The Sony Music Publishing name has returned after 25 years, introducing a new brand identity with a redesigned logo and revitalized mission.
Driven by the leadership of Chairman & CEO Jon Platt, the renewal of the Sony Music Publishing name signifies the company’s desire to identify as “A Creative Entertainment Company with a Solid Foundation of Technology.”
The refreshed logo is designed as an abstraction of sound waves—with resonance and vibrations that express infinitely expanding opportunities for songwriters. Complementing the symbol, the Sony Music Publishing ethos is ‘every voice matters’, elevating the vision and goals of songwriters.
Sony/ATV was established in 1995 through a joint venture with Michael Jackson that brought together the original Sony Music Publishing with Jackson’s ATV Music. Jackson had acquired ATV Music, which owned the Northern Songs catalogue, in 1985. Northern Songs owned the rights to all the songs that John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote during their time with the Beatles. In 2016, Sony acquired the Michael Jackson Estate’s 50% share of Sony/ATV making it a wholly owned Sony company.
Sony Music Publishing Chairman and CEO Platt commented, “Sony Music Publishing has always embraced the power of songwriting to connect cultures and bring people together. Since its inception, Sony Music Publishing has supported the careers of songwriters and continues to defend their rights. Returning to the Sony Music Publishing name reconnects us to our legacy and further unifies our mission and culture with the Sony Corporation. Our new brand embodies a modern vision to be an authentic reflection of the music and songwriters we represent.”
Sony Music Publishing Nashville CEO Rusty Gaston spoke to MusicRow about the rebrand and its implications for the company’s Nashville presence.
“Jon Platt came in as a new Chairman and CEO 18 months ago, and he has done such an incredibly terrific job at transforming the entire company’s culture,” Gaston tells MusicRow. “Part of this rebrand is breathing a fresh and new life into what he has done to this company in general; making the focus on relationships and service. When he came in, he was very vocal about wanting this company to be the destination for the world’s greatest songwriters. This rebranding is a natural evolution of the way he is transforming this company and it’s all incredibly positive.”
Gaston, who is also newly at the helm of Sony Music Publishing’s Nashville office, is excited about the company refresh.
“It’s really exciting because I’m brand new here as well. I’ve only been here a year and I walked in with the same passion and enthusiasm that Jon Platt did for the company overall. It was about making the focus of this Nashville office to be on one-on-one relationships with songwriters and about us providing hands-down, the very best service the songwriter could possibly get in Nashville.”
He says that the Sony Music Publishing Nashville office is getting a refresh as well, with the space being renovated.
“I am incredibly excited about when we come out of this pandemic, not only are we going back into a new Sony Music Publishing campus on Music Row, but it’s going to be completely renovated and it’s going to be the actual destination that songwriters want to come to.”
Gaston sums, “It’s a new culture and in Nashville, we’re going to have a brand new space.”
Pre-Pandemic Music Industry Generated $170 Billion GDP
/by Sarah SkatesA comprehensive report released this week examines the music industry’s contribution to the U.S. economy. The report by economists Robert Stoner and Jéssica Dutra of Economists, Inc. evaluates pre-pandemic data and documents music’s ability to drive job creation and economic growth.
Among the findings, based on data from 2018, the music industry contributed $170 billion to US GDP annually, and supported 2.5 million jobs nationwide in core music activities like recording, streaming, and live performance, as well as adjacent fields like travel, retail, and marketing.
As an export, music generated $9.1 billion in foreign sales annually. And, for every dollar created by music activities, an additional fifty cents is created in adjacent business or fields.
In Tennessee, the music industry contributed $5.8 billion GDP and almost 62,000 jobs.
“This data provides an important pre-COVID benchmark of the music economy that will guide us as we determine what a return to ‘normal’ must include,” said Josh Friedlander, SVP of Research and Economics at RIAA. “It also charts a course for state and federal policymakers to leverage music’s ability to produce strong economic growth and high-paying domestic jobs.”
Read The U.S. Music Industries: 2020 Jobs & Benefits Report.
Sideman, Songwriter, Producer Richie Albright Passes
/by Robert K OermannRichie Albright. Photo: Courtesy Country Music Hall of Fame
Influential drummer Richie Albright, best known as the founder of Waylon Jennings’ band The Waylors, died at age 81 on Tuesday (Feb. 9).
The Arizona native teamed up with Jennings in Phoenix nightclubs in 1964. They came to Nashville together in 1966, and Albright became the superstar’s producer on such hits as 1980’s million-selling “Theme From The Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol’ Boys).”
He was known as the “right arm” of Country Music Hall of Fame member Waylon Jennings (1937-2002). In addition to appearing on many million-selling Jennings LPs, Albright co-wrote the Jennings/Hank Williams Jr. duet hit “The Conversation” of 1983.
His career spanned more than 50 years and included backing such stars as Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter, Tompall Glaser, Johnny Cash, Tony Joe White, David Lynn Jones, Johnny Rodriguez and Billy Joe Shaver, as well as Jennings and Williams.
He also produced records for Williams, Colter and Shaver.
In 2019, Richie Albright was featured in the Country Music Hall of Fame’s “Nashville Cats” series.
He was responsible for the pounding “drive” in the Outlaw Sound of Jennings. Albright brought a rock edge to country music that has influenced the genre’s drummers ever since the 1970s.
“I have marveled at this man’s musicianship since I was a boy,” posted Jeff Stevens on Facebook. “He was at the heart of Waylon Jennings’ sound. His music will live forever as some of the best country music ever made. Godspeed Richie Albright.”
Albright is survived by his wife, Linda, his sons, Brian and Trey, his daughter, Richel, and his brother, Jerry. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.
Sony Music Publishing Rebrands, Revitalizes Mission
/by LB CantrellThe Sony Music Publishing name has returned after 25 years, introducing a new brand identity with a redesigned logo and revitalized mission.
Driven by the leadership of Chairman & CEO Jon Platt, the renewal of the Sony Music Publishing name signifies the company’s desire to identify as “A Creative Entertainment Company with a Solid Foundation of Technology.”
The refreshed logo is designed as an abstraction of sound waves—with resonance and vibrations that express infinitely expanding opportunities for songwriters. Complementing the symbol, the Sony Music Publishing ethos is ‘every voice matters’, elevating the vision and goals of songwriters.
Sony/ATV was established in 1995 through a joint venture with Michael Jackson that brought together the original Sony Music Publishing with Jackson’s ATV Music. Jackson had acquired ATV Music, which owned the Northern Songs catalogue, in 1985. Northern Songs owned the rights to all the songs that John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote during their time with the Beatles. In 2016, Sony acquired the Michael Jackson Estate’s 50% share of Sony/ATV making it a wholly owned Sony company.
Sony Music Publishing Chairman and CEO Platt commented, “Sony Music Publishing has always embraced the power of songwriting to connect cultures and bring people together. Since its inception, Sony Music Publishing has supported the careers of songwriters and continues to defend their rights. Returning to the Sony Music Publishing name reconnects us to our legacy and further unifies our mission and culture with the Sony Corporation. Our new brand embodies a modern vision to be an authentic reflection of the music and songwriters we represent.”
Sony Music Publishing Nashville CEO Rusty Gaston spoke to MusicRow about the rebrand and its implications for the company’s Nashville presence.
“Jon Platt came in as a new Chairman and CEO 18 months ago, and he has done such an incredibly terrific job at transforming the entire company’s culture,” Gaston tells MusicRow. “Part of this rebrand is breathing a fresh and new life into what he has done to this company in general; making the focus on relationships and service. When he came in, he was very vocal about wanting this company to be the destination for the world’s greatest songwriters. This rebranding is a natural evolution of the way he is transforming this company and it’s all incredibly positive.”
Gaston, who is also newly at the helm of Sony Music Publishing’s Nashville office, is excited about the company refresh.
“It’s really exciting because I’m brand new here as well. I’ve only been here a year and I walked in with the same passion and enthusiasm that Jon Platt did for the company overall. It was about making the focus of this Nashville office to be on one-on-one relationships with songwriters and about us providing hands-down, the very best service the songwriter could possibly get in Nashville.”
He says that the Sony Music Publishing Nashville office is getting a refresh as well, with the space being renovated.
“I am incredibly excited about when we come out of this pandemic, not only are we going back into a new Sony Music Publishing campus on Music Row, but it’s going to be completely renovated and it’s going to be the actual destination that songwriters want to come to.”
Gaston sums, “It’s a new culture and in Nashville, we’re going to have a brand new space.”
Kane Brown, Sony Music Nashville Launch 1021 Entertainment
/by Sarah SkatesPictured (L-R): Zach Beeken, Garrett Nichols, Colton Pack, and Kane Brown. Photo: Matthew Berinato
Kane Brown and Sony Music Nashville have launched a new record label, 1021 Entertainment, with Restless Road as the first signing. The trio comprised of Zach Beeken, Colton Pack and Garrett Nichols have released their first single via the joint venture, “Took One Look At Her Momma.”
Brown has been mentoring the group for some time, including take them on the road as openers on his Worldwide Beautiful Tour.
Said Brown, “I want to give people chances to succeed. With 1021 Entertainment, I feel like we have a platform and team that can mentor and build up talent in country music. With my own label, I want to use it as an opportunity to shape and promote artists that may not have gotten a chance otherwise, for Restless Road and others in the future.”
“We are excited to welcome Restless Road to the Sony Music Nashville roster. Colton, Zach, and Garrett each bring undeniable talent, dedication, and innovation to this trio. It has also been rewarding to collaborate on this project with Kane and watch him mentor and advise as a label partner in ways only a superstar artist can,” said Margaret Tomlin, Sony Music Nashville Director, A&R.
Restless Road’s self-titled debut EP (released in February 2020 by Sony) was produced by Dann Huff and co-producer Lindsay Rimes. The trio, which is signed to Sony Music Publishing, co-wrote three of the four songs with a roster of hit-making collaborators.
New Series ‘Breaking Bobby Bones’ Coming To Television
/by Sarah SkatesThe television series Breaking Bobby Bones will debut on National Geographic on May 31. In the 16-part unscripted series, multimedia personality Bobby Bones will travel the country to meet people who have extraordinary skills. He will then accept the challenge of living a day in their lives and attempting new feats, such as becoming a stunt performer in Hollywood with one of the few women of color in the industry, or learning to kayak while blindfolded from a blind honorably discharged naval officer.
Bones will host and executive produce the show, seeking to feature people who embody his personal mantra: Fight. Grind. Repeat.
The show premieres May 31 (Memorial Day) at 10/9 CT with two back-to-back episodes, then moves to Sundays at 10/9 CT with two 30-minute episodes premiering each week.
Bones adds this to his many roles, including radio personality, bestselling author, and a full-time mentor on ABC’s American Idol.
Breaking Bobby Bones is produced by BBC Studios’ Los Angeles production arm for National Geographic. Alongside Bones, Betsy Forhan serves as executive producer for National Geographic, and Travis Shakespeare and Jeffrey L. Weaver executive produce for BBC Studios.
ONErpm Upgrades Platform, Drives Success For YouTube Sensation Tiko
/by Sarah SkatesONErpm has grown significantly since it was founded 11 years ago by Emmanuel Zunz. Today the company offers three levels of service: DIY (for new artists), Taking Off (for emerging artists) and Next Level, where breaking artists receive full label support and funding.
In step with the new platform, ONErpm is investing in a global direct-to-fan marketing group that will assist its clients in navigating new opportunities on platforms like Tik Tok, Facebook and YouTube, all of which are generating significant new revenue.
For example, YouTube sensation Tiko has found major success through his partnership with ONErpm. Originally known around the world for his Fortnite gaming videos, his audience has increased more than 750 times since 2020 through new original music released across the ONErpm distribution platform and YouTube network, including his latest song, “Expectations.”
Tiko’s songs have amassed over 205 million streams on combined platforms serviced by ONErpm. He is represented by WME and partnered with mtheory.
YouTube recognized Tiko as the No. 5 Top Creator, No. 2 Breakout Creator in the U.S., and one of the Top 10 Breakout Creators on the planet. This is among a reported 40 million+ active gaming channels on YouTube.
Tiko, Photo Credit: Allyson Ly
Curb|Word Music Publishing Adds Five New Writers To Country Roster
/by Lorie HollabaughTop Row (L-R): Rose Falcon, Kelsey Hart, Joe Leathers; Bottom Row: Houston Phillips, Kyle Schlienger
Curb|Word Music Publishing has signed new worldwide publishing deals with songwriters Kelsey Hart, Rose Falcon, Joe Leathers, Houston Phillips and Kyle Schlienger.
Western Kentucky native Kelsey Hart found his first co-writing success with Jake Owen’s “As Long As You’re In It,” on his Greatest Hits collection. Hart is currently writing and recording for his debut artist project in addition to writing songs for fellow country artists.
Aside from her own artist projects, Rose Falcon has channeled her songwriting talents into meaningful music for others, earning her a No. 1 single with Eric Paslay’s “Friday Night” and notable cuts for Lady A, Faith Hill, Rodney Atkins, Mackenzie Porter, Will Hoge and more.
Joe Leathers returns to his former publishing home on the Curb|Word Music Publishing roster. Leathers has achieved three Top 10 hits with Tim McGraw’s “Still,” Craig Morgan’s “Tough,” and Jason Michael Carroll’s “Where I’m From,” and also has cuts with Lee Brice, Kenny Chesney, Randy Houser, Clay Walker, Trace Adkins and many others.
Former tour manager Houston Phillips landed cuts with Jerrod Niemann and Tyler Farr, which led to his first publishing deal. He has also had songs recorded by Jason Aldean, Trace Adkins, Heath Sanders, Aaron Lewis, Dillon Carmichael, Trent Tomlinson, and more.
Multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and producer Kyle Schlienger co-wrote Brett Young’s first career No. 1 and 5-times RIAA Platinum single, “In Case You Didn’t Know,” which led to a musical director position in his touring band. Since coming off the road, he has honed his focus on writing and producing full time.
This past year, Curb|Word Music Publishing also extended its publishing deals with Billy Montana, Bobby Tomberlin, Jennifer Denmark and Wil Nance.
Brandon Ratcliff Signs with Warner Chappell Music Nashville and King Pen Music
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R): Ben Vaughn (WCM), Kelly King (King Pen), Ratcliff, Harrison Sokoloff (King Pen)
Monument Records artist Brandon Ratcliff has signed a worldwide publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music Nashville and Kelly King’s King Pen Music.
As an artist, Ratcliff has accumulated 50M streams across platforms thanks to his debut EP, Sometime Always Never, produced by Shane McAnally and Pete Good. Ratcliff co-wrote Teddy Robb’s current chart climber “Heaven on Dirt,” and has cuts by Rascal Flatts (“Quick, Fast, In A Hurry”) and Trea Landon (“Get The Girl”).
Ratcliff first moved to Nashville in 2016 to pursue music full time before landing a deal with Monument Records. He has toured with Kelsea Ballerini, Brett Young, and Keith Urban, and in 2020 was named to Pandora’s Ones to Watch list and topped Rolling Stone’s all-genre Breakthrough Artists chart. Born in Webster Parish, Louisiana, Ratcliff is the son of multi-Grammy Award winner Suzanne Cox (of The Cox Family). The burgeoning singer-songwriter’s unique sound blends his family’s bluegrass and country blood with his love of R&B, funk, and pop.
“Brandon impressed me years ago with his beautiful voice and great instincts as a songwriter,” said King, CEO/Owner, King Pen Music. “He has the unique ability to write for the outside market as well as his own artistry, and he never ceases to make me proud as his publisher. I’m very excited about the amazing opportunities we can create and what the future holds working as a team – Brandon, King Pen, and Warner Chappell – to take Brandon’s career to the next level.”
Dolly Parton and Opry to Auction Custom Guitar to Raise Funds for Opry Trust Fund
/by Lorie HollabaughDolly Parton has joined forces with the Grand Ole Opry to help raise money for the Opry Trust Fund by donating a custom autographed Dolly Parton/Opry 95th Anniversary guitar to be auctioned off.
Proceeds raised will go to the Opry Trust Fund to benefit music industry professionals most affected by the current COVID-19 pandemic. Parton has been a longtime supporter of The Opry Trust fund, which has distributed more than $2 million since its inception.
Established in 1965, The Opry Trust Fund provides financial assistance to music industry professionals during their time of extraordinary need to cover certain expenses, including medical bills, rent or mortgage bills and utility payments. The need is greater than ever as the music industry continues to be one of the most deeply impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
Those wanting to get in on the auction can place a bid at opry.com/
The Mulehouse Staffs Up, Eyes Spring Opening
/by Sarah SkatesAward-winning radio personality Blair Garner is sharing details about his entertainment venue, The Mulehouse, ahead of its scheduled spring opening. As previously announced, the 55,000 sq. ft. multi-use entertainment and special events venue is housed in a former church in Columbia, Tenn.
Garner will act as CEO, with other team members including Eric Garner, Chief Operating Officer; Michael Oppenheimer, General Manager; Jon Shyer, Dir. of Concerts & Marketing; Geoffrey Borchgrevink, Production Manager; and Tracy McGlocklin, Private Event Sales Manager.
Additionally, Garner is outsourcing services from several other companies:
Neste Live!, a Live Nation company, has partnered with The Mulehouse as the venue’s exclusive talent buyer, creating opportunities to book top artists and talent from across the globe. Fans will purchase tickets to upcoming shows and events through See Tickets.
Nugs.net will be the official livestreaming partner, giving artists the ability to reach fans on a global level through the use of the venue’s advanced livestreaming technology.
Clair Global will handle live production services and integrated permanent technology solutions. Clair has designed a top-of-the-line streaming, audio and lighting system as part of the venue’s buildout.
615 Leverage + Strategy will oversee The Mulehouse marketing efforts, strategic partnerships and branding. Hulcher PR will handle all public relations efforts on behalf of both The Mulehouse and Blair Garner.
Nashville-based MJM Architects is the architecture firm of record and Steelhead Building Group is the general contractor.
“In the past two years of planning and development of The Mulehouse, we’ve focused on creating a first-of-its-kind experience. Whether it be an artist or one of their fans—we want to effectively transport them to a different world through what they see and what they hear,” said Blair Garner. “We’ve spent countless hours trying to walk in the shoes of everyone who will interface with the property. We’ve tried to anticipate their every need, while also answering needs that they didn’t even know they had. We’ve created a rich and unique experience for our livestream guests. Sure, it’s a lofty goal. But it’s a goal easily within our reach thanks to the incredible power players in our corner. They are our Mulehouse dream team!”
Phase 2 of the project is slated to include an upscale restaurant, bar and intimate performance space, which are slated to open in 2022. An additional 30,000 sq. ft. beyond the current buildout will house a 35-key boutique hotel to be completed in 2022.