Caroline Bienstock, Veteran Music Publisher and Former Carlin Music CEO, Dies at 68

Caroline Bienstock, a longtime independent music publisher and former president and chief executive officer of Carlin Music, died in New York on September 1 2026 after a prolonged illness. She was 68.

Bienstock’s career spanned more than three decades in the music publishing business. She joined Carlin in the late 1980s after practicing law and working at Goldman Sachs. By 1993 she had become the company’s chief financial officer and chief operating officer, and in 1998 she was promoted to president. Under her leadership, Carlin expanded its catalog through strategic acquisitions and geographic expansion.

Carlin Music, founded in 1966 by Bienstock’s father Freddie, was headquartered in the historic Brill Building in Manhattan. The company’s catalog included more than 80,000 titles and represented songs that had become part of the American Songbook, such as “What A Wonderful World,” “Sea of Love,” “Spanish Harlem,” “Happy Together,” “Nashville Cats,” “Viva Las Vegas,” “When the Saints Go Marching In,” “Save the Last Dance for Me,” “Monster Mash,” “Good Lovin’,” and “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” According to a 2016 Billboard report, Carlin had offices in Nashville, London, Paris, and New York and managed a royalty system for 8,500 songwriters.

In 2017, Carlin was sold to Round Hill Music for approximately $250 million. The transaction was completed in 2018, after which Carlin operated as a division of Round Hill.

Bienstock’s education and early career prepared her for the publishing role. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale College, a law degree from Boston University, and an MBA from the Wharton School. She first practiced law before moving into the family business.

Her family background is notable in the music industry. Her mother, Miriam Bienstock, was a co‑founder of Atlantic Records and served as its vice president in the 1950s. Her father, Freddie Bienstock, established Carlin Music after buying out the owners of the publishing company he had worked for. The company’s name was derived from Freddie’s then‑eight‑year‑old daughter, Caroline.

Beyond her executive duties, Bienstock served on the boards of several industry organizations, including the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA), the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), the American Independent Music Publishers (AIMP), and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2017 she received the Abe Olman Publisher Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Bienstock’s death was announced by her family, who noted that she was survived by her husband Douglas Rodrigues, her children and children‑in‑law, her grandchildren, and her brother Robert Bienstock, who also worked at Carlin. The family requested that donations be made to the ALS Association and/or Target ALS in her honor.

The music publishing community has expressed condolences for Bienstock’s passing. Her leadership at Carlin helped shape the catalog of many classic and contemporary songs, and her work on expanding the company’s reach into new territories has left a lasting impact on the industry.

As of the time of this report, Carlin Music continues to operate under Round Hill Music, maintaining its extensive catalog and royalty administration services for songwriters worldwide.