RCA to Relaunch Jive Records Under Mike Weiss and David Melhado

Sony Music's RCA Records division has announced the revival of the legendary Jive Records imprint as an autonomous entity. The relaunch will be spearheaded by David Melhado and Mike Wise, both former Executive Vice Presidents at the independent distribution platform United Masters.

The original Jive label, a cultural juggernaut founded by Clive Calder in 1981, began as part of the Zomba Group. After early success with new wave and hip-hop, including Whodini under the guidance of a young A&R executive named Barry Weiss, Jive exploded into a defining force in music. It became a rap powerhouse with acts like DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince and A Tribe Called Quest before dominating global pop in the late 1990s and 2000s with megastars such as Britney Spears, *NSYNC, and Justin Timberlake. Clive Calder's eventual sale of Zomba to Bertelsmann's BMG for $2.74 billion in 2002 remains one of the industry's largest transactions. Following the complex BMG-Sony merger, the Jive catalog was absorbed into Sony Music, where it has remained, making this revival a homecoming of sorts for the brand.

The executives chosen to lead this new chapter bring significant independent sector experience. They join from United Masters, the artist-services company founded by music and marketing mogul Steve Stoute, which has cultivated hits for artists like Brent Faiyaz. For Mike Wise, this move is particularly resonant; he is the son of former Jive executive Barry Weiss and began his career at Maverick Management. "Jive Records is deeply personal to me—it shaped entire generations and the way I learned this business," Wise stated. He emphasized that the new venture aims to blend Jive's historic legacy with a modern, artist-centric approach, crediting Sony Music's Rob Stringer, Peter Edge, and John Fleckenstein for their support.

David Melhado echoed this sentiment, highlighting the focus on artist development. "Rel launching JIVE alongside Mike is an opportunity to honor its independent spirit and double down on developing artists while shaping culture," Melhado said. Industry analysts suggest this move signals a growing trend of major labels creating nimble, brand-driven imprints to compete with agile independents for top talent.

RCA Records Chairman and CEO Peter Edge positioned the appointment as a strategic and symbolic fit. "Bringing them in to lead JIVE Records feels like a natural evolution—and a poetic way to revive a label that has been at the forefront of hip-hop and pop," Edge remarked, praising the duo's proven track record in artist discovery. The relaunch aims to recapture the label's pioneering energy for a new generation, leveraging its iconic name while operating with the autonomy of a startup within the Sony Music ecosystem.