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Clive Davis, Record Executive Who Shaped Modern Music's Commercial Backbone, Dies at 94

6/22/2026

Clive Davis, the music executive whose instincts for bankable talent defined the commercial arc of American popular music across five decades, has died at 94.

The New York Times reported that Davis had recently been hospitalized for an upper respiratory infection before his death. His family confirmed the news in a statement published to his Instagram account.

A Roster That Rewrote the Industry's Playbook Davis's career is inseparable from the artists he chose to back.

His list of discoveries and signings includes Whitney Houston, Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Keys, Carlos Santana, Barry Manilow, Aerosmith, Carrie Underwood, and Kelly Clarkson — a cross-genre roster that any label executive today would consider a generational anomaly.

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