Music News (7/21/21)

Warner Chappell Production Music Reveals Sweeping Rebrand

Warner Chappell Production Music (WCPM), creative partner to content creators, technology platforms and the TV/film, streaming, broadcast, sports, and advertising industries, has unveiled a top-to-bottom rebrand, including a new logo and website. The effort was spearheaded by WCPM’s co-heads Alec Sharpe, Head of Business Development & Operations, and Pat Weaver, Head of Production.

Drawing creative inspiration from parent company Warner Chappell Music, the new logo pays homage to the publisher’s signature gold crown monogram, while the font’s distinctive script handwriting represents WCPM’s ingenuity and diversity of thought. The website includes new visual elements with sleek design choices, and serves as WCPM’s flagship licensing tool – offering 135,000+ unique tracks – and features a number of elements including a recommendation engine that references streaming links and MP3s.

“We’re thrilled for the bright future ahead for WCPM and the opportunity to better serve our clients through unmatched service and a much-improved music search experience,” says Sharpe. “With a new look and feel and the support of Warner Chappell’s SVP of Creative Services, Ashley Winton, along with Co-Chairs Guy Moot and Carianne Marshall, this is the start of a dynamic new era in our evolution.”

WCPM has also appointed Julia Sassi, an experienced production music executive, as its new Head of WCPM France. Sassi’s primary focus is on expanding WCPM France’s custom music footprint and uncovering new opportunities with advertising clients and television and film production companies. Additionally, Sinéad Hartmann has been named VP of Licensing & Music Creative, based in LA, where she oversees the U.S. sync and creative teams in Los Angeles, Nashville, and New York, as well as Canada and Latin America. Gavin Carroll has also joined as the company’s new Sr. Creative Director, Licensing in New York, where he works primarily with advertising clients.

“It’s an exciting time to be with WCPM as we expand our custom music services, grow our production music catalog, and kick off the first projects in our new recording facilities,” shares Weaver. “We’ve greatly expanded our music talent pool over the past year and are thrilled to have fresh leadership perspectives from Julia and Sinéad. We’re looking forward to this next chapter.”

The announcement follows the openings of SkyLight Studios in Hollywood and Sandtrack Sound in Nashville. Both locations are already being used for music projects from top brands, TV shows, and companies.
 

Sony Music Publishing Unveils Songwriters Forward Initiative

Today (July 20), Chairman/CEO of Sony Music Publishing (SMP) Jon Platt announced that the company has launched Songwriters Forward.

Under Songwriters Forward, SMP is introducing the Legacy Unrecouped Balance Program to qualifying Sony songwriters. With this new program, SMP will no longer apply existing unrecouped balances to earnings for eligible songwriters signed prior to the year 2000 who have not received advances since. This applies retroactively to January 1, 2021.

“With historic policy changes across our business, we are taking important steps toward creating a more equitable, transparent music industry for songwriters and all creators. On behalf of our teams around the world, it is our privilege to represent you as we begin this next chapter with Songwriters Forward,” writes Platt in an internal letter to Sony Music Publishing songwriters obtained by MusicRow.

These efforts accompany the company’s ongoing investment in administration modernization, including new SCORE data and analytics upgrades, Cash Out payment options, and real-time foreign royalty processing.

This new initiative is designed to expand Sony’s support of careers at every stage and compliments the recently announced Artist Forward initiative, which similarly finds Sony Music Entertainment longer applying existing unrecouped balances to earnings generated on or after Jan. 1, 2021 for eligible artists who signed to SME prior to the year 2000 and have not received an advance since then.

Qualifying songwriters for the Legacy Unrecouped Balance Program will be notified separately in the coming weeks.
 

Caleb Lovely Signs With Peermusic Nashville

Pictured L-R: Matt Michiels, Sr. Creative Dir., peermusic; Kendall Lettow, Creative Dir. Peermusic; Michael Knox, Sr. VP, peermusic Nashville; Michael Dulaney, Watercolor Sky Songs. Seated: Caleb Lovely. Photo: Annelise Loughead

Caleb Lovely has signed an exclusive global publishing deal with Peermusic in partnership with Michael Dulaney’s Watercolor Sky Songs.

Lovely is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist who has been playing music since the age of eleven. He has been performing on stages all over the U.S., and his songwriting has already yielded some cuts, most recently, “Livin’ Man” recorded by Jimmie Allen and Neon Union on Allen’s Bettie James Gold Edition.

“Caleb is an exciting talent. He attacks his craft as a songwriter, producer, and artist. He’s got it all covered,” says Michael Knox, Senior Vice President, Peermusic Nashville.

“Caleb Lovely has so many talents it’s hard to pick a favorite,” says Dulaney. “He’s a gifted songwriter, artist, producer, and musician. I am so thankful to have the chance to work with him and so thankful that Michael Knox and Peermusic immediately recognized his world-class potential. Wait until you witness what has somehow been kept hidden in a studio in Franklin, Tennessee!”

“Signing a publishing deal as a writer and producer in Nashville is truly one of my biggest dreams come true. I honestly don’t have the words to tell you how I feel and as surreal as it is—it feels even better knowing the team I’m with now truly has my back,” says Lovely.