Pictured (L-R): Dallas Jackson, Zac Litwack, Colin Montemarano
American Songwriter magazine has announced several new hires. Dallas Jackson has joined the staff as Editor in Chief, while Zac Litwack has been named Chief Marketing Officer, and Colin Montemarano as the Director of Brand Partnerships. All positions are based out of the publication’s Nashville, Tennessee headquarters.
Jackson has over 15 years of experience in digital media, with previous roles including the Director of Editorial at CBS Interactive, where he launched PopCulture.com. The company grew from a startup to over 7 million unique users in one year. In 2016, as the Editor in Chief for ComicBook.com, Jackson was able to increase unique users from 4 million to over 20 million in just two years. A Pennsylvania native, he began his career as Big East Conference Editor for Rivals.com, where he created the Rivals High brand and network.
American Songwriter has also hired Litwack as Chief Marketing Officer, where he will oversee digital marketing strategies, online growth, engagement via the American Songwriter website and social channels, and membership development. An MTSU graduate with a bachelor’s in Recording Arts, Litwack started his own production and marketing company after graduation, which produced a gold record and generated hundreds of millions of streams. After selling the company in 2013 he found his love of “Growth Hacking,” an umbrella term coined by Silicon Valley startups to propel massive growth using a small budget in a short amount of time. Most recently, he grew GoCheck, a pediatric healthcare technology startup, to multi-million dollars in recurring revenue.
Montemarano joins American Songwriter as the Director of Brand Partnerships. In his new role, he will manage all aspects of the American Songwriter brand, innovate partnerships with key artists and members of the media, as well as implement strategic events and additional partner-focused efforts. Montemarano previously served as Manager of Strategic Partnerships for the Music City Bowl and Nashville Sports Council, where he helped grow partnership revenue by over 20%. During his three years, he worked on multiple major events including the TransPerfect Music City Bowl, the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament, the Davis Cup, and others in the Nashville market. In 2019, Montemarano led the sales, marketing, and creative efforts of the Fan Zone on Broadway, a multi-day event in downtown Nashville that engaged fans with local and national brands throughout the footprint.
“American Songwriter magazine is a timeless, beloved brand that we are eager to elevate to the next level,” owner Sam Savage states. “With these new additions to our team, we have been able to set strategies and attain goals that have resulted in unprecedented growth. We are excited about this next chapter.”
Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Luke Combs, Sam Hunt Join ‘CMT Celebrates Our Heroes’ Special
/by Lorie HollabaughCarrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Luke Combs, Sam Hunt, Brandi Carlile, Darius Rucker, Kane Brown, and Kristen Bell are the newest stars announced who will join CMT’s upcoming CMT Celebrates Our Heroes: An Artists of the Year Special, which airs June 3.
The two-hour virtual tribute brings together country’s biggest names to recognize the most vital and inspirational Americans on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. CMT is currently seeking stories of unsung heroes who are doing exceptional things during the pandemic, and personal stories of those who have positively impacted their community, state and nation can be submitted here for potential inclusion in the special.
Previously announced artists appearing on the show include Brothers Osborne, Florida Georgia Line, Kelsea Ballerini, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert and Thomas Rhett.
‘American Songwriter’ Announces Executive Hires
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Dallas Jackson, Zac Litwack, Colin Montemarano
American Songwriter magazine has announced several new hires. Dallas Jackson has joined the staff as Editor in Chief, while Zac Litwack has been named Chief Marketing Officer, and Colin Montemarano as the Director of Brand Partnerships. All positions are based out of the publication’s Nashville, Tennessee headquarters.
Jackson has over 15 years of experience in digital media, with previous roles including the Director of Editorial at CBS Interactive, where he launched PopCulture.com. The company grew from a startup to over 7 million unique users in one year. In 2016, as the Editor in Chief for ComicBook.com, Jackson was able to increase unique users from 4 million to over 20 million in just two years. A Pennsylvania native, he began his career as Big East Conference Editor for Rivals.com, where he created the Rivals High brand and network.
American Songwriter has also hired Litwack as Chief Marketing Officer, where he will oversee digital marketing strategies, online growth, engagement via the American Songwriter website and social channels, and membership development. An MTSU graduate with a bachelor’s in Recording Arts, Litwack started his own production and marketing company after graduation, which produced a gold record and generated hundreds of millions of streams. After selling the company in 2013 he found his love of “Growth Hacking,” an umbrella term coined by Silicon Valley startups to propel massive growth using a small budget in a short amount of time. Most recently, he grew GoCheck, a pediatric healthcare technology startup, to multi-million dollars in recurring revenue.
Montemarano joins American Songwriter as the Director of Brand Partnerships. In his new role, he will manage all aspects of the American Songwriter brand, innovate partnerships with key artists and members of the media, as well as implement strategic events and additional partner-focused efforts. Montemarano previously served as Manager of Strategic Partnerships for the Music City Bowl and Nashville Sports Council, where he helped grow partnership revenue by over 20%. During his three years, he worked on multiple major events including the TransPerfect Music City Bowl, the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament, the Davis Cup, and others in the Nashville market. In 2019, Montemarano led the sales, marketing, and creative efforts of the Fan Zone on Broadway, a multi-day event in downtown Nashville that engaged fans with local and national brands throughout the footprint.
“American Songwriter magazine is a timeless, beloved brand that we are eager to elevate to the next level,” owner Sam Savage states. “With these new additions to our team, we have been able to set strategies and attain goals that have resulted in unprecedented growth. We are excited about this next chapter.”
Anthem Entertainment Extends Co-Publishing Deal With Jeremy Stover And RED Creative Group
/by Jessica NicholsonAnthem Entertainment has extended its co-publishing deal with songwriter/producer Jeremy Stover and Stover’s RED Creative Group. The deal renews and expands the relationship between Anthem Music Publishing and Stover, including Stover’s publishing interest in songs written by RED Creative Group’s roster of writers. The catalog includes song such as “How Not To” (Dan+Shay), Justin Moore’s “Somebody Else Will,” “The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home,” and “Why We Drink,” as well as “To a T” (Ryan Hurd) and “How I’ll Always Be” (Tim McGraw).
Anthem will continue to administer RED Creative Group’s roster of songwriters including Adam Hambrick, Kelly Archer, Travis Denning, Nathan Spicer, L.J, David Fanning and Baker Grissom. Anthem Music Publishing and Stover will also enter into an exclusive futures agreement to sign new songwriters.
Stover said, “Anthem shares the same creative spirit that we value so deeply at RED. Their drive and determination to elevate, while carving their own unique path in entertainment, makes them the perfect partner for RED’s future endeavors.”
Helen Murphy, CEO, Anthem Entertainment said, “Jeremy is an incredibly talented creative in his own right and he is passionate and fierce in his support of artists and songwriters. I am thrilled to expand our relationship with him and his skilled roster of songwriters.”
Tim Wipperman, President of Anthem Music Publishing Nashville, added, “When a music publisher has the rare opportunity to work with a writer and entrepreneur of Jeremy’s quality, it raises the bar for everyone. We’re excited to continue working with Jeremy and the RED Creative team.”
Keith Urban’s ‘The Speed of Now Part 1’ Coming In September
/by Jessica NicholsonKeith Urban recently surprised fans with the announcement of his upcoming studio album, The Speed of Now Part 1, which drops on Sept. 18.
A video announcement shows Urban sequestered at home and finding ways to pass the time—making coffee, watching television, scrolling through his phone, playing (Game of Thrones-themed) board games—as he also attempts to conjure up a name for the album.
“I liked it because I felt like life was flying by so fast. Faster and faster all the time. But music, for me, has always been the place where it slows down and doesn’t even exist. I would never have imagined that, in 2020, this album title would take on a whole new meaning and yet somehow still feel incredible relevant.”
The end of the video zips through the names of a few tracks from the project, including “Tumbleweed,” “Change Your Mind,” “Wait,” “Superman,” and “Polaroid,” which Urban released two weeks ago. “Polaroid” was written by Sam Fischer, Steph Jones, Geoff Warburton, Griffen Palmer and Mark Trussell. The track was produced by Urban and Joey Moi.
Watch the announcement video below:
Artist-Writers Shine On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart
/by LB CantrellArtist-writers make up half of the top 10 on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart this week, with Morgan Wallen at No. 4, Luke Combs at No. 5, Michael Hardy (or HARDY) at No. 6, Thomas Rhett at No. 8 and David Lee Murphy at No. 9.
Craig Wiseman remains at No. 1 for the third consecutive week, while Shane McAnally stays at No. 2 and Jonathan Singleton at No. 3.
The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart, published every week, uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital downloaded track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.
Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.
Ryman Auditorium To Remain Closed Through June 6
/by Lorie HollabaughRyman Auditorium. Photo: ryman.com/media
The Ryman Auditorium is electing to remain closed in the interest of the health and well-being of its guests and employees and to align with Metro Nashville safety guidelines through June 6, 2020.
They are extending the pause on operations for all activity at the Ryman, including shows and events, retail, food service at Cafe Lula, and all tours through that date. This includes all tickets purchased for events during this period. The Ryman will contact ticketholders directly regarding event rescheduling for concerts during this period.
Tickets for tour dates through June 6, 2020 will be automatically refunded to the credit card used to place the order. The Ryman Auditorium’s customer service team has already begun to process these refunds. At this time, events held after June 6, 2020 are proceeding as planned.
For a full list of affected concerts and events, visit ryman.com.
Industry Ink: Nashville Needs A Song, Chord Overstreet, Plaid Flag Music
/by Lorie HollabaughNSAI Helps Launch “Nashville Needs A Song” Competition
The “Nashville Needs A Song” songwriting competition is asking Music City songwriters to submit compositions that help inspire and uplift Nashvillians as they navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts. Nashville Needs A Song is a joint initiative of the Mayor’s Office, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI). NSAI will administer the contest, which is open to songs that include at least one songwriter who lives in Davidson County, with the submitting writer being a current member of NSAI. Submissions should be made at nashvillesongwriters.com until May 12. The first 100 submissions will be considered.
To encourage submissions and to help those who keep the music playing in Music City, the NCVC is offering prize money from its COVID-19 relief fund, which is part of its charitable foundation: $2,500 to the winning songwriter, along with $1,000 for second place and $500 for third. The winning tune may be used by the city and NCVC as part of marketing initiatives. Writers and their publishers will retain all future rights to the song.
Chord Overstreet Achieves Heavy Metal Status With “Hold On”
RIAA’s Jackie Jones with Chord Overstreet.
Chord Overstreet has earned his first career RIAA Platinum certification for his debut single, “Hold On,” and was recently congratulated via Zoom call for the accolade by Jackie Jones, the RIAA’s Vice President, Artist and Industry Relations. Continuing to impact listeners, the ballad has racked up over 175 million streams on Spotify; over 44 million streams on Apple Music, and over 203 million lyric video views on YouTube, as well as being featured in the series finale of The CW’s The Vampire Diaries.
Autumn McEntire Inks With Plaid Flag Music
Pictured (L-R): Courtney Blake, Creative Director, Autumn McEntire, Writer, Kendall Warren, Sr. Creative Director, Stephanie Cox, Sr. VP of Creative – Kobalt
Autumn McEntire has signed with Plaid Flag Music. The Oklahoma native and longtime Nashville resident began her career as a songwriter when she signed her first publishing deal upon graduating from Belmont University. As an artist, she had two independent releases and performed at the Ryman Auditorium. She’s had cuts by Matt Stell’s “Better I Drink” (2019), Walker County’s “The Hamptons” (2019), and Reba McEntire’s “Stronger Than The Truth” (2019) and has also secured cuts with up-and-coming artists Meghan Patrick, Stephanie Quayle, Lacy Cavalier, Rachel Reinert and Mae Estes.
“She’s incredible,” said Kendall Warren, Sr. Creative Director of Plaid Flag Music. “We have always admired her work and now are so excited to be partnering with her. She’s an amazing writer but an even better person. She will add incredible value to our team and we can’t wait for the future.”
Weekly Register: Gabby Barrett Continues To Rule Country Streaming Songs Chart
/by Jessica NicholsonThis week’s Top 5 country on-demand streaming songs:
Gabby Barrett, “I Hope”: 11.5 million/236 million to date
Diplo and Julia Michaels w/ Morgan Wallen, “Heartless”: 8.24 million/236 million to date
Morgan Wallen, “Chasin’ You”: 8.2 million/162 million to date
Maren Morris, “The Bones”: 7.8 million/323 million to date
Blake Shelton w/ Gwen Stefani, “Nobody But You”: 7 million/79 million to date
As previously reported, Kenny Chesney debuted atop the Billboard Top 200 albums chart this week with his latest release, Here and Now, with 233K in total consumption. He also tops this week’s country albums chart, while Luke Combs shifts down to the No. 2 and No. 3 spots. Morgan Wallen and Sam Hunt round out the top 5 country albums this week.
This week’s Top 5 country albums (total consumption):
Music, Film Industries Call On Congress To Fix Safety Net In CARES Act
/by Lorie HollabaughBMI, ASCAP, NSAI, RIAA, SAG-AFTRA, and many more organizations in the music and film industries sent a letter to members of Congress highlighting the ways implementation of the CARES Act has fallen short in aiding workers in the entertainment community. The letter also requests that these flaws be remedied in a new CARES Act COVID relief package.
In a joint statement the organizations stated: “While we appreciate the efforts of lawmakers to meet the challenges of this pandemic, we need to ensure that our community is getting the aid they need to survive. Musicians are struggling to access the basic financial resources available due to conflicting and burdensome requirements in relief programs. Simply, there is a hole in this safety net that Congress must fix in the next version of the CARES Act. We need help that only [Congress] can provide, in a way that recognizes the particulars of our industry. On behalf of the hundreds of thousands of us across the country, thank you for your understanding and your action.”
The letter lays out in stark terms the crisis that the live entertainment industry is facing due to the pandemic and points out the fact that the implementation of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program has overlooked workers who have mixed income and report it on W-2 and 1099 forms.
“In almost all cases that we see in every state, a minimum amount of W-2 income disqualifies a self-employed individual for PUA and significantly lowers the amount of assistance they receive,” the letter states. “PUA must be updated to recognize these different income streams and allow individuals to show their mixed sources of revenue for a full accounting of their annual income.”
Among the organizations signing the letter are the Artist Rights Alliance (ARA), American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI), the Future of Music Coalition, Global Music Rights (GMR), the Music Artists Coalition (MAC), the Music Business Association, National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), the Recording Academy, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the Screen Actors Guild-the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers (SESAC), the Songwriters Guild of America, the Songwriters of North America (SONA), SoundExchange and many more.
Luke Bryan To Co-Host ‘A Salute To The Songwriters’ Radio Concert Benefit
/by Lorie HollabaughLuke Bryan. Photo: Jim Wright
Luke Bryan is co-hosting “A Salute To The Songwriters,” a three-hour benefit concert for the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund presented by BMI and Cox Media Group, Alpha Media, Beasley Media Group, Hubbard Radio, Neuhoff Media and Townsquare Media this Saturday, (May 16) at 7 p.m. local time.
The concert will be co-hosted by several local DJs and broadcast on more than 100 country stations across all six broadcast groups, and will feature some of the writers behind country music’s biggest hits straight from their living rooms and home studios. The lineup includes Dallas Davidson, Rhett Akins, Jon Randall, Jessi Alexander, Luke Dick, Jeff Hyde, Brandon Kinney, Clint Daniels, Barry Dean, Natalie Hemby, Dylan Altman, and Wynn Varble.
The special will take audiences behind the scenes into the writing rooms with stories of how the hits were created, and will spotlight several songwriters on the rise as they discuss how this difficult time has directly affected them and their livelihoods.
“We’re proud to partner with the country’s leading local radio groups to support the songwriters whose music brings us together in good times and in bad,” said Mike O’Neill, President & CEO, BMI. “Songwriters are often considered the smallest of small businesses, and like so many small businesses, they are deeply impacted by this pandemic. We’re so grateful that some of BMI’s top country music creators are lending their voices to support this incredibly important cause.”
To donate to the MusiCares COVID-19 relief fund for songwriters, listeners can text SONGWRITERS to 41444 or click here to give online.
“Like so many others, songwriters have been deeply impacted by COVID-19 and the temporary closure of bars, restaurants and live music venues.” said Tim Clarke, VP of Content and Audience for Cox Media Group. “Broadcasters have outstanding relationships with this community, and we are honored to join together in creating this special to celebrate and support these talented individuals who are the heart of country music.”