Exclusive: Inside Warner/Chappell’s Revival

/by

Phil May

When Cameron Strang came on board as Warner/Chappell Music Chairman & CEO in January 2011, he brought an entrepreneurial spirit with him that created a positive shift company wide. That spirit—established while building his own New West Records—has combined with keen strategies for a string of hits across all genres.

With 17.1 percent market share, Warner/Chappell recently secured the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s second quarter Publisher Airplay Chart. Contributing to the tally are stakes in monster pop/rock hits Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know,” fun.’s “We Are Young” and the Wanted’s “Glad You Came.”

On the local front, the Nashville team led by VP/GM Phil May notched a string of nine No. 1 hits in as many months, racking up 15.1 percent of country radio airplay, more than any other publisher in Q2. It is Warner/Chappell’s first time leading Billboard’s country airplay chart since Q3 2010.

“We’re having a really good year, and when we sit back and think about what is working for us, it is two fold,” explained May during a recent interview. “Since Cameron Strang came on board with his entrepreneurial background, he’s really changed the way we operate locally because he empowers us to take A&R risks when we find someone we really believe in, which is fantastic. The second part is that we work and operate as a small company even though we’re a worldwide company. Our decision making process, in deals and especially in relation to signing writers, is very quick.”

In the last several months, May and VP A&R Steve Markland have used this agility and careful planning to ink new writers Dean Alexander, Josh Abbott, Laura Veltz, and duo TJ and John Osborne.

Cameron Strang

Since taking on their current roles about three years ago, May and Markland have focused on maintaining a roster with the right mix of songwriters. “We’ve worked to keep a balanced roster,” explained May. “We have developing writers and then our veteran hit writers, as well as rising artist writers, which we hope will ultimately get a label deal.” Indeed Alexander and Abbott have signed separate recording agreements with Warner Music Nashville.

Strang elaborated on the company’s initiatives: “At the core of Warner/Chappell’s strategy is an uncompromising commitment to service. We are forging long-term relationships with incredibly talented songwriters, composers and publishing partners, based around their needs in the music publishing business. At the same time, we are building an ambitious team with an entrepreneurial spirit that is completely dedicated to providing superior music publishing services.

“Our recent success in Nashville is a good example of how that vision is paying off. Phil, Steve and the team are well-connected, fast-moving, getting great results for our writers and showing real leadership in the Nashville community.”

Local Warner/Chappell songwriters Wendell Mobley and Michael Dulaney have celebrated multiple No. 1s in recent months. They co-wrote Jason Aldean’s “Tattoos On This Town,” Dulaney penned Aldean’s “Fly Over States” with Neil Thrasher, and Mobley wrote Rascal Flatts’ “Banjo” with Thrasher and Tony Martin.

“It’s great for us when we have multiple writers on a song,” said May, “but the most important thing for us is getting the best songs. Sometimes that’s when one of our writers has a great connection with writers [from other publishing companies]. There are those writing teams that gel well together and that’s one of the things we try to do is find those people for our writers.” To facilitate this, Warner/Chappell often organizes trips or camps with songwriters from different publishing companies.

Among these successful collaborations are Mobley’s numerous hits with Thrasher, and Ben Hayslip’s (Warner/Chappell/This Music) slew of chart-toppers with fellow Peach Pickers Dallas Davidson and Rhett Akins.

Also contributing to Warner/Chappell’s recent string of hits are Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley (“We Owned The Night”), Brett James (“Reality”), Johnny Bulford (“A Woman Like You”), Brantley Gilbert and Jim McCormick (“You Don’t Know Her Like I Do”), and Ashley Gorley, signed with Combustion Music (“Good Girl”).

Elsewhere on the charts are singles by Warner/Chappell writers Sean McConnell, Blair Daly (with Combustion Music), and Tim Nichols and Marv Green (both with This Music).

“From our standpoint the country market is very strong,” continued May. “We’ve had years of decline in terms of record sales. Now we’re doing really well from a performance standpoint, from radio airplay, but that’s why it’s key to have writers that are writing successful, commercial songs that work in the current market on radio.

“We’re also seeing real growth in other markets, whether it is film, TV, or online. On the TV side, the most recent interesting thing for the country market as a whole is the new show Nashville. It’s very well done, and what’s different than other shows is that the producers want the characters on Nashville to be known for their own songs that aren’t already hits by someone else. We are pitching songs to the music supervisors that are uncut songs, which is very rare. They’ve really engaged the Nashville community, instead of just using publishers’ film and TV offices in L.A. Shows like that bring people to our market who we might not otherwise reach. The number of people using music is probably greater than its ever been and that’s a really good trend.”

Jeff Green Launches Stone Door Media Lab

/by

Jeff Green

Music and media veteran Jeff Green has announced the formation of Stone Door Media Lab, a Nashville-based creative think tank providing ratings research, customer data, digital media consumption analytics, market analysis, industry white papers and related business intelligence on domestic and international initiatives. Researcher Lauren Virshup will join Green as partner when operations begin Sept. 17.

Green elaborates, “Stone Door Media Lab will help companies, primarily within the entertainment space, maximize their revenue growth by providing the business intelligence behind what they do. By looking at history and current trends, companies can make the right strategic moves for future growth.”

Green establishes Stone Door following five years as VP/Operations at Country Aircheck in editorial and research roles; database, website and event development; and production. He has served 22 years in executive posts at the Americana Music Association, Radio & Records, the Country Music Association and Music & Media, based in Amsterdam. A 2013 CRS Agenda Committee Vice-Chair, he is also an RAB-accredited Certified Radio Marketing Consultant and an alumnus of Leadership Music and the Disney Leadership Institute. Green completes his MBA at UMass Amherst in December.

“Lauren Virshup is a skilled researcher, and her strong business background, which includes a Yale MBA and graduate degrees from Columbia and Vanderbilt, exemplifies the expertise and insight we will bring to every project,” Green says. “Together, we plan to identify meaningful revenue opportunities by determining correlations and causality of specific efforts undertaken by traditional and digital media, artists, labels, corporate marketers and social media service providers.”

In addition to commissioned assignments, Stone Door Media Lab will underwrite projects and partner with various firms and specialists.

Stone Door will regularly publish industry research findings, which will be available free of charge via sign-up at www.stonedoormedialab.com.

Reach Jeff Green at jeff@stonedoormedialab.com or (mobile) 615-406-4567; Lauren Virshup at lauren@stonedoormedialab.com; and Stone Door Media Lab at 615-346-9432 or info@stonedoormedialab.com.

SOLID Plans 15th Year Celebration

/by

The Society of Leaders in Development (SOLID) is celebrating its 15th year of existence with a full month of events that will culminate in a special reception at the Country Music Hall of Fame.

“We are excited to spend the month of September highlighting all of the different focuses our organization has had over the last fifteen years,” says SOLID President Jon Romero. “We are even more excited to cast vision for the future of our organization. Here’s to the next fifteen years.”

Events begin Sept. 4 with a conversation with Gene Simmons and manager Doc McGhee at the Hutton Hotel. The following week, SOLID will present Food Truck Frenzy on Sept. 11 in the SESAC parking lot, with 10% of profits benefiting Linda’s Hope. The 15th Anniversary reception takes place Sept. 25 at the Country Music Hall of Fame, the site of the original SOLID inauguration event 15 years earlier. Full schedule included.

September 4
Breakfast with Gene Simmons. 8:15 am – 10am, Hutton Hotel Ballroom

September 11
SOLID’s Food Truck Frenzy. 11 am – 2 pm, SESAC Parking Lot (66 Music Square West ). 10% of profits will benefit Linda’s Hope.

September 15
Habitat For Humanity Build. All day, location TBA

September 20
Job Shadow Day

September 25
15th Anniversary Reception. 6:30 – 8:30 pm, Country Music Hall of Fame. Doors at 6 pm, program begins at 6:45 pm.

Jana Kramer to Perform at WMN’s Pickin’ on the Patio

/by

Warner Music Nashville hosts Jana Kramer for its monthly Pickin’ On The Patio party this Thursday (8/23). Held the fourth Thursday of every month, Pickin’ On The Patio will conclude the 2012 season next month on September 27.

Doors open at 5:00 pm for the 5:30 show. For more information, click here.

Kramer’s debut single, “Why Ya Wanna,” recently broke into the top 10, ranking as the highest charting female debut since Taylor Swift in 2006 with “Tim McGraw.” Her Elektra Nashville self-titled debut album, released June 5, is the fastest climbing debut artist of this year.

Belmont Announces New Curb College Faculty

/by

Kristel Kemmerer

Belmont University’s Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business has hired five new faculty members: Kristél Kemmerer, Mike Poston, David Schreiber, Brad Ward and Lucas Boto.

Kristél Kemmerer joins as Associate Dean and Associate Professor of Entertainment & Music Business. She holds an Ed.D. from Lehigh University, M.M. and B.M degrees from Ithaca College, and brings over 25 years experience in education. She has extensive expertise in program development, implementation, and assessment of learning outcomes, student development, success, and retention.

Mike Poston

Mike Poston brings almost 40 years of experience to the faculty as full time Instructor of Audio Engineering Technology. After working as a maintenance and installation technician, and studio chief engineer, he transitioned to recording engineer in 1978 and recorded over 70 albums, including many with legendary guitarist Chet Atkins. He also has experience in studio design, and has mastered 300 albums.

David Schreiber

David Schreiber, who previously taught Music Business at Greenville College, Minnesota State University, and Albright College where he served as head of the music industry program, will be joining Belmont’s music business faculty full time this fall. He has presented his research internationally, participated on numerous music industry panels and worked on projects featuring Johnny Lang, Eric Benet, and India Arie.

Brad Ward

Brad Ward, Assistant Professor of Audio Engineering, is excited to return to Nashville from London where he worked as Sound Project Manager for Blitz Communications and a freelance Sound Designer. He will fill a gap in the AET program in the area of live sound, event production, industrial audio, and tour support. He holds an M.F.A. in Sound Design from Yale University, School of Drama, and brings 20 years experience in Audio Engineering plus 10+ years experience in higher education. He was the lead audio engineer for the Cirque du Soleil The Beatles – LOVE show (Las Vegas, NV) and the Artist-in-Residence and a graduate program teacher at the UNLV.

Lucas Boto

Belmont alum Lucas Boto returned to Belmont at the end of 2011 to work on staff as the Coordinator of Sound Reinforcement & Live Events in the Curb College. Starting his career in artist management, Lucas spearheaded the opening of an L.A. office for a Nashville firm. After working in artist management, Boto ventured into the world of live entertainment tour managing events across the globe. While on the road, he also served as production manager, front of house engineer, monitor engineer, and merchandise manager. He has worked with artists Dave Barnes and Jars of Clay.

Weekly Register: On Digital Chart Domination

/by

The good news spread like wildfire last night as Nielsen SoundScan released official word that Taylor Swift’s latest single, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” sold 623,000 units. Swift’s debut week sales are the biggest digital sales week ever for a female and only slightly behind Flo Rida’s “Right Round” which scanned 636k in 2009.

Swift’s pop culture influence continues to reign supreme as her musical and media savvy propel her star to new heights. This self-created momentum has become the thread weaving her impressive tapestry of success. Commenting on the new single, writer Ann Powers has an insightful NPR.com article in which she asks the question, “Taylor Swift, Princess Of Punk?”

“Swift’s song spins sugar from spit,” says Powers. “Its sneeringly derisive tone is rooted in its stomping four-on-the-floor beat and builds through Swift’s clipped guitar strums and a vocal marked by Valley Girl-style vocal asides and a whistle-while-you-trash-him melodic hook. In other words, it’s pop-punk, like a Blink-182 song. Or an Avril Lavigne song — which it could have been, had its co-writer Max Martin been working with another of the ingenues he’s aided (say, Lavigne herself).”

Powers cites Swift co-writer Martin as being a perfect fit. “Sassy women are Martin’s metier. He’s helped shape the sound of most of today’s top non-R&B ingenues, one that blends punk’s gob-flinging sarcasm with the melodicism of ABBA and that danceable yet rockish beat. Besides Clarkson and Swift, Martin, often working with another producer, has applied his formula to collaborations with Spears, Lavigne, Katy Perry and Pink.” (Note: Shellback was the third co-writer on Swift’s song.)

It’s a great read, especially in light of the fact that although Swift remains country music’s chief ambassador, her fame has spread to, and been embraced by, all musical formats—a fact easily proven by her amazing sales results.

However, with fame comes pressure. Sales observers and the world will no doubt be watching intently during Swift’s Oct. 22 debut week to see how its sales compare to the incredible one million plus benchmark set by her last set. Sure to play a role will be digital retailers such as Amazon who have been known to severely discount mega-hit albums during debut week—sometimes as low as 99¢. To stem some of the extreme discounts, the charts no longer count debut week sales when prices fall below $3.49. Smoothing out these kinds of issues will be just one of many bullet points on the Big Machine sales team’s To Do list.

Charting The Sales
Country album sales this week were anything but energetic as the Top 75 current country total barely edged above the low-water 300k mark. Zac Brown continued in the top spot with week 6 sales of almost 25k and RTD of 456k. Colt Ford remains in the Top 5 for a third week sliding back to No. 4 with sales of 16k and RTD of 48k. Ford’s showing is no doubt pleasing the Average Joe’s team.

In the tracks department Carrie Underwood’s “Blown Away” was downloaded almost 87k times placing her in the No. 2 spot on the country tracks chart behind Ms. Swift. Little Big Town’s “Pontoon” got 84k clicks placing it in the No. 3 position. And Hunter Hayes at No. 4 added 65k more sales to his impressive RTD of 1.02 million for “Wanted.”

As the calendar ticks closer to Q4 we’ll get more aggressive with predictions for country’s year end sales totals. Up or down? Currently we have Jason Aldean (Oct. 16), Swift (Oct. 22) and Toby Keith (Nov. 13) warming up in the album sales release bullpen, but no doubt a few more superstar titles will join the fray… Stay tuned.

Snapshots (8/22/12)

/by

Legendary producer, songwriter, guitarist, and studio owner Chips Moman took part in a special interview recently (8/18) at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Moman, who helped establish Memphis’ Stax Records and later opened the city’s American Sound Studio, played a pivotal role in creating a great number of pop, soul, and country classics. Moman produced Elvis Presley’s 1969 comeback album From Elvis in Memphis as well as sessions for Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, the Highwaymen and others. He also co-wrote “Dark End of the Street,” “Do Right Woman,” “Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)” and other hit songs.

(L-R): (back row) Museum Editor Michael Gray, Gene Chrisman, Bobby Emmons and Weldon Myrick; (front row) Bobby Wood, Chips Moman and Reggie Young Photo by Donn Jones

• • • •

Rachele Lynae recently visited the Academy of Country Music’s office in Los Angeles to perform “Party ‘Til The Cows Come Home” and sign up for professional ACM membership. Lynae is the flagship artist on Jamie O’Neal’snewly launched label, Momentum Label Group and is currently working on her debut album to be released October 23.

(L-R): Rachele Lynae; Michelle Goble, ACM Senior Vice President, Membership & Industry Relations Photo: Michel Bourquard/Courtesy of the Academy of Country Music

• • • •

Songwriter Bobby Hamrick stopped by the ASCAP offices recently (8/15) join as a writer and publisher member, before he headed over to The Basement to participate in ASCAP’s We Create Music series showcase. Hamrick is signed to EMI/OWM Music/Chuckbod Music where he works closely with Ben Strain, Chris Oglesby and Steve McEwan. Hamrick co-wrote Sarah Darling’s single, “Home To Me,” which was released August 21.

(L-R): ASCAP's Ryan Beuschel, Bobby Hamrick and ASCAP's LeAnn Phelan

10th Annual SOURCE Awards on Thursday

/by

(L-R): Pat Rolfe, Judy Harris, Karen Conrad, Kay Smith, Judy Wray, and Connie Bradley; Shelia Shipley Biddy is not pictured. Photo: Denise Fussell

The 10th Annual SOURCE Awards will be held this Thursday (8/23), honoring the founding members of the organization. The sold out ceremony will take place at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum at Municipal Auditorium in Nashville.

This year’s honorees include founding members Shelia Shipley Biddy, Judy Harris, Pat Rolfe, and Kay Smith. Other longtime supporting members of SOURCE being honored include Judy Wray, Connie Bradley, and Karen Conrad.

For sponsorship opportunities, email Shauna Collins.

SOURCE was founded in 1991 as a nonprofit, supporting women executives and professionals in the Nashville music industry.

Artist Updates (8/22/12)

/by

Need some convincing that Little Big Town’s “Pontoon” is on everyone’s summer 2012 playlist? Refer to this tribute video, featuring the renditions of the song by fellow stars. Guests include Eli Young Band, Larry Gatlin, Luke Bryan, Hunter Hayes, Pistol Annies, Lady Antebellum, Darius Rucker, Wynonna, Thompson Square, Sara Evans, Charlie Daniels, Kix Brooks, Jake Owen, and many others.

• • • • •

Black River Entertainment’s Sarah Darling has digitally released “Home To Me,” the lead single from her upcoming Dann Huff-produced album to be released in 2013. The song was written by Caitlyn Smith and Bobby Hamrick, and the lyric video is available for viewing at Country Weekly.

• • • • •

Nashville resident Josh Doyle will perfom on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Thursday, August 23, when he will debut his new single “Solarstorms.” Doyle was the winner of Guitar Center’s Singer-Songwriter competition and has been working with producer John Shanks on his debut album, due out Oct. 23. CTK Management and The Agency Group recently signed agreements to represent Doyle.

• • • • •

Also on Aug. 23, Josh Turner will make appearances on CBS’ The Late Show with David Letterman, as well as ABC’s The Chew. Turner will perform his single “Time is Love” on Letterman, which airs at 10:30 pm/CT. On The Chew, Turner will join co-hosts Clinton Kelly, Daphne Oz, Carla Hall, Mario Batali, and Michael Symon for the South Carolina staple Frogmore stew.

• • • • •

Dierks Bentley has launched an Instagram contest to search for his fans’ best Country & Cold Cans-themed photos. Fans who post to Instagram with the hashtag #ColdCans will have the chance to win one of five $250 Visa gift cards. Winners will be chosen every Friday for the next five weeks. Details here.

Chris Janson Wrapping Project With Keith Stegall

/by

Janson and Stegall taking a break in the studio. Photo: Nick Garvin

Chris Janson is celebrating a major hit as co-writer of Tim McGraw’s “Truck Yeah” while finishing up his first album with Bigger Picture Group. Janson has spent the summer in the studio with producer and Bigger Picture Group Chairman Keith Stegall working on the project.

Janson credits Stegall with helping him find the motivation to stay his course in the music industry. “I had given up on the music business, and then I met Keith,” he says. “We just hit it off. He approached me about liking my music and what I was doing with it and something just clicked. He really motivated me to move forward.”

As a multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter, Janson has writing credits with Guns N’ Roses and others, and contributed harmonica to Lee Brice’s album Hard 2 Love. Janson released a single, “’Til A Woman Comes Along,” in 2010 on BNA Records. Having opened for Lynyrd Skynyrd and Hank Williams Jr., Janson continues touring and will play a showcase at Nashville’s 3rd & Lindsley on Mon., Aug. 27 at 5 p.m.