MBW’s Key Songs In The Life Of… is a series in which we ask influential music industry figures about the tracks that have – so far – defined their journey and their existence. Rising to the challenge this time out is WME’s Kirk Sommer, one of the most successful and respected live agents in the world, with a client list that runs from Adele and Billie Eilish to The Killers and Weezer – with many more stops in between. The Key Songs In The Life Of… series is supported by Sony Music Publishing.
Getting it out the way early, Kirk Sommer, Senior Partner and Global Co-Head of Music at WME explains why he has selected 10 Key Songs instead of eight, as per the format.
“I am not a music encyclopedia like some of my friends or colleagues, but when you have digested as many genres of music at different points in time, it’s extremely difficult to stop at eight. There are so many artists and songs that have become the soundtrack of my life and worthy of acknowledgement”.
It’s also difficult because Sommer’s obsession with music goes back to childhood. He says: “I caused problems at home playing music too loud and too late as long as I can remember.”
Perhaps that’s part of the reason why he gravitated towards the live sector – where loud and late is baked into the business and the lifestyle.
He made his first moves whilst at college in New York (he was inducted into the NYU Alumni Hall of Fame last year), “putting on shows, making sure the venues were packed and everyone was compensated appropriately”.
That led to a brief stint as an intern at Delsener-Slater, before he headed west to take up a position as a mailroom trainee at William Morris, where he immediately showed signs of the determination, dedication and aversion to bullshit that would mark out his rise to the top of his game.
“I ignored the politics and I wasn’t interested in wasting time. I turned the lights on before dawn and turned them off after everyone went home. I knew that real talent needed fiercely loyal representation with strong opinions, ideas and strategy.”
“Nobody puts more stress on me than I put on myself. Managers, colleagues and clients have said I am the last person they hear from at night and the first person they hear from in the morning.”
The spirit and schedule are echoed when he talks about his current role: “Each time I sign up for something, I’m committing a part of my life. Every morning I wake up thinking about what needs to be in place and how we are going to move the needle.
“Nobody puts more stress on me than I put on myself. Managers, colleagues and clients have said I am the last person they hear from at night and the first person they hear from in the morning.”
These days that commitment and stress revolves around a roster which includes Adele, Billie Eilish, Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, Hozier, Sam Smith, Nine Inch Nails, Morrissey, Pet Shop Boys, Rage Against the Machine, Weezer, Benson Boone, Lewis Capaldi, Teddy Swims, Camila Cabello and many more.
Last year, Adele completed a sold-out 100-show residency in Las Vegas, as well as a ‘mini’ version in Munich which set the record for the highest attendance of any residency outside of Vegas.
The Killers, another client who played a huge role in Sommer’s career – and who feature in his Key Songs – broke the record for the number of tickets sold by a musical act at London’s O2, while Hozier broke the 101-year attendance record at Forest Hills Stadium.
Reflecting on his live agent philosophy, Sommer says: “My family is my family, my clients and colleagues are my family. You take care of family; that’s what you do. I’m committed to them, there is no other way.
“You absolutely must respect the artist, the music, the career, the fans and the process. Some people do way too much too soon. They skip steps and don’t build a proper foundation.
“There are no shortcuts in our business. Every move must be thoroughly considered to build a solid foundation. Sometimes that means declining lucrative checks, because a big check is not always a good deal, you need to know where you want to go, what kind of short-term goal you want to achieve and ensure that supports the long-term plan.”
At the same time, he still finds the time and passion to keep searching for the artist that will, Spinal Tap-like, bump his list up to 11.
He says: “One of my largest motivations is finding that next one, or helping others find the next one in their life. Sometimes you find it, sometimes you don’t find it – and sometimes it finds you.”
1) The Killers, Mr. Brightside (2003)
I’m at a loss for words to describe the impact this song and band have had on my life and my family’s life.
I wasn’t down on my luck, but I had grinded around the clock for three years answering other people’s phones and doing other people’s work – and then sometimes the stars align.
I took a shot on them and they took a shot on me. I owe my career to Brandon, Ronnie, Mark and Dave. They are a North Star and everything we do is with purpose and intention.
I literally received a few demos ‘from the future’ and pounded the phones and pavement until I signed them while others were not interested or told me to slow down. There was no chance I was slowing down. They signed a recording contract a few months later.
Mr. Brightside – and many other Killers songs – became an early high standard to hold myself to. I could choose well over eight Killers songs alone that would be key songs in my life. We have literally experienced life cycles together, along with Robert [Reynolds, Manager] and Jeremy [Bates, Tour Manager]
They have had more label heads than I could ever remember. I’m incredibly proud of all we have accomplished and continue to achieve. We cut our teeth together from banging around in small postage stamp-size clubs in a van, all the way up to multiple stadiums and the biggest festival headline slots around the globe.
We built it the right way, they put in the work. Somehow and some way they just continue to get bigger and better, and it makes me continue to work even harder.
I’ve been listening to their album Pressure Machine constantly since the pandemic and I absolutely love Brandon’s Lonely Town.
Brandon is hands down one of the greatest showmen and hardest-working artists of all time. He is never idle. We have worked together for over 20 years and I know the next 20 are going to be some of the best.
2) Adele, Someone Like You (2011)
19 is an incredible body of work. I don’t say this lightly but I could choose every song on the album and nearly every song on each album thereafter.
There is just something about Someone Like You, from 21. It’s so vulnerable, the lyrics alone make your heart hurt, sung by one of the greatest vocalists I will ever hear, simply accompanied by a piano.
I had to chase Jonathan [Dickins, manager] and Adele a bit across the pond until we could meet in person. I began working with her prior to her label deal.
I really don’t know how many times she had visited the US, but when we sat down in my first closet of an office to route her first tour she said, ‘Do me a show here, do me a day off, do me a show there’, and so on – and she meant it. It was incredible and I’ll never forget it. It still makes me laugh.
She’s the same exact person she was when we met. When she knows what she wants she is all-in and I appreciate that. My family and I have come to love her and her family. I can still see her on the stool at the Hotel Café, and I still remember booking the Hollywood Bowl with Etta [James] – and then Chaka [Khan] after Etta was unable to perform.
I remember every benchmark and progression up to Munich, but I’m not sure I will see anything like Munich ever again.
I went to countless Colosseum shows and each time was like the first. One thing remains so certain in my mind: anybody who hears the notes to Someone Like You is struck by the inherent notion that there may never be anyone like Adele.
3) Jimmy Scott, Slave to Love (1999)
The song was originally written by Bryan Ferry. I fell in love with Jimmy while watching a PBS special as a kid.
He is without a doubt one of the greatest vocalists of all time and seemingly an unsung hero. He had such a distinct voice from a rare condition he was born with [Kallmann syndrome], it was mesmerizing and emotional. His performance at the old Jazz Bakery in Culver City nearly made me cry.
I later saw him at the Echo in a wheelchair with a very small crowd and remember thinking, if only more people knew him and his story… His voice, interpretation of song and delivery were enthralling. It hit you in the chest and made you speechless.
4) Erasure, A Little Respect (1988)
I can thank my sister for exposing me to great British pop and synthesizer music by artists like The Pet Shop Boys, Yazz, New Order, Depeche Mode and Human League. I still get excited each time I hear Vince’s keys, and Andy’s vocals fully deliver.
It sounds great just about anywhere, but when you see Andy’s expressive and spontaneous movements it lifts you up. The song is about love, respect and acceptance.
I’ve seen them many times and had the good fortune of seeing Andy perform with The Killers on one of their six nights at the O2 last year.
Neil [Tennant] and Chris [Lowe] are icons and I have witnessed some of the greatest moments in music history with them on stage. PSB’s BRITs lifetime achievement award performance with The Killers and Gaga was very memorable.
5) Queen & David Bowie, Under Pressure (1981)
One of the great collaborations between two of the greatest artists of all time.
The song is about immense pressure and human connection. Their vocals fit together like pieces of a puzzle and the chemistry is remarkable.
The timeless musical journey embarks with an undeniable bass line; those lines alone catapulted other careers.
Freddie and Bowie were two of the greatest performance artists of all time. They may be from different eras, but I see and hear some Freddie similarities in Benson Boone. He had the most streamed song in the world last year, he can sing and thrives in live; he has a wildly bright future.
6) Living Color, The Cult of Personality (1988)
This was one of my first real exposures to live rock music.
Roseland Ballroom (New York) was boiling and Living Color’s show was a frenetic sonic rainbow explosion on the senses. Vernon Reid’s guitar parts are instantly recognizable, like [Rush’s] Alex Lifesson’s on Limelight.
Corey Glover, Reid and Will Calhoun merge hard rock and funk into a massive rock tune about media crafting opinion around public figures. Politicians are some of the biggest celebrities and they are only getting bigger.
This song got me on first listen – and then, live, Fishbone, Living Colour and Jane’s Addiction on the same bill delivered a 1,2,3 punch, a perfect package. I probably took a boot in the face that night.
7) New Radicals, You Get What You Give (1998)
This is one of the greatest songs ever. The title of the song says it all and kind of how I try to live my life.
I will never forget Gregg [Alexander] singing it over the phone to my daughter, Saskia, for her birthday during COVID times and changing the lyrics to reflect her 12th birthday.
The resurgence of some great songs via syncs, samples and social media is incredible. I’ve always loved Kate Bush and Fleetwood Mac but Gregg’s recent resurgence with the upbeat Murder on the Dancefloor is another testament to his genius.
He’s written so many incredible tunes and he’s not done.
8) Amy Winehouse and Tony Bennet, Body and Soul (2011)
One of the first recordings of this song is by Louis Armstrong. Louis was in the hospital with my Grandma Bella. He would sing to her and she would love it.
The song was written by Edward Heyman, Johnny Green, Frank Eyton and Robert Sour. I listened to legends like Etta [James], Aretha [Franklin], Louis, Roberta [Flack], [Jimmy] Cliff, [Peter] Tosh, Toots [and the Maytals] and [Bob] Marley thanks to my crazy uncle Gregg who exposed me to some of this stuff after he had apparently finished following the Grateful Dead around with his retriever, Panama Red.
Before I discovered Adele’s music, but after I had been promoted to agent, there was Amy. Amy was one of a kind and we lost her too soon.
If you watch the Tony Bennet documentary footage of Amy she just completely blows everyone else captured on film away. She was so unbelievably talented and raw.
I remember running around SXSW with her and a young Paolo Nutini when Rehab was picking up steam. She said she wanted to get a tattoo so we ended up in one of those parlors.
Neither one of us were impressed with the ‘diamond’ that had been sketched on her arm. I remember thinking there is no way this is going to happen, and sure enough she jumped up out of the chair in a frenzy and we split.
Speaking of tattoos and great voices, it is incredible to see the trajectory Teddy Swims is on after all of the hard work he has put in. I remember the first time I met him with his manager, Luke [Conway], he could not be a nicer guy and he deserves it all.
Teddy was on an incremental growth plan and I knew at some point in time there would be an intervention that would bring him to new heights.
9) Sam Smith, Lay Me Down (2013)
Latch is on regular play in the office to this day. It was the first time I heard Sam and I remember stopping everything I was doing. I just closed my eyes and listened. It was one of those rare moments.
Then came Lay Me Down. Sam can really sing, and hold such high notes with unbelievable control. Their voice is absolutely stunning.
We talked about bucket list opportunities while playing tiny clubs, planning an ambitious plot with Steve Barnett at the helm of the Capitol around the launch of Stay With Me.
I will forever be in debt to Steve and will never forget the incredible work we did with Jack [Street], Sam [Evitt], Max [Gerrans] and everyone at Method, along with Nick [Raphael] and Jo [Charrington] – and of course the wildly talented and accomplished Jimmy Napes. There is nothing better than working with a great team around truly special talent.
You can’t plan for an Oscar win, but my head nearly smashed through our living room ceiling when Sam won [for Writing’s On The Wall in 2016].
I think it was also the first time I had an artist perform on SNL prior to an album release. Sometimes you create opportunities that you need to take advantage of when presented and can’t refuse.
10) Hozier, Shrike (2019)
Andrew was another artist I found myself working with before he had a major label deal.
It wasn’t just about Take Me To Church for me. He has tremendous depth. Not only is he beyond talented as a musician, he is an incredible writer with purpose, extremely intelligent, and an A+ human being.
Ireland is the birthplace of U2 and Van Morrison, two of the most influential artists of all time. Sunday Bloody Sunday and Where The Streets Have No Name always grabbed me. I’m proud to work with Inhaler [lead vocalist Elijah Hewson, son of Bono and his wife Ali Hewson], they don’t take anything for granted and work hard.
I could name countless Hozier songs that grab me all the time – Jackie and Wilson, Francesca, Someone New, on and on – but Shrike has a special place in my heart. There is something spiritual about it.
Once again, sometimes the simplest and most pure song is most impactful when the talent is immeasurable. His social activism is a personal choice and very admirable. Caroline Downey [co-manager] is best in class and the team she and Denis [Desmond, co-manager] have assembled are excellent to work with.
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