Music News (7/29/15)

Nashville-headquartered SESAC has settled an antitrust lawsuit from the Radio Music Licensing Committee (RMLC), for the first time subjecting itself to arbitration over the royalty rates it sets.

Unlike larger PROs BMI and ASCAP, the privately owned licensing company is not subject to regulatory agreements with the federal government over its licensing processes.

The settlement, announced by both parties Thursday (July 23) will extend for 22 years, maintaining license fees for commercial radio stations until 2016, when they will begin to be subject to further negotiated agreements. Final arbitration will be conducted in early 2017 and happen throughout the duration of the agreement.

SESAC will pay no damages outside of reimbursing approximately $3.5 million in legal expenses. 

More at MusicRow.com.

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Pictured: (L-R) Back Row: Chris Oglesby (BMG, VP-Creative), Sara Knabe (BMG, Sr. Creative Director), Daniel Lee (BMG, Sr. Creative Director), Kevin Lane (BMG, Creative Director); Front Row: Jim Zumwalt (Shackelford, Bowen, Zumwalt & Hayes), Elizabeth Elkins, Vanessa Olivarez, Kos Weaver (BMG, Exec. Vice President)

BMG has signed Elizabeth Elkins and Vanessa Olivarez of the duo Granville Automatic to its roster. The pair co-wrote the current Billy Currington single “Drinking Town With A Football Problem” and have cuts on other upcoming releases. The duo is also prepping to release their third CD, An Army Without Music, set for release on Aug. 14.

Vocalist/songwriter Olivarez wrote and recorded a Top 10 single in Canada, has three cuts on Sugarland records and received a Dora nomination for her work in the Toronto production of Hairspray. She was also a top 12 finalist on American Idol.

Guitarist/songwriter Elkins is a grand prize winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest who has had songs on more than 40 television programs from Smallville to Jersey Shore and in the film Mean Girls 2.

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Pictured (back row L-R): Mike Snider, WME; Denise Stevens, Partner, Loeb & Loeb, LLP; (seated L-R): Tim Hunze, Parallel Music Publishing; Alex Hall; Hannah Showmaker, Parallel Entertainment

Parallel Entertainment has announced the signing of country artist Alex Hall to their roster for both personal management and publishing representation.

The Georgia native has opened shows for acts including Scotty McCreery, Jana Kramer, and Thomas Rhett.