Jem Aswad has been named executive editor, music at Variety following the departure of Shirley Halperin, who'd held the role since 2017. Aswad will lead music content on digital, print and live media platforms from the NYC offices and report to Co-Editors in Chief Cynthia Littleton and Ramin Setoodeh.

Aswad will continue to pen cover stories, features, investigative stories, personality profiles and reviews while overseeing the music-related editorial operations and team. He'll also be tasked with steering Variety's event franchises, including Hitmakers and Music Mogul of the Year.

"Throughout his career, Jem has built his reputation as an award-winning reporter and editor who is respected for his in-depth knowledge of the music business and unparalleled access to artists," Littleton and Setoodeh said in a joint statement. "He will thrive in this new role. We also want to thank Shirley for her enormous contributions to Variety, and we wish her nothing but great things in her next chapter.”

Of working with Halperin, who will assume the role of editor in chief at Los Angeles Magazine beginning 6/15, Aswad said, "Working with Shirley for the past nine years has been the best job I’ve ever had, but I absolutely respect and admire her desire to take on a new challenge, especially when we’re at the top of our game. I am so proud of what we’ve built at Variety, and as much as I’m going to feel like Paul without John or Snoop without Dre, we have such an incredible team and there is so much more we can do."

In a related story, the HITS editorial team is also feeling very much like Snoop, especially since that new dispensary opened around the corner.