Saban Music Group Inks Global Admin Deal With UMPG
Saban Music Group has announced an exclusive, global administration agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group.
Backed by entertainment industry pioneer Haim Saban, SMG was founded in 2019 by Saban, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Saban Capital Group LLC. Led by industry veteran Gustavo Lopez, the company’s strategy entails identifying, signing, and developing artists with international appeal. SMG’s global artist/songwriter roster includes Static & Ben El (Israel), Mergui (Israel), Marie Monti (France), Chesca (Puerto Rico), and Reykon (Colombia), and more.
“I am thrilled about this new venture. Innovation requires collaboration, and this partnership amplifies our chances for success on a global scale,” said Haim Saban of the new agreement.
“We are excited to be partnering with Haim Saban and Gustavo Lopez and Saban Music to create opportunities for their artists and songwriters. I am confident that we will have outstanding success together,” said Jody Gerson, Chairman and CEO of UMPG.
Earlier this year, SMG announced a global distribution and marketing agreement with Universal Music Group. SMG is distributed in the U.S. by Caroline, an arm of UMG subsidiary Capitol Music Group, and works in tandem with Caroline International and UMG’s Santa Monica-based central services team for all other territories.
Mike Smith Named Global President For Downtown Music Publishing
Mike Smith.
Downtown Music Holdings has appointed Mike Smith as Global President of Downtown Music Publishing. Beginning Sept. 1, 2020, he will assume day-to-day operations for Downtown’s music publishing division. He will be based in London and will report to Downtown Music Holdings CEO Justin Kalifowitz.
“Since its founding in 2007, we’ve carefully built Downtown Music Publishing, writer by writer, guided by an appreciation for the craft of songwriting, a focus on creative partnership, and a belief that a global music company for the modern era should be rooted in an understanding that the song is a foundational element to everything else in the music business. The addition of Mike Smith as Global President of Downtown Music Publishing is in complete alignment with these principles and I know under Mike’s stewardship our publishing business is in the best of hands,” said Kalifowitz. “For as long as I’ve been in the music industry, Mike has set the standard in cultivating strong relationships with some of the most influential songwriters, artists and producers, while also mentoring the next generation of global music executives.”
Smith said, “Since my first job in the music industry I have been guided by my underlying love for artists and songwriters. I thoroughly enjoyed the years I spent on the recordings side of the business, but music publishing is where my heart is. Downtown’s ability to build a formidable, twenty-first century music publishing company unencumbered by the baggage of the past has made them an impressive and compelling proposition for songwriters and composers, and I am delighted to become part of their vision.”
Smith, who received the prestigious ‘Sir George Martin Award’ at the 2016 A&R Awards, most recently served as Managing Director of Warner Chappell Music in the U.K., where he oversaw the signings of Liam Gallagher, Dave, J Hus, Celeste and Foals. Prior to joining Warner Chappell, he was Managing Director of Columbia Records and President of Music at Mercury Records and Virgin/EMI. His past signings include Mark Ronson, Calvin Harris, Gorillaz, Damon Albarn, The White Stripes, Arctic Monkeys, and Arcade Fire, and he has overseen deals with Iggy Azalea, Lizzo, Duke Dumont and The Chemical Brothers, among others.
Anthem, Wrensong Sign Deal With Mother-Daughter Songwriters EmiSunshine, Alisha Hamilton
EmiSunshine, Alisha Hamilton
Anthem Entertainment and Wrensong have signed mother-daughter songwriters EmiSunshine and Alisha Hamilton to a global publishing deal.
Music listeners first became aware of EmiSunshine in 2014 when, at 9 years old, she performed a rendition of the Jimmie Rodgers classic “Blue Yodel No. 6.” Her family posted a video of the performance on YouTube and it went viral, earning more than one million views. In 2017, Rolling Stone named her as one of the “10 New Country Artists You Need To Know,” and in 2018, she was featured in the Elvis Presley documentary The King. EmiSunshine was also selected as the 2019 recipient of the ASCAP Foundation Desmond Child Anthem Award and recently collaborated with Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame member Bootsy Collins on the song “Stars.”
EmiSunshine said, “Being included with such a prestigious roster of writers is such a huge honor and I’m more than excited to be a part!”
Hamilton added, “Being accepted as a writer is all I ever dreamed of! I can’t imagine a better place to create new music.”
Ree Guyer, President and Owner of Wrensong Entertainment, said, “Emi and her mom, Alisha, have been writing together since Emi was four years old. They are a magical writing team. Emi has a bright future as an artist/writer who is a storyteller to her peers and thinks outside the box. We are so pleased to be working with Emi and Alisha making their dreams come true.”
Tim Wipperman, President of Anthem Music Publishing Nashville, added, “Emi is an Artist/Writer brought into the family by Ree Guyer and our Wrensong J/V. She is an amazing young artist, and she and her mother Alisha have created a compelling body of music to propel that artistry forward. Look out world! Here they come.”
Singer-Songwriter Adam Sanders Inks Co-Publishing Deal With Round Hill Music Nashville
Singer-songwriter Adam Sanders has signed a co-publishing deal with Round Hill Music Nashville. Sanders has written “Ain’t Worth The Whiskey,” a chart-topper for Cole Swindell, and “Hell Of A Night” (Dustin Lynch), as well as cuts from Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, Scotty McCreery and Tracy Lawrence.
“I am very excited to be working with Adam,” said Round Hill’s Mark Brown. “He has a track record as a hit songwriter, he’s an exceptional artist, and he brings with him a solid work ethic. We look forward to having great success together.”
“When you find a team that is willing to work just as hard as you, it’s a dangerous combo. Round Hill Music’s success speaks for itself and I’m fired up to be working with Bob and Mark, along with the rest of the Round Hill staff,” Adam Sanders shared.
The Lake City, Florida native moved to Nashville in 2009, and initially worked construction to pay bills while he worked on songwriting. He signed a publishing deal with Big Yellow Dog in 2011. After earning No. 1 hits for Swindell and Lynch, Sanders launched his artist career and independently sold over 70,000 singles, scored over 90 million total streams and charted at No. 33 on Billboard’s Country Albums chart with his self-titled, debut EP. Sanders has also released the single, “Make Em Wanna Change.”
Round Hill Music Nashville has celebrated 42 No. 1 songs since opening its doors in 2014. Round Hill’s roster of writers includes Adam Sanders, Ashley Gorley, Dallas Davidson, Derek Austin, Devin Guisande, Early James, Eric Arjes, Gareth Dunlop, Jimmy Robbins, Katie Pruitt, Lindsey Lee Taylor, SHEL, and Wade Kirby. Through its partnership with Big Loud, Round Hill also represents Chris Tompkins, Craig Wiseman, Jamie Moore, Joey Moi, Matt Dragstrem and Rodney Clawson. Notable catalogs include those of Bob DiPiero, Josh Kear and Marti Frederiksen.