Publishing Briefs
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Universal Music Publishing Group‘s Classics and Screen division has signed Poor Things and Kinds of Kindness composer Jerskin Fendrix to an exclusive, global publishing agreement. A favorite of Yorgos Lanthimos, the director discovered Fendrix after the release of his debut album Winterrise and encouraged him to pursue film scoring. The acclaimed Lanthimos film Poor Things […]
Anthem Entertainment has launched a new joint venture with Jared Gutstadt, the founder/CEO of Audio Up. The JV’s first two signees include Randy Savvy of Compton Cowoys and alt/pop/folk singer Kayslee Don Collins. The new deal puts Gutstadt and Anthem back in business together for the first time since 2019, when Gutstadt left his post as CEO of Jingle Punks, an Anthem subsidiary which he also founded. Audio Up will now have the ability to develop some of the former publishing and intellectual property assets that Gutstadt created when he was with Jingle Punks, including the Bear and a Banjo scripted podcast series. Audio Up can also work with new and existing Anthem music catalogs which the goal of creating new IP lanes for Anthem’s frontline signees. Anthem and Audio Up will also now have access to each other’s premiere studio spaces in Toronto, Nashville and Los Angeles.
Heavy Duty Music has announced new publishing deals with acclaimed indie singer/songwriter Jessica Pratt, avant-pop talent Cecile Believe (SOPHIE, Caroline Polachek) and both a publishing and label deal with Berlin-born artist/producer RIP Swirl. Swirl also acts as Heavy Duty’s first signing through its new joint venture with Imran Ahmed‘s In Real Life, which is already home to talents like Erika de Casier and Peggy Gou.
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Position Music has signed a worldwide publishing deal with Maya Kurchner in collaboration with Chosen People. Kurchner signed with Chosen People back in 2020 and has since worked with acts like Chappell Roan, Bebe Rexha,Tiësto, Alesso, Bazzi, Tinashe and more.
Third Side Music has announced an exclusive creative publishing deal to administer the works of composer Galt MacDermot in the United States. This includes his Tony-winning compositions for Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical (HAIR), Two Gentlemen of Verona, the film Rhinoceros and more.
Liz Rose Music has announced the signing of Jenna Johnson to an exclusive publishing deal. A multi-faceted talent, Johnson is best known for working alongside artists of all genres, from Nate Smith, BigXThaPlug, David Guetta, Bebe Rexha, Ty Dolla $ign, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, The Band Camino to Jared Benjamin and more.
Reservoir has signed songwriter-producer Lewis Thompson to a worldwide publishing deal for all future works. As a songwriter, Thompson has tracks like “Bed” by Joel Corry, RAYE, and David Guetta, “Head & Heart” by Joel Corry feat. MNEK and “I Wrote A Song” by Mae Muller in his repertoire. He’s also an artist in his own right, releasing tracks with David Guetta, Becky Hill and Alle Farben, dating back to 2022.
Position Music has signed Khalid “Khal” Yassein to a global publishing deal. Yassein is best known as the lead singer of indie folk outfit Wild Rivers, but he has also collaborated with a slew of other artists to date, including Sasha Sloan, venbee, Oh Wonder, Morgan Evans, The Fray, Matt Hansen, Maddie Zahm.
Rafter 3 Music and Warner Chappell Music have signed a global publishing deal with singer-songwriter Austin Michael. Hailing from Van Alstyne, Texas, Michael got his first intro to the music business through season 17 of American Idol, back when he was just 15. Since then, he moved to Austin and dedicated himself full-time to his artistry. This is his first publishing deal.
Wise Music Group has signed Sofi Paez to an exclusive publishing agreement with Berlin-based Bosworth Music GmbH. A pianist and composer born in San José, Costa Rica, Paez is now based in Berlin and experiments with piano, voice and electronic elements. Since 2023, her EP Circles gained the critical acclaim of her peers, and it led to her being handpicked to perform at Olafur Arnald’s OPIA launch event.
Edition Wilhelm Hansen, part of Wise Music Group, has signed Teitur “Teitur” Lassen to a publishing deal. The agreement is a co-publishing deal, partnered with Arlo & Betty Music, a company operated by Lassen’s longtime manager Christian Ulf-Hansen. Since getting his start nearly two decades ago, Lassen has released a slew of records, spanning from Stay Under the Stars (2006) to Songs from a Social Distance (2023) with Aarhus Jazz Orchestra.
Primary Wave Music has forged a partnership with the alternative rock band Spin Doctors. The company will now collect the group’s publishing and artist royalties as well as administer their new album, coming later this year. As part of the partnership, Spin Doctors will also have access to Primary Wave’s marketing team and publishing infrastructure, including digital strategy, licensing, synch opportunities, and TV production. The NYC-based band shot out of a cannon in the early 1990s with their debut album, Pocket Full of Kryptonite, which yielded the hits “Two Princes” and “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” and went on to be certified 5x platinum by the RIAA. A follow-up LP, Turn It Upside Down, also went platinum and the Chris Barron-led band has gone on to release four more studio albums, the latest being 2013’s If the River Was Whiskey.
Cutting Edge‘s White Stork Music division, the publishing company founded by UK composer Tom Howe, has entered a partnership with UK production company Touchdown Films. White Stork will now provide Touchdown with finance, world-class music services and access to White Stork’s catalog of music for current and future productions. White Stork retains IP rights to its original music composed for Touchdown’s slate of projects.
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OTM Music, a boutique publishing company, has signed Stones Throw’s violinist and singer Sudan Archives, Metronomy, Still Woozy, and HONNE to new publishing deals. The deals encompass each act’s back catalog and future works. Launched in 2017 by CEO Alex Sheridan, OTM Music has a curated roster that includes Dot Da Genius and Gianluca Buccellati. Within a year, the company courted investment by Sony Music Publishing. Later, after recouping SMP’s initial investment many times over, it partnered with Firebird Music Holdings with support from Raine Group.
Concord Music Publishing has signed electronic duo Mount Kimbie (Dom Maker, Kai Campos) to a global publishing deal. The deal covers all works made by the duo moving forward, including its new album The Sunset Violent which released earlier this year. Additionally, Maker and Campos have both signed individually to Concord for publishing.
BeatStars celebrates winning two BMI Pop Awards with producer Dan Darmawan for the 3x platinum “Romantic Homicide” and 2x platinum “Here With Me” by d4vd, both of which were licensed on its marketplace. The company has surpassed $325 million in payouts to its 10 million creators, highlighting its commitment to empowering artists globally.
Producer/writer Rogét Chahayed‘s TruSauce Publishing has signed artist Amindi to its expanding roster of songwriters. The Jamaican American artist calls her melodic rap and dancehall inspired style of songwriting “pastel rap.” She is perhaps best known for her feature on Isaiah Rashad’s The House Is Burning and for touring with the likes of Amaarae, Dreamer Isioma and Saba.
Warner Chappell has signed South Carolinian singer-songwriter Ricky Young to a global publishing deal. An up-and-coming country act, Young has already collaborated with Lee Brice (“I Carry It With Me”), Bubba Sparxx (“Baby Wussup”) and John Driskell Hopkins. He also toured with Luke Combs, Luke Bryan and Darius Rucker.
Concord Music Publishing ANZ has inked a new publishing agreement with Aussie songwriter John Butler. The deal includes representation for his whole catalog in all territories, apart from Japan. This includes back catalog hits like “Better Than,” “Zebra,” and “Ocean.”
The Songwriters of North America (SONA) Foundation has partnered with mental health provider Backline to launch a new therapy assistance project. Called TAP, the program will provide qualifying songwriters up to $1,500 in funding for therapy services. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed weekly. Each week, the program manager will send new […]
Warner Chappell Music (WCM) has signed a global publishing deal with 4-time Grammy nominee and jazz/R&B star Patrice Rushen. Known for her work with artists like Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock and Prince, Rushen is also celebrated for her groundbreaking role as the first female musical director for top award shows, including the Grammys and Emmys.
Reservoir Media has acquired the producer royalties and publishing catalog of the late hip-hop producer-songwriter Deon “Big D” Evans, best known for his work with Tupac Shakur. Evans, acclaimed for producing hits like “Brenda’s Got a Baby” and the Grammy-nominated “Changes,” significantly shaped hip-hop and collaborated with other notable artists like Digital Underground and Ne-Yo.
Brandon Silverstein Publishing and Avex USA have teamed up to sign Kavi to a worldwide publishing deal. While the 21-year-old producer is perhaps best known for his hit song “Million Dollar Baby” by Tommy Richmond, which recently reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hip-Hop/R&B chart, Kavi has also crafted the sound of other talents, including Yeat and KanKan.
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Warner Chappell Music (WCM) has signed a global publishing deal with songwriter and producer Toby Daintree, known for his work with Artemas on hits like “i like the way you kiss me” and “if you think I’m pretty.” Daintree, a multi-instrumentalist, has also collaborated with artists such as FKA Twigs and Joy Crookes, and will now work closely with WCM UK’s team to further his career.
Armada Music‘s BEAT Music Fund, its dance music investment fund, has expanded by acquiring the artist and songwriter royalties for Jax Jones‘s catalog, including shares of “You Don’t Know Me” with RAYE and “All Day and Night” with Madison Beer and Martin Solveig. It has also acquired the artist shares of Australian singer/songwriter AMBA SHEPHERD‘s catalog, including dance hits with artists like Hardwell, R3HAB, Porter Robinson, and QUIX. Lastly, BEAT is partnering with Sola Records on a joint venture, including signees Maur & FABER, Draxx and Majestic.
Sony Music Publishing Nashville and CAM Creative have signed country music songwriter Ryan Larkins to a global publishing deal. Known for co-writing Bill Anderson’s Grammy-nominated “Someday It’ll All Make Sense” and Cody Johnson’s #1 hit “The Painter,” Larkins has collaborated with legends like Tony Lane and Tom Douglas and recently released his debut EP with Red Street Records.
Writer-artist Matt Stell renewed his publishing deal with Endurance Music Group (EMG). The move comes as he preps the June 7 release of Born Lonely, his first full-length album to emerge since his 2019 signing with RECORDS Nashville. Every track on the project was co-written by Stell, who reached No. 1 on Country Airplay with his first two RECORDS singles, “Prayed for You” and “Everywhere But On,” both of which he also co-wrote. Stell joined EMG in 2020 when the publishing house purchased Wide Open Music. –Tom Roland
Position Music has inked a worldwide publishing deal with London-based songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Sam Merrifield. Merrifield, known for his work with artists like Lewis Capaldi, Marshmello and Mimi Webb, has recently contributed to hits like “American Psycho” and the UK Top 10 single “Good Without,” and has upcoming projects with Marshmello, Cheat Codes, and Zara Larsson.
Producer, songwriter, and composer Hilton Wright II has signed an exclusive global administration deal with Warner Chappell Music. Along with the deal, his media company, Seven15 Labs, has launched its music publishing division through an exclusive global administration and co-publishing deal with Warner Chappell, aiming to expand the reach and impact of Wright’s extensive catalog, which includes work with Big Sean, Mike Posner, and brands like Walmart and Ford.
Warner Chappell Music (WCM), alongside The Roots and Live Nation Urban, is launching the ‘Message in the Music’ songwriting camp from May 28th to June 1st in Philadelphia, coinciding with the Roots Picnic 2024 festival. The camp will honor Philly music legends Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff and Thom Bell, showcasing their legacy and promoting contemporary local songwriting talent. Hosted by Ryan Press (WCM), Shawn Gee (Live Nation Urban), Pop Wansel, and The Roots’ Questlove and Black Thought, the camp aims to create opportunities for local writers and producers. Over 50 writers and artists, including top talents from Philadelphia and WCM’s roster, are expected to attend. Select songs from Gamble, Huff and Bell’s catalog will be available for sampling via WCM’s Beat Broker platform to mark the trio’s 60th Anniversary.
Concord Music Publishing has signed an exclusive worldwide administration deal with Emmy and Drama Desk-nominated composer and lyricist Eli Bolin, covering his entire catalog and future works. Bolin is renowned for his work on Documentary Now!, Sesame Street, Nine Perfect Strangers, and the Netflix special John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch.
Sony Music Publishing hosted its second annual SMP x BeatStars Hitmaker Week, a global songwriting camp held from April 1-5 in Miami, Florida at Circle House Studios. The event hosted 67 songwriters/producers and artists from around the world for collaborative writing sessions, educational workshops and more. This included Farruko, Brray, Nardo Wick, Rob 49 and ScarLip, among others.
Seeker Music has partnered with Latin record label and entertainment company MITH Media to jointly sign songwriters and artists, manage catalogs and expand into the LATAM and U.S. Latin-music markets. The first signings under this partnership are Grammy-nominated songwriter K. Sotomayor and singer-songwriter Dēlian, with plans to develop new projects and actively manage Seeker’s catalog in Latin America.
Boom.Records is entering a partnership with Warner Chappell Music to launch Boom.Publishing. WCM will administer the publishing rights for Boom.Publishing’s signees as well as offer more creative support through writing camps and sessions.
1916 Enterprises has welcomed multiple new songwriters to its publishing company. This includes Nashville-based songwriter Carly Paige, Los Angeles-based producer Jack Riley, and Olivia Kiene (through a joint venture with Sevs Publishing).
Prescription Songs and Emily Warren‘s Under Warrenty have signed singer-songwriter bülow to a global publishing deal. Fresh off the release of her two co-writes “Texas Hold ‘Em” by Beyonce and “Yuck” by Charli XCX, bülow says of her deal, “I’m very excited to start this journey with Emily and Prescription. So many serendipitous moments led us here organically, and I have the utmost admiration for this team.”
Kobalt has signed songwriter Imani “Mocha” Lewis. News of her signing comes after the whirlwind success of Tyla‘s Grammy-winning track “Water,” which was co-written by Lewis, along with eight other tracks on the South African artist’s debut album.
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Position Music has signed Golden to a worldwide publishing deal as part of a joint venture with Global 7 Publishing. A Colombian writer, musician and Grammy-nominated producer, Golden has worked on tracks for Coco Jones, ¿Téo? and Shenseea.
peermusic has signed award-winning Chilean producer and songwriter Vladi Cachai (Don Omar, Gloria Trevi, Bryant Myers, J Quiles) to an exclusive worldwide publishing deal. The deal was signed jointly by peermusic Spain and peermusic Chile and will encompass both Cachai’s existing song catalog and his future works.
Budde Music has signed songwriter Billy Mann to a go-forward “creative and administrative” publishing agreement. A hitmaker with thirty years of expertise, Mann has worked with stars like P!nk, Backstreet Boys, David Guetta, John Legend, Céline Dion, Carole King, Burt Bacharach and more.
Warner Chappell Music and The Core Entertainment have signed a joint global publishing deal with Hannah McFarland. A rising singer-songwriter and opener for artists like Kelsea Ballerini, Old Dominion, and Travis Tritt, McFarland was recently invited to sing “I Remember Everything” alongside Zach Bryan at a show in Alabama, introducing her talent to a stadium of new listeners. “We are so excited to work with Hannah McFarland and represent her unique talent,” says Bryce Sherlow, A&R manager at WCM Nashville.
Sony Music Publishing Nashville has announced the signing of country songwriter Brian Fuller to a global publishing deal. Fuller is a fast-rising songwriter in Nashville, and news of his SMP deal follows the release of his first-ever major label cut “I Could Be That Rain,” from Randall King’s 2024 album Into The Neon.
Nashville-based rights management company Muserk is expanding its royalty and administration services in Asia. This includes the signing of a series of new clients with impressive cultural impact in their home markets, including Thai neo-soul artist Phum Viphurit and Japanese label and publishing company Midi Inc/Yano Music Publishing. In the coming months, the company says it also plans to bring in more Chinese and Indonesian clients.
Armada Music‘s BEAT Music Fund has acquired Cloud 9 Music, an Amsterdam based music publisher. As part of the acquisition, the teams of Armada Music’s existing publishing company, Armada Publishing B.V., and Cloud 9 Music will merge to form Armada Music Publishing. The company’s BEAT Music Fund is dedicated to building a catalog of dance and electronic classics and now, after its purchase of Cloud 9, is well on its way. Its catalog now includes Armin van Buuren’s Grammy Award-nominated “This Is What It Feels Like,” “Reality” by Lost Frequencies and Da Beatfreakz’ co-written share in “Prada” which was originally performed by Cassö, D-Block Europe, and Raye.
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Pulse Music Group has launched a new publishing venture with singer, songwriter and producer Jon Bellion. Called Beautiful Mind, the new publisher will be helmed by Bellion and his longtime manager Matt Maschi as CEO. Louis Coppola will handle day-to-day operations. Along with the news of his new company and its staff, Pulse and Bellion have announced that Beautiful Mind has signed artist, songwriter, and Bellion collaborator Elijah Noll to the company.
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Warner Chappell Music and ICE have extended and expanded their multi-territory digital partnership. As part of the deal, WCM will move all online processing from other European digital licensing administration partners to ICE. This follows a thorough 10 month review by WCM which assisted its existing providers and new entrants to figure out the solution that best serves its songwriters.
Warner Chappell Music has signed the Red Clay Strays to a global publishing deal. After independently releasing their 2022 album Moment of Truth, the band broke through on TikTok, eventually landing the single “Wondering Why” on the Hot 100 chart. Now they are ready to take their career to the next level. Along with their new WCM publishing deal, the group also signed a label deal with RCA Records.
5 Alarm Music (a large indie production music library and a subsidiary of Anthem Entertainment) has entered a new exclusive partnership with Paramount to launch the program First Time Composer (“FTC”) with Paramount Music’s Anita Chinkes Ratner and Rochelle Holguin Capello leading the charge. The program begins with a writing camp at Sound Factory in Los Angeles from April 25-26. 14 participants will be split into four groups, each paired with a 5 Alarm producer who can guide the newcomers through the process of writing to specific song briefs.
BMI has launched a new royalty dashboard for songwriters and composers, providing more transparency into performance royalty earnings. The move is part of the newly for-profit PRO’s broader growth plan to enhance customer service. Now, BMI’s affiliates can have a fully interactive view of royalty statements and can view their top performing titles, search individual works, monitor quarterly and annual earnings trends, explore international earnings and more.
Concord Music Publishing has extended its agreement with Jeremy Lutito. Along with his publishing deal, which encompasses both his back catalog and future works, Concord and Lutito are also launching Mezzanine, a joint venture under which Lutito will sign and develop up and coming writers at Concord. The first Mezzanine signing is Jon Class, a frequent Lutito collaborator.
Spirit Music Nashville has renewed its deal with artist/writer Tim Montana. The news follows Montana’s recent breakthrough at rock radio, notching his single “Devil You Know” on both Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay and Rock & Alternative Airplay charts.
Sony Music Publishing Nashville has signed Randall King to a new publishing agreement. With songs like “You In A Honky Tonk” “Hey Cowgirl” and “Mirror Mirror,” King is known for bringing tried-and-true Texas twang to Nashville.
Major Bob Music has signed a management and publishing deal with Leah Blevins. The singer-songwriter has built a following in Nashville for her unique sound and her touring chops. Over the last few years, the artist has toured with Lainey Wilson, Marcus King, Flatland Cavalry, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, John Oates, Amanda Shires, The War And Treaty and more.
Global Music Rights (GMR), the boutique performing rights organization, has reached a settlement in its copyright infringement lawsuit with Vermont Broadcast Associates. As part of the settlement, VBA has secured a long-term GMR license and settled for its past alleged infringements.
UMPG has signed Andrea Bocelli to a global publishing deal through its Classics & Screen department. Under the new agreement, the major publisher will represent Bocelli’s future works as well as his latest album, A Family Christmas.
Dua Lipa‘s media and management company Radical22 has signed a global administration deal with Warner Chappell Music. The agreement follows last year’s news that the pop star has acquired her publishing outright.
Position Music has signed a global publishing agreement with Tinashe. As part of the deal, Position will also administer the publishing rights to the singer’s latest album, BB/ANG3L, as well as future releases.
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1916 Enterprises has jointly signed producer Anthoine Walters (Drake, Post Malone, Brent Faiyaz) to a publishing deal with Heavy Duty. 1916 also signed producer, songwriter and artist Matt Wills to a joint publishing agreement with Billen Tedd/Milk + Honey U.K.
Universal Production Music‘s sample discovery and licensing platform, Usample, announced the addition of new sample pack albums from popular composers like Nicholas Britell, Clint Mansell and Isobel Waller-Bridge.
Bella Figura Music has closed a significant equity and funding round to expand its music catalog. The round was led by private equity firm Freshstream with co-investment from Canadian pension fund OPTrust, a strategic family office and leading Dutch private equity investor. Bella Figura was launched in 2023 and has purchased a number of catalogs in the last six months, including those of Jeff Silverman (Adele, Aloe Blacc, Lee Fields) and Adrian Wright of The Human League.
Young Guns Publishing has extended its worldwide exclusive publishing deal with songwriter Ben Stennis. A writer for some of country’s biggest hitmakers — including Morgan Wallen, Bailey Zimmerman, Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line, Tim McGraw, Jake Owen, Justin Moore, High Valley and Ronnie Dunn — Stennis has been with the publisher for the last 10 years.
Warner Chappell Music has signed rising R&B artist Maeta to a global publishing deal. The agreement follows a breakthrough year for the singer, who hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart for two weeks with her single “Through the Night” featuring Free Nationals.
Barry Weiss’ Bossy Songs has signed “Austin” co-writer Cheyenna to a global publishing deal. Apart from co-penning Dasha‘s viral country-pop hit, Cheyenna has also collaborated with artists including GAYLE, BIZZY, Semler and Los Stars.
Blake Morgan‘s ECR Music Group has launched a new global partnership with Sony Music Publishing as well as Meridian, an artist services imprint.
Reservoir has signed indie rock singer-songwriter Katie Pruitt to a global publishing deal through its joint venture with One Riot. The agreement will include Pruitt’s upcoming album Mantras and future works.
Kobalt has signed Australian singer/songwriter Kita Alexander to a worldwide publishing deal. The news follows Alexander’s debut album YOUNG IN LOVE, which was released last month via Warner Music Australia.
Wise Music Group has signed Swedish composer Jacob Mühlrad to a new publishing agreement through Bosworth Music GmbH. Mühlrad’s back catalog will be represented by Gehrmans for Scandinavia and the Baltic States and by Bosworth Music for the rest of the world. Future works will also be administered by Bosworth worldwide.
Warner Chappell has signed Teddy Swims to a global publishing deal. Signed to Warner Records for his recorded music, the new deal unites his entire catalog under the WMG umbrella. News of the deal arrives the same week that his breakthrough hit “Lose Control” reached No. 1 on the Hot 100.
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Position Music has signed Zach Skelton, co-writer for Shawn Mendes, OneRepublic, Paul McCartney, Lil Nas X, and more, to a worldwide publishing deal.
Avex USA Publishing has signed DJ Smallz 732 to a global publishing deal. One of the most sought-after Jersey club producers, Smallz signs his deal on the heels of co-creating “Everybody” by Nick Minaj and Lil Uzi Vert from Minaj’s hit album Pink Friday 2.
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Red Bull‘s publishing division has signed producer Charlie Shuffler to a global deal. Best known for his records with Lil Yachty, Trippie Redd, Rico Nasty and Lil Peep, Shuffler has been a tastemaker since the early days of SoundCloud rap.
Big Machine Music has signed artist/writer George Birge to an exclusive co-publishing deal. News of the agreement arrives as Birge heads out on the road as the opener for Parker McCollum’s tour and just before the singer opens for Luke Bryan’s tour.
Concord Music Publishing has signed soul singer-songwriter William Bell to a publishing administration deal, including a selection of his back catalog and all future works. A legendary signee of Stax Records and inductee in the Memphis Music Hall of Fame, Bell has been making timeless soul records since his first album The Soul of a Bell, released in 1967.
BeatStars has announced the launch of Creator Rights Agency, its new division designed to help make clearing intellectual property rights more streamlined and affordable. It is described in the company’s press release as an “end-to-end service that allows creators to get data-driven recommendations from experts for licensing, protecting, and getting paid for their intellectual property. The CRA consolidates management, legal, and accounting services needed by creators in today’s music industry, charging a 10% commission only on the deals that are successfully negotiated by the CRA.”
BMG has acquired Eurodance pioneer Dr. Alban‘s recorded music interest in his catalog, including defining records like “It’s My Life” and “Sing Hallelujah.” The acquisition further bolsters BMG’s interests in 90s Eurodance. Recently, the company also holds a stake in “Planet of the Bass” by Kyle Gordon, which went viral on TikTok for its parody of the genre.
Bella Figura Music has acquired the writer’s share of The Human League-founder Adrian Wright‘s catalog. Wright’s current publisher will now work with Bella Figura’s sync and creative team to maximize commercial opportunities for his catalog.
Park Ave West Songs, founded by songwriter KT Mack, has signed Chris Canterbury to a global publishing deal.
Wise Music Group has signed Portico Quartet to its publishing roster through Campbell Connelly & Co. The influential composers and producers have been a mainstay in UK music their debut album Knee-Deep in the North Sea, was nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2008.
The Last Briefing: Cat Stevens Signs With UMPG
Position Music has acquired the catalog of French producer, artist and DJ Gesaffelstein. As part of the deal, Position will own and administer the publishing rights to the catalog prior to his 2016 Sony Music Publishing deal. In addition, the company has also acquired the writer, artist and producer royalties for Gesaffelstein’s entire catalog, including “Lost in the Fire” ft. The Weeknd, “I Was Never There” and “Hurt You” by The Weeknd, “Black Skinhead” by Kanye West, and more.
UMPG has signed Yusuf/Cat Stevens to an exclusive global publishing administration agreement. Known for hits like “Father and Son,” “Wild World,” “The Wind” and “Morning Has Broken,” the singer-songwriter recorded music and publishing catalogs are now united under one roof for the first time at UMG.
Reservoir Media has signed Kings of Leon to a go-forward publishing agreement, including the group’s upcoming project Can We Please Have Fun. The deal arrives just after Kings of Leon announced their 2023 world tour, including 26 cities across the U.S. and Canada.
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Warner Chappell Music has signed Yellowstone actor and artist Luke Grimes to a global publishing deal, in collaboration with Range Media Partners. His debut song “No Horse To Ride” was featured in the mid-season series finale last year, driving Grimes up the Billboard Country charts. His debut album will be released on March 8 under UMG Nashville’s Capitol Records.
The 100 Percenters has linked with Spotify to offer ten $2,500 career stimulus grants for songwriters and producers. The grants are supported by Spotify’s Creator Equity Fund. Applications will open Friday, March 15, and will close Monday, April 15. Applicants must be members of the 100 Percenters community and must have at least two years of professional experience, have three or more commercial songwriting or producer credits, be a U.S. citizen, earn an annual income of less than $100,000 and submit verifiable proof of income.
SMACKsongs has signed an exclusive publishing deal with Sarah Buxton, the Nashville-based hitmaker behind songs like “Stupid Boy” and “Put You In A Song” recorded by Keith Urban, “Sundaze” by Florida Georgia Line, “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely” by The Band Perry, and “Fix” by Chris Lane.
BMG has extended its publishing agreement with Grammy-nominated DJ and producer Robin Schulz, which began in 2016. As part of the extension, BMG has also acquired the co-publishing rights to Robin Schulz’s entire song catalog, including “Waves,” “Prayer,” “Sugar,” “Alane,” “All We Got,” and “Young Right Now.”
The Other Songs Live, a songwriter night featuring performances by some of music’s top hitmakers, will be returning to the London Palladium on Monday, May 20. Presented by indie music company The Other Songs in partnership with The Ivors Academy, the event will raise money for three music-related charities, including The BRIT School, The Ivors Academy Trust and Nordoff and Robbins. In the past, the show has featured artists, including Raye, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Nile Rodgers, Dave Stewart and Katie Melua.
peermusic UK has signed Nothing But Thieves to a global publishing deal. The deal includes the band’s fifth studio album, which will be released later this year. Their prior catalog remains with Sony Music Publishing.
Warner Chappell Music and Katy Perry‘s Unsub Publishing have signed rising singer, songwriter and producer Debbii Dawson to a global co-publishing deal. Perry says of Dawson, “She’s a rare find and someone I believe has the brightest of futures ahead of her as an artist, songwriter, and creative force.”
The Nashville-based Edgehill Music Publishing has signed songwriter Carys Selvey to a global publishing deal. Founded by Josh and Tara Joseph, Edgehill adds the London-based Selvey to a growing roster that also includes Dave Villa, Rob Williford, LOCASH and more.
Spirit Music Group has signed worldwide publishing administration deals with Chris Robinson and Rich Robinson of rock band The Black Crowes. The deal includes the band’s albums Warpaint and Before The Frost…Until the Freeze as well as their latest album Happiness Bastards, out March 15.
Warner Chappell Music has signed a global publishing deal with AntsLive, the viral London rapper behind the popular song “Number One Candidate.” Nominated for two MOBO Awards in 2024, including Best Newcomer and Best Video, the musician says he decided to join the WCM roster after attending the company’s songwriting camp in Las Vegas.
BMG has acquired 100% of the catalog of Cologne-based record label Coconut Music, including the recorded rights to tracks by Haddaway, Bad Boys Blue, London Beat, and Wolfgang Petry. The deal builds on BMG’s 2022 acquisition of Haddaway’s recorded music royalties. Under the new agreement, BMG now controls 100% of Haddaway’s biggest track “What Is Love.”
Major Bob Music has re-upped its publishing agreement with writer/producer Colin Healy. Before signing a publishing deal, Healy got his start as bassist and music director for Dustin Lynch, a gig he held for thirteen years. Then, in 2019, he signed to Major Bob Music to further his career as a writer. Since then, Healy has landed cuts with Megan Moroney, Avery Anna, Tayler Holder and more.
Warner Chappell Music has signed Nashville-based talent Josh Montgomery to a global publishing deal. Known for his ability to work across genres, Montgomery has already earned cuts with Ashley Kutcher, Jessie Murph, Tyler Halverson, Graham Barham, Jax, and Dasha.
Wise Music Group‘s Chester Music has signed a new publishing agreement with performer, composer and Olivier Award-winning choreographer Dickson Mbi. Born in Cameroon and raised in East London, the multi-talented Mbi has worked with artists like Russell Maliphant, Boy Blue Entertainment, Robbie Williams, Corrine Bailey-Rae, Black Eyed Peas and choreographed the “Leave A Trace” music video for CHVRCHES.
Wise Music Group has signed Icelandic composer Högni Egilsson has signed a worldwide publishing agreement with the newly opened office, Wise Music Iceland, marking the first signing of the Iceland office, since it launched in November 2022. A leading voice in Iceland’s music scene, Egilsson will be administered by Wise for all future works.