Provident Music Group Rebrands As Provident Entertainment

Provident Entertainment, which operates under the umbrella of Sony Music Nashville, includes Provident Label Group, RCA Inspiration, Essential Worship, Essential Music Publishing, Provident Films, and Essential Artist Services.

Terry Hemmings, CEO and President, Provident Entertainment, says, “The name change to Provident Entertainment reflects the growth of the business over the past decade, which has broadened into film, music publishing, and merchandising, as well as the addition of RCA Inspiration, the industry leader in Gospel music. These expansions have created a fully functional and interwoven entertainment business. With the support of our parent company Sony Music Entertainment, Provident Entertainment has advanced beyond the bounds of a typical record label into a trusted faith and family content company that serves the traditional music listener, the church and worship music community, and the film-going consumer. Provident Entertainment is one company working together for the good of the whole, and its name change reflects that attitude and philosophy.”

Provident Entertainment is home to artists including Casting Crowns, Zach Williams, Koryn Hawthorne, Kirk Franklin, Travis Greene, Matt Maher, Marvin Sapp, Matthew West and Tauren Wells. It is also the publisher of chart-topping and award-winning songs such as “You Say” recorded by Lauren Daigle, Cory Asbury’s “Reckless Love,” Zach Williams’ “Chain Breaker,” “Only Jesus” by Casting Crowns, and “Known” by Tauren Wells, among many others.

Over the last two years, Provident Label Group has earned 12 RIAA Gold-certified singles, six Platinum-certified singles, and one Gold-certified album. Provident Label Group artists have had five No. 1 radio singles, 20 Top 5 singles, and has remained No. 1 in the radio market share over the past 12 months, including Casting Crowns’ top-charting single “Nobody (ft. Matthew West),” which held the top spot for 15 weeks. Since 2017, Provident Label Group has received 35 GMA Dove Award nominations, eight GMA Dove Award wins—including two New Artist of the Year awards (Tauren Wells, Zach Williams) and Artist of the Year (Zach Williams)—as well as five Grammy nominations

RCA Inspiration is home to powerhouse names in Gospel and Inspirational music including Kirk Franklin, Travis Greene, Koryn Hawthorne, Marvin Sapp, Donnie McClurkin, and Le’Andria Johnson, to name a few. The label is Billboard’s Top Gospel Label with more than 30 Gold and Platinum releases. In 2019, RCA Inspiration had a 17 percent share of Gospel radio, making it No. 1 in the market.

In addition to Provident Label Group and RCA Inspiration, Provident Entertainment recently launched hip-hop label Essential Sound with pioneer hip-hop artist KB as its first project to release. KB has placed his thumbprint on hip-hop while invoking the power of spiritual conviction. He is a GMA Dove Award winner and a Stellar Award nomination recipient, and has a Billboard No. 1 Christian Album and No. 4 Rap Album.

Essential Publishing is home to more than 60 No. 1 songs, including four No. 1 country songs. In addition, Essential Music Publishing has received four GMA Dove Award Song of the Year awards, nine Grammy nominations, and two Grammy awards in the last two years. In 2019, Essential Publishing received the BMI Publisher of the Year Award and has been SESAC’s Publisher of the Year four times. Essential Publishing writers include Jason Ingram, Matt Maher, Jonathan Smith, Zach Williams, Tauren Wells, Ethan Hulse, Mia Fieldes, Ran Jackson, Bryan Fowler, and others. Essential Music Publishing also developed the Essential Worship imprint and church marketing platform representing hundreds of worship songs to the church, including “Great Are You Lord,” “Reckless Love, “O Come to the Altar,” “Tremble,” “Glorious Day,” as well as the worship/church platforms Elevation Worship, Vertical Worship, one sonic society, Red Rocks Worship, and more.

Provident Films, which launched in 2006, has produced faith-based films including the Kendrick Brothers’ Overcomer, War Room, Courageous, Fireproof, and Facing The Giants, the Erwin Brothers’ Woodlawn, Moms Night Out, and October Baby, and Kirk Cameron’s Unstoppable and Revive Us. Also under the Provident Entertainment umbrella is the artist merchandise division Essential Artist Services, which works in fields including music, non-profit, academic, and business, and has a segment devoted to tour, festival and event vending.