Category: Music Publishing

Former Kobalt Music Group employee, Rebekah Alperin has been named senior vp of marketing and communications at Universal Music Publishing. Alperin will report to UMPG North American president Evan Lamberg and Will Tanous, the company’s executive vp and head of global communications.“Rebekah’s depth of experience and the strength of her reputation make her a great addition to our communications team,” said Tanous in a statement released this morning (August 11). “Her global marketing skills coupled with her being one of the best PR experts in the music publishing business is a real win for us,” said Lamberg.Rebekah Alperin released a statement regarding her new position. “I’m so grateful to Evan and Will for this opportunity to work alongside some of the most creative and progressive executives in the business on behalf of so many of the most important artists, writers and music catalogues in the world.”We will watch this closely as UMPG has been making several big moves as of late with the appointment of Jody Gerson as Chairman and CEO of UPMG being one of the big moves.

Broadcast Music, Inc.® (BMI®), the leading global music rights organization, has announced the performers at the HD Radio, DTS, Inc. and BMI-sponsored CMJ Music Marathon Festival showcase and mixer, to be held on Friday, October 18, at 6:30 p.m. A diverse lineup of talent will hit the stage at the Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211), continuing CMJ’s 33-year history of celebrating new music first. Entry into the showcase is free for CMJ badge holders and non-badge holders; the mixer is invitation-only.To celebrate the annual festival, bmi will host a catered mixer from 6:30pm-8:30pm, which will lead into the showcase. The lineup at the HD Radio, DTS, Inc. and BMI-sponsored CMJ showcase will include six auspicious acts: ‘80s pop experimentalists Cardiknox, indie-pop infusers Royal Teeth, synth wranglers Panama Wedding, art influenced Joywave, party pop purveyors Coin and Florida wailers The Saint Johns.“CMJ is an ideal festival for identifying and discovering new talent,” said Samantha Cox, Assistant Vice President, Writer/Publir Relations at bmi. “Aligning with CMJ provides an invaluable opportunity and platform for bmi songwriters to expose their music to broader audiences.”

Music publishing veteran and President of Capitol CMG Publishing (CCMGP) Eddie DeGarmo will retire effective July 31st, 2014, as announced today by Bill Hearn, President/CEO of Capitol Christian Music Group (CCMG) and Evan Lamberg, President, North America, Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG). Throughout the remainder of the year, DeGarmo will serve in an exclusive advisory role to Hearn, who will oversee, on an interim basis, day-to-day operations of the publishing company with CCMGP SVP Casey McGinty and Brentwood Benson Music Publications SVP Johnathan Crumpton.”I’ve had the privilege and honor of working alongside and learning from Eddie for more than 20 years,” said Bill Hearn. “Eddie is one of those extraordinary talents in the music industry with an uncanny ability to combine his gifted creative skills as an artist and writer with those of a strong business leader and developer of people. I will certainly miss working with him on a day-to-day basis but more importantly our industry will never be the same without his presence.

He is truly one of a kind and his footprint on our community can never be filled.””Eddie DeGarmo is a rare and special music publishing executive who has helped build the single greatest Christian music publishing catalog our industry has ever seen. Not only does he understand the business incredibly well, but he connects with songwriters and artists at a very unique level. We will miss Eddie dearly and on a personal note, I have loved working with him over the last 20 years,” said Evan Lamberg.”My years at EMI and now Capitol CMG Publishing have been the capstone of a truly wonderful journey with music,” said Eddie DeGarmo. “I can’t imagine a better scenario and group of people to work alongside. I’ve had the honor of dreaming with most of the best songwriters in the business, coupled with the very ‘best in class’ staff and organization.

I can’t thank Bill Hearn enough for his belief in me to build Capitol CMG Publishing. Bill is a true visionary as well as my dear friend. I also thank my longtime friend Evan Lamberg for his support.

He has been instrumental in creating Capitol CMG Publishing, investing the strength of Universal Music Publishing Group fully into the Christian music genre.”?Throughout his over forty years in music, Eddie DeGarmo has had a storied career with success as an artist, songwriter, producer and businessman. He was one of the leading pioneers of contemporary Christian music as part of rock duo DeGarmo & Key, which was recently inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. During his 17 years with D&K and a successful solo endeavor, DeGarmo sold millions of albums and garnered 11 Grammy nominations and dozens of Dove Award nominations.

He went on to co-found ForeFront Records, where he developed multi-platinum selling and Grammy winning artists such as dc Talk, Stacie Orrico, Audio Adrenaline and Rebecca St. James. DeGarmo eventually sold ForeFront to EMI Christian Music Group to focus on his new venture, Meaux Music Publishing.

In 2002, he rejoined EMI CMG as President of Publishing, and Meaux was subsequently acquired by EMI CMG in 2005. Under DeGarmo’s leadership, EMI CMG Publishing was named Christian Music Publir of the Year every year since 2004 by both Billboard Magazine and ascap. In 2004 and again in 2012, EMI CMG Publishing attained that honor with Billboard, ascap and BMI, an unprecedented achievement. In 2013, DeGarmo led the merger of EMI CMG Publishing with Brentwood Benson Music Publishing to create Capitol CMG Publishing, a powerhouse full-service music publir. Capitol CMG Publishing now holds the Christian Music Publir of the Year title with BMI, ascap and Billboard in 2014.Capitol CMG Publishing’s roster includes many of the industry’s top songwriters, such as TobyMac, Michael W. Smith, Kirk Franklin, Chris Tomlin, Casting Crowns, Third Day, Mandisa, Jeremy Camp, David Crowder, Matt Redman, Ben Glover, Chris Stevens, Aaron Lindsey, David Garcia, Tim Hughes, Jamie Grace, Brenton Brown and Leeland. CCMGP also encompasses many of the world’s most prominent Christian music catalogs, including sixsteps, Thankyou Music, Integrity, Hillsong, Gaither, Maranatha! Music, Emack (the publishing catalog of Christian record company Gotee Records), the Lorenz Creative Services catalogs, Reunion Music (whose catalog includes the Eric Clapton hit “Change The World”) and the Sparrow catalogs (containing numerous legendary gospel and Christian evergreens).

Songs from these historic catalogs have been recorded by music legends including Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, Ray Charles, Linda Ronstadt, Amy Grant, Elvis Presley and Willie Nelson. With its unparalleled collection of copyrights and the strength of the Brentwood Benson Music Publications brand, Capitol CMG Publishing is the leader in Christian music publishing worldwide.

The way we listen to music has changed drastically in the past 15 years – from CDs to digital downloads to digital radio services. As the industry transitions from music as “something you own” to “something you access from anywhere at any time,” SoundExchange helps the music and creative community thrive in the digital age.Today, there are more than 2,500 digital radio services taking advantage of the statutory license that SoundExchange administers. SoundExchange pays royalties to the musicians and labels that created the music these services play.SoundExchange second quarter 2014 highlights:$161 million paid directly to artists and labels8% increase in payments from Q2 2013 to Q2 201422,343 payees in Q2 201434% increase in number of payees from Q2 2013 to Q2 2014$323.6 million paid directly to artists and labels YTD45% of royalties paid directly to the recording artist5% of royalties paid to backup musicians and session players via AFM and SAG–AFTRA

Nashville-based actor Todd Truley was in New York recently to attend the premiere of the Robert DeNiro / Sylvester Stallone comedy, Grudge Match, in which he plays physician, Dr. Camare. Truley, a Nashville native, has acting credits in high-profile projects including the motion picture, Prisoners, starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal, as well as TV shows “Homeland,” “Army Wives,” and “Drop Dead Diva.” Most recently Truley was a regular on the ABC-TV series “Nashville” as Marshall Evans.Truley was featured on the Grudge Match red carpet with his wife, Ellen Truley, the Vice President of Corporate Relations with the performance rights organization, SESAC. Ellen Truley was recently included in Billboard Magazine’s WOMEN IN MUSIC issue in a spotlight “Women of the PROs” special feature.

Juan Luis Guerra has signed an exclusive publishing agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG), it was announced by John Echevarría, Executive Vice President of UMPG Latin America. The deal marks the first time the Dominican superstar assigns his catalog to a major music publir for worldwide representation.Guerra became a household name throughout Latin America after releasing his first album in 1984 with his band 4.40 (the band’s name is taken from the standard tuning pitch of the A note). By the 1990s he had helped propel the Bachata genre to a worldwide audience. The legendary singer, songwriter, arranger and producer has sold over 30 million albums during his thirty-year career.

The Songwriters Hall of Fame announced today that a musical celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publirs (ASCAP) will be a featured segment at the 45th Annual Induction and Awards Dinner slated for Thursday, June 12th at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. The salute to ascap at the SHOF Dinner will be highlighted by the appearance of several surprise musical guests.ASCAP, a performing rights organization, was founded on February 13th, 1914 in New York, to licensing and distribute royalties for the non-dramatic public performances of the copyrighted works of its members.ASCAP’s charter members included Irving Berlin (“Alexander’s Ragtime Band”), Jerome Kern (“Old Man River”), George M. Cohan (“Give My Regards to Broadway”), James Weldon Johnson (“Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing”) and Victor Herbert (“Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life”), who was the driving force behind the establishment of the Society. Since then, ascap has been home to many of the greatest names in American music, past and present – from Duke Ellington to Katy Perry, George Gershwin to Jay Z, Leonard Bernstein to Beyoncé, Marc Anthony to Alan Jackson, and Henry Mancini to Hans Zimmer. Over the years, the lion’s share of Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees have been members of ascap. Today, ascap members comprise more than 500,000 U.S. composers, songwriters, lyricists and music publirs of every kind of music. Through agreements with affiliated international societies, ascap also represents hundreds of thousands of music creators worldwide.Inductees at this year’s event include Ray Davies, Donovan, Graham Gouldman, Mark James and Jim Weatherly. The prestigious Johnny Mercer Award will be presented to Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, Doug Morris will be honored with the Hitmaker Award and Dan Reynolds (of Imagine Dragons) will receive the Hal David Starlight Award. Del Bryant will be presented with the Visionary Leadership Award.

The 2014 Towering Song Award will be presented to “Over the Rainbow,” written by Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees Harold Arlen & E.Y. “Yip” Harburg, and publid by EMI Feist Catalog, Inc.

Warner Music Nashville (WMN), the Nashville-based recorded music operation of Warner Music Group (WMG), announced the appointment of Kevin Herring to Senior Vice President, Promotion, and Kristen Williams to Vice President, Promotion. Herring—who will report directly to Peter Strickland, Executive Vice President & General Manager, WMN—will oversee all radio promotion on behalf of WMG’s country divisions, which include Atlantic, Elektra, and Warner Bros. He previously served as Vice President, Promotion, and replaces Chris Stacey who is leaving the company. Williams will report to Herring.”I feel like Espo and Peter Strickland have given me the keys to the Ferrari!” said Herring. “Being able to lead the Warner Music Nashville promotion team is a true honor and privilege that I do not take lightly. I am surrounded by the most talented promotion people in the business—which includes our newly appointed Vice President of Promotion, Kristen Williams along with her counterpart, Chris Palmer —but most importantly we work with the best music and artists on the planet.””I’ve been extremely fortunate to work for Warner Music Nashville for over 10 years and to be recognized for my efforts in this way is truly an honor,” said Williams. “I’m humbled by John Esposito, Peter Strickland and Kevin Herring’s confidence in me and am extremely excited to work alongside them, as well as this exceptional staff and artist roster. 2014 is going to be an amazing year!””Kevin and Kristen are amazing promotion executives and it is beyond a pleasure to work with them,” said John Esposito, President & CEO, WMN.

“The relationships they have with our artists and radio partners are unparalleled, and Warner Music Nashville is very lucky to have them and Chris Palmer at the helm of our promotion efforts.”Prior to WMN, Herring served as Vice President, Promotion, for EMI and spent 13 years as Vice President of Promotion for Disney’s Lyric Street Records. Herring is a 30-year veteran of the music industry whose previous stints also included Mercury Nashville. His career started in radio at WWWW in Detroit, MI.Williams first joined Warner Music Nashville in 2003 as Manager, Secondary Promotion. From there, climbed the ranks to Regional Promotion Manager and, most recently, Director, National Promotion.

Music rights management company BMG has appointed John Dobinson, currently Chief Operating Officer of BMG Chrysalis UK and Europe, to a worldwide role overseeing its operations and administration functions covering both the publishing and recorded business.In his new role as Group COO, Dobinson now has worldwide responsibility for Copyright, Royalties, and Contract Administration as well as Integration Management, Asset Management, Supply Chain Management and IT.He reports to Group Chief Financial Officer Maximilian Dressendoerfer.Dobinson was a 14 year veteran of the Zomba Group – which was acquired by the Bertelsmann Music Group in 2002 – first as Finance & Operations Director, and latterly Commercial Director.Following the completion of Bertelsmann’s sale of the BMG Music Publishing business in 2007, he was a key hiring in 2009 when Bertelsmann re-entered the music market with its new model music rights management company, BMG.In 2010, Dobinson was appointed COO for BMG UK & Europe, and successfully led the integration of Chrysalis in 2011. More recently, he has led the integration of significant music publishing and recording catalogue acquisitions such as Virgin Music, Sanctuary Records and Mute Records.BMG CEO Hartwig Masuch said, “John is one of the few managers in the music business who combines high-level experience in both finance and operations with industry knowledge of both music publishing and recorded music, and we congratulate him on his new position.”John Dobinson said, “The past four years have been an incredibly exciting time helping build the new BMG into the major international player it now is. I am greatly looking forward to this expanded role and being a part of our continued growth in the years to come.”

Prominent independent music publir and production music library Black Toast Music is enjoying major movie success during Summer 2014 with placements in three new, high profile feature films. CEO/Founder Bob Mair made the announcement.Black Toast has placed three songs from the Black Toast Records artist roster in the hit comedy film “Neighbors,” from Universal Studios. To date, that film, starring Seth Rogen and Zac Efron, has grossed over $200-million worldwide. The songs include hip-hop artist G-$tack’s “Army Of One,” St. John’s “Get Your Party On,” and R&B artist Renald Francoeur’s “Give Me Everything.”Black Toast has also placed the pop song “This Is Who I Am,” featuring Shelayne, in the opening title sequence of the film “Begin Again,” from The Weinstein Company. The film, which opens July 4th, stars Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo.And, Black Toast has also placed five contemporary marching band tracks within the upcoming SONY Studios movie “When the Game Stands Tall,” which will be released August 22nd. The featured tracks are “Game On,” “High Steppin’,” “Drop The Boom Bomb,” “Move It Or Lose It” and “Take The Field.”Said Mair, “While we are well known for having 23 years of success in placing new music within network broadcast and cable television series, we are thrilled to continue to expand our music outreach into the exciting world of major motion pictures.”

BMI is proud to once again join forces with the Levitt Pavilion for Performing Arts to kick off its free and open to the public summer concert series. “Summer Nights” will launch Friday, July 11, at the Levitt Pavilion Pasadena with performances by David Garza, an original Rock-Pop-Latin infusion artist, and Irene Diaz, the soulful sounding Latin singer/songwriter and pianist.Friday, July 25, features performances including Nina Díaz, who NPR hailed as “one of the two or three most exciting, scary-good vocalists in rock today,” and two-time GRAMMY award-nominee, Elsten Torres, at the Levitt Pavilion MacArthur Park in Los Angeles.The third round will circle back to the Levitt Pavilion Pasadena on Friday, August 8. Rocking the mic will be Ceci Bastida, the breakout singer/songwriter who puts the Latin in L.A., and artist Raquel Sofia, who is stepping up to center stage after singing backup for Shakira and Juanes. The Summer Nights series will close out on Friday, August 15, with Master Blaster Sound System and Niña Dioz at the Levitt MacArthur Park in Los Angeles.The combination of the cumbia crunk/roots norteño/deep club sound brought by the Master Blaster Sound System, followed by rap phenom Niña Dioz, whose energetic stage presence is often compared to M.I.A., will end this four-date concert series with another not-to-be missed show.BMI SUMMER NIGHTS SCHEDULEJuly 11 @ 8 pmDavid Garza and Irene DiazLevitt Pavilion Pasadena85 East Holly Street, Pasadena, CA 91103July 25 @ 8 pmNina Díaz and Elsten TorresLevitt Pavilion MacArthur Park2230 West 6th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90057-3117August 8 @ 8 pmCeci Bastida and Raquel SofiaLevitt Pavilion Pasadena85 East Holly Street, Pasadena, CA 91103August 15 @ 8 pmMaster Blaster Sound System and Niña DiozLevitt Pavilion MacArthur Park2230 West 6th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90057-3117

Grammy-nominated and two-time Ivor Novello Award winning songwriter and producer Sacha Skarbek has signed an exclusive worldwide songwriter agreement with BMG Germany.Skarbek’s most recent success is co-writing ‘Wrecking Ball’, the second single from Miley Cyrus’s fourth album, Bangerz. Both single and album went straight to Number One in the US and UK.Skarbek played a decisive role in the creation of James Blunt’s debut album Back To Bedlam: He co-wrote the worldwide Number One single ‘You’re Beautiful’ with James Blunt, as well as six other tracks on the multi-platinum album, including ‘Wisemen’ and ‘Goodbye My Lover.’ In 2006, he received two Ivor Novello Awards for ‘You’re Beautiful.’The Londoner has collaborated with top artists like Adele (‘Cold Shoulder’), Jason Mraz (‘If it Kills Me,’ ‘Human Nature’ etc.), Lana Del Rey, Sir Paul McCartney, Miley Cyrus, Duffy, Train, Joss Stone and Backstreet Boys.Skarbek’s life in music began as a child, when he won numerous piano competitions, and was taught by renowned pianist Ronald Smith and awarded prestigious scholarships at Northbourne Park School and King’s School Canterbury. He graduated from Oxford University in music. The multi-instrumentalist also plays the French horn, clarinet and percussion.Sacha Skarbek, said “Feeling very excited about taking the next stage of my career as a songwriter with BMG. Already feel like I am part of the family!”Maik Pallasch, Managing Director BMG Germany, said “Sacha is one of very few composers that can write international hit songs for diverse world-class artists, such as James Blunt, Adele and Miley Cyrus. ‘Wrecking Ball’ is his current Number One success and I am sure others will follow. Sacha is not only an exceptional songwriter and producer, but has the remarkable ability to spot and develop young talent. Our international team is very excited to have the opportunity to work with him.”

SESAC, the nation’s most progressive performing rights organization, will now represent Kurt Cobain’s complete catalog, including his work on the groundbreaking Nirvana albums. The alternative rock band defined a generation uring in the genre known as ‘grunge’ and, perhaps unintentionally, catapulted Cobain into the spotlight as a spokesperson for Generation X. Having written such hits for the band like “All Apologies,” “Heart-Shaped Box,” “Come as You Are” and the classic “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” Cobain is widely recognized as one of rock music’s revered songwriters and most influential talents.”We are very pleased to represent the Kurt Cobain catalog,” said Trevor Gale, SESAC Senior Vice President, Writer/Publir Relations. “His impact on music is undeniable, especially with the success of the Nirvana records. Cobain’s songwriting was the foundation for the group’s success and his music continues to inspire. We are honored to represent the work of this groundbreaking artist.”Nirvana’s debut album, Bleach, was released in 1989 and was followed by the landmark Nevermind album in 1991 and In Utero in 1993. Even twenty years after his death, Cobain remains a legendary musical icon whose influence on music and culture is immeasurable. Nirvana is being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 10 this year at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. This is Nirvana’s first year of eligibility (the band’s first single, “Love Buzz,” came out in 1988) and will be inducted alongside KISS, Peter Gabriel, Hall and Oates, Cat Stevens, and Linda Ronstadt.

Royalty Exchange, the world’s only online auction marketplace for music and entertainment royalties, today announced the sale of song royalties from platinum-selling rock superstars 3 Doors Down. The auction, opening Jan. 28 and closing on Tue., Feb. 11, will feature public performance, sync, mechanical and other royalties paid to the producer of specially selected songs, including the Grammy-nominated smash hit, “Kryptonite.”Since forming in 1995, 3 Doors Down has sold more than 16 million albums worldwide and earned three Grammy nominations. The Mississippi quintet’s debut album, The Better Life, featured the hit singles “Loser,” “Duck and Run,” and “Kryptonite,” which climbed to No. 3 on Billboard and earned a 2001 Grammy nod for Best Rock Song.

The Better Life has since been certified 6x platinum. The band’s second album, 2002′s Away from the Sun, went on to be certified 4x platinum, earning frontman Brad Arnold five BMI Pop Awards for songwriting, including Songwriter of the Year. 3 Doors Down has released five studio albums, including Seventeen Days (2005) and 3 Doors Down (2008), both of which debuted at No.

1.The 3 Doors Down auction marks the most eagerly anticipated sale to date for Royalty Exchange and is the company’s highest music royalty offering since launching in 2011. Current and recent high-profile auctions featured on the site include Willow Smith’s “Whip My Hair” music royalty auction which ends Jan. 21, and the recent successful sale of “Do the Bartman,” from the animated series The Simpsons, co-written by Michael Jackson, which helped push total royalty sales for 2013 over the $1 million mark. In addition, Royalty Exchange co-founder Wilson Owens, 28, was recently named by Forbes as one of “Music’s Brightest Young Stars” in its annual music industry 30 Under 30 list.”Featuring 3 Doors Down, in addition to all the exciting momentum we are experiencing, is a terrific example of the growing demand from both buyers and sellers of music royalties,” said Sean Peace, Royalty Exchange CEO. “Our sales continue to grow in terms of artist profiles, auction value and bidder registrations, and we are developing innovative investment options that will expand the marketplace even further.”

Gunpowder & Sky attained the worldwide distribution rights to Alexandra Cuerdo’s Filipino Documentary ‘ULAM: Main Dish.”

‘ULAM: Main Dish’ shows the rise of the Filipino food movement in the US and how the chefs are being accepted. Some of the chefs shown in the film are celebrity chef Alvin Cailan, creator of LA’s favorite Eggslut and the Usual; chefs Chad and Chase Valencia and their Food and Wine’s 2018 Restaurant of the Year, LASA; Nicole Ponseca and chef Miguel Trinidad, creators of New York City’s Maharlika and Jeepney; and Los Angeles’ Andre Guerrero of The Oinkster, Maximiliano and The Little Bear.The film was picked by Jonathan Gold as a special selection for the inaugural Los Angeles Times Food Bowl in 2017. Gold describes ULAM a “Love letter to Filipino cooking in America.” Since then, the film has played consistently to sold-out audiences since its world premiere in April at the Launch Section of the San Francisco International Film festival.ULAM also had success with selling out screenings at the Closing Night film of New York’s Asian American International Film Festival, CAAMFest, the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, New Port Film Festival, and many more festivals.Alexandra Cuerdo co-produced and directed the documentary. It’s also produced by Kidlat Entertainment, John Floresca and Ray Cuerdo.The film will hit selected theaters Dec. 1st, and will be available later in the month on different streaming services.you can watch the preview of the film here https://www.ulamthemovie.com/#trailer.

Black Radio Exclusive Magazine (BRE), Black entertainment’s premier magazine since 1976, is proud to select giant music publir Warner/Chappell Music’s (WCM) newly appointed President of North America, Jon Platt, as its Man of the Year. Platt has secured publishing deals with some of the biggest names in the music business today – from Jay-Z to Beyoncé, Kanye West, Rick Ross, Ur, Drake, Katy Perry, Slash, Michael Bublé, Young Jeezy, Snoop Dogg, Mary Mary and Ludacris, among others. Armed with such top-tier artists as his clients, Platt has forged relationships that pay off handsomely for both his stellar roster of talent and his company.According to WCM Chairman and CEO Cameron Strang, “Jon is a once-in-a-generation executive, and a terrific leader, with a deep understanding of the artistic process. Our team now has the vision, expertise and global resources needed to shape the future of the music business.”And the results in his new role are quickly documented. Just ask Grammy nominated Pharrell Williams whose Oscar-nominated “Happy” has become a national anthem. “He’s not just there in the beginning when everything is great, he’s there in the most pivotal times of an artist’s life.”Or take a look at the recent Grammy nominations where WCM claimed three of the five Song of the Year nods (Katy Perry for “Roar,” Philip Lawrence and Bruno Mars for “Locked Out Of Heaven,” and Nate Ruess for his collaboration with Pink, “Just Give Me a Reason”). Other 2014 highlights included Jay-Z receiving nine nominations, more recognition than any other artist; Kendrick Lamar being nominated seven times including for Album of the Year, Best New Artist and Best Rap Song; and Kacey Musgraves being nominated four times, including for Best New Artist and Best Country Song. Other nominated WCM songwriters included Jerome “J-Roc” Harmon, Terius “The-Dream” Nash, Tommy Torres, Matthew Bellamy and Michael Bublé, among others.Adds 2013 Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Chuck D, co-founder of Public Enemy, “It’s Big Jon’s vision that has helped future chart-toppers as well as those from previously overlooked and bypassed musical genres to take their place up high in the Earth’s songbook.”From his instrumental role in connecting Jay-Z to his first No. 1 hit in “Empire State of Mind,” to his latest signing, pop-soul singer/songwriter Aloe Blacc who makes his major label debut March 11 with Lift Your Spirit, Platt tirelessly focuses on his songwriters’ long-term successes and bringing them fresh opportunities.” Platt is about changing the music business, making it a more creatively exciting and profitable place for artists and songwriters who not only set the trends and dominate the charts, but who are also poised to become the future of music.He’s an executive who gets it, who understands the creative process and that “everything starts with the song.”BRE Magazine is proud to join his peers, colleagues, artists and songwriters in this special salute issue to the “drummers among us.” Platt joins an impressive lineup of previous BRE salutes that include Rodney Jerkins, Clive Davis, The Underdogs, Mathew Knowles, Beyoncé, DeVyne Stephens, Alicia Keys, Jamie Foxx, Sonja Norwood, Michael Jackson and Al Sharpton, among others.