Pictured (L-R) front row: Landon Dirickson, Dirickson Law; Noah West; and MaryAnn Keen, Associate Dir. of Writer/Publisher Relations, BMI; Back row: Matt Michiels, Sr. Creative Dir., peermusic; Carlee Fultz, Creative Coord., peermusic; Kendall Lettow, Creative Dir., peermusic; and Michael Knox, Sr. VP, peermusic Nashville

Noah West has signed an exclusive global publishing deal with peermusic Nashville.

He moved to Nashville three years ago and has been working with producer/songwriter Matt McVaney to create a five-song debut EP which includes his new single, “Let You Go.”

“Noah was first brought up to me as an artist then we started loving his songs,” said peermusic’s Michael Knox. “He’s just one of those talents that you pat yourself on the back and feel like you found something you were supposed to find.”

“The peermusic team have been a huge support for me,” said West. “With peermusic, I have found a team of people that could take what I’m doing and give me a number of different resources to help magnify it—I am so excited to be working with them in these next stages of my career.”

Growing up in Beckley, West Virginia, West spent his days training on the football field and the basketball court. His dedication led him to two state championships, as well as a college basketball career in upstate South Carolina. After hearing artists like Jason Aldean and Sam Hunt on the radio, following graduation West packed his bags and moved to Nashville to pursue his true passion of music.

In a letter to its members sent out today (June 2), songwriters and board members of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), Steve Bogard, Lee Thomas Miller, and Liz Rose, address the recent criticism against the organization for its decision not to challenge the statutory royalty rate that record labels currently pay songwriters on physical products such as CDs and vinyl in the upcoming rate trial called CRB IV.

Bogard, Miller and Rose testified during the last Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) proceeding, and were part of the team that helped secure the nearly 44% increase in digital mechanical royalties from streaming companies in 2016.

In the letter, the songwriters call the claims made against NSAI “patently false and misguided,” and say that fighting for higher rates for physical product could risk record labels and streaming companies fighting the “much more meaningful streaming rates,” the digital mechanical royalty rate. They also note that NSAI did ask for higher statutory rates for physical product during CRB I in 2006, spending more than $20 million in the effort, which resulted in the rate remaining at 9.1 cents.

Read the letter in full below.

Fellow Songwriters and Composers:

We are the three songwriters and board members of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), who testified during the last Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) proceeding, who are reaching out to you to address patently false and misguided accusations that have recently appeared in the media by critics who chose not to participate.

Our collective testimony during CRB III in 2016 helped us WIN a nearly 44% increase in digital mechanical royalties from streaming companies—the largest digital mechanical royalty hike for songwriters in history!

Even after that resounding victory, some want to criticize the Nashville Songwriters Association International’s (NSAI) decision not to challenge the statutory royalty rate that record labels currently pay songwriters on physical products such as CDs and vinyl in the upcoming rate trial called CRB IV.

What these critics are not telling you is that we did fight that battle in 2006, during CRB I, when we asked the Copyright Royalty Board to increase the physical rate, while critics were nowhere to be found. Instead, after our side spent more than $20 million, the judges kept the rate exactly where it was, at 9.1 cents. Record labels earn substantially less from physical products now than they did then. Had we chosen to fight them again, they would have argued for a rate DECREASE! They could also have contested our much more meaningful streaming rates resulting in us having to fight two powerful groups, streaming companies, and the labels.

Based on industry revenue analysis, it is anticipated that physical mechanical royalties will amount to less than 1% of the total mechanical royalty revenue in the United States during 2023-2028, the rate period this CRB proceeding covers. History and experience told us not to create a powerful opponent when there is a strong possibility of losing with little to gain. So, we decided to focus on the digital streaming services and streaming rates during the next trial. While 1% of revenue is meaningful, waging war was not worth the risk, especially since the rate may have been lowered!

Critics are insinuating that we somehow “might now be employing sneaky tactics to make it harder for artists and songwriters to comment on” our decision not to contest the physical royalty. They say that NSAI was part of a plan to manipulate court filings, in order to make it harder for them to respond. That is false.

Alleging that we are complicit in such a tactic, which amounts to a federal crime, is insulting and may even be libelous. How could we hide such a maneuver from the court? Are these groups suggesting the Copyright Royalty Board judges were involved in their ridiculous allegation?

Also false is the critics’ suggestion that the CRB took some drastic action in stating it will publish the settlement in the Federal Register for comment. Such publication is required by the law, as is the right of the public to comment during a period set forth in the CRB’s notice. Everything is out in the open and subject to scrutiny. Stating or implying the opposite is completely false and disingenuous. We are all for public comment on this matter, but the critics know you must qualify months in advance for the CRB to consider physical rates. The question songwriters and composers should be asking is why these false critics did not participate in the trial themselves. Any of these groups or individuals could have participated, but they did not even try.

The three of us took time from writing and from our personal lives to prepare for a daunting endeavor, testifying before three Copyright judges in Washington, D.C., on behalf of every American songwriter. To the critics who also fail to acknowledge that in the process we secured the largest digital mechanical rate increase in history, we want to set the record straight. Instead of opening a Pandora’s box that could result in physical rates being lowered, we ensured they would not. Our decision to focus on protecting the unprecedented increase for streaming mechanicals was strategic, responsible and in the best interest of songwriters.

Sincerely,

Steve Bogard, Lee Thomas Miller, and Liz Rose – songwriters.

Pictured (L-R): Dave Rose (Deep South Entertainment), Joe Calitri (Round Hill), Jeremy Popoff (Lit), Jae Sims (Round Hill), Ajay Popoff (Lit), Lucy Bartozzi (Round Hill), Kevin Baldes (Lit), Michael Volk (Round Hill). Photo: Imani Givertz

Round Hill Music has acquired the publishing catalog of Nashville-based rock band Lit, known for memorable late ’90s hits including “My Own Worst Enemy” and “Miserable.” Round Hill Records will also release new music from the band in 2022.

The band comprised of brothers Ajay Popoff (vocals) and Jeremy Popoff (guitar), along with bassist Kevin Baldes, and drummer Taylor Carroll, is in the studio working on its seventh full-length album and debut for Round Hill Records.

Their previous six studio albums include the Platinum selling A Place in the Sun.

“We’re super proud to work with Lit,” said Josh Gruss, CEO, Round Hill Music. “They are based in Nashville and they’ve often stopped by our complex to record, write or just hang. They are like family. Their music has always been great, but it seems to just get better as the years go by. We’re excited to acquire their catalog and steward that gem going forward, but also we are excited to work with them on their new record. Doing such a comprehensive deal including, catalog, frontline publishing and record deal shows how multi-faceted we are at Round Hill.”

Ajay Popoff said, “We’re excited to be working with Round Hill both as a band and as songwriters. This is the fit we’ve been waiting years for. The new Lit music is a refreshing throwback as well as a big step into the future of the modern rock genre.”

Jeremy Popoff added, “I’m super pumped about our team at Round Hill. Everyone there has such a passion for music and it just feels like the perfect home for us. Josh has put together an all-star team that we’re excited to be working with. I can’t wait for the world to hear what we’re up to.”