Eddie Rosenblatt, the longtime chairman of Geffen Records from its founding in 1980 through its peak years, died Tuesday (July 16) at a Santa Barbara hospital. It was 89.
His son Michael confirmed that the cause of death was pneumonia.
Rosenblatt was instrumental in the rise of Geffen Records, guiding the label through its formative years and establishing it as a force in the music industry. Under his leadership, Geffen Records became synonymous with the success of major artists such as Guns N' Roses, Nirvana and Don Henley.
Born in Queens, New York in 1934, Rosenblatt's journey into the music business began after a stint in the military and completion of Macy's management training program.
He moved to Cleveland to work at Cosnat Distributing in the early 1960s, marking his entry into the music industry. In 1962, he joined Main Line Distribution, building relationships with industry giants such as Gil Friesen, Jerry Moss and Jac Holzman, paving the way for his career at A&M Records and later Warner Bros.
Rosenblatt's expertise in sales and marketing at Warner Bros., where he worked closely with artists such as Joni Mitchell, caught the attention of David Geffen.
Geffen, who managed Mitchell, appointed Rosenblatt as president of Geffen Records when the label was founded in 1980. The label's initial roster included high-profile signings such as John Lennon, Elton John and Donna Summer, although it was the John Lennon album. Double Fantasyreleased shortly before his tragic death, which scored his first major hit.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Rosenblatt oversaw a roster that included hard rock and alternative acts such as Whitesnake, Weezer, Peter Gabriel, Sonic Youth and Nirvana.
The label's success was boosted by the creation of DGC Records, which became a major player in the alternative rock scene with artists such as Beck and Hole.
Geffen Records was sold to MCA in 1990 for $550 million, and despite David Geffen's departure in 1995 to launch DreamWorks SKG, Rosenblatt continued to lead the label with success.
He was known for his ability to cultivate talent, both among artists and executives. Many of the industry's top A&R executives and future label presidents, including Gary Gersh, Tom Zutaut and Wendy Goldstein, got their start under his tutelage.
Mo Ostin, Rosenblatt's former boss at Warner, once said, “If you think of David as the vision behind Geffen Records, then Eddie is the heart. This label is not just profitable, it has charm and heat, and Eddie is the guy who has kept it going all these years.”
In 1994 Advertising sign Interviewed, Rosenblatt spoke about Geffen's success in the alternative rock scene, saying, “We, up to this point, are a rock'n'roll label. We are not in the urban business. We do not deal with the province. We don't deal with classical music. We are in the rock'n'roll business. We're just taking advantage of some great signings that our A&R department has been lucky enough to get and some great records that these artists have made.”
Rosenblatt retired from the music industry after the merger of PolyGram and Universal Music Group. He spent his retirement in Montecito, California, where he was an avid tennis player and philanthropist.
Rosenblatt is survived by his four children, Michael, Steven, Peter and Gretchen, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild. His wife of 68 years, Bobbie, died in 2023.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Sansum Clinic, a non-profit outpatient organization, at sansumclinic.org/donate-now.
