Universal Music Group’s companywide restructuring has reached Nashville. In fact, the cuts claimed eight members of MCA’s leadership and promotion teams. Country Aircheck reported the news first by email.
What We Know: MCA COO Rob Femia is among the departures. Femia joined then-UMG Nashville in 2013 and became COO in 2025. Additionally, SVP of Promotion and Regional Marketing Miranda McDonald is also out. McDonald arrived in 2012 and rose to SVP earlier this year. VP of E-Commerce and Business Development Taylor Viegut also exited. Viegut became VP in 2025 after five years with the company.
The layoffs also hit MCA’s regional promotion staff. Directors John Trapane, Donna Jo Passuntino, Ashley Knight and Shannon Hogan are leaving. Trapane joined Capitol in 2009 before moving to EMI in 2012. Meanwhile, Passuntino spent nearly 20 years with the label group. Knight and Hogan joined in 2013 and 2021, respectively. Director of Radio Marketing Houston Gaither is gone too. Gaither came aboard from Sony Music Nashville in 2024.
The Nashville cuts follow major changes at UMG’s other labels. Republic Records Chairman and CEO Jim Roppo is leaving to become vice chair at Warner Records. Similarly, Def Jam’s leadership is exiting. Overall, UMG expects the restructuring to save roughly $270 million a year.
What They Said: “Our consistent success has been built on our ability to anticipate industry changes, act early to better serve all our artists and songwriters, and capture opportunities in music’s fastest-growing areas. Our industry-leading investment in artist development has always guided that work and will continue to do so. We’re bringing in new skills and technology and connecting expertise across our teams to deliver greater global impact and greater efficiency. Where we have made the difficult decision to remove certain roles, we are deeply grateful for the contributions of the people leaving us.“ – Universal Media Group company statement
What Remains Unclear: So far, MCA hasn’t said who will take over the departing executives’ responsibilities. UMG also hasn’t disclosed how many employees lost their jobs companywide.
What It Means: For country radio, these cuts sting a little more. Regional promotion directors are often a programmer’s main contact at a label. As a result, stations may soon see fewer label reps working more artists. Likewise, more layoffs could follow as UMG continues restructuring in Europe and the U.K.
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