State Champ Radio Warner Chappell Music
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In the third quarter of 2025, Sony Music Publishing scored a three-peat as the No. 1 publisher on both the Top Radio Airplay and Hot 100 Songs charts for the first three quarters of 2025.
This time around, Sony received a boost from having the top song on both charts, Alex Warren’s “Ordinary,” and the No. 1 songwriter on both charts, Shane “sombr” Boose, who wrote and performed “undressed,” which was No. 7 and No. 22 on Top Radio Airplay and Hot 100 Songs, respectively. (Sony administers sombr for Songs of Orchard.)
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They were two of the 75 songs that Sony had on Top Radio Airplay in the third quarter, up from 73 in the second quarter. The publisher had stakes in 69 tracks on the Hot 100 Songs chart, down from 75 in the prior quarter. For both rankings, its market share was down slightly from the second quarter, from 30.90% to 30.76% on Top Radio Airplay and 33.88% to 30.10% on Hot 100 Songs.
Meanwhile, Warner Chappell Music held the No. 2 spot on both rankings for a second consecutive quarter, with 23.67% on Top Radio Airplay and 22.32% on Hot 100 Songs. Both shares were improvements on the publisher’s second-quarter shares of 21.66% and 21.57%, respectively. And while its song count improved from 62 to 64 on Top Radio Airplay, its tally fell from 57 to 52 on Hot 100 Songs. Warner Chappell’s top track on both charts was also “Ordinary.” In addition, Warner Chappell was the No. 1 publisher on the Top Country Radio Airplay list.
Universal Music Publishing Group ranked at No. 3 on both charts, with its Top Radio Airplay market share sliding from 16.79% to 14.79% and its Hot 100 Songs share dipping from 18.56% to 16.62% quarter to quarter. UMPG held stakes in 46 songs on Top Radio Airplay, down one from the second quarter, and its top track was Shaboozey’s “Good News,” which ranked at No. 2. On Hot 100 Songs, its count improved from 50 to 52, with its top track, “Golden” by HUNTR/X from KPop Demon Hunters, also ranking at No. 2.
Kobalt and BMG alternated at Nos. 4 and 5 on both charts, finishing in that order on Top Radio Airplay with 11.24% and 5.28% of the pie and swapping places on Hot 100 Songs: BMG finished fourth with 12.75% — a massive increase from its 3.24% second- quarter share — and Kobalt was fifth with 8.83%.
Kobalt’s song count improved on both charts, growing to 42 in the third quarter from 39 in the prior pro quarter on the Top Radio Airplay list and to 35 from 32 on the Hot 100 chart. Its top song on the former was “Good News,” while its top song on the latter was Morgan Wallen’s “What I Want” featuring Tate McRae, which ranked at No. 3. BMG also had “Good News” as its top performing song on the Radio Airplay list, where its song count fell to 14 tunes from the second quarter’s 16 songs; while on the Hot 100, its song count improved from the second quarters’ 32 songs to 35, with “Golden” as its top song.
Looking at the bottom half of the Radio Airplay publisher rankings, three publishers returned from the second quarter: Big Machine, which moved up to No. 6 from No. 10 last time with a 1.75% share; Concord, which fell one position to No. 8 but improved its market share by 13 basis points to 1.40%; and Position Music, which fell one spot to No. 9 but enjoyed a bigger 18-point basis surge to 1.39%. The top song for both Big Machine and Concord was Russell Dickerson’s “Happen To Me,” which ranked at No. 10, while Position’s Music top performing song was Benson Boone’s “Sorry I’m Here For Someone Else,” which finished at No. 6.
In the third quarter, two publishers that were absent from the Q2 rankings made the top 10: Spirit Music, with a 1.46% share from three song placements on the chart, including its top performing song, Scotty McCreery’s “Bottle Rockets” featuring Hootie & the Blowfish, at No. 20; and Me Gusta Music with a 0.96% share and three song placements on the chart with Luke Bryan’s “Country Song Came On” as its top performer at No. 34.
In the bottom half of the Hot 100 ranking, only two publishers repeated from the second quarter: Position Music and Concord. The former came in at No. 6 with a 1.64% share, the same ranking as the prior quarter; while the latter finished at No. 7 with a 1.07% share, up from No. 10 last quarter. Position’s top song was Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” at No. 14, while Concord’s top tune was Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild,” at No. 4.
Meanwhile, three publishers that were absent from last quarter’s Hot 100 rankings appeared in the top 10 this quarter. Coming in at No. 8 was Spirit Music with a 0.63% share, with McCreery “Bottle Rockets” featuring Hootie & the Blowfish its top song at No. 40. In ninth place with a 0.55% share was Big Machine, whose top song, Morgan Wallen’s “What I Want” with Tate McRae, placed at No. 3. And in tenth place, Downtown finished with a 0.51% share on the strength of its sole placement on the Hot 100 ranking, Dareyes de La Sierra’s “Frecuencia,” which was the No. 85 song on the tally. Of the three, Spirit had the highest song count with five placements, while Big Machine had a stake in three of the quarter’s Hot 100 songs.
**Methodology: For the Top 10 Publishers Top Radio Airplay chart, percentage calculations were based upon the overall top 100 detected songs from 3,133 U.S. radio stations electronically monitored by Mediabase 24 hours a day, seven days a week during the period of July 1 to Sept. 30. For Top 10 Publishers Hot 100 Songs, percentage calculations were based upon the top 100 songs ranked by Billboard Hot 100 points calculated from digital sales, streaming and Mediabase-tracked radio airplay detections during the period of June 27 to Oct. 4 and reflecting the issue dates of July 12 through Oct. 4. Publisher information for musical works on both charts has been identified by the Harry Fox Agency. A “publisher” is defined as an administrator, copyright owner and/or controlling party.**
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Renaissance man Idris Elba has extended his exclusive global publishing agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group, continuing his multifaceted career as a songwriter, producer, musician, actor, director and DJ.
Known for his acting roles in The Wire and Luther, Elba has also starred in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Beasts of No Nation, Thor, Pacific Rim and the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise.
Musically, Elba broke into the global scene with the hit “Boasty” (with Wiley, Stefflon Don and Sean Paul), and later collaborated on “Vroom” with The FaNaTiX, Lil TJay, Davido, Koffee and Moelego for Gran Turismo 7. He has released the collaborative EP Cordi Elba with Lime Cordiale and worked with labels such as Defected, Dirtybird and Ultra. In 2024, he launched Sound International, a global house label and live brand that has hosted showcases across London, Nairobi and at major festivals like Glastonbury and ADE.
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As a performer — often appearing as DJ Big Driis — Elba has played back-to-back with Kaskade at Coachella, headlined Glastonbury stages, and held summer residencies in Ibiza. He’s set to headline the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after performing at Silverstone earlier this year.
“Idris is the rare writer and musician that moves easily between genres and can great create songs in every possible way,” glowed David Gray, managing director of UMPG UK. “We are honoured to be working with him to continue to build his already impressive music career.”
Elba added that songwriting brings him “real joy — and having great people around only elevates the process.”
Check out the rest of this week’s publishing news below, including the 20th anniversary of SMP Poland, plus deals involving grunge knob-twister Rick Parashar, Maninho, Brandon Manley and more.
Nick Drake and Molly Drake (Blue Raincoat)
Image Credit: Victoria Waymouth/Courtesy of Estate
This week’s roundup of Publishing Briefs includes a rebrand for Sheer Publishing Africa, a pair of big deals for Warner Chappell Music and a renewal of Sony Music Publishing Nashville’s pact with Kane Brown’s creative company.
Warner Chappell Music signed a global administration and sub-publishing deal with veteran French DJ and producer Bob Sinclar, covering over 350 works from his catalog, including iconic tracks like “World Hold On,” “Love Generation,” and “The Beat Goes On.” The agreement also includes music from the influential Africanism label. Known for pioneering the French House (or French Touch) movement since 1998, Sinclar has built a successful mainstream and underground career through his label Yellow Productions, and over the years has collaborated with global stars such as Kylie Minogue, Sean Paul and Robbie Williams, and remixed tracks by Madonna, Rihanna, and Moby. “Bob Sinclar is a fervent representative of the French Touch, a true tastemaker who has always made a point of crossing borders,” said Valentin Zucca, senior A&R at WCM France. “His music, and what he did for the dance culture, had a major influence on a whole generation of listeners and artists.”
WCM also extended its joint venture with Lilly Raye Music, the publishing and management company led by Edward Matthew and Justin Martinez. Since its 2020 launch and 2023 expansion, the partnership has driven international collaborations across Asia, Europe and the United States. The venture is ramping up efforts in Germany and the Netherlands, particularly in dance and electronic music, while strengthening A&R in the UK. Achievements include Grammy recognition for work on albums by Summer Walker and Janelle Monáe, ten No. 1 hits in Sweden, and syncs with Apple and Acne Studios. They’ve also contributed to K-pop hits for LESSERAFIM and IVE, and support rising stars like Ayra Starr and RAYE. “We’ve built a really solid relationship with Edward and Justin over the past few years,” mentioned Guy Moot, co-chair and CEO of WCM. “They have an infectious enthusiasm for forging cultural connections between writers and producers from different parts of the world. The amazing results speak for themselves.”
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Sheer Publishing Africa officially rebranded as Downtown Music Publishing Africa (DMP Africa), marking a major milestone in its nearly 30-year history as a leading inie music publisher on the continent. Effective May 27, the rebrand aligns the company with Downtown Music Publishing’s global infrastructure, offering African creators enhanced access to royalty administration, tech and global services across 145 countries. DMP Africa will also introduce Neighbouring Rights Administration and Downtown’s royalty system to improve transparency and earnings access. With partnerships including Warner Chappell, Concord, and Saregama, DMP Africa is positioning itself as a global rights management leader. “This is a transformational moment,” said Managing Director Thando Makhunga. Downtown executives Emily Stephenson and Pieter van Rijn emphasized the strategic importance of Africa as a dynamic creative hub, with the latter calling it “a region rich in creativity, culture and talent.” Stephenson added that “through DMP Africa, we are investing not just in infrastructure, but in long-term relationships that will shape the future of the music industry.”
Sony Music Publishing Nashville renewed its partnership with Verse 2 Music, the joint venture founded in 2021 by Kane Brown and Kent Earls. V2 has quickly become a rising force in country music, representing top songwriters like Josh Hoge, Rivers Rutherford, and Dylan Schneider. Over four years, the venture has delivered more than 200 major label releases, 11 country airplay singles, and four No. 1 hits — including the award-winning “Thank God” by Kane and Katelyn Brown. Brown and Earls said they were “excited” and “thrilled” to renew the deal. SMPN chief Rusty Gaston added, “Kent and Kane are a creative and business dynamic duo. Just within a few years, they’ve gone from zero songs to celebrating four No. 1 singles, with multiple singles on the chart currently. Their success is just getting started, and we are so excited to continue this journey with them.”
PUB BRIEFS BRIEFS: Nick Autry inked a global publishing deal with Spirit Music Nashville. A former touring drummer, he’s now a Grammy-nominated engineer and producer who has worked with Carrie Underwood and Sam Hunt, and co-produced a chart-topping comedy album for Bobby Bones and The Raging Idiots … Sheltered Music formed a creative partnership with Crystal Pony Publishing and songwriter Roger Springer (“It’s a Little Too Late”). Their first signee is artist-writer Will Banister … Big Machine Music signed South African artist-writer Will Linley to an exclusive co-publishing deal. Known for viral hit “Last Call,” Linley’s catalog includes “Miss Me (When You’re Gone)” and EPs Kill All My Feelings and Magic. His new single “Cinematic” dropped May 16, launching a European pop-up tour.
Sony Music Publishing signed electronic artist and remixer Purple Disco Machine (Tino Piontek) to an exclusive worldwide songwriting deal. This joint venture between SMP’s German and UK offices aims to expand PDM’s international creative reach. Since his 2012 breakthrough “My House,” Purple Disco Machine has earned 37 platinum and 14 gold certifications, with over 1.5 billion streams. His hits “Hypnotized” and “In The Dark” with Sophie and the Giants, from the Exotica album, have surpassed a billion streams. His latest album Paradise features the hit “Substitution” with Kungs and Julian Perretta, and the 2024 chart-topper “Honey Boy” with Nile Rodgers, Benjamin Ingrosso and Shenseea. He’s also known for crafting remixes for The Rolling Stones, Dua Lipa, Lady Gaga and Lizzo. “I began working with Tino a decade ago, just after his ‘Street Life’ releases, when he was flipping samples, making club bangers and experimenting with his sound,” said SMPUK director of A&R Adrienne Bookbinder. “It’s been a pleasure witnessing Tino’s defining moments to-date, and it’s an honor to continue the story together alongside his manager Matt Jagger as we welcome him to SMP.”
It’s gotta be the May 1st edition of Publishing Briefs, our semimonthly bulletin of recent signings, deals and doings in the wide world of music publishing. Since the last time we gabbed, Kristin Robinson whipped up a comprehensive guide to the comments submitted in the Copyright Office’s inquiry regarding PROs and Robert Levine analyzed the growing pushback among clubs and radio stations on the amount of collecting societies in the U.S.
Caught up? Here’s what else is going on:
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Warner Chappell Music Nashville and Morgan Wallen’s publishing company, Wilder Music, signed songwriter Jared Mullins to a global publishing deal. Wilder’s first signing, Mullins has co-written No. 1s like “Thank God” (Kane Brown feat. Katelyn Brown) and “Homemade” (Jake Owen), and has also collaborated with Wallen, Little Big Town and others. Originally from Maryland and West Virginia, he moved to Nashville in 2013 and has since written for Cole Swindell, Justin Moore and others. In 2022, he co-penned LOCASH’s “Beach Boys,” featuring Mike Love and Bruce Johnston. Wallen praised Mullins’ passion and creativity, while Mullins expressed gratitude for Wallen’s belief in him. “It is incredibly exciting to be working with Jared,” glowed Jessi Vaughn Stevenson, vp of A&R and digital at WCMN. “His talent is vast and varied, and to be partnering with Morgan is the cherry on top.”
Warner Chappell Music signed a worldwide administration deal with the one-and-only Diplo. A three-time Grammy winner, Diplo is known for a mess of global hits like “Where Are Ü Now,” “Lean On,” “Run the World (Girls)” and “Paper Planes.” He is a key member of Major Lazer, LSD, and Jack Ü, and his work with Silk City and Dua Lipa on “Electricity” earned platinum certification. Diplo continues to innovate with ventures like Diplo’s Run Club and his labels Mad Decent and Higher Ground. His recent projects include “Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley: Chapter 2 – Swamp Savant” and he just curated Diplo’s HonkyTonk at Stagecoach Festival, featuring artists like Paris Hilton and Anderson .Paak. “Diplo is a visionary creative whose multi-faceted success includes pushing boundaries with his own projects, creating cross-genre hits for others, and breaking talent through collaboration,” said Gabz Landman, senior vp of A&R at WCM. “It takes a rare kind of talent to be able to build and sustain a successful career that spans multiple decades – something Diplo has done almost effortlessly, and we’re so honored to help amplify his legacy even more.” Diplo added: “The Warner Chappell team … have an immensely skilled, forward thinking staff that I feel can help complement how I approach making and placing music.”
Kobalt signed Bizzy Crook, who played a key role in writing Leon Thomas’ breakout hit “Mutt.” The track recently peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and currently sits at No. 1 on the Hot R&B Songs chart. Thomas praised Crook’s dynamic songwriting process, describing it as complementary to his. “I’ll usually do the hooks and he’ll have really cool ideas for verses, and I’ll shape out a pre-chorus that really brings everything together,” Thomas said. “It’s kind of like playing Tetris with words.” Besides the original release, “Mutt” has been remixed twice, featuring collabs with Freddie Gibbs and Chris Brown. “His talent as a songwriter and storyteller is undeniable, and his work on ‘Mutt’ is a testament to the kind of creativity and vision we love to support,” said Genevieve Huguely, Kobalt’s manager of creative. “Bizzy brings a fresh perspective and a unique voice to everything he touches, and we’re proud to be part of this next chapter in his journey.”
Sony Music Publishing Nashville signed 18-year-old country singer-songwriter Caiden Wallace to a global publishing deal in partnership with Marv Green’s new venture, Out Yonder Music. Hailing from Springville, Calif., Wallace has gained attention with songs like “More Than a Night,” “Manipulate” and “Don’t Call,” which have earned millions of views on social media. His first studio-produced single, “Girl I Never Had,” was released on April 18. Rusty Gaston, CEO of SMP Nashville, praised Wallace’s raw talent and potential, observing that “his California roots are infused into every song he writes, and he is creating something special.” Green, who is Wallace’s uncle, highlighted his nephew’s “spirited work ethic and his natural born artistry” and predicted a major record deal in the near future.
VDW Music Group’s Marion Van Der Wees, BMM’s Timmy Haehl, Thomas Daniel, BMM’s Mike Molinar
Thomas Daniel signed an exclusive co-publishing agreement with Big Machine Music. His songs have been recorded by K-Pop stars ENHYPEN, Lauren Spencer Smith, Alexander Stewart, TAEYEON, and &TEAM. A multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and vocalist, Thomas has over 150 million streams of his own releases. Mike Molinar, BMM’s president, praised Thomas as a “natural,” adding, “his incredible sense of melody and capacity to capture the full range of human emotion lyrically are just a couple of reasons why we are so proud and excited that he chose us as his publishing partner.”
Armada Music Publishing signed new deals with Bloom Twins, SHELLS and Trance Wax, and extended its partnership with Da Beatfreakz. This expansion strengthens Armada’s UK presence and adds to its roster of successful producers and songwriters, including D.O.D, Ki Fitzgeral and Chicane. Ukrainian-born Bloom Twins (twin sisters Anna and Sofia Kuprienko) have joined under exclusive writer agreements to grow their songwriting careers following tracks like “High on Beat” and “DayDream.” SHELLS (Sarah Sheldrake) signed an exclusive deal after achieving a UK Top 5 hit and a BRIT nomination for “Dancing is Healing.” Belfast-based Trance Wax (Garry McCartney) brings his trance-inspired catalog and sold-out shows to the fold. Armada renewed its deal with Da Beatfreakz, whose 26x platinum hit “Prada” has over one billion streams. “This is an exciting time for Armada Music Publishing—we’re honored to join forces with Bloom Twins, SHELLS and Trance Wax, and build on the success of our partnership with Da Beatfreakz,” said Maykel Piron, CEO of Armada Music Group. “Each of them truly represents the very best in songwriting, and we’re thrilled to support them on their respective musical journeys.”
Audius, a decentralized music discovery and community platform, has partnered with Downtown Music to integrate millions of licensed recordings into its ecosystem. This deal includes both recording and publishing assets from Downtown’s catalog, giving over 4 million artists and 5,000 clients more control over monetization and fan engagement. The partnership looks to empower Downtown’s roster, including estates like John Lennon & Yoko Ono and Miles Davis, and contemporary artists like Jason Mraz and Pamungkas, to engage fans beyond traditional streaming. Audius collaborates with major names such as Skrillex, deadmau5 and Disclosure, and integrates with performance rights organizations like ASCAP and BMI. Both companies emphasized the benefits of artist autonomy and direct fan interaction, with Downtown vp of product and services strategy Harmen Hemminga highlighting Audius as a platform that “opens new doors for creative fan engagement and monetization, putting control into the hands of artists and rights holders.”
Musou Music Publishing and Warp Publishing have both joined IMPEL, the international collective licensing agency for digital music publishing rights. Musou Music Group, established in 2006 and headquartered in Athens, Greece, also includes Musou Music Production, Musou Studios and Musou Records. Warp Publishing, with offices in London and Los Angeles, grew out of Warp Records and offers personalized music publishing services to a diverse roster of artists, score composers and songwriters, including Boards of Canada, Slowdive, Khruangbin, Danny Brown and more. It also represents music catalogs for companies like Psychotic Reaction Music, Inni Music and Infine Music. Now in 17 countries, IMPEL represents top independent publishers like Beggars Music, Bucks Music and Reservoir, with a repertoire featuring global icons such as Ed Sheeran, Beyoncé and Rihanna.
Last Publishing Briefs: Reservoir Media Expands to India
Colombian reggaetón star Ryan Castro has signed a global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music, the company tells Billboard. Born in Medellín, Castro released his debut album El Cantante del Ghetto, a nod to his journey from street busking to bona fide hitmaker, last year. “Joining Warner Chappell is a big step in my career as an […]
Venezuelan singer-songwriter Joaquina has signed a global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music, the company tells Billboard. This marks her first worldwide administration agreement since her best new artist win at the Latin Grammys in 2023, which made her the youngest act to win that category at age 19. “I believe a huge part of […]
For the first time in the history of Billboard’s Publishers Quarterly rankings, Warner Chappell swept the Hot 100 Songs, Top Radio Airplay and Country Airplay charts in the fourth quarter of 2024.
Although the music publisher’s Nashville division typically places first or second on the Country Airplay chart, this is the first time it has topped the Hot 100 publishers ranking and the first time since the third quarter of 2019 that it ranked No. 1 on the Top Radio Airplay list.
Warner Chappell had a stake in 64 songs and a 25.29% market share on the Radio Airplay list, and 49 songs and a 23.62% market share on the Hot 100 Songs list, including the No. 1 song of the quarter for both charts: “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey. The publisher is also home to the No. 1 Top Radio Airplay songwriter for Q4 of 2024, Amy Allen, who wrote Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” and six other charting tracks.
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Sony Music Publishing, which was the No. 1 radio and Hot 100 publisher for the third quarter of 2024, ranked second on both charts, with 63 songs on the radio list (a 24.10% market share), and 58 on the Hot 100 (22.68%). Its top song for both charts was also “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”
Universal Music Publishing Group finished third for both the Hot 100 (19.92% market share, 44 songs) and Top Radio Airplay (16.79% market share, 42 songs) charts in the fourth quarter and also held a piece of the Shaboozey smash. With nine songs on the Hot 100 — but none in the top 10 — Kendrick Lamar was the No. 1 songwriter on that chart, thanks to the ongoing success of “Not Like Us.”
Kobalt comfortably finished fourth — the best performance by an independent publisher — on both fourth-quarter charts, twin rankings it frequently holds on these lists. The publisher’s radio airplay market share was 12.81%, and it has 10.89% on the Hot 100. Its biggest songs of the quarter were “Too Sweet” by Hozier (No. 2 on Top Radio Airplay) and “Die With a Smile” by Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars (No. 2 on the Hot 100).
BMG ranked fifth on both charts, rising two spots from its radio airplay ranking in third quarter 2024 and up one from its Hot 100 ranking in the same quarter.
From there, the rankings on the radio airplay and Hot 100 charts diverge. This is, in part, due to the rise of Christmas music on the Hot 100 while pop radio continued to play perennial hits during the holiday season. Holiday publisher St. Nicholas ranked sixth on the Hot 100 and peermusic ranked ninth, both thanks to their share of top Christmas songs — “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee (St. Nicholas) and “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Andy Williams (peermusic).
The bottom of the Hot 100 top 10 also held a surprise: OuttaHere is the name under which singer-songwriter Gigi Perez publishes her work. The viral success of her “Sailor Song” makes her the first self-published artist to land on the chart since Luke Combs’ cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” put her Purple Rabbit Music on the ranking in 2023 and 2024.
A version of this story appears in the March 8, 2025, issue of Billboard.
LyricFind is suing Musixmatch over allegations that its rival struck an exclusive licensing deal with Warner Music Group (WMG) that’s “unprecedented in the music industry” and is aimed at securing an illegal monopoly for providing lyrics to streamers like Spotify.
In a complaint filed Wednesday (March 6) in San Francisco federal court, LyricFind accuses Musixmatch and private equity owner TPG Global of violating federal antitrust laws by signing the deal with Warner Chappell Music (WCM), the publishing division of WMG, claiming it was designed to crush competition.
“TPG’s and Musixmatch’s goal was simple: make sure that Spotify, and other [streamers], have no choice but to obtain [lyrics] from Musixmatch despite its higher fees — a plainly anticompetitive result,” the company’s attorneys write. “LyricFind brings this lawsuit to stop defendants’ unlawful conduct, which has eliminated competition and raised prices.”
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The three major music companies have typically licensed their vast catalogs of lyrics to companies like Musixmatch on a non-exclusive basis, LyricFind says, allowing rival companies to compete to offer the best lyric services to streamers. But Musixmatch’s new deal with Warner allegedly shuts out competitors from offering the music giant’s lyrics — an “unprecedented” approach.
“To compete effectively, LyricFind and Musixmatch must be able to provide Lyric Data Services for all major publishers’ song titles,” the company’s attorneys write. “Defendants’ scheme had the intended effect [and] the only remaining practical choice for [digital services providers] is to contract with Musixmatch, at whatever price Musixmatch demands.”
In a statement to Billboard, a spokesman for Musixmatch said: “It’s our policy not to discuss legal matters publicly. We believe these are meritless accusations and choose to concentrate on what matters most: our customers & partners.”
A spokesman for WMG, which was not named in the lawsuit nor accused of any wrongdoing, did not immediately return a request for comment.
In early 2024, LyricFind says it was “very far along in negotiations” to replace Musixmatch as the lyrics provider for Spotify, the world’s largest music streamer and “Musixmatch’s largest customer.” When TPG and Musixmatch learned of the talks, they allegedly became “desperate” and struck the licensing agreement with Warner in an effort to kill the deal.
The move worked, LyricFind’s attorneys say: After the Warner agreement was in place, Spotify said it “had no choice” but to break off the negotiations with the lyrics provider. Instead, the streamer re-upped its previous agreement with Musixmatch despite “having already negotiated a significantly better price and service with LyricFind.”
“LyricFind was robbed of an opportunity to partner with Spotify on a contract worth tens of millions of dollars to LyricFind, and that would have strengthened LyricFind’s competitive position in the rest of the market,” the company’s attorneys write in the lawsuit.
The Musixmatch-Warner deal is also scuttling other business for LyricFind, the lawsuit says, including prompting iHeartRadio to break off renewal talks “when it learned that LyricFind would no longer be able to service WCM’s catalog.” Instead, the radio giant signed with Musixmatch “at a price over five times higher.”
“Other DSPs that have already invested great sums to integrate LyricFind’s system will also be forced to switch to Musixmatch, and nobody else, at a significant cost, while paying Musixmatch’s monopoly fees,” the suit says. “LyricFind’s viability as a business is now in jeopardy, as it can no longer compete for DSPs’ business.”
In a statement announcing the case, LyricFind CEO Darryl Ballantyne said the company was “taking action now to protect every music streaming service’s right to partner with the lyric provider of their choice.”
“Musixmatch is now effectively the gatekeeper to any DSP that wants to have a complete lyric offering,” Ballantyne said. “There is simply no way around having to work with Musixmatch.”
Read the entire complaint here:
Warner Chappell Music (WCM) has promoted Gabz Landman to senior vp of A&R at the company. News of Landman’s promotion comes just weeks after her longtime management and publishing client, Amy Allen, took home the Grammy for songwriter of the year, making her the first-ever woman to receive the honor. Landman got her start in […]
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Lekeisha Irion is the new head of A&R at Warner Chappell Music Benelux — a nifty portmanteau for Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. Based in Amsterdam, Irion will report to Niels Walboomers, president of records and publishing in the three-nation region. Since joining as A&R Manager last year following a stint as an office manager for Sony Music Publishing, Irion has influenced Dutch pop and hip-hop, working with artists like Roxy Dekker, who has slapped four No. 1s in the Netherlands this year, Dutch singer-rapper Antoon. Known for her collaborative work with Warner Music Benelux’s recorded music team, Irion has helped secure both publishing and recording deals for several artists. Walboomers and Shani Gonzales, WCM’s Head of International A&R, praised Irion’s early success and strong instincts for new talent. “She understands how genres and scenes are evolving in different markets and spots the opportunities for her writers to jump into collabs,” Gonzales said.
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Sony Music Publishing elevated Racheal Conte to vice president of sample clearance, legal and business affairs. In her new role, Conte will lead the U.S. sample clearance team, modernize operations and develop strategies to expand sampling opportunities for SMP’s songwriters and catalog. She’ll also collaborate with global offices to streamline sample clearances for U.S.-based works, reporting directly to Peter Brodsky, evp of business and legal affairs and general counsel, from New York. Conte joined SMP in 2006 and has held various roles, most recently assistant director of sample clearance. “Racheal’s contributions have been key to the success of SMP’s songwriters and catalogs, and it has been rewarding to see her growth as a leader throughout her time at the company,” said Brodsky.
RADIO, RADIO: iHeartMedia laid off dozens — hundreds, according to reports — of staffers from radio stations around the country. Among the impacted in the sweeping cuts are regional presidents Matt Scarano (Chicago), Clyde Bass (Texas/Arkansas), Alan Chartrand (Boston) and Michael Burger (Raleigh), among others … Back at the home office, iHeart elevated Jordan Fasbender from general counsel to chief legal officer, with the former 21st Century Fox exec retaining her other titles of evp and corporate secretary … Audacy hired senior vp of research and insights Ray Borelli, who arrives after working as Warner Bros. Discovery vp of ad sales research.
Emily Crews, former vp of brands and synchronisation at Warner Music Australia, joined Level Two Music as head of partnerships. She brings extensive experience in synch licensing and artist-brand collaborations from her time at Warner and, prior to that, Universal Music. The Sydneysider said she’s excited about Level Two’s dynamic and thoughtful approach to music supervision, while managing director Jen Taunton praised Crews’ ability to “navigate through often complex and layered deals, always managing to find the ‘sweet spot.’”
Nashville-based Reliant Talent Agency has announced a round of promotions and hires, with former Paradigm music executive Keith Richards joining RTA’s festival department. Reliant has also promoted Ron Kaplan and Garry Buck to executive vp roles, while Kailey Edgerton, Cole Speed and Robert Baugh have been promoted from coordinators to agents. Additionally, the agency has relocated its headquarters to a new office space at 1610 West End Ave. in Nashville. –Jessica Nicholson
NASHVILLE NOTES: Kelli Wasilauski resigned as The Oriel Co. director of Nashville operations, ending her year-long tenure on Oct. 28 … Keller Turner Andrews & Ghanem expanded with three new attorneys. J. Rush Hicks joins as Of Counsel, adding decades of experience and previous leadership at Belmont’s Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business. New associates Cheshire Rigler and Alyssa Johnson also bring experience from other Nashville entertainment law firms.
Los Angeles marketing agency Game Over Media named Gavrielle Chavez as chief operating officer. Chavez will oversee operations across Game Over Studios, Game Over Agency, Game Over Records, and the new GameTune platform. Her role emphasizes expanding reach within next-gen communities and enhancing fan engagement at the company, where recent projects include campaigns for Big Sean, Childish Gambino, Imagine Dragons and Tyla. Chavez previously worked at Scopely, where she led product marketing for the popular game Monopoly Go!, and before that was a creator strategic at TikTok, where she launched TikTok Shop and fostered partnerships between gaming brands and creators. Founder Anthony Pisano said Chavez’s experience at Scopely and TikTok align with Game Over Media’s vision, adding “Gavi’s expertise will also be invaluable as we scale GameTune, our new cutting-edge AI platform that empowers record labels, brands, and gaming publishers to reach their audiences through strategic, data-driven marketing.”
Kuke Music Holding Limited, a NYSE-listed classical music service based in China, announced that its president, Li Sun, resigned in July. The company, which provides classical content to educational resources and boasts a library of about 3 million audio and video tracks, clarified that Sun’s departure was amicable, with no disputes over operational or policy issues. Following her resignation, CEO and chairman He Yu has overseen the company.
ICYMI:
Azu Olvera
Deezer appointed Pedro Kurtz as director of operations for the Americas … Former SiriusXM exec Azucena “Azu” Olvera is now general manager of WK Records … Alana Dolgin joined Atlantic Music Group as the label’s first president of digital marketing … Spinnin’ Records president Roger de Graaf is retiring from the Dutch label he co-founded … and Cara Hutchison was named head of The Lede Company‘s new music division, while Jess Anderson also joins her team. [KEEP READING]
Last Week’s Turntable: UMG’s Nigerian Label Picks a President
