Music Publishing News Weekly Roundup: February 7, 2014
This year’s Super Bowl featured more current hits in commercials than any Super Bowl in recent history. Advertising executives at top music publishers credit their label partners’ role in making more master recordings available this year. The use of newer music also meant higher synch revenue for artists, many of whom signed one-year broadcast-plus-online deals and charged as much as low-six figures apiece for both publishing and master fees.
Downtown Music Publishing is opening a Nashville office and has hired industry veteran Steven Markland as Vice President of A&R to help launch. Led by Founder/President Justin Kalifowitz, New York City based Downtown Music Publishing opened their Los Angeles offices in 2013 to much success and is now expanding their business to the Nashville songwriting community. As former Vice President of A&R for Warner/Chappel, Nashville, Steven Markland helped develop the careers for songwriters such as Brett James, Jeffrey Steele, and Kacey Musgraves.
Aloe Blacc has Signed a worldwide publishing agreement with Warner/Chappell Music. As well as being an established singer/songwriter for many years, Aloe Blacc is credited as a co-writer and vocalist on Avicii’s hit “Wake Me Up” which reached #1 in 103 countries. Warner/Chappell will now control his new “Wake Me Up” EP besides the title track, as well as his debut album “Lift Your Spirit” which was released in November 2013 via Interscope Records.
