Music News 12/1/2011

Sony/ATV Hangs At Top of Publisher Airplay Chart
Sony/ATV has been poised firmly at the pinnacle of the Top 10 Country Publishers Airplay Chart (published in Billboard) for six of the last seven quarters. The publishing company had 14.1% of market share for country airplay during the third quarter 2011, measured by HFA between July 1 and Sept. 30. This percentage is down slightly from Sony/ATV’s Q2 and Q1 shares, which were 14.8% and 15.9%, respectively, but still ranked No. 1 on the list.

Rounding out the top five publishers on the newly released Q3 country rankings are: No. 2 EMI Music Publishing (13.1%), No. 3 Warner/Chappell Music (11.7%), No. 4 UMPG (10.8%), and No. 5 Words And Music Copyright Administration (10.8%). The complete top ten list is in the Nov. 19 issue of Billboard.

Looking at the overall charts, EMI Music Publishing had the largest share of airplay for the sixth consecutive quarter with 17.9%. Nashville based Words & Music ranked No. 8, driven in part by “Tonight Tonight” (Hot Chelle Rae) and “Remind Me” (Brad Paisley/Carrie Underwood).

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Parallel Music Publishing Signs First Writer
Parallel Music Publishing has announced Blake Chaffin as the first songwriter to join its Nashville roster. Chaffin is a graduate of Kansas State University who moved to Nashville in 2002.

(L-R) standing: Tim Hunze, C.T. Wyatt; seated: attorney Chip Petree, Blake Chaffin

“To have someone believe in you is incredible,” says Chaffin. “This is a dream come true and I can’t wait to see what’s next.”

“Blake has great ideas, strong melodies and a passion for writing,” says Tim Hunze, who heads up Parallel Music Publishing. “History has proven that those are the makings of a great songwriter. Parallel is thrilled that we signed him before someone else did.”

Parallel Music Publishing is a division of the Los Angeles-based Parallel Entertainment, which opened its full-scale Nashville operation in August. The publishing company is a partnership between Hunze, Parallel Founder/CEO J.P Williams, and Nashville office head C.T. Wyatt. The company’s LA roster includes comedians Jeff Foxworthy, Larry the Cable Guy, Bill Engvall, and Lisa Lampanelli as well as music acts like Zella Day and Warner Music Nashville’s Dean Alexander.

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UMPG Re-Signs Andrew Dorff
UMPG Nashville has re-signed hit songwriter Andrew Dorff to an exclusive worldwide publishing agreement. Dorff co-wrote Ronnie Dunn’s recent hit, “Bleed Red” along with Gary Allan’s “Kiss Me When I’m Down.” His work has been recorded by artists such as Tim McGraw, Billy Currington, Sara Evans, Hunter Hayes, Laura Bell Bundy, Lori McKenna, Carter’s Chord, Tyler Farr, Greg Bates and The Lunabelles.

(seated): Dorff (standing L-R:) Attorney Jeff Biederman, and UMPG’s Kent Earls, Pat Higdon and Michael Rexford

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Ben Hayslip Extends Warner/Chappell & THIS Music Agreement
Warner/Chappell Music—the global music publishing arm of Warner Music Group Corp.—together with partner This Music—a leading Nashville-based music publishing company—today announced they have extended their worldwide co-publishing agreement for the future works of hit songwriter Ben Hayslip.

Front Row (L–R): Tim Nichols (Co-owner THIS Music), Connie Harrington (Co-owner THIS Music), Ben Hayslip, Rusty Gaston (GM/Co-owner THIS Music), Janine Appleton (Creative Manager, This Music) Back Row (L–R): Steve Markland (VP Warner/Chappell Music), BJ Hill (Sr. Director Warner/Chappell Music), Chip Petree (Petree Law), Phil May (GM/VP Warner/Chappell Music), Alicia Pruitt (Sr. Director Warner/Chappell Music)

“We’re longtime fans of Ben and extremely proud of the year he’s had so far,” said Cameron Strang, Chairman & CEO, Warner/Chappell Music. “He’s one of the most talented songwriters in Nashville and we feel privileged to continue having him on our team.”

“Warner/Chappell and THIS Music have been invaluable to me and my career,” said Hayslip. “Their extensive network of talented songwriters and incredibly vast catalog of songs is awe-inspiring. Extending my partnership with them was the obvious thing to do.”

Hayslip is a staff writer for THIS Music and Warner/Chappell Music and has seen his songs recorded by acts such as Brooks & Dunn, Tim McGraw, Billy Currington, Blake Shelton, Rodney Adkins, Joe Nichols, Jack Ingram and Willie Nelson. He was recently named ASCAP’s 2011 “Country Songwriter of the Year,” due in part to his four recent No. 1 songs: Joe Nichols’ “Gimmie That Girl,” Josh Turner’s “All Over Me,” and Blake Shelton’s “All About Tonight” and “Honey Bee.”

Warner/Chappell Music has a worldwide co-publishing agreement with THIS Music. In addition to co-publishing and administering This Music’s output, Warner/Chappell and THIS Music sign and collaborate with writers and artists to identify opportunities for their songs and creative efforts. THIS Music was formed in 2006 and launched in partnership with Warner/Chappell Music by songwriters Tim Nichols, Connie Harrington and GM Rusty Gaston.