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Hitmakers Issue Goes Deep Into the Grooves

Contributors

Peeling Back the Layers on Netflix’s ‘Glass Onion’ Strategy • The streamer deliberately limited the number of theaters releasing the sequel

Taking Their Best Shot at the Bard • Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo revisit ‘Romeo and Juliet’ with carefully curated cuts from their catalog

The Last Breakfast • Angela Yee takes the measure of her dozen years with Power 105’s hip-hop institution

Carved Out of the Big Bucks • Dozens of men in the music business have side hustles, but female execs? Not so much …

Passing the Torch on a ‘Willow’ Remake

In: A Killer Dress Out: Cable-Knit Sweater

Slap or No Slap, ‘Emancipation’ Deserves a Shot • Will Oscar voters see past Will Smith’s bad behavior at this year’s ceremony?

JUST FOR VARIETY

EXPOSURE

’Tis the Season

A Divine Duet • ‘Cold Heart’ is not only one of 2022’s biggest songs — the ELTON JOHN-DUA LIPA hit is the latest example of the music legend’s mentorship of young artists

‘Levitating’ to a Lofty Perch

The 25 Most Consumed Songs of 2022

Making the Cut • Who are the people responsible for birthing — and breaking — the biggest songs of the year? Variety’s list of 2022’s Hitmakers includes the creators, executives and connectors in the music industry who can spot a magical combination of talents and turn it into a smash.

RICKY REED • The two-time Grammy winner explains the science of hitmaking and Lizzo’s smash ‘About Damn Time’

LATTO’S ‘BIG ENERGY’

KID HARPOON & TYLER J0HNSON • The secret to making a Harry Styles smash? Kick out the jams

THE KIDS WERE ALL RIGHT • Lin-Manuel Miranda credits lockdown for the surprise success of ‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno’

SELENA GOMEZ’S ‘MY MIND & ME’ • The tune from the documentary about her struggles with depression is her way of telling people, ‘Iseeyou’

The Artist Whisperers • Engineers have the ears of the talent — and now a piece of the publishing

KARA DIOGUARDI • The former ‘American Idol’ judge matches creators to deliver hits, like Gayle’s Grammy-nommed ‘Abcdefu’

FUTURE’S ‘WAIT FOR U’ FEATURING DRAKE AND TEMS

ATLANTIC RECORDS • Celebrating its 75th year, the music powerhouse continues its two-decade hot streak with Julie Greenwald and Craig Kallman at the helm

JESSE COLLINS • The Emmy-winning creative is Hollywood’s go-to producer to deliver musical extravaganzas

OMAR APOLLO • In a year of firsts for the Mexican American singer-songwriter, 2022 brought a viral hit and a Grammy nomination

EBONIE WARD • The Future whisperer also counts Gunna and Flo Milli on her roster

A Letter From Prison

FUTURE • The Atlanta rapper has spread his magic around, elevating the work of top artists

SAM SMITH & KIM PETRAS • Their Grammy-nominated song ‘Unholy’ is a queer anthem and a No. 1 hit

WHISTLE WHILE YOU WORK • How Ryan Tedder turned OneRepublic’s ‘I Ain’t Worried’ into a sleeper smash for ‘Top Gun: Maverick’

LATTO • Internet trolls be damned, the Queen of the South ruled the charts this year

LIZZO’S ‘ABOUT DAMN TIME’ • The artist’s infectious celebration of post-COVID merrymaking was finely crafted by an ace team

IMAGINE DRAGONS • How Rick Rubin helped bandleader Dan Reynolds be more vulnerable than ever

REMIX RUN • An Ariana Grande feature extended the life of the Weeknd’s ‘Save Your Tears’

AMY COLES • The Sony Music Publishing exec locked in the sync of 2022, Kate Bush’s ‘Running Up That Hill’

HIP-HOP VOICES • These...