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Soundstripe, the Nashville-based music licensing company for creatives, agencies and brands, acquired tech startup The Rights, which helps streamline the synch licensing process for labels, publishers and music supervisors. According to a press release, the deal will help Soundstripe “accelerate its development of the music industry’s most robust click-to-license platform,” which is slated to launch in the first half of this year.
Warner Music Group’s indie distributor and artist services arm ADA extended its partnership with Sonny Fodera‘s label Solotoko, which has also released music by Dom Dolla, John Summit and Tita Lau, among others.
Nashville-based Walk Off Entertainment inked a global distribution deal with Virgin Music Group. Walk Off Entertainment was founded by Chris Ruediger, who also founded the creative community/promotional outlet The 615 House. The first releases under the new deal are expected in the first quarter of 2025; the company’s client roster includes Gareth and Abby Anderson. – Jessica Nicholson
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Record label LASAL announced a strategic distribution and joint venture partnership with Capitol CMG, marking “a new era in the faith-based music industry and a significant milestone for both companies,” according to a press release. Capitol will act as a partner in signing and developing artists alongside LASAL. “In Spanish, LASAL translates to ‘The Salt,’ which adds flavor and restores balance within the body,” Samuel Ash, founder of LASAL, said in a statement. “That is our purpose: to restore balance in the music industry while allowing artists to freely express their creativity and faith without limits. Capitol CMG shares this vision, and together, we believe we can inspire and impact the world.” – Griselda Flores
Independent distributor IDOL signed global partnerships with two labels: Brooklyn-based Mexican Summer (Cate Le Bon, Hayden Pedigo) and Dom Recs, a new imprint launched by Dan Petruzzi and Roxy Summers that is gearing up for its first album release, Twin Shadow’s Georgie. Both labels will receive global digital distribution, marketing and audience development services under their respective deals.
Tuned Global, a leading cloud platform for the music industry, partnered with AudioShake in a deal that will give Tuned Global clients access to AudioShake’s AI-based tools, including stem separation and lyric transcriptions. AudioShake technology is now available to Tuned Global’s white-label streaming applications and via Tuned Global’s advanced APIs.
Ticketing and live event marketplace Tixr partnered with full-scale event production company Social House Entertainment. Through the pact, Social House will integrate Tixr technology to optimize ticket sales and allow it to better manage merch, VIP experiences and other event services while streamlining the ticketing process. Social House is behind the popular multi-city Tacos and Tequila Festival and other events.
Tickets for Good, which offers affordable event tickets to healthcare workers, teachers, charity staff and others facing economic barriers, expanded into the Netherlands following launches in the U.S. and the U.K. The launch is being supported by Greenhouse Talent, ID&T, Mojo Concerts and This is Live, as well as ambassadors Robbie Williams and MassiveMusic founder Hans Brouwer. Led by Simone van Hövell and Linda Holleman, Tickets For Good Netherlands encompasses more than 30 healthcare institutions, reaching over 150,000 healthcare workers.
Live Nation Urban partnered with Black on the Block, a monthly vendor festival that highlights Black-owned businesses. Through the deal, Black on the Block will expand to seven cities in 2025, kicking off March 23 at Global Life Field in Arlington, Tex. Other new stops made possible by the pact include Houston, Atlanta, Detroit and Charlotte, N.C.
Saturday Night Live‘s 50th-anniversary celebrations are in full swing, with the famed comedy program announcing a live homecoming concert with an all-star lineup Thursday (Jan. 30).
Hosted by Jimmy Fallon and featuring performances from Bad Bunny, Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus — all three of whom have hosted and performed on Lorne Michaels’ iconic series — SNL 50: The Homecoming Concert will take place at 8 p.m. ET on Feb. 14 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. It’ll also stream live on Peacock, with fan screening events scheduled for a handful of Regal Cinemas theaters across the U.S.
Post Malone, Jelly Roll and the Backstreet Boys are also on the lineup, as are Arcade Fire, Bonnie Raitt, Brandi Carlile, Brittany Howard, Chris Martin, David Byrne, DEVO, Eddie Vedder, Jack White, Mumford & Sons, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Robyn, The B-52s and The Roots. Even more performers will be announced leading up to the show.
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The musical event is just one of several ways SNL is celebrating its milestone anniversary next month. Two days after the concert, SNL50: The Anniversary Special will air on NBC and Peacock.
NBC has also unveiled a “Live From New York: The SNL50 Experience” pop-up in New York City, which is only available to visit through Sunday (Feb. 2). Guests are treated as if they are hosting an episode of SNL and get to walk out to the show’s theme song on a re-creation of its famous set, sit at the “Weekend Update” guest, check out props from some of the most iconic sketches and more.
The celebrations come at the close of a notable 50th season for SNL, which has seen Ariana Grande, Charli XCX, Jean Smart, John Mulaney, Timothée Chalamet and more stars host. Chappell Roan, Stevie Nicks, Gracie Abrams, Hozier, Billie Eilish, Shaboozey and several other artists have also graced 30 Rock as musical guests this season.
Patti Smith has assured fans that she’s alright after she collapsed on stage in São Paulo, Brazil, on Wednesday night (Jan. 29).
“This is letting everyone know that I am fine,” the legendary 78-year-old singer-songwriter wrote via Instagram on Thursday (Jan. 30), alongside a selfie smiling and waving at the camera. “A grossly exaggerated account is being spread by the press and social media. I had some post migraine dizziness. Had a small incident, left the stage, and returned 10 minutes later and talked to the people, told them I was fine and sang them Wing and Because the night.”
Smith added that after being checked by a medical professional, she was deemed “absolutely fine.” She concluded, “With all the strife in the world, this explainable incident does not merit so much attention. Thank you everyone for your concern. Trust me I am fine.”
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The star is currently amid a short South American run alongside experimental duo Soundwalk Collective. The one-month tour, called Correspondences, “is an ever-evolving project between Soundwalk Collective and Patti Smith,” per the official description on Soundwalk Collective’s Instagram. “Spanning over 10 years, it traverses a wealth of geographies and their natural environments, where the artists have uncovered sonic steps left by poets, filmmakers, revolutionaries and impact of climate change.”
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Soundwalk Collective also addressed the situation via Instagram Stories, writing, “Patti has suffered from an intense migraine the past couple days and had some dizziness onstage, but she still wanted to be there for all of us and you and perform today.”
They continued, “Patti says that she is tremendously grateful for your patience and forgiveness and she sends her love to all who attended.”
The series of shows, which kicked off this week in São Paolo, will also make its way to Buenos Aires, Argentina; Santiago, Chile; and Medellín, Colombia. See more information and ticket purchasing options here.
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When looking for new home audio products, it can be difficult to find the best Bluetooth speaker that delivers amazing audio quality while still looking sleek and stylish. However, we found the best portable speaker — and it’s on sale.
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And right now, on sale for $118 (reg. $200) at Walmart, the Sony SRS-XE300 Bluetooth Speaker is a portable speaker that syncs to any smartphone. It gives your favorite music richer and fuller audio with deeper bass that you can share with your family and friends at a get-together at home, like a Super Bowl party.
And since the Sony SRS-XE300 Bluetooth Speaker is from Walmart, you’ll get it shipped to you for free if you’re a Walmart+ member. Otherwise, your cart has to be more than $35 to get free shipping.
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If you’re not a member, then you’re in luck: You can sign up for a 30-day free trial to take advantage of everything the retailer’s rewards program has to offer with perks such as free, fast delivery; fuel discounts’ streaming access to Paramount+ to watch hit originals; additional savings with early access deals and much more.
In addition, Walmart+ comes with access to SiriusXM for all sorts of talk radio and music — including popular channels like “The Coffee House” for stripped-down songs from Noah Kahan, Kacey Musgraves, The Lumineers, Phoebe Bridgers and others. Learn more about what Walmart+ can offer you here.
The Sony SRS-XE300 Bluetooth Speaker is also available on Amazon.
Sony SRS-XE300 Bluetooth Speaker
$118
$200
41% off
As for the speaker itself, the Sony SRS-XE300 Bluetooth Speaker is just over nine inches in height, while it’s designed to evenly distribute audio with a powerful and wide soundstage. As a result, your favorite music and podcasts are crystal clear and robust with no distortion.
In addition, the speaker is waterproof, dust-proof, and shockproof (with an IP67 rating), and it provides up to 24 hours of battery life per charge. The Bluetooth speaker is also compatible with the Sony Music Center mobile app for audio customizability, the Sony Fiestable app for fun party effects and Sony Party Connect app to wirelessly daisy chain up to a whopping 100 Sony SRS-XE300 speakers together for the ultimate party.
The Sony SRS-XE300 Bluetooth Speaker is on sale for $118, or $82 off its list price, at Walmart — a 40% savings. It comes in two colors: Black and blue.
For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
Peso Pluma will soon make history at Rolling Loud California in March as the first non-hip-hop artist to headline any edition of the festival. On Thursday (Jan. 30), Billboard can exclusively reveal more information on his highly awaited performance — including the date he’s performing, which was previously not announced.
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The Música Mexicana star, who closed 2024 at No. 3 on Top Latin Artists in the Billboard Year-End charts, will dominate the main stage on Saturday, March 15, alongside headliner A$AP Rocky. Single day tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. PT on Friday, Jan. 31 on the Rolling Loud website.
“We are so excited to have Peso Pluma at Rolling Loud California,” Tariq Cherif, Co-Founder / Co-CEO of Rolling Loud tells Billboard. “He is going to make history as our first Mexican artist to headline our festival. Peso is an incredible and outstanding artist, and we are very excited to see what he brings to Rolling Loud.”
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The two-day festival, also co-headlined by Playboi Carti, is set to take place March 15 and 16 at Hollywood Park, on the grounds adjacent to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. Other notable artists on the lineup include Quavo, Bossman Dlow, Sexyy Red, Ken Carson, Destroy Lonely, YG, OsamaSon, Hurricane Wisdom, Molly Santana, Skaiwater, Ski Mask the Slump God, Ab-Soul, 03 Greedo, Larry June, Dom Kennedy, Kamaiyah, Blxst, 310Babii and more.
“We’re excited to switch things up with a two-day format that keeps all the energy of Rolling Loud but makes it more affordable for our fans,” Cherif and Matt Zingler, co-founders and co-CEOs of Rolling Loud, previously said in a press release. “By cutting down a day, we can offer the same epic lineup, dope activations and unforgettable vibes at a price that’s easier on the wallet. At the end of the day, it’s all about making sure everyone can come together to celebrate hip-hop without breaking the bank.”
Rolling Loud California will include carnival rides, brand activations, art installations and more than 75 artist performances across three different stages.
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On Thursday, January 30, Donald Trump confirmed he is the last person anyone seeking healing should want to hear from after a tragedy. The convicted felon proved so when he proceeded to blame Barack Obama, Joe Biden and even DEI for the plane crash near Washington, DC on Wednesday night (Jan. 29).
Trump’s speech started off well enough with the President reading the speech in front of him, sounding wooden with no real empathy, as to be expected. Then he started ad-libbing and per usual, he started talking crazy. He also seemingly had an assist from FOX News.
Reports the Guardian:
Speaking to reporters at the White House, he quoted in familiar scattergun style from what he said were “various articles [that] appeared prior to my entering office”.
“And here’s one,” Trump said. “‘The FAA’s diversity push includes focus on hiring people with severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities.’ That is amazing. And then it says FAA … says people with severe disabilities are most underrepresented segment of the workforce, [they] said, ‘They want them in, and they want them, they can be air traffic controllers.’ I don’t think so. This was January 14, so that was a week before I entered office. They put a big push to put diversity into the FAA’s program.”
He appeared to be reading from a report published by Fox News.
Trump continued: “Brilliant people have to be in those positions, and their lives are actually shortened, very substantially shortened because of the stress where you have many, many planes coming into one target, and you need a very special talent and a very special genius to be able to do it.”
During his diatribe he also baselessly blamed Joe Biden and Barack Obama for the crash. At one point he also placed blame on former transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg, who obviously no longer works in the administration.
Needless to say, social media is dragging the Orange Overload for his latest failure at leadership, and deservedly so. See some fo the most poignant commentary in the comments.
https://x.com/AOC/status/1885048064462716946
1. Bruh…
Hitsujibungaku announced its first first U.S. tour, the Hitsujibungaku US West Coast Tour 2025, set to kick off April 10 in San Diego, California. The three-piece alternative J-pop band’s trek is scheduled to make stops in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Portland, Oregon. Canadian pop singer Jonathan Roy will accompany the group to […]
After a breakthrough 2024, Knox is not slowing down just yet.
In fact, it’s only January and he’s already released another viral track, “Pick Your Poison,” on Friday (Jan. 24), following immediately in the footsteps of his previous hits “Sneakers” and his first Billboard Hot 100-charting track, “Not The 1975.” The song, which he had been teasing on his social media platforms leading up to its release, finds the 27-year-old declaring over a thumping, early 2000s-inspired drum beat: “I’ll admit, I’m kinda craving the taste of something new/ So, come on, honey, pick your poison/ And I said, ‘Can I pick you?’”
“‘Pick Your Poison’ almost lives in the same world as ‘Not The 1975,’ thematically and lyrically,” Knox tells Billboard of his latest release, “But I feel like I spent all of 2024 putting out pretty pop-leaning records. What I wanted to do with this song, and why I think it’s the perfect lead-in to my album and everything that’s coming this year is that it has the same pop energy as ‘Not The 1975’ but it sonically feels more like ‘Sneakers,’ and takes it back to that nostalgic feel that I love while still feeling brand new.”
That yearning for nostalgia also serves as a main theme in his upcoming debut album, Going Going Gone, set for release on April 4 via Atlantic Records — though he admits that the project’s title was not what he was originally planning. “I ended up not being able to use my original idea, because I wanted to do something based around the movie The Breakfast Club, but we couldn’t get cleared for it,” he recalls with a laugh. “There’s a quote from the movie that’s my favorite quote ever, where [Mr. Vernon] says, ‘Spend a little less time trying to impress people and a little more time trying to make something of yourself.’ For a long time, when I was making this record, I was constantly thinking, ‘I hope other people like this,’ instead of just making music that I loved. I wanted to continue to shift that mindset going into my album.”
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With that shift in mindset, Knox is working hard at maintaining his noticeably levelheaded demeanor as he heads into the release of Going Going Gone, and managing the pressure that comes following a breakout hit like “Not The 1975.” “I just take it day by day,” he admits. “If you think too much about it, it can be stressful but I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve always done, which is make music that I love and, hopefully, it still connects. They say that ‘pressure is privilege,’ and it’s true. I never would have thought I’d be in a position like this.”
Overall, Knox hopes that his fans can “feel comfortable being themselves when they hear my music.” Thankfully, they’ll be able to experience that in person when the singer goes on tour this spring in support of Going Going Gone. The run kicks off in Washington, D.C., on April 12 and will travel across the country before wrapping up in Nashville, Tenn., on May 10.
See the full list of tour dates, and pre-order Going Going Gone here.
Bad Bunny’s all-Spanish Debí Tirar Más Fotos seems poised to enter its third week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, and with it comes renewed hope for a salsa comeback that many in the industry have been heralding for years now.
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To be clear, if you listen to Debí Tirar in its entirety, you will quickly hear it is not a salsa album, or trap, or reggaetón, or even tropical music. Rather, this is a love letter to Puerto Rico and its music in a dizzying array of genres and rhythms — with urban and trap music at its core, but infused throughout with tropical genres like plena, bomba and yes, salsa, both as protagonists and guests of some of the 17 tracks.
The tone is set in the opening “Nuevayol,” which kicks off covering the opening verses of El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico’s 1975 salsa anthem “Un Verano en Nueva York,” then eventually devolves into a rapid reggaetón beat.
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It’s clever, this particular fusion of tropical and urban, never quite taking over the other’s territory, comingling the two worlds with extreme care and authenticity. Bad Bunny, a trap star, manages to bring in salsa devotees in the first 45 seconds of his album without alienating his core reggaetón fan base — which will find something to connect to in the next 45 seconds. It’s the meeting of two musical worlds that have danced around each other for decades now; Celia Cruz incorporated rap into her groundbreaking “La Negra Tiene Tumbao” single in 2001; Daddy Yankee blended mambo and reggaetón in his mega-hit “Lo Que Pasó Pasó,” included on his seminal Barrio Fino album of 2004, just to name two prominent examples.
But while rap and reggaetón soared, tropical music and salsa waned. Not only is tropical music the smallest subgenre of Latin music commercially, it’s also been the slowest-growing of the past few years, according to Luminate.
Now, Bad Bunny and some of his fellow urban stars could help change that. Last year, another reggaetón star, Rauw Alejandro, released Cosa Nuestra, an album full of salsa and Puerto Rican notes. The set, named in part as an homage to Willie Colón and Hector Lavoe’s seminal 1969 salsa album of the same name, debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart, making it Rauw Alejandro’s highest charting set. It would end up having the the highest-streaming first week for any Latin album in 2024.
“Salsa obviously is not my essence, but it’s something that’s in my blood and in my culture, and it’s something I love,” Rauw Alejandro told Billboard last fall. “The Colón-Lavoe Cosa Nuestra had the elegance and the musicality and the instruments, which you will hear in this album. It’s the first time I use my band and live music in almost an entire project.”
In Debí, Bad Bunny also leaned heavily on live instruments, incorporating students who play salsa from Puerto Rico’s Escuela Libre de Música in some of the album’s most compelling trakcs.
“This album, and specifically the song “Baile Inolvidable,” has viralized not just salsa music but I’m also seeing people taking salsa lessons,” Bunny told Billboard last week. “I think the whole world wants to dance salsa,” he added, which makes sense considering the video to “Baile” specifically features a salsa lesson.
Bunny’s performance on the Billboard charts seem to back that statement up. On the Billboard Global 200 and Hot Latin Songs chart this week, “DtMF” — which is infused with plena and includes plena singers — reigns at No. 1. There is no precedent for plena (which is a very traditional genre — think the cultural equivalent of bluegrass or gospel, given the use of vocals) rising on the charts like this in recent memory.
“Baile Inolvidable” and “Nuevayol,” the latter with its old salsa reference, follow at No. 2 and 3 on Hot Latin Songs, respectively. On the all-genre Hot 100 chart, “DTMF” sits at an astounding No. 2.
“Knowing the market, one could think reggaetón is what was going to shine most,” Bunny told Billboard. “But to see that the top song was a plena? That, I didn’t expect.”
To be honest, neither did we.
If we look at this week’s Tropical Albums chart, most titles are compilations or catalog albums. The newest release is Camilo’s album Cuatro, released last year, and Camilo is not a core tropical act. But he has connections to a growing group of tropical acts — in all subgenres — who have charted by collaborating with non-tropical acts. They include Mexican cumbia group Los Angeles Azules in tracks with Emilia and Nicky Nicole, and Prince Royce and María Becerra.
That still doesn’t put salsa in the top tiers of the chart. But it feels, finally, like such an ascent is truly on the horizon for the genre, beyond anecdotal evidence. If Bad Bunny’s listeners are willing to take in four-minute salsa tracks full of live instrumentation and soneos – or improvisation — it would stand to reason that they’d be willing to venture into other salsa territory.
This week’s Tropical Albums chart, for example, features new entries of six salsa compilation albums, including Luis Enrique and Eddie Santiago’s Los Principes de la Salsa at No. 13. The album was originally released in 1990, the heyday of “romantic salsa.”
More importantly, a new generation of salsa singers — which includes Luis Figueroa, Christian Alicea and Peter Nieto — are standing up for the genre, attempting to make a chart breakout with new fusions while staying true to the standards and spirit of the music.
Let’s see if reggaetón stars can help pave the way for them.
Ben Vaughn, president/CEO of Warner Chappell Nashville, died on Thursday (Jan. 30). A cause of death was not disclosed. He was 49.
The much-beloved Vaughn, who was Billboard‘s Country Power Players executive of the year in 2020, joined Warner Chappell Nashville (WCN) in 2012 and was promoted to president in 2017, adding the role of CEO in 2019. The Belmont University alumnus was honored with Belmont’s Music City Milestone Award in 2015.
Warner Chappell Music co-chairs Guy Moot and Carianne Marshall released the following memo to Warner Chappell Music staffers that read in part, “It is with broken hearts that we share the unthinkable news that Ben Vaughn, President & CEO of Warner Chappell Nashville, passed away this morning. Our deepest condolences are with his family and many friends.”
Under Vaughn, WCN had consistently dominated the country music publishing market. In 2024, they were crowned ASCAP Country Music and BMI Publisher of the Year (for the fifth time) and marked their third consecutive quarter at No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay publisher rankings. Apart from Q3 of 2022 to Q3 of 2023, Warner Chappell Nashville had held the quarterly top spot, dating back to the first quarter of 2017. In November 2019, ASCAP, BMI and SESAC all named WCN their country publisher of the year — only the third time a publishing company has been honored as such, and a first for WCN.
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Among the singer/songwriters Vaughn worked with were Thomas Rhett, Zach Bryan, Chris Stapleton, Riley Green, Warren Zeiders, Hunter Phelps, Bailey Zimmerman, Jessi Alexander, Liz Rose, Josh Phillips, Thomas Rhett, Nicolle Galyon and Randy Montana.
The father of three was extraordinarily passionate about songwriters, especially developing ones, and relished helping young singer/songwriters find their voice and their first record deal. “There’s so many people that want that record deal, so helping someone get to that spot is one of the hardest things in the music business,” Vaughn told Billboard in 2020. “So the job is to take away the nos and help that person get to a place where you get a yes.”
Tributes poured in quickly. Jon Platt, chairman/CEO of Sony Music Publishing, who worked with Vaughn at EMI and then brought him over to Warner Chappell in 2012, said in a statement, “I am deeply saddened by the passing of my friend Ben Vaughn, and united in grief with the entire songwriting community. Ben dedicated his life to songwriters. As an exceptional leader and mentor, he leaves an indelible mark on the music business. I extend my deepest condolences to his loved ones and all who were touched by his spirit. I feel privileged to have known Ben and shared a close relationship with him. He was the best of the best and I will miss him greatly.”
“Ben was warm, welcoming, and always someone that supported and elevated the American songwriter,” says Lucas Keller, president/founder of Milk & Honey. “The world will not be the same without him – this is a loss most cannot process today. We met 15 years ago on my first trip to Nashville when he was at EMI, and I’ll never forget him.”
“Our hearts are heavy today in learning about the passing of longtime ACM Board Member and former ACM Board Chair, and good friend to all of us, Ben Vaughn,” added Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music. “Ben was a champion of the country music genre and strong advocate for songwriters and good songs. He served as board chair of the Academy in 2018 and was the first music publisher to serve as chairman in the Academy’s history, in addition to serving on the ACM Lifting Lives board. On behalf of the ACM Board, ACM Lifting Lives Board, and the ACM staff, we send our condolences to Ben’s family, friends, coworkers, and all of those who crossed his path and were lifted up by his passion. His memory will live on forever through the great music he made happen.”
Vaughn grew up in the tiny community of Sullivan, Ky., and comes from “a proud tradition of coal miners, teachers and mechanics,” he told Billboard. As a high school student, he got a job as a weekend DJ at country radio station WMSK-FM, which set him on a path to Nashville. “I would devour the vinyl and read all the publishing and writer credits,” he told Billboard. “I thought, ‘I want to go where these people are.’ ”
That led him to Nashville’s Belmont University and an internship at WCN in 1994 under then-executive vp Tim Wipperman, who taught Vaughn the intricacies of publishing. While there, he got to know producer Scott Hendricks, whose Big Tractor publishing company had a partnership with WCN. Hendricks was so impressed with Vaughn that he eventually asked him to run Big Tractor — while Vaughn was still a college student. “He said, ‘I’m going to give you six months to see how it goes, but if you quit school, I’ll fire you,’ ” recalls Vaughn.
Through the decades, Vaughn remained in wonderment of songwriters and the new worlds they created. “It is awe-inspiring how much talent it takes to create something out of nothing that literally can make the whole world sing,” he said. “The most sacred responsibility is to help connect writers’ dreams to their goals. The fact that as publishers we are trusted to hold that space for them is everything.”
Moot and Marshall’s full memo to WMG:
To everyone at WMG,
It is with broken hearts that we share the unthinkable news that Ben Vaughn, President & CEO of Warner Chappell Nashville, passed away this morning. Our deepest condolences are with his family and many friends.
Ben has led our Nashville team since 2012, and we know that many of you around the world got to know him over the years. Anyone who had the pleasure of working with him will be as shocked and saddened as we are.
First and foremost, Ben was an extraordinary human being. He met everyone with enthusiasm, warmth, and generosity. His smile was huge, and his sense of humor was infectious.
He was always a passionate advocate of songwriters and a topflight music publisher. The Nashville community has lost one of its greatest champions, and he will be profoundly missed by so many across our company and the entire industry.
We are planning to visit the Nashville team very soon and thank you all for helping support them through this awful tragedy.
With love,
Guy & Carianne
This is a developing story.