Press Releases

LOS ANGELES, CA — January 23, 2025 — 19 Entertainment, the Sony Pictures Television (SPT) company led by Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman, announced today it has hired Joey Arbagey, the established music executive behind numerous global hit artists and songs, as Executive Vice President of Music. Joining 19 Entertainment from Epic Records, where he spent a decade and most recently served as EVP of A&R, Arbagey will oversee the robust music business connected to 19 Entertainment’s eight-time Emmy^®-winning show American Idol, dedicated to launching the careers of talent from the show such as platinum artists including Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Daughtry, Phillip Phillips, and more recently , Gabby Barrett, Chayce Beckham, and Iam Tongi. Arbagey will support the music division, overseeing 19 Recordings, 19 Publishing, and 19 Management, as well as related partnerships, including with distribution partner BMG. He will report to Holzman and Rachel Dax, SPT Nonfiction’s President and EVP of Production, respectively.

In a joint statement, Holzman and Dax said, “We are so glad to bring Joey aboard as we work to evolve our music division to address the needs of artists in the music industry of today. He is an outstanding executive with a strong track record across both the business and creative sides of the industry. His input will be invaluable as we continue to build the legacy of one of the most iconic institutions in music.”  

Arbagey said, “I couldn’t be more excited to join Eli, Aaron, and Rachel, and the rest of the 19 Entertainment team, particularly at this moment. They’ve built a music division with a roster that speaks for itself, and I look forward to working with them and our partners as we aim for even greater heights with our next chapter.”

Throughout his accomplished career, Arbagey has influenced the face and sound of several music genres, including R&B, dance, neo-soul, hip-hop, and pop. As EVP of A&R for Epic Records, he oversaw the creative record-making process for artists including Camila Cabello, Mariah Carey, John K, Eddie Benjamin, and more. Prior to moving into the pop space, he served as Head of A&R for Antonio “LA” Reid, overseeing an artist roster including Future, Travis Scott, DJ Khaled, and Meghan Trainor. Hit songs for which Arbagey has been responsible include 5^th Harmony’s “Work from Home,” Camila Cabello’s “Havana,” and dozens more. Earlier in his career, Arbagey spent a decade at KMEL-FM Radio, a market leader in San Francisco where he helped break the careers of such artists as Eryka Badu, Mary J. Blige, D'Angelo, and Outkast.

A special preview episode of the new season of American Idol will air on ABC following the live telecast of The Oscars^® on Sunday, March 2^nd. Ahead of the season eight premiere on March 9^th, viewers will get to see the new judging panel — comprised of 2005 winner and eight-time Grammy^® winner Carrie Underwood, alongside fellow music industry icons Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie — and longtime host Ryan Seacrest, as a new round of hopefuls auditions in the search for the nation’s next superstar.

ABOUT 19 ENTERTAINMENT
19 Entertainment, a part of Sony Pictures Television, is led by Executive Producers Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman with key programs including the global hit American Idol co-produced by Fremantle for ABC and “So You Think You Can Dance” co-produced by Dick Clark Productions for Fox. Sony Pictures Television’s nonfiction group is the feature documentary, premium content, and unscripted unit within Sony Pictures Television. Through ownership interests in or with production companies Sharp Entertainment, The Intellectual Property Corporation (IPC), B17 Entertainment, 19 Entertainment, This Machine, Maxine Productions, UnConventional Entertainment, Brass Monkeys Media, and Resilient Content, the group creates and produces content in every form of programming for audiences worldwide, currently totaling more than 100 series across 35 platforms. In addition to 19 Entertainment’s global hits So You Think You Can Dance and American Idol, key programs include Sharp Entertainment’s 90 Day Fiancé franchise for TLC; IPC’s Emmy®-winning hit documentary series Leah Remini: Scientology & the Aftermath for A&E, Indian Matchmaking and Night Stalker for Netflix, Secrets of Playboy for A&E, We’re Here for Max, and Selena + Chef for Food Network; and B17 Entertainment’s Extracted for FOX, Thanks a Million for Roku, and The Final Straw for ABC. Additionally, 19 Recordings has launched the music careers of platinum artists Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, , Daughtry, Phillip Phillips, Lauren Alaina, Gabby Barrett, Chayce Beckham, Iam Tongi, and up-and-coming country artist, Will Moseley.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES TELEVISION 
Sony Pictures Television (SPT) is one of the television industry’s leading content providers, producing, distributing and carrying programming worldwide in every genre and for every platform. In addition to managing one of the industry’s largest libraries of award-winning feature films, television shows and formats, SPT is home to a thriving global content business, operating a robust portfolio of wholly-owned and joint-venture production companies across the U.S., Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific, as well as linear and digital channels around the world. SPT is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Group Corporation.