Lou Plaia

Lou Plaia is a seasoned music industry professional, starting his career at Atlantic Records in 1990 where he held the role of Director of Finance before becoming VP of Marketing/Strategic Planning in 1993. In 2002, Plaia became Head of Marketing/Artist Development for Atlantic imprint, Lava Records. In these roles, he worked with Kid Rock, Matchbox Twenty, Jewel, Stone Temple Pilots, Trans-Siberian Orchestra and others.

In 2006, Plaia “disrupted” the industry and founded ReverbNation, a platform offering artists promotional tools, distribution, publishing, and opportunities previously only available to those signed to record labels. ReverbNation became the largest DIY Artist Services Platform in the world, with more than 5 million artists. In 2021, Plaia sold the company to BandLab.

In 2022, Plaia joined music publisher, Sentric, where he held the role of A&R Director through early 2025.

In 2023, Plaia launched Hot Rats Entertainment, a boutique artist services company that ensures artists receive support so they can focus on making music and performing. Hot Rats provides expertise across business setup, distribution, publishing, release planning, tour planning, and more. At Hot Rats, Plaia also manages the Spinefarm/Universal recording artist, Deadlands.

Plaia is also an Adjunct Professor at Five Towns College teaching Artist Management.