Tommy Brown (TBHits) On Making Hits With Ariana Grande, BLACKPINK & The Business Of Pop
On the Record with Poppy ReidShow Notes
He’s the sonic architect behind some of the biggest global hits of the last decade. On this episode of On The Record, we sit down with GRAMMY-nominated, ASCAP Award-winning producer and entrepreneur Tommy Brown, known professionally as TBHits.From Pittsburgh to the peak of pop culture, Brown’s production fingerprints are on game-changing records with Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, BTS, John Legend, Bad Bunny, Drake, and more. But one record in particular broke new ground in K-pop crossover history—“Ice Cream” by BLACKPINK and Selena Gomez. Tommy didn’t just produce the track—he co-wrote, arranged and composed it, setting new streaming records and solidifying his place as a cross-genre hitmaker.In this conversation, Tommy opens up about:0:00 – His journey from Pittsburgh to global pop hits03:00 – The making of “Ice Cream” and its cultural impact08:30 – What producing in Korea taught him about K-pop13:15 – Stepping back to build Champagne Therapy the right way18:00 – Why royalties are broken and how he uses humor to raise awareness23:00 – Fixing collaboration in music, TV, and film28:00 – ADHD, family, and what’s next for his global collaborationsThis is Tommy Brown. On The Record.Timestamps 0:00 – Introduction: Tommy Brown’s journey from Pittsburgh to global pop hits 03:00 – The making of BLACKPINK & Selena Gomez’s “Ice Cream” and Ariana Grande’s surprise involvement 08:30 – What Tommy learned about K-pop while producing in Korea 13:15 – Building Champagne Therapy and why he stepped back to go bigger 18:00 – The truth about royalties, songwriting credits, and why he uses humor to call out industry issues 23:00 – Why collaboration is broken—and what needs to change in music and film 28:00 – ADHD as a creative strength, his brother’s influence, and what’s next for Tommy globally Guest bioTommy Brown (aka TBHits) is a multi-platinum, GRAMMY-nominated record producer and songwriter from Pittsburgh. He is the founder of Champagne Therapy Music Group & Publishing, in partnership with Universal Music Group chairman Sir Lucian Grainge. Known for his genre-blending sound and longtime collaboration with Ariana Grande, Brown has also worked with BLACKPINK, Justin Bieber, BTS, The Weeknd, Selena Gomez, John Legend, Bad Bunny, and more. His work has shaped the modern pop and R&B landscape.
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