Music News (5/20/20)

Kenny Chesney Signs Global Publishing Agreement With UMPG

Kenny Chesney. Photo: Ross Copperman

Kenny Chesney has inked an exclusive global publishing agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG). The move reunites Chesney with Troy Tomlinson, who left Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville last year to lead UMPG’s Nashville division.

Chesney—who recently made his ninth debut at No. 1 on Billboard‘s all-genre Top 200 albums chart with his latest project Here and Now—has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide. Chesney has won four consecutive Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year Awards and Male Vocalist of the Year and nine Country Music Association Awards, including four Entertainer of the Year Awards and Album of The Year for When The Sun Goes Down. He was also the recipient of BMI’s President’s Award in 2016.

Chesney said, “Troy Tomlinson has been part of my creative life since I was a young dreamer hoping to capture some life in songs. To be reunited with him, as well as to work with Jody Gerson and the entire team at Universal Music Publishing inspires me to keep reaching for those same dreams, seeking truly special songs as a writer and an artist blessed to bring other people’s songs to the world, too.”

Tomlinson, Chairman and CEO of UMPG Nashville, added, “I met Kenny when he was 24 years old. He played me 4 or 5 songs in my office on his guitar. I remember the vivid lyrics. I can still recite them today. We have enjoyed lots of success together and lots of fun times and lifelong memories. I am grateful to continue to represent him and his music and look forward to delivering outstanding opportunities through UMPG.”
 

Kameron Marlowe Signs Publishing Deal With Sony/ATV

Pictured, Front row (L-R): Rusty Gaston, Kameron Marlowe, Tom Luteran, Kaitlin Madewell. Back row (L-R): Dane Schmidt, Katie Kerkhover, Becky Harris, Joe Lee, Rob Beckham, Anna Weisband, Mya Hansen, Josh Van Valkenburg

Singer-songwriter and former The Voice contestant Kameron Marlowe keeps adding to his team. The North Carolina native has signed an exclusive global publishing deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville.

“It’s obvious from the first listen that Kameron Marlowe’s voice was made for country radio,” said Rusty Gaston, CEO, Sony/ATV Nashville. “His ability to translate emotion with his real-life inspired songwriting is second to none. Our team is excited to welcome him to our family, and we look forward to being champions for his rising career.”

“Having some of Nashville’s best songwriters embrace a new artist like myself has been a huge blessing,” Marlowe said. “I love to write songs, and once I found out people actually make a living writing, I knew this is what I was meant to do. Having Rusty and the Sony/ATV team by my side, I couldn’t have asked for a better fit.”

Marlowe recently signed with The Artist Management Group (the AMG). He’s released the debut track “Giving You Up,” which has earned 25 million streams to date.
 

Mechanical Licensing Collective CEO Kris Ahrend Talks Serving Songwriters, Preparing The Industry’s Next Generation

Mechanical Licensing Collective CEO Kris Ahrend.

In January, it was announced that Kris Ahrend had joined as CEO of the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC), which was formed following the passage of the Music Modernization Act in 2018. In 2019, the Register of Copyrights designated the MLC as the non-profit organization responsible for administering blanket mechanical licenses to digital services such as Amazon Music, Apple, Spotify and Tidal, and for distributing those royalties to publishers and self-administered songwriters.

The Nashville-based MLC recently announced a slate of executive hirings to help Ahrend lead the organization, which currently includes 20 employees, with plans to ultimately form a team of nearly 100 employees.

“The MLC represents one of those changes that transforms the music business, once every generation or two,” Ahrend says. “You have to go back to the passage of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act to see the last kind of moment where our industry changed. Sound Exchange later came into being as an organization that helped to really transform an aspect of the business. The MLC will be similarly transformative. I’m very privileged to be asked to lead an organization that is going to have the potential to drive that transformation for our industry and the next chance to do that might not come for another 15 or 20 years. I didn’t want to miss the chance to be part of that change.

Click here to read the full interview.
 

Deluge Music Signs Johnny Gates

Pictured: Top Row: Emily Dryburgh, Creative Director; Mark Friedman, President. Bottom Row: David Robkin, Managing Member and Johnny Gates

Deluge Music has signed Johnny Gates to a global publishing deal.

The former frontman for Los Angeles rock band Runaway Saints (a trio that spent time working in Nashville early in their career), Gates appeared on NBC’s The Voice before returning to Nashville.

“Johnny is a global talent who deserves a chance for music lovers all over the world to hear what we fell in love with here at Deluge Music,” says Deluge Music President Mark Friedman.

“Johnny has the talent, experience and poise of both a star and a professional. His music defies genres and zip codes. I’m proud to work beside him – and excited to build this next era with him!” says Deluge Music’s Creative Director Emily Dryburgh.

“I can’t begin to describe my excitement to be back in Nashville and having this opportunity with Deluge Music,” Gates said. “I created some amazing memories in this town, but the story always felt a little unfinished. So, I’m beyond grateful to Mark, David [Robkin] and Emily for giving me this chance to finish what I started here in Nashville. Deluge has such a family vibe, and I’m just really pumped to be a part of the crew!”