Kirk Sommer

Kirk M. Sommer is an American entertainment industry executive and talent agent. Based in New York and Los Angeles, he is partner and global co-head of music at WME.

Sommer was born in New York. A music fan since childhood, he briefly played several instruments, but other interests kept him from practicing regularly. He liked to work, and in grade school went door-to-door in his neighborhood to pick up jobs such as shoveling snow, washing cars, and raking leaves.^[1] He was also an athlete, and played basketball and soccer.^[2] He attended New York University.^[3]

Sommer began booking small concerts during his freshman year at NYU. The first show he booked was successful, and for the next four years, he created, booked, and promoted events ranging from open mic nights and small parties to large bridge and tunnel events at diverse venues throughout Manhattan. He also interned for an independent concert promotion company, Delsener/Slater.^[1] During the internship, he realized that he was more interested in being an agent than in being a promoter; in an interview with Pollstar, he said he wanted to be more involved in artist development and "the decisions that help artists grow."^[4] He decided to pursue a career as a talent agent, and in 2000 he was hired as an agent trainee at William Morris in Los Angeles.^[1]

Sommer started in the mailroom,^[3] and was promoted to partner when William Morris merged with Endeavor in 2009.^[5] He was appointed global co-head of music in 2015.^[6]

Sommer's first signing was The Killers, who he began working with in 2003, just as their debut, Hot Fuss, was released. The band toured heavily in support of the album, and while their audience grew significantly, they continued to play in small venues. The demand for tickets increased and the buzz intensified, and eight months after playing the 1200-capacity 9:30 Club in DC, they sold out the 16,000+ capacity Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland.^[7] As of 2024, the Killers had performed in more than 50 countries on six continents.^[8][9]

In addition to booking concerts and tours, Sommer focused on scouting new artists in the US and the UK. In 2006, he signed Amy Winehouse.^[10] In January 2007—prior the North American release of Back to Black—Winehouse played her first US dates, selling out two nights at Joe's Pub in New York. Music Week reported that the shows were "stellar, and that "everybody in New York was talking about Amy Winehouse after she left."^[11] A month after Back to Black came out in the US, she played Coachella. A story in The Times was headlined: "Amy Winehouse Finds Fame at Coachella."^[12]

Sommer signed Adele in 2007, prior to the release of 19.^[13] She played shows in Los Angeles and New York at very small clubs In March 2008,^[14] and returned in May for a string of sold-out theater dates.^[15] In 2015, rather than using a national promoter such as AEG or Live Nation, Sommer booked her tour market-to-market, in part to support the independent companies who promoted Adele dates earlier in her career.^[16] In 2022, he booked her 100-date residency at The Coliseum at Caesars Palace. Billboard estimated that Adele was paid more than $2 million per show.^[17][18]

Among others, Sommer signed Sam Smith, Arctic Monkeys, and Hozier in 2013.^[19] Arctic Monkeys broke in the US in 2014 and moved up to arenas such as Madison Square Garden and upper lineup slots at festivals including Summerfest and Lollapalooza.^[20] Arctic Monkeys, Sam Smith, and Hozier each generated $30 million in touring revenue in 2023.^[21]

In addition to the Killers, Adele, Arctic Monkeys, Smith, and Hozier, Sommer represents artists including Steve Aoki, Benson Boone, Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish, Morrissey, Teddy Swims and Weezer.^[22][23][24] WME booked an estimated 40,000 shows globally in 2023.^[25]

In 2005, Sommer was named to Billboard's "30 Under 30"; ten years later, he was included in the magazine's "40 Under 40."^[6] He appeared on the Billboard Power 100 for 10 consecutive years, beginning in 2014.^{[26][27][28][29]} Sommer has also appeared on the Billboard Touring Power Players list. ^[30]

In 2021, 2022, and 2023, Sommer was included in the Variety 500, Variety's annual list of the most influential people in the global entertainment industry.^[31] He was named to Pollstar's "Impact 50" in 2022^[32] and 2023,^[33] and was nominated for the Pollstar Agent of the Year/Bobby Brooks Award every year that the award was presented from 2010 through 2023.^{[34][21][35][36][37][38][39][40]} He was inducted into the NYU Hall of Fame in 2024.^[41]

Sommer and his wife, Chloe—a jewelry designer and former journalist—were married in 2006. They have two daughters.^[42]

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