Music News (1/8/25)

MusicRow’s Top 100 Songwriters Of 2024

Zach Bryan. Photo: Trevor Pavlik

Since 2018, MusicRow has published a weekly Top Songwriter Chart that ranks the week’s top 60 songwriters based on song activity according to airplay, digital download track sales and streams.

Through the use of proprietary software, the points awarded to each song are evenly distributed among its co-writers, mirroring the revenue and ownership structures common in Music City’s publishing industry. This system highlights the overall success of active songs for each songwriter. As a result, the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart provides a weekly snapshot of the most active and successful songwriters in Nashville.

Zach Bryan accumulated the highest number of points on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart in 2024, securing the top spot on the year-end rankings.

After earning the top spot in 2023 with songs from his American Heartbreak, Boys of Faith and self-titled projects, which stayed near the top of the charts throughout 2024, Bryan continued to release new music in 2024. The Warner Records artist released his The Great American Bar Scene album in July, consisting of mostly solo-written tunes, allowing Bryan to collect all of the points those songs earned.

Read the full list here.

Rani Hancock Appointed Executive Vice President, Head Of U.S. Creative At Kobalt

Rani Hancock. Photo: Charlie Gross

Kobalt has appointed Rani Hancock to the position of Executive Vice President, Head of U.S. Creative at the company. She will now lead the company’s creative teams in New York, Los Angeles and Nashville.

Hancock joins Kobalt from her position as EVP, Head of A&R at Columbia Records, where she worked with Dove Cameron, Maren Morris and JoJo Siwa, among others. In her previous role as Executive Vice President, A&R at RCA Records, she signed chart-topping artists including Miley Cyrus, Kesha and Becky G and A&R’d projects for Pitbull, Britney Spears and more. During her stint as President of Sire Records, she signed Bryce Vine and Cavetown, oversaw projects by Tegan and Sara and Andra Day, as well as executive produced the Golden Globe-nominated soundtrack for The United States vs. Billie Holiday.

At Kobalt, Hancock will report directly to Jeannette Perez, the company’s President & Chief Commercial Officer.

“We are thrilled to welcome Rani Hancock to Kobalt Music,” says Perez. “Her exceptional creative vision and proven track record make her the perfect fit to head our U.S. creative team. Rani’s deep understanding of the evolving music landscape, combined with her passion for nurturing talent, will be invaluable as we continue to empower songwriters, artists and producers in achieving their greatest potential.”

Brian Magerkurth Named Chairman Of The Board Of SongwritingWith:Soldiers

Brian Magerkurth

Brian Magerkurth has been appointed Chairman of the Board of SongwritingWith:Soldiers nonprofit.

Magerkurth has served on the SW:S board for four years, and succeeds Gary Leopold in the role. Leopold has served as Chairman of the Board since 2018 and will remain on the board as a Director.

A 28-year U.S. Army Veteran and graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Magerkurth also serves as Senior Vice President of Global Distribution for Avantor, a Fortune 500 company. His deep ties to the veteran community and extensive leadership experience make him uniquely positioned to guide SW:S into its next chapter.

“Brian’s experience as a veteran and the heart he brings to everything he does has been invaluable over the past four years,” says Kristin Starling, President of SW:S. “We couldn’t be more grateful to have him take on the role of board chair. His dedication to his fellow veterans, their families and belief in music’s ability to connect us all make him an excellent choice to sustain and guide SongwritingWith:Soldiers’ mission.”

“Gary Leopold has been an incredible leader as Chairman of the Board of SW:S for the past seven years,” says Magerkurth. “His vision, dedication, and countless contributions have left a lasting impact, and I am deeply honored to follow in his footsteps as the next Chairman in 2025. I, along with the rest of the board and senior staff, would like to thank Gary for his unwavering leadership as the Chairman. As the incoming Chairman, I greatly look forward to working with our talented staff, fantastic board and creative songwriters to continue to honor and support our veteran heroes through our many programs and collaborative songwriting.”