The National Music Publishers’ Association’s (NMPA) first-ever Virtual Annual Meeting was held Wednesday (June 10). NMPA President & CEO David Israelite detailed revenue analysis from 2019 showing strong growth in certain sectors and interviewed songwriter Ross Golan, Peloton’s Emma Lovewell and Gwen Riley, and honored country music legend Garth Brooks.
In his annual State of the Industry address, Israelite released new data and insights from the past year. Publishing industry revenue from 2019 was $3,719,796,271, representing an 11.55% growth rate from 2018 to 2019. When that revenue was broken down, performance continued to be the most dominant category making up 52.30%. Sync followed with 22.69%, mechanical with 18.53% and miscellaneous made up the remaining 6.48%. Israelite’s key takeaways were that 2019 represented the fifth consecutive year of significant growth. Additionally, sync and mechanical revenue grew faster than performance, primarily because streaming continues to grow at a fast pace and more and more of that revenue is being categorized as mechanical because of recent successes at the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) and how it is divided. Additionally, sync revenue has benefitted from some of the landmark deals that NMPA and other publishers have done, which are staring to pay off. Israelite also reinforced that new revenue sources are critical to the industry’s future such as mass synchronization, in-home fitness, and more as traditional models such as physical and digital downloads continue to diminish.
RIAA Chairman & CEO Mitch Glazier spoke about the work his association is doing to globally combat piracy during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also discussed the need for reform in the wake of the recent U.S. Copyright Office’s report on Section 512 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) saying, “the services that should be responsible parts of the ecosystem who can voluntarily come in and protect music have refused so far to do so in a way that really protects creators—that protects songwriters and artists.”
NMPA EVP & General Counsel Danielle Aguirre and Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) CEO Kris Ahrend were also interviewed. Aguirre, who serves on the board of the MLC, discussed the MLC’s progress thus far with Ahrend, who reinforced that, “our mission is fundamentally to ensure that creators, and their partners—their publishing companies—are paid properly.” When asked about how COVID-19 has affected the MLC’s development timeline, Ahrend assured that, “the coronavirus has not impacted our timeline, we are still laser focused on being ready to fulfill all of our obligations as of the license ability date next January.”
In an interview with Israelite, songwriter Ross Golan was optimistic about how songwriters and publishers have adapted to virtual songwriting during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying, “there’s an efficiency to writing online that I think songwriters are starting to find. So even if in the beginning they may have been reluctant to do sessions via Zoom and otherwise, I find that songwriters are starting to not only embrace it, but they’ve succeeded at it. You know a song like ‘Stuck with You’ with Justin Bieber and Ariana was recorded and released within eight days. So there’s an efficiency from the inception of a song, the mixing, mastering of a song, and the release of a song.”
Adding to the industry analysis, Israelite interviewed David Bakula, SVP of Analytics, Insights and Research at Nielsen Music who said that the pandemic and subsequent quarantine had shifted how consumers listen to music. Bakula reported that an increasing number of consumers are adding music subscriptions and they are more likely to continue to pay in the future. Additionally, country music has been the best performing genre during the period, but children’s and classical have also done well.
The virtual meeting culminated with the honoring of Garth Brooks who discussed the importance of NMPA’s work to protect songwriters saying, “it’s the greatest thing that anybody can call you, is a songwriter.” He added, “we’re the seed, we’re the fragile, but we need to be the most protected or there is no plant.” After performing a section of his iconic song “The River” acoustically, Brooks accepted his NMPA Songwriter Icon Award in the name of his longtime publisher Bob Doyle.
Hailey Whitters’ Pigasus Records Inks New Label Partnership
/by Lorie HollabaughHailey Whitters‘ Pigasus Records has formed a partnership with Big Loud Records and Songs & Daughters, the female-driven label formed by Big Loud Records and songwriter Nicolle Galyon.
“To me, Hailey represents the heart of my favorite kind of Nashville success story,” said Galyon, President of Songs & Daughters. “She’s had the tenacity to master her craft for 12 years, the gift to turn that into compelling music, and the authenticity to win over the Music Row community with a record she made all on her own. I’m honored to get to be a small part of the incredible story she’s writing.”
Big Loud Records and Songs & Daughters will continue marketing and promotion of Whitters’ new album, The Dream, which was originally self-released via her label Pigasus Records.
“Artists like Hailey Whitters rarely come along – she can be one of the biggest stars in the genre, that’s why we decided to team up and pitch her together rather than compete for her,” said co-managers Matt Graham (Brnd Mgmt) and Chris Kappy (Make Wake Artists). “We’ve spent the last year building a team worthy of her talent. Big Loud Records / Songs & Daughters has been an immediate force on that team and we couldn’t be happier with this new partnership.”
Seth England, Partner/CEO of Big Loud, shares, “Entering our fifth year as a record company, we knew it was time to evolve Big Loud’s roster in creative directions we haven’t been before. Today’s announcement marks a big step in that. We have been so drawn to what Hailey and team have been building, and the incredible music they make.” Adding, “Hailey is the quintessential Nashville success story and we couldn’t be more proud to be a part of her future. Thank you Hailey, for trusting Big Loud Records / Songs & Daughters to partner in your next chapter.”
“I’m proud to partner with Big Loud Records / Songs & Daughters, and to be represented by a label that is building artist’s careers in innovative ways that are unrestrained by industry standards and norms,” said Whitters.
Americanafest Canceled For 2020, Honors & Awards Ceremony To Continue
/by Jessica NicholsonThe Americana Music Association has announced that Americanafest will not take place this year, due to concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, the organization will soon reveal a three-day virtual experience, set for this Fall, for Americana fans to enjoy their favorite music.
The Americana Honors & Awards is still set to take place Sept. 16, 2020 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Nominees for this year’s awards show will be revealed on Monday, June 15, while ticketing details will be announced soon. On June 18, the organization will roll out the recently-announced Americana Music Association Foundation’s first initiative, including more details about the upcoming virtual experience.
Americanafest will resume Sept. 21-26, 2021.
NMPA Honors Garth Brooks, Details Publishing Industry Successes
/by Jessica NicholsonThe National Music Publishers’ Association’s (NMPA) first-ever Virtual Annual Meeting was held Wednesday (June 10). NMPA President & CEO David Israelite detailed revenue analysis from 2019 showing strong growth in certain sectors and interviewed songwriter Ross Golan, Peloton’s Emma Lovewell and Gwen Riley, and honored country music legend Garth Brooks.
In his annual State of the Industry address, Israelite released new data and insights from the past year. Publishing industry revenue from 2019 was $3,719,796,271, representing an 11.55% growth rate from 2018 to 2019. When that revenue was broken down, performance continued to be the most dominant category making up 52.30%. Sync followed with 22.69%, mechanical with 18.53% and miscellaneous made up the remaining 6.48%. Israelite’s key takeaways were that 2019 represented the fifth consecutive year of significant growth. Additionally, sync and mechanical revenue grew faster than performance, primarily because streaming continues to grow at a fast pace and more and more of that revenue is being categorized as mechanical because of recent successes at the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) and how it is divided. Additionally, sync revenue has benefitted from some of the landmark deals that NMPA and other publishers have done, which are staring to pay off. Israelite also reinforced that new revenue sources are critical to the industry’s future such as mass synchronization, in-home fitness, and more as traditional models such as physical and digital downloads continue to diminish.
RIAA Chairman & CEO Mitch Glazier spoke about the work his association is doing to globally combat piracy during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also discussed the need for reform in the wake of the recent U.S. Copyright Office’s report on Section 512 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) saying, “the services that should be responsible parts of the ecosystem who can voluntarily come in and protect music have refused so far to do so in a way that really protects creators—that protects songwriters and artists.”
NMPA EVP & General Counsel Danielle Aguirre and Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) CEO Kris Ahrend were also interviewed. Aguirre, who serves on the board of the MLC, discussed the MLC’s progress thus far with Ahrend, who reinforced that, “our mission is fundamentally to ensure that creators, and their partners—their publishing companies—are paid properly.” When asked about how COVID-19 has affected the MLC’s development timeline, Ahrend assured that, “the coronavirus has not impacted our timeline, we are still laser focused on being ready to fulfill all of our obligations as of the license ability date next January.”
In an interview with Israelite, songwriter Ross Golan was optimistic about how songwriters and publishers have adapted to virtual songwriting during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying, “there’s an efficiency to writing online that I think songwriters are starting to find. So even if in the beginning they may have been reluctant to do sessions via Zoom and otherwise, I find that songwriters are starting to not only embrace it, but they’ve succeeded at it. You know a song like ‘Stuck with You’ with Justin Bieber and Ariana was recorded and released within eight days. So there’s an efficiency from the inception of a song, the mixing, mastering of a song, and the release of a song.”
Adding to the industry analysis, Israelite interviewed David Bakula, SVP of Analytics, Insights and Research at Nielsen Music who said that the pandemic and subsequent quarantine had shifted how consumers listen to music. Bakula reported that an increasing number of consumers are adding music subscriptions and they are more likely to continue to pay in the future. Additionally, country music has been the best performing genre during the period, but children’s and classical have also done well.
The virtual meeting culminated with the honoring of Garth Brooks who discussed the importance of NMPA’s work to protect songwriters saying, “it’s the greatest thing that anybody can call you, is a songwriter.” He added, “we’re the seed, we’re the fragile, but we need to be the most protected or there is no plant.” After performing a section of his iconic song “The River” acoustically, Brooks accepted his NMPA Songwriter Icon Award in the name of his longtime publisher Bob Doyle.
IEBA Cancels 2020 Conference
/by Lorie HollabaughThe International Entertainment Buyers Association (IEBA) has canceled its 50th Annual Conference originally slated for October in Nashville. IEBA members will receive full instructions regarding the 2020 refund process in the coming weeks.
“This was not an easy decision. However, due to the massive impact of COVID-19, we feel it is best to press pause this year and return stronger than ever in the fall of 2021,” said IEBA Chair Renee Alexander, Minnesota State Fair’s Deputy GM of Entertainment & Marketing.
The annual IEBA conference will return in 2021 on Oct. 3-5, 2021 at the Omni Nashville.
“This is a time of huge loss. The global shutdown of concerts and live events is taking a devastating toll on our industry and presented the greatest set of challenges in IEBA’s 50-year history,” said IEBA Executive Director Pam Matthews. “We acknowledge the need to connect with each other now more than ever, and we are developing plans to ensure that our members will have an opportunity to do so this fall. Expect another announcement from us in the weeks to come.”
BREAKING: Lady Antebellum Changes Band Name
/by Jessica NicholsonLady Antebellum announced on Thursday (June 11) that going forward, the trio will be dropping the name “Antebellum,” and will be known simply as Lady A.
“After much personal reflection, band discussion, prayer and many honest conversations with some of our closest Black friends and colleagues, we have decided to drop the word “antebellum” from our name and move forward as Lady A, the nickname our fans gave us almost from the start,” the band said in an Instagram post.
The trio’s Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley, and Dave Haywood, who have been performing together for nearly 14 years, earning hits including the 9x multi-Platinum “Need You Now,” also explained how they chose the name Lady Antebellum, saying they named the trio after the southern-style “antebellum” home where they took their first photos as a group.
See the trio’s full statement below:
The trio joined new label home Big Machine Label Group’s BMLG Records in 2018. Earlier this year, they celebrated their 10th No. 1 single, and first with BMLG, for the hit “What If I Never Get Over You.”
Stagecoach Canceled For 2020
/by Jessica NicholsonCountry music festival Stagecoach has officially been canceled for 2020 due to coronavirus concerns, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Dr. Cameron Kaiser, Riverside County’s public health officer, signed an order Wednesday (June 10) canceling this year’s Coachella and Stagecoach festivals, which are held each year outside Palm Springs, California. Previously, Coachella and Stagecoach organizers announced the two festivals would be postponed until October.
“I am concerned as indications grow that COVID-19 could worsen in the fall,” Kaiser said, according to the Los Angeles Times. “In addition, events like Coachella and Stagecoach would fall under Governor Newsom’s Stage 4, which he has previously stated would require treatments or a vaccine to enter. Given the projected circumstances and potential, I would not be comfortable moving forward.”
Stagecoach was set to be headlined by Eric Church, Thomas Rhett, and Carrie Underwood, while Rage Against The Machine, Travis Scott and Frank Ocean were set to headline Coachella.
Garth Brooks Announces One-Night-Only Concert Event At 300 Drive-In Theaters
/by Jessica NicholsonGarth Brooks. Photo: 8 Ten, Inc.
On June 27, Garth Brooks will perform a one-night-only concert event at 300 drive-in theaters across North America, marking the largest one-night show to ever play at outdoor theaters across the United States and Canada.
“I am so excited to get to play again. I have missed it so much and want to get back to it,” said Brooks. “This drive-in concert allows us all to get back to playing live music without the uncertainty of what would be the result to us as a community. This is old school, new school, and perfect for the time we are in.”
The event will be produced by Encore Live, a leading event production company. Tickets will go on sale Friday, June 19 at 11 a.m. CT, on sale at ticketmaster.com/garthbrooks, and a list of participating theaters will be available that day.
Tickets will be general admission and will cost $100, all inclusive. Each ticket admits one passenger car or truck. The event will take place rain or shine and will begin at dusk.
“Families need safe entertainment options that they can enjoy together this summer,” said Encore Live Founder and CEO Walter Kinzie. “We’re excited to partner with Garth, who’s already done so much to help the entertainment industry during these tough times, to provide a truly unique and incredible concert that will do a whole lot of good for local businesses and communities.”
Mechanical Licensing Collective Seeks Songwriter Nominations For Board And Committees
/by Jessica NicholsonThe Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) is seeking nominations for songwriter candidates to serve when songwriter seats become available on the MLC Board of Directors, Dispute Resolution Committee and Unclaimed Royalties Oversight Committee.
The MLC Songwriter Nominating Committee includes current MLC Dispute Resolution Committee songwriter members Aimée Allen and David Hodges along with songwriters Victoria Shaw appointed by the Nashville Songwriters Association International, Henny Tha Bizness appointed by The Recording Academy, and Claudia Brant appointed by the Songwriters of North America, in accordance with the MLC by-laws. The five-person committee will make recommendations of 2-3 persons for each vacant songwriter MLC board or committee seat or when seats come up for re-election. MLC songwriter board members will make the final determination from the nominees to fill such seats.
Candidates for the Board of Directors must be professional songwriters who retain and license mechanical rights for songs they have written (self-published). Candidates for the Unclaimed Royalties Oversight Committee and Dispute Resolution Committee must be professional songwriters.
The Unclaimed Royalties Oversight Committee recommends policies and procedures related to the distribution of accrued unclaimed royalties to the MLC Board. The Dispute Resolution Committee recommends policies and procedures for the processing of royalties to works subject to disputes over ownership to the MLC Board.
The MLC Board of Directors and Advisory Committees meet regularly, and all meetings allow for virtual participation such that travel is not generally required. Members are expected to devote sufficient time to prepare for and participate fully in all meetings.
To nominate someone for consideration, please click here to complete the nomination form.
Jason Isbell, Amanda Shires, Rosanne Cash, Keb’ Mo’ To Lead Keep The Music Playing Virtual Fundraiser
/by Jessica NicholsonThe event will use live and pre-recorded performances from numerous Nashville venues including the Ryman Auditorium, Bluebird Cafe, Acme Feed and Seed, and Dino’s. Jason Isbell, Amanda Shires, Keb’ Mo’, Rosanne Cash, Katie Pruitt, Devon Gilfillian, Widespread Panic’s John “JoJo” Hermann, and more will take part in the event, while radio personality Justin Hammel and television host Kathie Lee Gifford will host.
Through the Spotify COVID-19 Music Relief Project, Spotify will match all donations to Music Health Alliance dollar for dollar, up to a collective total of $10 million.
Keep The Music Playing will air on acmeradiolive.com as well as facebook and youtube channels at 5 p.m. CT on June 17. Beginning today (June 10) donations can be made at musichealthalliance.com.
“When COVID-19 really started ramping up and it became obvious to us that a lot of the events and plans we’d made for the summer would have to be canceled, our team hopped on a call to immediately start problem-solving,” says Acme’s Director of Marketing, Tricia Higbee. “As disappointed as we were, what was really bothering us the most was being unable to provide that platform for all the amazing artists and personalities that go into making our events what they are. We didn’t want to take away that opportunity from voices who need to be heard, so we quickly decided to pivot.” Utilizing Acme Radio Live’s already up-and-running in-house production team to create world-class content for the event, Keep The Music Playing presented itself as the natural solution for the conundrum at hand. “Our mission with this event is simple, raise as much money as possible for the Music Health Alliance while also offering people around the world a glimpse inside Nashville, if only through a screen, to show how we’re physically distancing, but socially joining together to keep the music playing in Music City.”
A full list of performers and/or guests is below:
AJ Croce
AJ Eason
Andrew Combs
Barry Scott
Bre Kennedy
Charles Wigg Walker
Chuck Mead
Craig Morgan
Dave McGinnis
Devon Gilfillian
Donna the Buffalo
Early James
Erin Rae
Future Thieves
Gramps Morgan
Guthrie Trapp
Ian Ferguson
Jaime Wyatt
Janelle Moser
Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires
Jeff Coffin
Jim Lauderdale
Joe Bonamassa
John Oates
John “JoJo” Hermann
Jordan Davis
Katie Pruitt
Keb Mo
Kenny Vaughan, Dave Roe, & Pete Abbott
Laine Hardy
Leah Blevins
Louis York
Marcus Finnie
Mike Keith (Voice of the Tennessee Titans)
Minton Sparks
Parker Gispert
Pat McLaughlin
Pete Weber & Terry Crisp (Nashville Predators)
Phil Vassar
Rod McGaha
Rodney Crowell
Ron Gallo
Rosanne Cash
Sam Bush
Sara Evans
Scotty McCreery
Sean Henry (Nashville Predators CEO & president)
Steve Conn
Steve Wariner
Sweettalker
Tim Gent
Country Music Association Names Kelly Striewski To Sr. VP Role
/by Jessica NicholsonKelly Striewski
The Country Music Association has named Kelly Striewski as Senior Vice President, Marketing & Strategic Partnerships, effective in August. Striewski previously worked for dick clark productions in Los Angeles, overseeing the company’s corporate and consumer marketing and communication efforts for dcp shows including Academy of Country Music Awards, American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest and So You Think You Can Dance, among others.
At the CMA, Striewski will oversee development and execution of CMA’s marketing, communications and strategic partnerships strategies, including oversight of CMA’s marketing, communications, market research, creative, digital and strategic partnerships teams. She will also serve as a member of the CMA’s executive leadership team, working with the CMA Board of Directors to build strategic initiatives for the organization and will work closely with CMA’s network television partner, ABC Television Network.
“We are thrilled to welcome Kelly to our executive team at CMA,” says Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “She is a highly-accomplished entertainment veteran with a wealth of knowledge in both music and television. Kelly’s experience and expertise in marketing, communications and partnerships, as well as artist and industry relations, will be critical to CMA’s continued strategic growth.”
“I am honored to join CMA and to fully immerse myself into the Nashville community,” says Striewski. “It will be a privilege to work under the leadership of the organization’s highly-regarded CEO, Sarah Trahern and the exceptional CMA Board of Directors. I look forward to utilizing my marketing and television expertise to develop unique and innovative strategies that drive continued growth for country music.”
Prior to her work at dcp, Striewski led the Nintendo of America account team at Golin where she oversaw all PR activity, social media and influencer campaigns, game launches, special events and the brand’s expansion into mobile. Striewski also spent 15 years with B|WR Public Relations, where she led PR activity for notable brands such as PUMA, Lincoln Motor Company, Stand Up To Cancer, Neil Lane, Beaches & Sandals Resorts and DELL, among others.