Music News (01/24/24)

Zach Bryan Leads First MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart Of 2024

Zach Bryan. Photo: Trevor Pavlik

After topping MusicRow‘s Top 100 Songwriters of 2023 list, Zach Bryan sits at No. 1 on the first MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart of 2024.

Bryan currently has seven songs on the country charts, with most being solo writes. His charting songs include “I Remember Everything,” “Hey Driver,” “Tourniquet,” “Spotless,” “Sarah’s Place,” “East Side of Sorrow” and “El Dorado.”

Ashley Gorley starts 2024 at No. 2 on the chart, with charting hits by Morgan Wallen, Chris Young, Nate Smith, Hardy, Dan + Shay, Chris Janson and Dylan Scott.

Chayce Beckham (No. 3), Randy Montana (No. 4) and Jelly Roll (No. 5) round out the top five.

The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital download track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.

Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.

Spirit Music Group Enters Administration Services Agreement With Downtown Music Publishing

Pictured (L-R): Andrew Bergman, CEO of Downtown Music Holdings; Jon Singer, Chairman, Spirit Music Group; Emily Stephenson, President of Downtown Music Publishing

Spirit Music Group has entered into a new administration services agreement with Downtown Music Publishing. Per the agreement, Spirit will use Downtown’s global administration, registration and technology platforms to support their infrastructure needs. Spirit’s current sub-publishing arrangements will remain place.

Spirit’s song catalog totals over 100,000 songs and counting, with songs recorded by music legends such as The Who, Chicago, Faith Hill, Camilla Cabello, Ricky Martin, Toto, Jason Aldean, Charles Mingus, Taylor Swift, Chaka Khan, Elvis Presley, Eminem, Tom Petty and more. Through their catalog, they have over 200 No. 1 songs and an additional 800 charted hits.

Downtown currently manages more than 23 million music assets for over one million creators and 2,500 enterprise clients. Client distributions currently exceeds $100 million dollars, with 14% increases every year since 2021. Downtown is currently the largest pure-play provider in the industry.

Ashley Ray Inks Publishing Deal With Warner Chappell Music & Lady Fairchild Publishing

Pictured (L-R): Jessi Stevenson (Warner Chappell Music), Ashley Ray, Karen Fairchild (Lady Fairchild), Ben Vaughn (Warner Chappell Music). Photo: Courtesy of WCM

Rising singer-songwriter Ashley Ray has signed a global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music and Lady Fairchild Publishing.

Ray has already made a name for herself in the Nashville songwriting community, with writing credits on Little Big Town’s “The Daughters” and through work with Lori McKenna, Sean McConnell, Ruston Kelly, Caroline Spence, Wade Bowen, Charles Kelly, Brittney Spencer and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram. She also released three studio albums, with her latest, Animal, just released in November 2023.

Jessi Stevenson, Sr. Director, A&R and Digital, Warner Chappell Music Nashville says, “Ashley Ray is such an incredible storyteller. Her brilliance shines through her work as an artist and ability to help other music creators tell their stories.”

The publishing deal is in collaboration with Lady Fairchild Publishing, a newly established publishing company led by Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild. The company will also have a focus on artist development.

“Ashley Ray and I have been writing songs together for several years now. We always envisioned working together in a bigger way. She is a gifted writer and captivating artist, and I’m so thrilled to start this new chapter with her,” shares Fairchild.

Colbie Caillat Signs Global Deal With Downtown Music Publishing

Colbie Caillat. Photo: David “Doc” Abbott

Colbie Caillat has signed a global music publishing deal with Downtown Music Publishing.

The deal will cover Caillat’s full catalog and all future releases, including debut album, Coco, multi-Platinum singles,”Bubbly,” “Realize” and “Lucky” and her country solo album Along The Way, featuring collaboration “I’ll Be Here” with Sheryl Crow.

Caillat shot to fame in 2007 with her three-time Platinum debut album Coco, which hit No. 5 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart upon release and included the six-time Platinum single “Bubbly” and double Platinum “Realize.”  She has won two Grammys and received five Grammy nominations, boasts over 15 billion streams worldwide and has eight No. 1 and top 10 singles across her catalog.

Throughout her career Caillat has collaborated with Crow, Taylor Swift, Jason Mraz, Brad Paisley and Gavin DeGraw, among others. Following her Grammy-winning duet with Mraz, the four-time Platinum “Lucky” in 2008, Caillat released her second studio album, the Platinum-selling Breakthrough, which became the singer’s first album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart. The album features two double Platinum hits, “I Never Told You” and “Fallin’ For You.” Other Platinum hits include “Brighter Than the Sun” and “Try.”

Caillat’s latest album Along The Way, released in October 2023 via her own imprint Blue Jean Baby Records, was distributed via Downtown Artist & Label Services who, alongside Downtown Music Publishing, will continue to work with Caillat and her team across distribution on future releases.