Music News (7/6/16)

Music Publishing Industry Concerns Grow Following Department Of Justice Ruling

The Nashville music publishing community responded with disappointment, shock and surprise when the Department of Justice unexpectedly introduced a 100 percent licensing model involving PROs.

The decision on 100 percent licensing means that a song co-written by an ASCAP songwriter and a BMI songwriter would be available to license with approval from just one PRO. It also means that if a songwriter owns only a portion of the song, he or she can license the full song, as long as that songwriter ensures the other credited writers are getting paid. Under the current system, known as fractionalized licensing, each copyright owner in the song takes care of licensing their portion.

Meanwhile the ruling declined requests from major publishing companies to have a right to negotiate licensing rates with digital music providers like Pandora and Spotify. The original consent decree was enacted in 1941, and pertained specifically to ASCAP and BMI, but the music industry has lobbied for the last two or three years to modernize the law. Their requests were all denied in the ruling.

Technically, both PROs must consent to the changes. The next step is approval from federal rate court judges.

Read reactions to the judgment at MusicRow.com.

Low Country Sound And Warner/Chappell Nashville Sign Three Songwriters

Pictured (L-R): Charlie Pate, Dave Cobb, Aaron Raitiere, and Adam Hood. Photo: Warner/Chappell Music

Low Country Sound and Warner/Chappell Nashville have signed publishing agreements with songwriters Adam Hood, Charlie Pate and Aaron Raitiere.

Low Country Sound is the publishing venture jointly established by Warner/Chappell and Low Country Sound owner Dave Cobb in January. The songwriters will primarily work out of Nashville’s historic Studio A, which Cobb recently took up residence in.

Hood has toured with the likes of Willie Nelson and Leon Russell, and has had his songs recorded by Little Big Town, David Nail, Josh Abbott Band, Lee Ann Womack and John Corbett, among others.

Pate is a former recording artist on Universal Records whose style has been compared to Hank Williams.

Raitiere, a collaborator of Miranda Lambert’s, is the recipient of numerous awards, including an Honorable Mention at the International Songwriting Competition for Roots/Americana Music for his song, “Leavin’ You for Me.”

Sea Gayle Music Signs Bobby Pinson To Publishing Deal

Pictured (L-R): Sea Gayle’s Jake Gear and Brandon Gregg, Pinson, Driskill and BMI’s Perry Howard

Sea Gayle Music has signed a worldwide publishing agreement with award-winning songwriter Bobby Pinson.

Pinson has written seven No. 1 country singles and was named BMI’s Country Songwriter of the Year in 2009.

He has had more than 150 of his songs recorded, with cuts by Rascal Flatts, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Toby Keith, Sugarland and more.

Dean Dillon Signs Publishing Deal With Hedley Entertainment

Pictured (L-R): T. Powell Hedley, Dean Dillon.

Dean Dillon has signed an exclusive publishing agreement with Hedley Entertainment. The announcement expands upon the songwriter’s association with the company for public relations representation.

A 2002 inductee into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Dillon is known for writing a number of hit singles for George Strait, such as “The Chair,” “I’ve Come to Expect it From You,” “Easy Come, Easy Go,” “She Let Herself Go,” and “The Best Day.”

Prior to signing with Hedley, Dillon was represented by Butch Baker at HoriPro Entertainment Group.

Round Hill Music And Jimmy Robbins Music Sign Kyle & Devin

Pictured (L-R): Jimmy Robbins and Sarah Robbins, Jimmy Robbins Music; Kyle Guisande and Devin Guisande, Kyle & Devin; Penny Gattis, Round Hill Music; Josh Tomlinson, BMI; Josh Saxe and Mark Brown, Round Hill Music. Photo: Amy Allmand

Round Hill Music and Jimmy Robbins Music have entered into a worldwide publishing agreement with brothers Kyle and Devin Guisande, known professionally as Kyle & Devin.

The brothers moved to Nashville three years ago from Northern California to pursue their music, which they describe as “left of center pop.”

Kyle & Devin are currently writing for their artist project as well as for sync opportunities. Sarah Robbins is creative point for Jimmy Robbins Music and Penny Gattis is creative point for Round Hill Music.

Big Machine Music Signs Emily Landis

Pictured (Back row, L-R): Big Machine Music’s Alex Heddle, BMI’s Leslie Roberts, Big Machine Music’s Tali Canterbury, Loeb & Loeb’s Brittany Schafer. (Front row): Big Machine Music’s Mike Molinar and Emily Landis

Big Machine Music, the publishing arm of Big Machine Label Group, has signed Emily Landis to an exclusive songwriting agreement. The Belmont University graduate studied songwriting while in college, and co-wrote four of the eight original songs she performed during Belmont University’s Showcase series for the country music genre.

Landis joins a roster that includes Jonathan Singleton (who has written songs recorded by Tim McGraw, Tyler Farr), Laura Veltz (Maren Morris, Cassadee Pope), Josh Thompson (Jason Aldean, Brad Paisley), and Fancy Hagood (Christina Aguilera, Ariana Grande).