“A hold now has become a definite maybe,” Chuck Neese told MusicRow in 1988.
In 1995 then Capitol A&R head Mark Brown stated, “A problem with holds has always existed, [but] lately things are reaching epidemic proportions. Producers and labels have gotten very aggressive about wanting to find a song first. Instead of taking a copy to listen to again and/ or play for the artists, they just instantly say, ‘Put it on hold.’ It places a great deal of pressure on the song community.”
In Nashville a “hold” is a verbal agreement between writers, publishers, producers, artists and/or A&R execs to record a particular song. In the mid-‘70s it began with a producer calling up a publisher and saying, “Hold that song, we’re going in to cut it tomorrow.” But today, top level participants say the traditional hold is fast becoming a memory.
The dictionary defines “hold” as: a) To have or maintain control over b) To reserve or keep back from use c) To have as a responsible position or a privilege d) To bind by a contract.
Sounds simple, so what’s the problem? Economics is exacerbating concerns on all sides. Mechanical royalties, created by album sales, were once a measurable quantity that could be used to recoup writer advances. Unfortunately, that revenue stream has mostly evaporated. In its stead is the need to earn the performance royalties generated by a Top Ten airplay single. This means that to stay employed, publishers and writers must position their songs for success with the strongest possible radio artists. Meanwhile, producers and labels still have to find great material to help break new artists. And now there are so many layers of decision makers involved in the process— managers, multiple publishers, writers, A&R, etc. It creates a brutal tug of war.
In fact, the landscape has become such a minefield that in order to honestly address the situation we realized it would be necessary to offer anonymity to all participants. MusicRow spoke with high powered publisher/pluggers, producers and A&R execs, who graciously agreed to share their deep concerns over the hold’s present and future. Here’s what they had to say.
Q: What does the Hold mean to you today?
A&R Person: “Hold” doesn’t have the meaning it once did. It’s a tough time now and everyone needs the best cuts they can get. Many of my acts are new and putting things on hold is the only chance I have to get something. But regardless, if a bigger artist comes around, most likely I’ll lose it no matter what. It’s the publisher’s copyright. They have the right to decide what they want to do, but it’s frustrating when you’ve played the song for the artist and the producer, everyone’s excited and then a bigger artist grabs it away.
Publisher/Plugger: Look at the purpose of a hold and the end game. The record label needs amazing material for its artists that the consumer will want to listen to and buy. They go to the best songwriters to find it. The hold is just one piece of that process. Generally without a hold you don’t have a cut, so yes, we do give holds. A publisher’s first responsibility is to the writer—not the artist or producer. Each situation is unique. There’s an inherent unfairness to a process that can tie up a writer’s song and a publisher’s inventory because the record label is taking an unreasonable amount of time to make decisions. In each case you look at the players, people and relationships, then decide what is best for that songwriter. Communication is key. If you aren’t communicating with all parties, then you aren’t doing it right.
Producer: In my perspective a mutual hold is something I have first rights on until I have the opportunity to play it for my artist. Usually that’s about a month window depending upon how active the artist is. I’ve had songs on hold for 8 months, but we’ve cut them. It’s been songs we’ve loved and really wanted. And I’ve given songs up before because we couldn’t commit 100% even though we loved it. We hated giving it up, but couldn’t let a writer miss out on a Kenny Chesney cut or something like that. It’s more of a respect thing for me.
Publisher/Plugger: Today there are way too many casual holds. An A&R person puts songs on hold at each appointment. Before long, a lot of songs are held that the artist may not ever hear. There’s not enough, “Gosh this is the song I should be fighting for.” Sometimes we have problems with other publishers and young song pluggers who haven’t yet acquired a long term perspective. They don’t realize that if you play a great song for the first person whose office you walk into and they hold it, it’s then out of circulation. Later, that plugger may not have the right properties to show.
Q: Hold Problems?
Producer: Nobody honors a hold anymore. It’s funny how pluggers play a song for twenty other people and tell them I have it on hold to help get backup holds. The whole thing is 100% the pluggers fault. I’ve really limited the pluggers I work with because of the hold problems we’ve had where they’ll tell you, “You’ve got it,” but then go out and try to get it cut somewhere else at the same time. Then they’ll force you in a corner saying, “Hey, I didn’t mean to play it, but they were in my office and I didn’t know they were going in next week but…” I find myself not going back to those pluggers because I don’t like the game they play. I wish pluggers today cared a little more about their and the songwriter’s relationships with the producers. Grow that relationship for the future instead of just throwing something against the wall and hoping it sticks.
Publisher/Plugger: We don’t give second or third holds, we have one hold. Multiple holds is not an ethical way of doing business. We post the date and a termination date when it expires. If my guys go out and pitch a song during that period of time they are going to have to be accountable to me and whoever they promised that song to. Producers have a valid point with a lot of pluggers and it shows because the integrity of a hold has diminished to almost nothing. The number of holds issued in any given day in this town far outnumber what is getting recorded.
A&R Person: I’m OK with pluggers playing something I have on hold because I know everyone is chasing that elusive performance royalty. They should say, “I’m playing this for you, but it is on hold. If you like it I’ll try to get a quick answer.” However, you still give the first shot to the person with the hold. It doesn’t always work that way. It’s a dog-eat-dog world right now. The plugger might call and say, “Hey, we have to make money too. This writer is ready to get dropped, and we have to pick up their option and this cut is on Rascal Flatts and you guys really don’t have anything and we appreciate where you’re coming from and we didn’t mean for this to happen, but we’re gonna take it anyway.” Truthfully, I understand…but it’s hard. I can’t afford to let my act lose a shot at hearing a great song because my ego was hurt when someone took a cut that was better to help feed their writer, I just can’t do it. It’s not personal. Another problem is that with a new artist you must watch the budgets by doing a lot of pre-production. You have to cut 3,4,5 songs at a time to make the numbers work. The budget isn’t there to just cut one or two songs at a time, which means you can’t move as fast as the bigger artists can. But one thing that makes me furious is when they are still pitching a song after you’ve put your money behind it. I’ve spent $20k recording the song and they are still pitching it? That is completely disrespectful to us and makes me never want to have someone in my office again.
Q: How do you react if a producer or A&R person plays artist bait and switch?
Publisher/Plugger: We get to make the call. I tell my pluggers, “It’s like you’re in a casino. You pick where to bet. If people try to move you to another table, you can pick up your money and run, you don’t have to leave it there.” That’s the art of being a great song plugger, you pick your bet. What some pluggers forget is to carefully learn their market and artists, then trust their instincts. And you can’t only shoot for those special moments when the stars completely line up. If you have a relationship with an artist or producer that you feel can be of value for many, many years then you have to let the song find its way. Some people are scared the bottom has fallen out so they are thinking short term as opposed to looking at this as a career. It’s never been perfect in all these years, but it seems to me there was a time when it worked better.
Producer: I have multiple acts, but I’ll specifically ask the plugger, “I want to hold this for artist A, but if he passes can I play it for another artist?” He may answer, “If artist A passes then we really want to get this to Strait.” I understand that, but sometimes if I’ve gotten that plugger a bunch of cuts, they’ll work with me. As long as we can respect the hold and not let them miss a Tim McGraw or something. It’s a tricky thing. I don’t care what anybody says, there’s no cure for the hold. It’s about relationships and respect for the people you’re working with including the songwriters. And that’s the crime. Songwriters are not being respected by people who are throwing these things away. I have a lot of respect for songwriters and understand that one hit can change their life. It’s unfair for me to take that one song away from them forever and then not commit to cutting it.
Publisher/Plugger: There are times in this business when labels, artists, publishers, and/ or songwriters have to give each other bad news. The mechanical royalty has become so devalued that you absolutely need singles to keep a songwriter in a deal. Without singles, they don‘t have jobs. So when the “play it for my other artist?” question comes up we appreciate the belief in our song, but if we did give it to you for a particular artist we may have to reserve the right to investigate some other opportunities before we can go down that path.
Q: Is the Nashville song community unique?
Publisher/Plugger: Song plugging sets Nashville apart from all the other songwriting and publishing communities in the world. It’s a service we provide to our songwriters that no one else in any other territory does the way we do. Casting is part of that. Pitching to the biggest artist on the pitch sheet is not always the best way. Pairing a song with the right artist is an art form that improves the chances of having a monstrous hit. I read where Jake Owen said he passed on “Big Green Tractor” saying, “I didn’t feel that song fit me. I didn’t grow up riding a big tractor.” That’s a smart artist. He recognized a strong song, but realized it didn’t fit him and instead waited for one that did. And he picked a great song with ‘Barefoot Blue Jean Night’ that fit him well.
A&R Person: There are publishers that are amazing at casting and they bring you exactly what they think you need. Anyone who is passionate about what they do can come play songs for me, but the ones that cast, know the artists and are really trying to help, those are the ones that I love meeting with. There are also publishers that just bring over their newest ten song session and let you filter through them which is fine, but doesn’t save me time. And part of their job is to make mine easier. Publisher/Plugger: There was a point in this town when you had about 25 imprints and there was enough “pizza” to feed everyone. Now you have to make choices. Many songs are co-written so there are many publishers plus independent creative people working on each song. You can have 3-7 (or more) folks actively working to get a song recorded and everyone has an equal say. You have to communicate it out and sometimes it means someone is not going to be happy. To me, it is all about transparency and communication, but sometimes they can be tough conversations to have.
A&R Person: Myself and many others I talk with would like holds to evolve into “Whoever cuts it first and puts their money behind it.” That’s how you assess belief. Whoever cuts it first has spoken with what is most precious, money. •
Wednesday Photos
/by contributorShow Dog—Universal Music’s JT Hodges recently made his Grand Ole Opry debut at the historic Ryman Auditorium.
(L-R) Grand Ole Opry VP/GM Pete Fisher, Hodges and SDU President Mark Wright
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BMI and the Basement teamed up again to present the latest installment of BMI Buzz on Nov. 2. Snapshot sets from Charlene Marie, Brandon Rhyder, Ann Marie, and CALEB fueled the quarterly showcase, which exemplifies BMI’s and the Basement’s commitment to developing songwriting talent in all genres.
(L-R) BMI’s Mark Mason and Jody Williams; Brandon Rhyder; CALEB’s Scott Mills, Caleb Chapman, and Will Chapman; and BMI’s Bradley Collins.
Rodney Atkins To Kick-Off The Holidays With TV Performances
/by contributorFollowing his Late Night performance, he will join TODAY Show’s Al Roker tomorrow morning (11/24) at 7 AM/ET, and later perform in The 85th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC.
Post-Thanksgiving, Atkins will continue to ring in the holiday season with a performance Dec. 1 at the 89th Annual National Christmas Tree Lighting, live from Washington, D.C. The event will air on PBS and be streamed live at www.thenationaltree.org.
In addition to his upcoming television appearances, People magazine spotlights the singer in this week’s edition. Atkins opens up to the publication about his adoption and the emotional moment when he was reunited with his birth mother.
Indiana State Fair Victims File Comprehensive Suit
/by Sarah SkatesSugarland returned to Indianapolis Oct. 28 for a free concert at Conseco Fieldhouse to raise money for victims of the state fair tragedy.
Sugarland, show producers, and stage riggers are among those named in the most comprehensive lawsuit yet stemming from the Indiana State Fair tragedy, according to the AP. Bringing suit are forty-four survivors and the family members of four people who died during the Aug. 13 disaster. The report states:
Other lawsuits and legal actions are ongoing, some of which name the state of Indiana. According to the AP, a state administered fund has paid about $564,000 to 28 people, and has about $400,000 more to pay. Indiana law puts a $5 million cap on the state’s liability for damages from the stage collapse.
Country Sales: Six Weeks Remain
/by bossrossIt’s the day before Thanksgiving, so I’m going to be brief and promise this year not to wing it with the holiday puns. Everyone is too busy stuffing holiday bins trying to get a leg up for the upcoming black Friday sales to suffer the gobble gobble jokes. If you’ve been keeping a-breast of our weekly sales reports then you’ve noticed the fowl downward direction that our YTD comparisons have been taking since the week of 10-23. Oh how the mighty have tumbled into a cranberry bog! Country album sales YTD have been carved from a surplus of 9.3% one month ago, to our present 1.4% increase. All genre sales are doing slightly better, still ahead 2.8%.
Country album sales are topped by Idol phenom Scotty McCreery who shifted over 33,000 units to land at No. 1. Lady Antebellum (32,000), Miranda Lambert (28,000), Luke Bryan (22,000) and Jason Aldean (21,000) round out the Top 5. David Nail has the only Top 10 country album debut this week scanning about 13,000. Taylor Swift’s CD/DVD live package is in the racks now, so we’ll get some numbers next week. No idea where that will land, but it’s going to be hard to offset the continued decline in country’s YTD album tally.
For those counting we have six more weeks to complete the year. To equal last year’s total (43.720 million) we need to sell an additional 9.2214 million units or an average of 1.535 million for each of the remaining six weeks. (Last week we sold 829k).
Talking Turkey
If you’re not winning, why not challenge the system measuring your results? And in fact, readers of this column know this writer’s desire to have Nielsen SoundScan create country and overall TEA (track equivalent albums) charts in time for next year. (It would be a great Christmas present!)
YTD country has sold 128 million tracks. That’s a TEA of almost 13 million albums, almost a 40% increase if added to country album sales. That is significant and either is or should be profitable. Some people will find this upsetting to hear, but get over it—tracks are the new albums with respect to sales.
Need more convincing? This week’s top five country track positions were filled by Toby Keith “Red Solo Cup” (58k), Luke Bryan “…Night To End” (56k), Taylor Swift “Movie” (52k), “Ours” (47k), and Blake Shelton “God Gave Me You” (42k). Added together that is 255,000 tracks or over 25,000 TEA albums. Total country tracks this week hit 2.56 million or a quarter million albums!
Have you tried the new Google Music offering yet? Join me at +davidmross or tweet @davidmross and let me know your reaction.
A special HAPPY HOLIDAYS to all. Your readership means so much to me. Thank You so much for your support. Best to you and yours—have a great holiday!
A Skaggs Family Christmas Comes To Nashville
/by Freeman(L-R): Sharon White Skaggs, Buck White, Rachel Leftwich, Ricky Skaggs, Cheryl White, Luke Skaggs and Molly Skaggs. Photo: Erick Anderson
A Skaggs Family Christmas will bring the holiday spirit to Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center on Thursday, December 22 at 7 pm. Members of the Skaggs and White families will combine for an ensemble performance of bluegrass-inspired holiday favorites and originals backed by Jim Gray and the Nashville Session Players.
The 15-member group will feature Skaggs, his wife Sharon, their children Luke and Molly, Buck and Cheryl White with Cheryl’s daughter Rachel, plus Kentucky Thunder and guests. This is the ninth year for A Skaggs Family Christmas to tour during the holiday season, and this year’s itinerary includes Brooks Center for the Performing Arts, The Paramount Theater, Music Center at Strathmore, Tennessee Theatre, Honeywell Center, Niswonger Performing Arts Center of NW Ohio, Smokey Mountain Performing Arts Center and wraps with the Nashville performance at the Schermerhorn. Get tickets here.
“We started singing these songs in our living room ages ago,” explains Sharon. “We had no idea that we would ever take this show to so many different places.”
Additionally, Ricky Skaggs and the Whites will sign autographs at the Country Music Hall of Fame store this Saturday, Nov. 26 at 2 pm as part of the museum’s “Deck The Hall” program.
Photos: SOLID Turkey Bowl, Thompson Square on Santa Train
/by Eric T. ParkerCapitol Records Nashville won the tournament, and CAA led the drive by donating more than 680 pounds of food, all to support Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Other music industry companies represented were APA, CMT, EMI Publishing, Flood Bumstead McCready & McCarthy, Paradigm, SESAC, Sony Music, Universal Music Group, WME, and Warner Music Nashville.
SOLID will donate the approximate $2,000 from team entry fees for the event to St. Jude.
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Thompson Square and Santa on the CSX Charity Train
Husband/wife duo Thompson Square joined Santa and over 100 volunteers for the 69th Annual CSX Santa Train toy giveaway this past Saturday (11/19) handing out over 15 tons of toys.
The CSX train traveled 110 miles through the Appalachian towns in Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee spreading toys to children and families in association with Kids Wish Network, Food City, and the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce.
The giveaway train pulled into the Kingsport, TN station where Thompson Square officially kicked off the holiday season in the Tri-Cities area with a charity concert.
DISClaimer Single Reviews (11/23/11)
/by Robert K OermannTwo of our three contenders for the DisCovery Award got there via the humor route. Kris Gordon is jaunty and easy-going, but both Zach Paxson and The Cleverlys are chuckling and grinning all the way. The Cleverlys are funnier. They get the prize.
The philosophical song is the excellent new effort by Ty Herndon. Willie Nelson provides the classic country tune.
I don’t give a Comeback of the Day award, but if I did, it would most assuredly go to Sherrie Austin. Her Circus Girl is a wonderful winner.
In a surprise development, Josh Thompson wins his first Disc of the Day award from this column.
KRIS GORDON/The Up Side Of Down
Writer: Tony Ramey/Michael White; Producer: Dean Miller; Publisher: Songs of Cherry Lane Ventures/Fast Horse/Big Picture/Cherry River, BMI/ASCAP; Frio (track) (www.krisgordon.net)
—It has a very cool, loping groove and some charming guitar and steel licks. His jaunty, relaxed vocal performance matches the song’s upbeat mood perfectly. Playable in the extreme.
JOSH THOMPSON/Comin’ Around
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; RCA
—Easily his strongest effort to date. He delivers the lyric of personal evolution in a warm, honest drawl while a banjo ripples notes and a Telecaster twangs in support. It’s ultra melodic and made even more so by some highly effective harmony vocals.
SHERRY LYNN/Breakin’ Up Song
Writer: Steve Dean/Blake Gray/Will Nance; Producer: Ted Hewitt; Publisher: Brentwood Benson/Blue Guitar/Smokin’ Grapes/Bilangray/Lil’ Geezer, BMI; Quarterback (www.sherrylynnmusic.com)
—It is exactly what the title says it is, and well-written at that. Her singing of it is adequate, if unexceptional.
TY HERNDON/Stones
Writer: Hinson/Michaels/Tribble; Producer: none listed; Publisher: American Romance/Beechtree/Check Please/Jumping Cholla/WB, no performance rights listed; Flying Island/Funl
—From a birth stone to a childhood pebble to a wedding ring to a grave marker “our lives are paved with stones.” It’s a powerful ballad, and this guy has the vocal chops to nail its every emotion. A-plus.
SHAWNA RUSSELL/Waitin’ On Sunrise
Writer: Shawna Russell/Keith Russell/Tim Russell; Producer: Julian King, Clif Doyal & Tim Russell; Publisher: Blue Buckaroo, BMI; Way Out West (615-319-1863)
—Previously noted for rocking out, this time the lady is moody and contemplative. The mid-tempo, echoey arrangement frames her performance with a solid, steady groove highlighted by a dandy electric guitar solo and some sighing organ notes.
SHERRIE AUSTIN/Circus Girl
Writer: Sherrie Austin/Charity Daw/Will Rambeaux; Producer: Will Rambeaux & Sherrie Austin; Publisher: Magic Mustang/Write ‘Em Cowgirl/Ram Writers Group/Bayou Boy/Charity Daw, BMI; Circus Girl (track) (www.sherrieaustinmusic.com)
—It has been way too long since we’ve heard from “the saucy Aussie.” She wrote or co-wrote all 13 songs on her comeback CD. This title tune has delightfully quirky metaphors, a dynamite and pop-inflected production, a thumping backbeat, an enchanting melody and a throaty vocal performance that is positively enthralling. I remain a totally devoted fan.
BRYAN FONTENOT/Who I Ain’t
Writer: Jamie Paulin/Justin Lantz; Producer: Bryan Fontenot; Publisher: none listed, BMI; BF (www.bryanfontenot.com)
—It’s a way-serious ballad that’s a tad on the preachy side. The upward modulation on the last chorus only rubs it in.
THE CLEVERLYS/I Gotta Feelin’
Writer: none listed; Producer: Paul Harris, Chris Connor & Matthew Dyer; Publisher: none listed; Stabbin Cabin (track) (www.thecleverlys.com)
—If you caught these spoofing yokels at CMA Music Fest last summer, you’re probably already grinning. Yes, it’s the Black Eyed Peas song done with hillbilly drawl and bluegrass instrumentation. On their eponymous debut CD, The Cleverlys do the same with The Bangles’ “Walk Like an Egyptian,” Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine” and, unforgettably, Beyonce’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).” Plus, you get originals like “Girl with No Pantyline.” The rube spoken-word passages are as riotous as the ditties are. Essential.
ZACH PAXSON/Good Luck With That
Writer: Zachary J. Paxson; Producer: Larry Beaird & Zach Paxson; Publisher: none listed; ZP (track) (www.zachpaxson.com)
—Paxson solo wrote all 12 tracks on his album, so hats off for that. The twinkling, witty, up-tempo title tune shows off some hearty hillbilly humor that would sound simply splendid on country radio. If he doesn’t have a hit with this, somebody should.
WILLIE NELSON/Remember Me
Writer: Stuart Hamblen; Producer: James Stroud; Publisher: Chappell, ASCAP; R & J (track) (www.willienelson.com)
—Willie’s new CD is a stroll through 14 of his favorite country oldies. Its title tune is lilting, hopeful song of steadfast love. “Remember Me (I’m the One Who Loves You)” was initially a 1950 hit for its composer as well as for Ernest Tubb. Dean Martin picked it up in 1965; Jerry Lee Lewis recorded in 1975 and Willie, himself, previously had a hit with it in 1976. The difference here is the twin-fiddle production by Stroud. In addition to sparkling tracks, he has the 78-year-old superstar sounding simply spectacular vocally throughout the collection.
Scott Borchetta On CNBC Power Lunch
/by adminBig Machine Label Group Chieftain Scott Borchetta does an artful two-step as they ask him right at the top of the interview if he has plans to sell to Sony and for how much?
“I talk to people all the time,” Borchetta smiles. “We’ve created a winning culture here…” Borchetta appeared as a guest on today’s Power Lunch program (11/22) and also discussed why country is doing well in difficult times, the “culture of Taylor Swift” and what it’s like to be a risk taker…
Here’s a short part of the transcript…
Q: The rumor is you’re selling to sony. That sony is very interested. Is that the case?
SB: That’s a great rumor, isn’t it?
Q: It’s a great rumor. It would make you an extremely wealthy man.
SB: You know what, I have a house. I have a car. They’ve got to do something really incredible to close this deal.
Q: What about $200 million? That’s a good starting place, isn’t it? Are you having discussions with them or others? Universal is rumored to be there as well.
SB: The wonderful thing about our company and the independence that we have is that we’ve created our own winning culture. And I think it’s a culture that is in high demand. So there are a lot of people interested in sharing our culture.
Q: So I would take that as you’re open to discussions.
SB: Hey, you know what? I talk to people all day long every day. Let’s see what they’ve got. They’re going to have to really buy into what we do.
Q: So if sony’s listening, I think that’s northwards of 200 million bucks, just so you guys know.
Apartment Complex Coming To The Row
/by Sarah SkatesAtlanta based Stonehenge DCM is behind the 86-unit project which is expected to include a mix of studios, one and two-bedroom offerings.
According to the report, the developer paid $1.65 million for the .74 acre site, which currently has a building that is set to be demolished. A five story complex will be built in its place, and is slated to open in about a year.
Music City apartment occupancy is at 94.6 percent, which has been driving costs upward, according to the Greater Nashville Apartment Association.
Requiem For The Hold
/by bossrossIn 1995 then Capitol A&R head Mark Brown stated, “A problem with holds has always existed, [but] lately things are reaching epidemic proportions. Producers and labels have gotten very aggressive about wanting to find a song first. Instead of taking a copy to listen to again and/ or play for the artists, they just instantly say, ‘Put it on hold.’ It places a great deal of pressure on the song community.”
In Nashville a “hold” is a verbal agreement between writers, publishers, producers, artists and/or A&R execs to record a particular song. In the mid-‘70s it began with a producer calling up a publisher and saying, “Hold that song, we’re going in to cut it tomorrow.” But today, top level participants say the traditional hold is fast becoming a memory.
The dictionary defines “hold” as: a) To have or maintain control over b) To reserve or keep back from use c) To have as a responsible position or a privilege d) To bind by a contract.
In fact, the landscape has become such a minefield that in order to honestly address the situation we realized it would be necessary to offer anonymity to all participants. MusicRow spoke with high powered publisher/pluggers, producers and A&R execs, who graciously agreed to share their deep concerns over the hold’s present and future. Here’s what they had to say.
Q: What does the Hold mean to you today?
A&R Person: “Hold” doesn’t have the meaning it once did. It’s a tough time now and everyone needs the best cuts they can get. Many of my acts are new and putting things on hold is the only chance I have to get something. But regardless, if a bigger artist comes around, most likely I’ll lose it no matter what. It’s the publisher’s copyright. They have the right to decide what they want to do, but it’s frustrating when you’ve played the song for the artist and the producer, everyone’s excited and then a bigger artist grabs it away.
Publisher/Plugger: Look at the purpose of a hold and the end game. The record label needs amazing material for its artists that the consumer will want to listen to and buy. They go to the best songwriters to find it. The hold is just one piece of that process. Generally without a hold you don’t have a cut, so yes, we do give holds. A publisher’s first responsibility is to the writer—not the artist or producer. Each situation is unique. There’s an inherent unfairness to a process that can tie up a writer’s song and a publisher’s inventory because the record label is taking an unreasonable amount of time to make decisions. In each case you look at the players, people and relationships, then decide what is best for that songwriter. Communication is key. If you aren’t communicating with all parties, then you aren’t doing it right.
Producer: In my perspective a mutual hold is something I have first rights on until I have the opportunity to play it for my artist. Usually that’s about a month window depending upon how active the artist is. I’ve had songs on hold for 8 months, but we’ve cut them. It’s been songs we’ve loved and really wanted. And I’ve given songs up before because we couldn’t commit 100% even though we loved it. We hated giving it up, but couldn’t let a writer miss out on a Kenny Chesney cut or something like that. It’s more of a respect thing for me.
Publisher/Plugger: Today there are way too many casual holds. An A&R person puts songs on hold at each appointment. Before long, a lot of songs are held that the artist may not ever hear. There’s not enough, “Gosh this is the song I should be fighting for.” Sometimes we have problems with other publishers and young song pluggers who haven’t yet acquired a long term perspective. They don’t realize that if you play a great song for the first person whose office you walk into and they hold it, it’s then out of circulation. Later, that plugger may not have the right properties to show.
Producer: Nobody honors a hold anymore. It’s funny how pluggers play a song for twenty other people and tell them I have it on hold to help get backup holds. The whole thing is 100% the pluggers fault. I’ve really limited the pluggers I work with because of the hold problems we’ve had where they’ll tell you, “You’ve got it,” but then go out and try to get it cut somewhere else at the same time. Then they’ll force you in a corner saying, “Hey, I didn’t mean to play it, but they were in my office and I didn’t know they were going in next week but…” I find myself not going back to those pluggers because I don’t like the game they play. I wish pluggers today cared a little more about their and the songwriter’s relationships with the producers. Grow that relationship for the future instead of just throwing something against the wall and hoping it sticks.
Publisher/Plugger: We don’t give second or third holds, we have one hold. Multiple holds is not an ethical way of doing business. We post the date and a termination date when it expires. If my guys go out and pitch a song during that period of time they are going to have to be accountable to me and whoever they promised that song to. Producers have a valid point with a lot of pluggers and it shows because the integrity of a hold has diminished to almost nothing. The number of holds issued in any given day in this town far outnumber what is getting recorded.
A&R Person: I’m OK with pluggers playing something I have on hold because I know everyone is chasing that elusive performance royalty. They should say, “I’m playing this for you, but it is on hold. If you like it I’ll try to get a quick answer.” However, you still give the first shot to the person with the hold. It doesn’t always work that way. It’s a dog-eat-dog world right now. The plugger might call and say, “Hey, we have to make money too. This writer is ready to get dropped, and we have to pick up their option and this cut is on Rascal Flatts and you guys really don’t have anything and we appreciate where you’re coming from and we didn’t mean for this to happen, but we’re gonna take it anyway.” Truthfully, I understand…but it’s hard. I can’t afford to let my act lose a shot at hearing a great song because my ego was hurt when someone took a cut that was better to help feed their writer, I just can’t do it. It’s not personal. Another problem is that with a new artist you must watch the budgets by doing a lot of pre-production. You have to cut 3,4,5 songs at a time to make the numbers work. The budget isn’t there to just cut one or two songs at a time, which means you can’t move as fast as the bigger artists can. But one thing that makes me furious is when they are still pitching a song after you’ve put your money behind it. I’ve spent $20k recording the song and they are still pitching it? That is completely disrespectful to us and makes me never want to have someone in my office again.
Q: How do you react if a producer or A&R person plays artist bait and switch?
Publisher/Plugger: We get to make the call. I tell my pluggers, “It’s like you’re in a casino. You pick where to bet. If people try to move you to another table, you can pick up your money and run, you don’t have to leave it there.” That’s the art of being a great song plugger, you pick your bet. What some pluggers forget is to carefully learn their market and artists, then trust their instincts. And you can’t only shoot for those special moments when the stars completely line up. If you have a relationship with an artist or producer that you feel can be of value for many, many years then you have to let the song find its way. Some people are scared the bottom has fallen out so they are thinking short term as opposed to looking at this as a career. It’s never been perfect in all these years, but it seems to me there was a time when it worked better.
Producer: I have multiple acts, but I’ll specifically ask the plugger, “I want to hold this for artist A, but if he passes can I play it for another artist?” He may answer, “If artist A passes then we really want to get this to Strait.” I understand that, but sometimes if I’ve gotten that plugger a bunch of cuts, they’ll work with me. As long as we can respect the hold and not let them miss a Tim McGraw or something. It’s a tricky thing. I don’t care what anybody says, there’s no cure for the hold. It’s about relationships and respect for the people you’re working with including the songwriters. And that’s the crime. Songwriters are not being respected by people who are throwing these things away. I have a lot of respect for songwriters and understand that one hit can change their life. It’s unfair for me to take that one song away from them forever and then not commit to cutting it.
Publisher/Plugger: There are times in this business when labels, artists, publishers, and/ or songwriters have to give each other bad news. The mechanical royalty has become so devalued that you absolutely need singles to keep a songwriter in a deal. Without singles, they don‘t have jobs. So when the “play it for my other artist?” question comes up we appreciate the belief in our song, but if we did give it to you for a particular artist we may have to reserve the right to investigate some other opportunities before we can go down that path.
Q: Is the Nashville song community unique?
Publisher/Plugger: Song plugging sets Nashville apart from all the other songwriting and publishing communities in the world. It’s a service we provide to our songwriters that no one else in any other territory does the way we do. Casting is part of that. Pitching to the biggest artist on the pitch sheet is not always the best way. Pairing a song with the right artist is an art form that improves the chances of having a monstrous hit. I read where Jake Owen said he passed on “Big Green Tractor” saying, “I didn’t feel that song fit me. I didn’t grow up riding a big tractor.” That’s a smart artist. He recognized a strong song, but realized it didn’t fit him and instead waited for one that did. And he picked a great song with ‘Barefoot Blue Jean Night’ that fit him well.
A&R Person: There are publishers that are amazing at casting and they bring you exactly what they think you need. Anyone who is passionate about what they do can come play songs for me, but the ones that cast, know the artists and are really trying to help, those are the ones that I love meeting with. There are also publishers that just bring over their newest ten song session and let you filter through them which is fine, but doesn’t save me time. And part of their job is to make mine easier. Publisher/Plugger: There was a point in this town when you had about 25 imprints and there was enough “pizza” to feed everyone. Now you have to make choices. Many songs are co-written so there are many publishers plus independent creative people working on each song. You can have 3-7 (or more) folks actively working to get a song recorded and everyone has an equal say. You have to communicate it out and sometimes it means someone is not going to be happy. To me, it is all about transparency and communication, but sometimes they can be tough conversations to have.
A&R Person: Myself and many others I talk with would like holds to evolve into “Whoever cuts it first and puts their money behind it.” That’s how you assess belief. Whoever cuts it first has spoken with what is most precious, money. •