How 444 Sounds’ Joe Aboud is Reinventing the Music Industry Landscape
The music mogul is dedicated to uplifting LGBTQ+ independent artists.
Photo by Sophie Sahara
When Joe Aboud was only 15, he walked into Sony Music’s Epic Records after winning tickets to a Radio Z100 showcase with no experience and a dream. They took a chance on him, gave him a high school internship, and he never looked back. Fast forward a few years, the music mogul now owns 444 Sounds, a leading music consultancy and managing firm. Through client strategy and promotion of artists, record labels, distributors, and management companies, Aboud has continued his dedication to uplifting musicians after years of an already zealous career.
Within a year of launching 444 Sounds, Aboud had already acquired over 40 artist clients and a dozen record label company clients and began working in artist management for Brianna Mazzola and Brooke Candy. A few of the many labels and artists he represents are Concord, Major Recordings, Warner Records, Jung Kook, Enrique Iglesias, Julia Fox, SAINt JHN, and many more.
“I’m so grateful she took a chance on me,” Aboud says. “It was a surprise. It was a springboard for everything else that happened because, for the rest of high school and college interviews, people were so impressed that I was able to have such a long internship in high school. At a young age, I was able to find out what I really love doing. I’ve always wanted to work with artists and help bring their vision to life.”
Prior to 444 Sounds, Aboud’s roster was nothing short of remarkable. The music industry knew he was here to stay. His high school internship at Epic Records then evolved into serving as the marketing and streaming for independent label HITCO, then managed their catalog and acquisition into Concord Music Group. He also oversaw marketing at Atlantic Records, working with Skrillex, David Guetta, and more. At Apple Music, his artist and label relations role allowed him to acquire knowledge of policies, internal tools, and practices that would benefit him in preparation for launching 444 Sounds.
“Artists, managers, and labels were starting to approach me, who I used to work with,” he says. “They were asking if I could consult for them with one-on-one services. It wasn’t a full service yet, but it snowballed. I needed to double down because so many people needed this help. They aren’t getting support at the labels they’re signed to
Photo by Sophie Sahara
Pride Month is not just a month-long celebration for Aboud but a year-round commitment. In addition to his work in promoting new artists and established artists, he is dedicated to empowering LGBTQ+ artists. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community himself, Aboud understands the importance of representation of those in the music industry. He is determined to ensure these artists' artistry, craft, and styles are not just imitated but celebrated and recognized in the music landscape.
“Whatever gaps clients may have, we’re really trying to help identify them and find solutions for them,” Aboud says. “It’s been really rewarding to work with artists from the queer community. There are so many great ones. I want to continue to build in that space. We want to empower all artists who need help and visibility to support them. It’s so hard to be an independent artist but even harder to be an independent artist from a marginalized community.”
Whether it’s working 14-hour days or constantly being on-call, Aboud is always locked in. However, as Aboud says, it takes a village. After hiring a small team in New York City and Los Angeles to help balance out the endlessness of the music industry, 444 Sounds has developed beyond his expectations. However, he has an eye for continuously developing more for himself and the company.
“I’m thinking about building out a distribution channel,” he says. “It’s a very competitive space, but I don’t feel like there are a lot of platforms that are doing a really good job. The space has a lot of potential to be innovated.”
As 444 Sounds continues to amplify artists, they want to acquire more resources, voices, and people to help change the music landscape. It’s more than a music consultancy and managing firm; it is a safe space for emerging and established artists to express themselves, broaden their opportunities, and give musicians careers that will remain timeless.
