Twitch's Head of Music Cindy Charles Dies at 69 After Amsterdam Accident
Twitch Head of Music Cindy Charles tragically passed away following a traffic accident in the Netherlands at age 69, where she was scheduled to speak at the Amsterdam Dance Event.
Cindy Charles, Twitch Head of Music
As Twitch's Head of Music since April 2022, Charles was pivotal in establishing the platform's DJ category, securing groundbreaking licensing deals with major labels and Merlin-represented independent labels. This made Twitch the first platform to legally support DJ livestreaming.
Twitch CEO Daniel Clancy praised her contributions, stating, "Anyone who uses music on Twitch owes a debt of gratitude to Cindy's work. She always had a bright smile on her face, even as she negotiated unprecedented music licensing agreements."
Charles's impressive career included roles as:
- Head of Partnerships and Operations Principal at Twitch (2018-2022)
- Head of Business Development at Amazon Tickets
- Senior Vice President and General Counsel at MediaNet (2002-2010)
- VP of Law and Business Affairs at Viacom (1995-2002)
A Queens native, Charles graduated from SUNY Buffalo with a political science degree before earning her law degree from Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. She served on the Recording Academy's Board of Governors and is survived by her husband Ricky Fishman, son Ben Charles, and stepson Sam Fishman.