Cameo Carlson

Cameo Carlson of mtheory will receive The Music Business Association’s 2024 Presidential Award for Outstanding Executive Achievement at the organization’s third annual Bizzy Awards dinner on May 15 at the JW Marriott Nashville, as part of the Music Biz 2024 Conference.

Carlson is the CEO of manager and artist services company mtheory, which provides global marketing and strategic support for artists and artist managers. In 2022, Carlson spearheaded mtheory’s Equal Access Development initiative in partnership with CMT, that gives artists and managers from underrepresented demographics (BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and women) the resources, training and networking opportunities they are not always afforded in country music. Carlson also co-created the Nashville Music Equality group and Digital Divas mentoring group, and currently serves on the Academy of Country Music Diversity & Inclusion Task Force.

The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) will receive the 2024 Impact Award for Technological Excellence at the event. Since the passing of the Music Modernization Act (MMA) of 2018, which led to The MLC’s designation in 2019 and its full operationalization in 2021, The MLC has fully cemented itself as an essential part of the U.S. music industry’s royalty payments structure. It has built a public database of over 33 million unique works, which can be used free of charge to help artists and rightsholders verify ownership; collected and distributed over $1.7 billion in royalties to songwriters, music publishers, and other rightsholders via blanket mechanical licenses issued to DSPs; and has reached a current match rate of over 90% for all usage. In addition, The MLC has developed a world-class support team and suite of tools within its online portal to help its more than 37,000 members claim and register their works and get paid their mechanical royalties.

The Music Business Association also announced the finalists for the additional seven crowd-nominated award categories to be presented at the dinner, which will be hosted by Gina Miller, SVP & GM of MNRK Music Group, and feature a special performance by Angie K. Additional performances and special guests will be revealed in the coming weeks. The finalists are below.

Leading Light Award:
For a company or executive that has supported their staff via internal initiatives aimed at improving mental health & wellbeing and work/life balance.
– Tiffanie DeBartolo, Chief Executive Super Goddess, Bright Antenna Records
– Leah Ducey, Senior Director of Digital Marketing, Universal Music Group Nashville
– Andreea Gleeson, Chief Executive Officer, TuneCore
– Joel T. Jordan, Founder & President, Synchtank

Agent of Change Award:
For a company that exemplifies a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in their hiring practices, executive development, and promotion structure.
– ATL Collective
– The Beatport Group
– Keychange U.S.
– The Right Productions

#NEXTGEN_NOW One To Watch Award:
For an executive under 40 whose work (professional and/or volunteer) has been exceptional, innovative, and stands out as a contribution to the industry.
– Andrew Batey, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Beatdapp
– Jorge Brea, Founder & CEO, Symphonic
– Alex Mas Cepero, Marketing Director, TIDAL
– Morgan McKnight, Executive Director, Production Music Association

Maestro of Metadata Award
For a company or executive who has made a significant impact in the area of data processing, credit clarification, streamlining or otherwise promoting clean data and best practices.
– BMAT Music Innovators
– Dae Bogan, Head of Third Party Partnerships, Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC)
– Arthur Fitzgibbon, Brazil Director, ONErpm
– OpenPlay

Frontline Innovator Award
For a retail store who showed exceptional inventiveness and ingenuity in their practices during the past year in their interactions with consumers.
– Grimey’s Music, Nashville, TN
– Electric Fetus, Minneapolis, MN
– Rough Trade, New York, NY
– The Sound Garden, Baltimore, MD

Marketing Superstar Award
For a marketing campaign that was innovative and thought provoking. Candidates can be from any sector of the industry, and campaigns can be physical or virtual.
– Elsewhere’s Club Membership Program
– Barbie The Album Early Listening Events, WMX & Atlantic Records
– De La Soul, A.O.I. LLC, distributed by Chrysalis Records & Reservoir
– Eric Nam – House on a Hill, The Orchard

Music Business Educator of the Year Award
Celebrates a music business educator who inspires students to enter the music business.
– Larry Miller, Clinical Professor & Director, NYU Steinhardt Music Business Program, New York University
– Jessica Muñiz-Collado, Assistant Professor of Music Business, University of North Texas
– Joe Rapolla, Chair, Music & Theatre Department & Director, Music Industry Program, Monmouth University
– Patricia Rivera MacMurray, Lecturer, Escuela de Derecho Pontificia Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico

Kip Moore

Kip Moore has exited MCA Nashville’s roster. Moore spent more than a dozen years on the UMG Nashville imprint.

Expressing his gratitude to the MCA Nashville team, Moore took to social media to share the news. “I’ve been extremely grateful for the opportunity to make records on a label like MCA over the last 10 plus years. They’ve been such a top notch team and I’ve been so lucky to have had the freedom through the years to do it my way. Promo team…I can’t say enough about the rock stars each one of you are. You work tirelessly and you don’t get thanked enough. I almost stayed because of that bond alone,” shared Moore.

Moore also shared he is working on a new record and is having conversations on where he will end up next. “I’m not sure where I’ll end up (currently having those discussions), but in the meantime, doing a record completely independent for the first time in my career has been something I can’t put into words,” said Moore.

Nashville-based Americana band The Mavericks have announced details of their new album, Moon & Stars, slated for release on May 17. The album, their 13th studio release, will be released via the band’s own imprint, Mono Mundo Recordings, in partnership with Thirty Tigers.

Recorded across three studios in Nashville, Santa Fe and Louisiana, Moon & Stars aims to continue The Maverick’s genre-bending sound with a blend of outlaw country, rock, blues, R&B and more. To achieve this, the band collaborated with songwriters Bernie Taupin, Sam Hollander and Wally Wilson along with special guests Sierra Ferrell, Maggie Rose, Nicole Atkins and Max Abrams.

In an Instagram post announcing the album, The Mavericks stated, “This record has been a journey of reflection, introspection, patience, learning and evolving. Some of these songs were written years ago, but they weren’t ready. Or maybe we weren’t. We are now…”

In addition to performing their title track, The Mavericks are previewing new songs on their “European & UK Tour 2024” that are scheduled for release in late March and April. The “Moon & Stars Tour” will kick off on May 17 at ACL Live at Moody Theater in Austin, Texas, with more dates to follow.

CMT has revealed its first round of performers for the 2024 CMT Music Awards. Hosted by Kelsea Ballerini, the awards will take place on April 7 live from Austin, Texas on CBS.

Rising country star Bailey Zimmerman will be performing his current single “Where It Ends.” Zimmerman is up for Male Video of the Year for “Religiously.” Hitmaker Jelly Roll, nominated for three awards including Video of the Year, Male Video of the Year and CMT Performance of the Year, is also slated to perform.

Keith Urban will be hitting the stage with “Straight Line.” This marks Urban’s 20th time performing at the awards, the most in CMT Music Awards history. Grammy winner Lainey Wilson is scheduled to perform her newest track “Country’s Cool Again.” Wilson is also entering the night with three nominations, including Video of the Year, Female Video of the Year and Collaborative Video of the Year.

Lastly, nine-time CMT Music Award nominee Sam Hunt will be debuting a brand-new song during the awards.

Additional performers will be announced soon.

Josh Saxe & Tyler Hubbard. Photo: Evan Mattingly

Tyler Hubbard has launched a new publishing company, HAYLO Music, named after the initials of his family.

Josh Saxe, formerly of J C Saxe Creative Consulting, has been tapped to run the new venture. As GM of HAYLO Music, he will work alongside Hubbard to facilitate the daily songwriting strategy of its publishing and creative services roster.

A Belmont University graduate, Saxe began his career as Associate Director, A&R at Round Hill Music Nashville, and later expanded his A&R and catalog development duties by fulfilling the role of Senior Director. In 2019, he moved to Endurance Music Group to help establish its offices and grow its existing business as well as manage its songwriting roster including Matt Stell, Paul Sikes and Seth Alley.

Hubbard’s previous publishing partner, former GM at Tree Vibez Music and current President of Jonas Group Publishing, Leslie DiPiero, helped facilitate Saxe’s hiring process.

“I’m really excited about this new chapter with HAYLO Music,” says Hubbard. “It’s been an incredible ride working with Leslie, who helped me fall in love with music publishing and the songwriting community, and taught me a ton along the way. Community is super important to me, and I’m excited to work with Josh to build a culture where creatives can thrive. HAYLO is a testament to the passion and drive we bring to the table every day, and I can’t wait to show the world what we’re about.”

“I’m thrilled to be part of this new adventure with Tyler,” says Saxe. “His clear vision and passion for music publishing are unparalleled. Let’s get to work.”

Hubbard has penned 17 No. 1 country radio singles between his two solo chart-toppers and cuts for artists including Jason Aldean, Cole Swindell, Bebe Rexha and more. His previous publishing endeavor, which began in 2015, earned 25 No. 1 singles, 90 singles at country radio and 700 total cuts. The hitmaker is set to release his sophomore solo album, Strong, on April 12 via EMI Nashville.