Columbia Records GM Mark DiDia suddenly left the label yesterday, and insiders are questioning whether Rick Rubin’s role at the company is changing. Rick Rubin is an American record producer and is currently the co-head of Columbia Records. He is given credit for merging rap and heavy metal as well as producing the “American series” albums with Johnny Cash. MTV called him “the most important producer of the last 20 years. Since joining Columbia, Rubin has produced Neil Diamond’s “Home Before Dark,” which was his first No. 1 debut on The Billboard 200 this spring. Rubin also brought ZZ Top and Crosby, Stills & Nash into Columbia’s graces, but neither act has released music for the company yet. Rubin is also credited for producing Metallica’s “Death Magnetic,” which sold 1.44 million copies for Warner Bros. since its June release.
Rubin will be shunted off to a side-label deal, presumably so Sony can distance themselves from him without breaking their contract. In 2007, Rick Rubin won multiple grammies for his contributions:
* Record of the Year – Not Ready to Make Nice, Dixie Chicks
* Album of the Year – Taking the Long Way, Dixie Chicks
* Best Rock Album – Stadium Arcadium, Red Hot Chili Peppers
* Best Country Album – Taking the Long Way, Dixie Chicks
* Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
