{{short description|American music manager and entrepreneur}} {{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Cliff Burnstein | image = | caption = | birth_name = Clifford N. Burnstein | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1948|7}} | birth_place = [[Highland Park, Illinois]], U.S. | education = [[University of Pennsylvania]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]], [[Master of Arts|M.A.]]) | known_for = Co-founder of Q Prime; managing rock bands including [[Metallica]] | organization = [[Q Prime]] | occupation = {{hlist|Music manager|Entrepreneur|Record executive}} | spouse = | children = | years_active = 1973–present | awards = [[Billboard (magazine)|''Billboard'']] Power 100 (2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019) | website = {{URL|https://www.qprime.com}} }}
'''Clifford "Cliff" Burnstein''' (born July 1948) is an American music manager and entrepreneur. He is the co-founder of [[Q Prime]], a [[New York City|New York]]-based music management company that has represented prominent rock acts, including [[Metallica]].
Burnstein began his career at [[Mercury Records]], where he signed [[Rush (band)|Rush]] to their first American record deal. He later worked with [[Peter Mensch]] at the management firm Leber-Krebs, which managed [[AC/DC]] and other artists, before the two co-founded Q Prime.
==Early life and education==
Burnstein was born in July 1948, and grew up in the [[Chicago]] suburb of [[Highland Park, Illinois]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Clifford BURNSTEIN personal appointments |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/S4-DTiuQLDWcS32dS7ztrVlW26o/appointments |access-date=2025-06-27 |website=find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk |language=en}}</ref> His father was a [[tax law]]yer, and his grandparents were [[Jews|Jewish]] immigrants from [[Eastern Europe]]. Burnstein's maternal grandparents were [[Clothing industry|garment workers]], and his paternal grandfather arrived in the [[United States]] "from [[Russia]] when he was thirteen or fourteen." Without knowing any [[English language|English]], his grandfather learned how to [[Typesetting|typeset]] for [[Yiddish]] newspapers, eventually earning enough to relocate to Chicago.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Farr |first=Jory |title=Moguls and madmen: the pursuit of power in popular music |date=1994 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |isbn=978-0-671-73946-1 |location=New York, NY |page=246 |language=en}}</ref>
Burnstein attended [[Highland Park High School (Highland Park, Illinois)|Highland Park High School]], where he competed in debate and found a passion for music.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Deerfield Library Archives - 1965 |url=https://archives.deerfieldlibrary.org/items?page=18&%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Bsort_field=added&%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Bsort_dir=d&%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Boutput=omeka-xml&%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Bsort_field=added&%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Bsort_dir=a&%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Boutput=omeka-xml&%3Bamp%3Boutput=omeka-xml&%3Bsort_field=Dublin+Core%2CCreator&%3Boutput=omeka-xml&sort_field=added&sort_dir=d&output=omeka-xml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250629221356/https://archives.deerfieldlibrary.org/items?page=18&%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Bsort_field=added&%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Bsort_dir=d&%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Boutput=omeka-xml&%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Bsort_field=added&%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Bsort_dir=a&%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Boutput=omeka-xml&%3Bamp%3Boutput=omeka-xml&%3Bsort_field=Dublin+Core%2CCreator&%3Boutput=omeka-xml&sort_field=added&sort_dir=d&output=omeka-xmlhttps://archives.deerfieldlibrary.org/items?page=18&%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Bsort_field=added&%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Bsort_dir=d&%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Boutput=omeka-xml&%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Bsort_field=added&%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Bsort_dir=a&%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Boutput=omeka-xml&%3Bamp%3Boutput=omeka-xml&%3Bsort_field=Dublin+Core%2CCreator&%3Boutput=omeka-xml&sort_field=added&sort_dir=d&output=omeka-xml |archive-date=June 29, 2025 |access-date=June 29, 2025 |website=Deerfield Library}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=March 18, 1965 |title=Deerfield Review and Vernon Review - March 18, 1965 |url=https://archives.deerfieldlibrary.org/files/original/cec2852625bc23b855834ccbdf5b201f.pdf |access-date=June 29, 2025 |website=Deerfield Library |publisher=Deerfield Review and Vernon Review}}</ref> He grew up listening to [[Soul music|soul]], [[Rock music|rock]], and [[blues]] on [[AM broadcasting|AM radio]] stations from across the country, such as "[[WBZ (AM)|WBZ]] from Boston, [[WLAC]] from Nashville, [[KAAY]] from Little Rock, [and] [[WABC (AM)|WABC]] from New York."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Farr |first=Jory |title=Moguls and madmen: the pursuit of power in popular music |date=1994 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |isbn=978-0-671-73946-1 |location=New York, NY |page=270}}</ref> In high school, he would send self-addressed envelopes to 20 or more radio stations each week to collect their local surveys, compiling them into his own crudely weighted Top One Hundred national survey. As Burnstein recalled, "'I was obsessed. And it was a tremendous amount of work. But I did this all through high school.'"<ref>{{Cite book |last=Farr |first=Jory |title=Moguls and madmen: the pursuit of power in popular music |date=1994 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |isbn=978-0-671-73946-1 |location=New York |page=247}}</ref>
Burnstein then attended the [[University of Pennsylvania]], where he earned both a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] and [[Master of Arts|M.A.]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Academia – Q Prime |url=https://qprime.com/academia/ |access-date=2025-06-26 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=University of Pennsylvania - Partnerships |url=http://www.sas.upenn.edu/sasalum/newsltr/winter09/partnerships.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120915231737/http://www.sas.upenn.edu/sasalum/newsltr/winter09/partnerships.pdf |archive-date=2012-09-15 |access-date=2025-06-29 |website=www.sas.upenn.edu}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> He continued into a [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]] program in [[demography]], but pivoted toward looking for jobs in the [[Music industry|music business]] as his [[scholarship]] ran out and true love for music came into focus.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=November 17, 2016 |title=BURNSTEIN & MENSCH, PT 1: THE HARD, ROCKY ROAD THAT LED TO Q PRIME |url=https://www.hitsdailydouble.com/news/rumor-mill/burnstein-and-mensch-pt-1-the-hard-rocky-road-that-led-to-q-prime |access-date=2025-06-26 |website=Hits Daily Double |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3" />
==Career==
=== Mercury Records (1973–1980) === After sending out his resume to dozens of music companies, Burnstein received an interview from [[Mercury Records]] in [[Chicago]]. In 1973, he was hired into the label's finance department by its then-president, Irwin Steinberg.<ref name=":3">{{Cite magazine |last=Aswad |first=Jem |date=2016-03-29 |title=Q Prime's Burnstein And Mensch On Managing Metallica And Jimmy Page, Playing The Label Game, And Staying On Top For 33 Years |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/q-prime-cliff-burnstein-peter-mensch-managing-metallica-33-years-7290324/ |access-date=2025-06-26 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref>
That same year, Burnstein was promoted to National Album Promotion Director within the label.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Peter Mensch {{!}} Kennedy Center |url=https://www.kennedy-center.org/artists/m/ma-mn/peter-mensch/ |access-date=2025-06-27 |website=The Kennedy Center |language=en}}</ref> In this role, Burnstein [[Cold calling|cold-called]] every station on the ''Walrus'' [[FM broadcasting|FM radio]] tip sheet, a newsletter that tracked the most added and popular records of the previous two weeks. At the time, Burnstein was promoting bands such as [[Bachman–Turner Overdrive|Bachman-Turner Overdrive]], [[Thin Lizzy]], and the [[New York Dolls]]. When he called [[Brandeis University]]'s [[WBRS]], the program director, [[Peter Mensch]], picked up. The two became fast friends, connecting over their shared music taste.<ref name=":2" />
In June 1974, Burnstein signed [[Rush (band)|Rush]] to their first American record deal. He had one business day to make the decision after their self-titled debut album, [[Rush (Rush album)|''Rush'']], was submitted to Mercury. Burnstein said that [[Moon Records (Canada)|Moon Records]], the band's Canadian label, was seeking to export the album after it began to receive traction in [[Cleveland|Cleveland, Ohio]]. Burnstein confirmed with Cleveland rock station [[WMMS]] that the record was gaining traction and convinced Steinberg to sign the band that same day.<ref name=":2" /> Following their signing, Rush began to receive success, eventually becoming [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] inductees in 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rush - Inductees |url=https://rockhall.com/inductees/rush/ |access-date=2025-06-27 |website=Rock & Roll Hall of Fame |language=en-US}}</ref>
By 1977, Burnstein had started a [[punk rock]] label under Mercury called Blank Records. He hired Peter Mensch as its general manager. The label signed and released the influential debut albums of rock bands [[Pere Ubu]] and [[The Suicide Commandos]].<ref name=":2" />
In early 1979, Burnstein—having shifted into [[Artists and repertoire|A&R]] at Mercury—pursued [[Germany|German]] rock band [[Scorpions (band)|Scorpions]] for the label. After he learned that Scorpions were no longer with [[RCA Records]] in the United States, and their forthcoming album ''[[Lovedrive]]'' had been passed on by [[Capitol Records]], Burnstein traveled to [[Bremen|Bremen, Germany]] to see them perform. Burnstein was introduced to the band, and expressed his interest in releasing ''Lovedrive'' on Mercury in North America, which Burnstein said was "an exceptional album."<ref name=":2" /> After signing with Mercury, the band brought on Mensch as their manager—who had just begun managing [[AC/DC]] at [[David Krebs|Leber-Krebs]].
During the summer of 1979, Burnstein got hold of a copy of [[Def Leppard]]'s debut, ''[[The Def Leppard E.P.]]'' According to Burnstein, he "fell in love with [the EP]." He pledged to "put out their first album simultaneously in the United States and England," as the band had signed with [[PolyGram]] (which owned Mercury) for all territories except the United States. In September 1979, Burnstein and Mensch traveled to [[Wolverhampton|Wolverhampton, England]] to see Def Leppard perform. The pair met the band, with Burnstein offering to release their record in America and Mensch offering them management and opening slots on AC/DC's tour the following December. The band agreed, signing a label deal with Mercury for North America and bringing on Mensch at Leber-Krebs for management.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=November 18, 2016 |title=BURNSTEIN & MENSCH, PT. 2: THE HARD, ROCKY ROAD THAT LED TO Q PRIME |url=https://www.hitsdailydouble.com/news/rumor-mill/burnstein-and-mensch-pt-2-the-hard-rocky-road-that-led-to-q-prime |access-date=2025-06-27 |website=Hits Daily Double |language=en}}</ref>
In addition to the aforementioned artists, Burnstein signed [[Faith Band]], [[Roadmaster (band)|Roadmaster]], and [[The Brains]] during his time at Mercury.<ref name=":3" />
=== Leber-Krebs (1980–1982) === In February 1980, Burnstein left Mercury to join Mensch at Leber-Krebs, moving to [[New York City]] that same month. He later recalled that he "wanted to be unambiguously on somebody’s side," referring to the artists, or as he put it, "the side of the angels."<ref name=":4" /> At Leber-Krebs, the pair managed AC/DC during their successful ''[[Back in Black]]'' album, which sold over 50 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling rock album in history.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Ma |first1=Kai |title=Heavy Metal Under the Sea: Sharks Act Calmer When Listening to AC/DC |url=https://newsfeed.time.com/2011/06/06/heavy-metal-under-the-sea-sharks-act-calmer-when-listening-to-acdc/ |magazine=Time |access-date=16 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250421004357/https://newsfeed.time.com/2011/06/06/heavy-metal-under-the-sea-sharks-act-calmer-when-listening-to-acdc |archive-date=April 21, 2025 |language=en |date=6 June 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=McNamee |first1=Gregory |title=AC/DC, "Back in Black" (Great Moments in Pop Music History) |url=https://www.britannica.com/blogs/2010/08/acdc-back-in-black-great-moments-in-pop-music-history/ |website=Britannica |access-date=16 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140821051008/https://www.britannica.com/blogs/2010/08/acdc-back-in-black-great-moments-in-pop-music-history |archive-date=August 21, 2014 |language=en |date=August 24, 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Ó Caollaí |first1=Éanna |title=AC/DC back catalogue goes digital |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ac-dc-back-catalogue-goes-digital-1.749607 |newspaper=The Irish Times |access-date=16 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130618021545/http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ac-dc-back-catalogue-goes-digital-1.749607 |archive-date=June 18, 2013 |language=en |date=November 19, 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> Together, the pair also managed Scorpions, [[Michael Schenker Group]], and Def Leppard.<ref name=":3" /> Burnstein and Mensch's work at Leber-Krebs ended in April 1982, at which point they started Q Prime.
===Q Prime (1982–present)=== {{Main|Q Prime}}
Cliff Burnstein co-founded [[Q Prime]] with Peter Mensch on April 1, 1982, launching the management company from their apartments in New York and London.<ref name=":4" /> Their first client, Def Leppard, achieved commercial success with their 1983 album [[Pyromania (album)|''Pyromania'']], which sold over 10 million copies in the U.S. and contributed to Q Prime's early reputation.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Farr |first=Jory |title=Moguls and madmen: the pursuit of power in popular music |date=1994 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |isbn=978-0-671-73946-1 |location=New York, NY |page=254}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chiu |first=David |title=Def Leppard's Joe Elliott On The Legacy Of 'Pyromania' 40 Years Later |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidchiu/2024/05/01/def-leppards-joe-elliott-on-the-legacy-of-pyromania-40-years-later/ |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>
Since 1984, Burnstein has played a key role in managing [[Metallica]]—negotiating the band's major label deal with [[Elektra Records]] and overseeing the release of ''[[Master of Puppets]]'' in 1986, widely regarded as one of the most influential metal albums of all time.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last1=Christopher R. |first1=Weingarten |last2=Beaujour |first2=Tom |display-authors=1 |date=2017-06-21 |title=The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/the-100-greatest-metal-albums-of-all-time-113614/ |access-date=2025-06-17 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Blabbermouth |date=2011-03-18 |title=METALLICA's 'Master Of Puppets' Is 'Top Metal Song Of All Time' |url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/metallica-s-master-of-puppets-is-top-metal-song-of-all-time/ |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=BLABBERMOUTH.NET |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |date=2009-05-31 |title=500 Greatest Albums of All Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-156826/ |access-date=2025-06-17 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref>
Over the decades, Burnstein and Q Prime have managed artists including [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]], [[The Smashing Pumpkins]], [[Cage the Elephant|Cage The Elephant]], and worked with artists such as [[The Rolling Stones]], [[Led Zeppelin]], and [[Madonna]].<ref name=":1" /> Under Burnstein and Mensch's leadership, Q Prime has expanded internationally, establishing a total of four divisions between New York, [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]], and London.<ref name="MusicRow AF expansion">{{cite web |last1=Cantrell |first1=L. B. |title=Q Prime Joins Forces With Aaron Frank To Form New Division, Q Prime AF |url=https://musicrow.com/2023/05/q-prime-joins-forces-with-aaron-frank-to-form-new-division-q-prime-af/ |website=MusicRow |access-date=15 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240625183932/https://musicrow.com/2023/05/q-prime-joins-forces-with-aaron-frank-to-form-new-division-q-prime-af |archive-date=June 25, 2024 |language=en |date=4 May 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=King |first1=Ariel |title=Q Prime Joins Forces With Aaron Frank To Create Q Prime AF - Pollstar News |url=https://news.pollstar.com/2023/05/03/q-prime-joins-forces-with-aaron-frank-to-create-q-prime-af/ |website=Pollstar |access-date=15 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240914081311/https://news.pollstar.com/2023/05/03/q-prime-joins-forces-with-aaron-frank-to-create-q-prime-af |archive-date=September 14, 2024 |language=en |date=3 May 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> Artists managed by Q Prime have won dozens of [[Grammy Awards]] while under the company's representation, earned numerous ''[[Billboard 200|Billboard]]'' [[Billboard 200|200]] Top 10 Albums, and include two Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees.
==Personal life== Burnstein is a longtime [[baseball]] fan, particularly of the [[Chicago White Sox]], and has frequently attended [[spring training]] games in [[Florida]]. He has also expressed a lifelong passion for film.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Farr |first=Jory |title=Moguls and madmen: the pursuit of power in popular music |date=1994 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |isbn=978-0-671-73946-1 |location=New York, NY |page=268}}</ref>
In 2007, Burnstein made a $1.5 million gift to [[Yale School of Medicine]] to support cancer research led by Dr. Jeffrey L. Sklar, a former middle school classmate. Reconnecting decades later, Burnstein said the gift was inspired by trust in Sklar's intellect and integrity: "Jeff’s one of the highest-quality people I ever met in my life, and I’m backing him." The donation supported research that challenged long-held assumptions about how cancer develops at the chromosomal level.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=It's only rock 'n' roll, but it supports cancer research at Yale |url=https://medicine.yale.edu/news/medicineatyale/article/its-only-rock-n-roll-but-it-supports/ |access-date=2025-06-29 |website=medicine.yale.edu |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}} {{authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Burnstein, Cliff}} [[Category:1948 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:20th-century American Jews]] [[Category:21st-century American Jews]] [[Category:American music managers]] [[Category:Businesspeople from Illinois]] [[Category:University of Pennsylvania alumni]]