Music News (8/7/19)

Maren Morris Signs With UMPG For Publishing Admin Deal

Global music publisher Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) has entered into a worldwide administration deal with superstar Maren Morris. Morris is currently self-published.

Morris’ recently-released sophomore album GIRL broke the record for the largest-ever debut streaming week for a country album by a female artist, with 23.96 million streams in its first week. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, while the Gold-certified title track—which is No. 1 on this week’s Billboard Country Airplay and Mediabase/Country Aircheck charts—achieved the highest debut on the Billboard Country Streaming Songs Chart by a female artist and the highest weekly streams ever by a female country artist.

Her debut single “My Church” is RIAA-certified double Platinum and earned Morris a Grammy for Best Country Solo Performance. Her Platinum-certified debut album HERO is also home to Platinum hits “80s Mercedes” and “I Could Use A Love Song,” as well as Gold-certified “Rich.”

Morris’ collaboration with fellow UMPG songwriters Zedd and Grey, “The Middle,” earned multiple Grammy nominations, reached No. 5 on Billboard Hot 100, spent six weeks at No. 1 at Top 40 Radio and five weeks at No. 1 at Hot AC radio.
 

Songwriter Ray Fulcher Jumpstarts Artist Career With Badlands Management’s Neil Mason

When Neil Mason isn’t playing shows and recording as part of BMLG band The Cadillac Three (known for their Gold-certified single “The South”), he is helping other artists and songwriters build their own careers via his own company Badlands Management.

Among the artists and writers on the Badlands Management roster are Austin Jenckes, who released the single “If You Grew Up Like I Did” and has played supporting slots for Brothers Osborne, and Ashley McBryde, as well as Josh Dunne, who co-wrote the Brantley Gilbert/Lindsay Ell hit “What Happens In A Small Town,” and Stephen Carey.

Also on the roster is hit songwriter and newcomer artist Ray Fulcher, well known for co-writing eight tracks on Luke Combs’ record-breaking No. 1 album This One’s For You, including the Triple-Platinum certified single “When It Rains It Pours.” Fulcher is a co-writer on three of the five songs on Combs’ new EP, The Prequel and is on Combs’ “Beer Never Broke My Heart” summer tour, before he launches his own headlining tour this fall.

Click here to read the full interview on musicrow.com.
 

Kassi Ashton Talks Joining Her First Tour And Making Music Her Own Way

Since her autobiographical debut track “California, Missouri” released last year, UMG Nashville/Interscope artist Kassi Ashton has been adamant about doing things her own way and taking a hands-on approach to her career—and she’s got the mood boards that inspire her videos and colorful handmade stage ensembles to prove it.

Ashton discussed joining Maren Morris’ upcoming tour, making the vivid redneck-meets-urban celebration clip for her new track “Field Party,” and writing the intensely personal ballad “Pretty Shiny Things.”

Click here to read the full interview on musicrow.com.
 

Submissions Now Open For MusicRow’s 2019 ‘Publisher Issue’ Print Magazine

New submissions for the upcoming MusicRow Publisher Issue print magazine are now being accepted through Aug. 16.

The issue includes a publisher directory with contact information in addition to exclusive editorial pertaining to Nashville music publishers. To submit your company for consideration, complete and submit this form. For those already listed, you will receive an email to update your listing. For questions, please contact LB Rogers at lbrogers@musicrow.com or 615-349-2171.

To reserve ad space in the 2019 Publisher issue, contact srobertson@musicrow.com. Rate card information is available here.

Subscribe to MusicRow here to make sure you don’t miss the annual Publisher Issue.