Clive Davis, a towering figure in the American music industry whose influence spanned over five decades, has died at the age of 94. Though he never played a musical instrument and initially knew little about contemporary music, Davis’s keen instinct for identifying hits transformed Columbia Records into a dominant force during the rock era and helped launch and revive the careers of numerous notable artists.

Born in Brooklyn in 1932 to a working-class Jewish family, Davis faced early personal tragedy when both his parents died before he turned 19. Despite these challenges, he completed his education on scholarship, graduating from Harvard Law School. Davis joined CBS Records as an attorney before being appointed president of Columbia Records in 1967, a role for which he had no prior experience in the music business.

Davis’s immersion into the evolving musical landscape began at the Monterey Pop Festival during the “summer of love” in 1967. While the festival was dominated by psychedelic rock enthusiasts, Davis, dressed in khakis and a tennis sweater, absorbed the music in his own way, listening to Top 40 radio. A defining moment came when he witnessed Janis Joplin’s performance, which he described as an epiphany. He signed Joplin, a decision that helped propel both of their careers.

Under Davis’s leadership, Columbia became the leading record company globally. Known for his meticulous approach to talent scouting, he encouraged executives to discover new acts by reimbursing them for nights spent in clubs. He also held weekly meetings to review every single record on the market, famously keeping the room temperature low to maintain alertness. This rigorous process helped him identify and cultivate artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith, Barry Manilow, and Aretha Franklin.

Davis’s time at Columbia ended abruptly in 1973 when he was fired amid an internal investigation into expense account abuses. He later pleaded guilty to a tax-related charge concerning unreported personal benefits but denied broader allegations, claiming he was targeted due to corporate politics. Close associates recall his devastation at the dismissal.

However, Davis quickly forged a remarkable second chapter at Arista Records, which he founded shortly after leaving Columbia. There, he refined his talent-spotting strategy, rejuvenating the careers of Franklin and Dionne Warwick, and elevating Barry Manilow to stardom. Perhaps most notably, he signed a then-teenage Whitney Houston in 1983, guiding her debut album to become one of the bestselling in pop history. Later, he supported artists and labels such as TLC, Outkast, Alicia Keys, and Sean Combs’s Bad Boy Records.

While widely celebrated as one of the greatest talent scouts of his generation, Davis faced criticism for favoring accessible, middle-of-the-road ballads over more experimental or edgy music. His polished productions and commercial strategies sometimes drew scrutiny from those who preferred less mainstream sounds.

Later in life, Davis became more open about his personal life, revealing at age 80 that he was bisexual. After the end of his second marriage, he said he began exploring relationships without regard to gender, emphasizing connection with the individual rather than societal labels.

Reflecting on his long career, Davis acknowledged the challenges he faced but credited his resilience and the success of his artists for sustaining his influence in the music industry for decades. His legacy is marked by his profound impact on popular music and his unparalleled ability to recognize and nurture talent across changing musical eras.