Impact International UK/Euro: Steve Hogan

There aren’t many agents as steeped in electronic music as WME Partner Steve Hogan. Joining almost two decades ago, he’s helped build the agency’s electronic music department from scratch. “It has been a long and hard path to get to the place we are now, but I feel it has all paid off,” he says. A “bumper summer” serves as proof.
In the electronic music mecca Ibiza, Spain, “we are breaking all records in number of shows and artist grosses in 2023. The festival landscape is back to normal, it’s the first clear summer post all the COVID reschedules, and we are again doing huge business.”

Hogan is looking after a roster that includes Pete Tong, who’s been Hogan’s client since the inception of WME’s electronic department, Seth Troxler, The Martinez Brothers, Kölsch, Black Coffee, Groove Armada, Madeon and more. He signed Peggy Gou five years ago, “and watching her growth as an artist into a global icon, and spreading into other areas in the business, is definitely a major [highlight],” he says. Another one is the development of Eric Prydz’ HOLO show into a global arena business – “a proud moment for me personally, especially after being a fan of his music for many years.”

There’s an ever-present awareness of the importance of small venues and clubs in the electronic music scene, even as major electronic acts move into consistent arena business, according to Hogan. “I have many artists that love to scale back and go into clubs to play on a regular basis, so as not to lose touch with the dance floor,” he says. “The big shows bring the production levels to amaze and astound the audience, but the clubs are still where records are tested and broken, we should never lose sight of that, despite losing many good venues in the last few years since the pandemic. The clubs of today will break the headliners of tomorrow.”