www.wmg.com/news/warner-music-group-announces-reorganization-of-recorded-music-operations)
2. [Elliot Grainge, Atlantic Music Group, Music Business Worldwide](https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/people/elliot-grainge/)
3. [Inside the Music Industry's High-Stakes A.I. Experiments, The New Yorker (February 5, 2024)](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/02/05/inside-the-music-industrys-high-stakes-ai-experiments)
4. [Elliot Grainge is ready to step out from his father's shadow, Los Angeles Times (April 20, 2023)](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2023-04-20/elliot-grainge-lucian-sofia-richie-ice-spice-10k-projects-universal-music-group)
5. [Warner Music Group and Elliot Grainge's 10K Projects Announce Joint Venture (September 5, 2023), Warner Music Group](https://www.wmg.com/news/warner-music-group-and-elliot-grainges-10k-projects-announce-joint-venture)
6. [The importance of rejection: 5 things we learned from Elliot Grainge's commencement speech, Music Business Worldwide (May 12, 2025)](https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/the-importance-of-rejection-and-being-told-thats-impossible-5-things-we-learned-from-elliot-grainges-commencement-speech/)
7. [WMG Evolves Global Leadership to Drive Next Phase of Growth (September 25, 2026), Warner Music Group](https://www.wmg.com/news/wmg-evolves-global-leadership-to-drive-next-phase-of-growth)
8. [Billboard, September 28, 2019 issue](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/00s/2019/Billboard-2019-09-28.pdf)
9. [10K Projects signs global deal with Trippie Redd, for what he says is $30m, Music Business Worldwide](https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/10k-projects-signs-trippie-redd-for-what-he-says-is-30m1/)
10. [Elliot Grainge, Forbes profile](https://www.forbes.com/profile/elliot-grainge/)
11. [Elliot Grainge acquires Homemade Projects label, Music Business Worldwide (February 9, 2022)](https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/elliot-grainge-acquires-homemade-projects-label-founders-zach-friedman-and-tony-talamo-named-co-presidents-of-10k-projects/)
12. [Elliot Grainge Expands His 10K Portfolio, Forbes (November 10, 2021)](https://www.forbes.com/sites/cathyolson/2021/11/10/elliot-grainge-expands-his-10k-portfolio/)
13. [Kevin Weaver Elevated to President, Atlantic Music Group (January 23, 2026), Warner Music Group](https://www.wmg.com/news/kevin-weaver-elevated-to-president-atlantic-music-group)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Music institutions and events › Record labels and the music industry › Record labels › Major and historic record companies › Label founders and executives*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license