Berklee's Mark Ethier Named One of SPIN's Most Influential People in Music for 2026

Berklee's Mark Ethier Named One of SPIN's Most Influential People in Music for 2026 The executive director of Berklee's Emerging Artistic Technology Lab (BEATL) ranks No. 9 on SPIN's annual list spotlighting the people shaping music's future.

January 20, 2026

By

Nick Balkin

Mark Ethier, executive director of BEATL

Image by Kelly Davidson

As artificial intelligence reshapes music, the future will be defined less by the tools themselves than by the people guiding how they're used.

One of those people is Mark Ethier, executive director of the Berklee Emerging Artistic Technology Lab (BEATL), who has been named to SPIN's 26 Most Influential People in Music of 2026 list. Ethier ranks No. 9 overall on the annual list, which highlights artists, executives, producers, technologists, and other behind-the-scenes figures expected to shape the direction of music in the year ahead.

He'll provide students with tools that advocate for human creativity rather than replace it, and that's a very good thing.- SPIN Magazine

SPIN highlights Ethiers leadership of BEATL and the lab's artist-first approach as an example of how AI can be approached with intention rather than alarm. The article also points to Ethier's focus on ensuring that emerging tools serve musicians, noting that at BEATL, He'll provide students with tools that advocate for human creativity rather than replace it, and that's a very good thing.

Before joining Berklee, Ethier cofounded iZotope, an audio technology company whose AI-powered tools are widely used in music production and audio repair. An MIT graduate with degrees in music and computer science, he has spent more than two decades working alongside musicians, producers, and engineers to develop technology grounded in real creative workflows. At Berklee, that perspective now extends directly to students and faculty across the institution.

The SPIN recognition comes during an especially active period for BEATL. This week, the lab announced it will present AIMS (AI Music Summit), a new three-day event focused on how AI is entering everyday music creation, production, performance, and learning. Taking place June 3-5, 2026, on Berklee's Boston campus, the summit will bring together musicians, educators, researchers, and industry leaders. BEATL has also expanded its leadership team with the addition of longtime Berklee professor and former Audio Engineering Society president Jonathan Wyner as head of artistic technology initiatives.

Read SPIN's full 26 Most Influential People in Music of 2026 list.

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