Lia Vollack, 42
President for worldwide music, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Why she matters: Picks soundtrack songs for movies, including Casino Royale and Spider-Man 3.
Hot track: Put a Destiny’s Child song in Charlie’s Angels.
Recent download: Garage-rock band Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
Guilty pleasure: Supertramp.

Ken Lombard, 52
President, Starbucks Entertainment
Why he matters: Chooses the music that’s sold at the chain and online; CD sales in Starbucks stores doubled between 2004 and 2007.
Key pick: Ray Charles’ Genius Loves Company, a Starbucks recording, was the biggest seller of Charles’ 58-year career.
Recent download: Aretha Franklin.
Big score: Lured Paul McCartney from EMI to the new Starbucks label.

Scott Lapatine, 29
Founder, Stereogum.com
Why he matters: Runs the Web’s highest-trafficked music blog.
Track record: Early on, championed Grammy-nominated indie-rock band Arcade Fire.
Guilty pleasure: Genesis.
Change he foresees: Digital music sales via mobile phone.

Gary Severson, 47
Senior V.P. for entertainment, Wal-Mart
Why he matters: Wal-Mart accounts for 16 percent of all U.S. music sales.
First LP purchased: Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
Recent download: Norah Jones.
Latest strategy: Pricing downloads at 88 cents to undercut Apple’s online price of 99 cents.

Diane Warren, 50
Songwriter, self-employed  
Why she matters: Composes hits for everyone from Aerosmith
(“I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”) to Joss Stone (“Bruised but Not Broken”). Her ballad “Because You Loved Me,” made famous by Celine Dion in 1996, sold more than 50 million copies.
Recent download: Jessica Simpson.
Change she foresees: “It’s coming back to real songs, thank God.”
Biggest fear: “That my answer to the previous question isn’t true.”

Steve Schnur, 41
Worldwide executive of music and marketing, Electronic Arts  
Why he matters: Picks songs for soundtracks to videogames, such as the hit Madden N.F.L. series.
Band he helped popularize: Multiplatinum pop-punk group Good Charlotte.
Guilty pleasure: Tom Jones.
Pet peeve: Restricting usage and mobility of music: “We should stop pretending to be victims
of change.”