Music News (1/14/26)

MusicRow’s Top 100 Songwriters Of 2025

Charlie Handsome

Since 2018, MusicRow has published its 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 a song’s 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.

Charlie Handsome accumulated the highest number of points on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart in 2025, securing the top spot on the year-end rankings. Riley Green ranks No. 2 on MusicRow‘s Top 100 Songwriters of 2025 list. Landing at No. 3 on MusicRow‘s Top 100 Songwriters of 2025 list is Morgan Wallen. Ashley Gorley placed at No. 4 this year. Blake Pendergrass rounds out the top five songwriters of 2025.

Click here to view MusicRow‘s Top 100 Songwriters of 2025.

MusicRow Reveals 2026 Rising Women On The Row Honorees

MusicRow is proud to reveal the honorees for the Rising Women on the Row Class of 2026. These six female executives are making a significant impact on Nashville’s country music industry, including: Courtney Allen, Jackie Augustus, Sara Knabe, Victoria Mason, Sophia Sansone and Elisa Vazzana.

City National Bank is Presenting Sponsor for the 2026 Rising Women on the Row, which will take place at Nashville’s JW Marriott at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 3.

Purchase tickets to the Rising Women on the Row breakfast here.

Now in its 13th year, MusicRow‘s annual Rising Women on the Row event has honored over 60 women in the Nashville music industry.

For any questions regarding the event, contact LB Cantrell at lbcantrell@musicrow.com. For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, reach out to Sherod Robertson at srobertson@musicrow.com.

Read more about the honorees here. 

Sony Music Publishing Acquires Big Yellow Dog Music

Pictured (L-R): Rusty Gaston, Carla Wallace, Kerry O’Neil

Sony Music Publishing Nashville has acquired independent publishing and artist development company Big Yellow Dog Music (BYD), effective immediately. With the agreement, the company now owns and administers Big Yellow Dog’s catalog of songs and serves as full-service publisher for its roster of songwriters.

Founded in 1998 by Kerry O’Neil and Carla Wallace and based in Nashville, Big Yellow Dog Music’s catalog includes Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass,” “Dear Future Husband,” “No” and “Like I’m Gonna Lose You,” Maren Morris’ “The Bones,” “My Church,” “80’s Mercedes” and “I Could Use A Love Song,” songs from the Kacey Musgraves, Chris Stapleton, Sabrina Carpenter, Hozier, Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, Leon Bridges, MUNA, The Black Keys, Aminé, Leon Thomas and more. The company has earned 41 No. 1 songs, Grammy awards and nominations, and honors across BMI, ASCAP, SESAC and ACM awards.

“These last 26 years have been a once in a lifetime journey full of amazing songs, including some worldwide hits,” shares O’Neil. “Now it’s time for a new chapter and Carla and I are so pleased to have our friends at Sony carry the torch from here. We know our writers and their great catalog are in sure hands. Thank you to Jon, Rusty, Cam and Brian. Most of all, I want to thank Carla for her unique and bold creative leadership over all these years.”

“There’s no way to capture 26 years of dancing, creating, and pure joy at Big Yellow Dog Music,” says Wallace. “Sharing each day with an endlessly talented, passionate, and hilarious team has been an unforgettable gift. Championing extraordinary artists, hearing future hits before the world, and watching dreams take flight has been nothing short of magical. It has been a true privilege to partner with one of the most brilliant minds in Nashville, Kerry O’Neil. l know our legacy will continue to thrive in the very best hands with Rusty Gaston and the Sony team.”

“Big Yellow Dog has been a Music Row institution for more than a quarter century,” adds Sony Music Publishing Nashville CEO Rusty Gaston. “Carla and Kerry are two of the most respected publishers in this business, and they have set the bar for independent success in Nashville and beyond. Their catalog contains some of the most performed songs over the past two decades – songs that haven’t just been hits but have defined careers. It’s an honor to represent this amazing collection of songs and to continue Big Yellow Dog’s legacy with future cuts coming from the catalog and new music from their standout roster.”

Country Songwriting Great Jim McBride Passes

Jim McBride

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Jim McBride died Tuesday morning (Jan. 6) at age 78.

McBride was particularly noted for his collaborations with country superstar Alan Jackson. His songs were also recorded by such Country Music Hall of Famers as Conway Twitty, George Jones, Patty Loveless, Charley Pride, Waylon Jennings, Alabama, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, The Browns, Bill Anderson, Reba McEntire, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Oak Ridge Boys, Randy Travis, Charlie Louvin, John Anderson, Toby Keith and Johnny Cash.

He has written or co-written 10 top-10 hits and 18 top-40 singles. His classics include “Bet Your Heart on Me,” “A Bridge That Just Won’t Burn,” “Chattahoochie,” “Rose in Paradise” and “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow.”

Read McBride’s full obit here.

BMI Names Lee Thomas Miller As 2026 Songwriter Ambassador

Lee Thomas Miller

BMI has named Lee Thomas Miller as its 2026 BMI Songwriter Ambassador in Residence for the Nashville Creative office.

Throughout the year, Miller will host his own BMI Acoustic Lounge, lead BMI’s signature round at the Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival and perform at BMI’s Key West Songwriters Festival and Annapolis Songwriters Festival. He will serve as a key speaker during exclusive BMI events such as BMI’s Next Big Wave Mixer as well as BMI’s Catalog Cast, where he will converse with Belmont University, MTSU and TSU students during the spring course.

“I signed with BMI in the late ’80s, and they were the first place I went to play terrible songs and demos on cheap cassette tapes. BMI has been one of the few constants through decades of change,” says Miller. “Not only are they a vital part of my own career, but I also have the honor of fighting alongside them for reform and protection in our copyright laws. It is humbling that BMI would ask me to serve in this capacity. It is the kind of program that makes our music community a family.”

“Few people understand the songwriter journey like Lee Thomas Miller, who has navigated this changing industry for three decades,” adds BMI Vice President, Creative, Nashville Clay Bradley. “His ability to lead by example and his rooted experience make him the ideal ambassador to help remind songwriters of their worth.”

Miller has earned 13 BMI Awards, both the CMA and an ACM “Song of the Year” award for Jamey Johnson’s “In Color,” the CMA “Single of the Year” award for Trace Adkins’ “You’re Gonna Miss This” and three Grammy nominations. He has amassed seven No. 1 hits, 18 Top 20 singles, over 25 million radio spins and over 100 million streams. He has additional cuts with Scotty McCreery, Hailey Whitters, Bryan Martin, Brandon Heath, Parker McCollum, Jason Aldean, Brothers Osborne, Kelsey Hart, Kashus Culpepper and more. In 2015, Miller received the inaugural BMI Champion Award and currently serves as President of NSAI.

Adam Doleac Signs With Peermusic Nashville

Pictured (L-R): Michael Knox, President, peermusic Nashville; Adam Doleac; Jenny Hall, Sr Creative Director, peermusic Nashville and Matt Michiels, Vice President Creative, peermusic Nashville. Photo: Cameron Stutts

Adam Doleac has inked an exclusive worldwide publishing deal with Peermusic Nashville. The deal includes a selection of his current catalog and future works.

Doleac first moved to Nashville from Hattiesburg, Mississippi in 2010 and has since had cuts by Kane Brown, Lainey Wilson, Dan + Shay, Nate Smith, Gabby Barrett, Darius Rucker, Hootie & the Blowfish, and more. Among those cuts are Darius Rucker’s “Don’t,” Hootie & The Blowfish’s “Rollin,” Kane Brown’s “Pull It Off,” and Gabby Barrett’s “Hall of Fame.”

As an artist, Doleac has opened on the road for Scotty McCreery, Ryan Hurd and Mitchell Tenpenny, and recently wrapped his own “Dream House Tour.” His artist catalog includes half a billion on-demand audio and video streams to date. His most recent album Dream House features fan favorites “Bye Heart,” “Dream House,” and “Bar Named Jesus” feat. Thomas Rhett. His 2017 debut EP features the RIAA Gold-certified “Famous,” co-written with Andy Skib and Bobby Hamrick.

“Adam is one of the hottest independent artists out there and him also being a great songwriter and collaborator is just icing on the cake,” says Michael Knox, President, Peermusic Nashville. “We’re fired up to be working with Adam and to welcome him to the Peermusic family.”

“Finding a team that truly believes in who you are and where you’re headed is rare, and that’s exactly what I’ve found with Peermusic,” adds Doleac. “This partnership feels like the start of something really special. Their team brings an unmatched level of belief and excitement for the songs I’m writing, and I can’t wait for what’s ahead.”