Nashville Women Honored
SOURCE Nashville’s Hall of Fame Awards honored 2025’s “women behind the music.” Since 2003, SOURCE has fostered relationships, education, networking, and community service for women in Nashville’s music business, many who have built and sustained Music Row. See bit.ly/47Qiixe.
Pictured (L-R, top row): Lori Badgett, Pam Russell, Kay West, Gina Keltner and Mary Self; (L-R, bottom row): Co-Host Kelly Sutton, Cheryl Harris and Co-Host Mandy Barnett. Photo: Moments by Moser
Hard-Headed Price
SESAC’s Margo Price has released her fourth studio album (the first in two years), Hard-Headed Woman, leaning into her country roots with feisty war-cry lyrics: “I’m a hard-headed woman/and I don’t owe you shit.” Produced by Matt Ross-Spang (producer for 2016’s Midwest Farmer’s Daughter) and recorded at RCA Studio A in Nashville, all tracks were written/co-written by Price and husband Jeremy Ivey. Collabs include Rodney Crowell and Kris Kristofferson; features add Tyler Childers and Jesse Welles.
In a project that started in 2023 after playing Orville Peck’s annual rodeo in Joshua Tree (at Pappy and Harriet’s), Price stayed at a friend’s house built into the side of boulders (once the home of the first Native American Playboy Bunny). She wrote “Close to You” with her husband during the stay, and the rest unfolded from there. More at Nashville Now podcast, and in detailed memoir, Maybe We’ll Make It.
IAMA Music Awards
Now in its 22nd year, the International Acoustic Music Awards (IAMA) provides acoustic artists in various genres radio and web exposure through competition. The overall winner receives $11,000 worth of merchandise and services (first prizes in all categories win $900 worth of prizes; runner-up winners receive $600 worth). All first prize and runner up winners will receive a track on an IAMA compilation CD which goes out to radio stations. The entry fee is $35 per song, with details and submission information at inacoustic.com.
Wise Signs Longstreth
Wise Music Group and WME sign singer-songwriter-composer-producer David Longstreth, whose work includes indie-pop Bitte Orca (2009), Swing Lo Magellan (2012), collabs with Solange, Rihanna, Björk, and co-writes with David Byrne. There are two Dirty Projectors albums and a solo project in progress.
Songsalive! Ongoing Mentorship
Songalive! is your all-access pass to the craft and business of songwriting. For over 25 years, the non-profit has been offering support, education, and songwriting opportunities to creatives of all ages, abilities, and genres. Run by songwriters for songwriters, a team of innovative, passionate experts provide a global platform for community, connection, support, promotion, education, and an opportunity to improve your writing. Connecting you with a global collective of songwriters, composers, and lyricists who can share their songwriting journey, members are inspired and encouraged with valuable feedback and advice from industry professionals. Membership means: a global community, expert guidance, endless learning, networking opportunities, and personalized support. Details at songsalive.org.
Scaggs’ Latest Detour
His first album in seven years, Boz Scaggs releasees Detour, turning his attention to jazz and the Great American Songbook. Growing from casual demos with pianist Seth Asarnow, it features Hans Trosea, Jason Lewis, Jim Cox, Jeremy Cohen, Michael Miller, and Ashra Weston and is produced by J. Michael Rodriguez.
BMI Honors Smith
British multi-platinum producer-songwriter behind hits for Adele, Craig David, Drake, Florence and the Machine, Gorillaz, Kano, Stormzy, Sam Smith, Snow Patrol, and more, receives the 2025 BMI President’s Award. Dominating U.S. streaming, radio, film, television, and visual media with his work over three decades, Smith crosses genres and generations.
Starting as a session guitarist with over 200 recording credits before doing any production, Smith first met Craig David as his guitarist for five years, before producing three of his albums (Born to Do It, Slicker Than Your Average, and Trust Me). Smith has seven No. 1 U.K. singles to his credit, two U.S. Billboard chart-toppers, and 18 No. 1 albums, winning a GRAMMY for his work on Adele’s 21 (as well as a nomination for Sam Smith’s In the Lonely Hour and a Latin GRAMMY for work with Jesse & Joy on Un Besito Más). Shortlisted for the Mercury Prize, nominated for a Brit Award, winning Best Album at the MOBO Awards, and recognized for work on Stormzy’s Brit and Ivor Novello-winning debut, Gang Signs & Prayer, newer work includes The Forest Is The Path (Snow Patrol) and production of Kae Tempest’s Self-Titled. Smith also has solo work under his belt under the moniker Future Utopia.
Full BMI Brit Awards details at: bmi.com/news.
SMP Signes Pate
Sony Music Publishing signs rising singer-songwriter Aniston Pate to global publishing. The Texas-born Belmont grad delivers heartfelt lyricism, winning 2025’s Country Showcase Champion and success with “Honky-Tonk Without a Woman.” A new project with Rob Williford/Aaron Raitiere is coming soon.
SONA Songwriting Summit
Saturday, October 11 at the Village Studios, Songwriters of North America present their annual Songwriting Summit. Details and registration at: wearesona.com/pages/events.
The Cars’ Stories
Following his bestselling Leon Russell biography, Bill Janovitz delivers The Cars: Let the Stories Be Told (via Da Capo). Sharing first-hand knowledge and input from surviving members, Janovitz chronicles the journey, the conflicts, and the legacy of The Cars nearly five decades later. See bit.ly/4fYOmRw.
TAXI Road Rally
TAXI’s free convention returns to Los Angeles next month. From November 6-9, artists, musicians, songwriters, producers, and music industry experts join forces for three days of panels, speakers, mentorship, and networking. From licensing and sync information, to industry pitch opportunities and open mic jams, the event presents a great opportunity to mingle and learn. Full details at: taxi.com/taxi-road-rally.
Prescription Songs’ HAMZAA
Prescription Songs adds British soul, R&B, pop singer-songwriter and diversity advocate HAMZAA to their roster. 2018’s First Signs Of Me landed her a Later…with Jools Holland spot; “Sunday Morning” hit 18 million Spotify streams, and collabs include The Bonfyre, TA Thomas, The Amours, GeezLy, and Capri Everitt.
ASCAP Settles Rates
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) announces a new settlement agreement with the Radio Music License Committee (RMLC), securing increased rates payable for almost 10,000 American commercial radio stations to publicly perform more than 20 million ASCAP musical works. The list includes a dynamic group of works across all genres and accounts for a year-over-year increase in revenue rates paid by stations, better reflecting the ways AM/FM stations broadcast while acknowledging the difference between terrestrial and internet services. Find out more at ascap.com.
This latest increase follows BMI’s announcement of their royalty increase negotiated with the RMLC, with broadcasters now required to pay 2.14 percent of gross revenue royalties for 2022 and 2023, rising to 2.20 percent for 2026-2029, up from 1.78 percent for 2017-2021. The agreement will be in force retroactively to January 1, 2022. More at bit.ly/4g4SRdt.
Falconer’s Many Miles
With eight albums behind him, 50 years of songwriting brings Jeff Falconer to his latest release, Many Miles to Go (via the Little Village Foundation ). The project is a mix of electric/acoustic originals featuring Cliff Hugo, Terry Baker, Annie Stocking, Rob Zuckerman, David Zirbel, Dennis Cordellos, and David Kessner.
Kobalt Joins ElevenLabs
Kobalt has penned an opt-in licensing agreement with Eleven Music, ElevenLabs’ new A.I. music platform (rival to Suno), moving published and recorded music revenues closer to par, with each side receiving 50 percent of royalties generated on the A.I. platform (the same terms as a separate deal with Merlin and other recorded music deals). Kobalt has also secured a Most Favored Nation (MFN) clause, meaning that if any recorded rightsholder obtains better terms, Kobalt’s terms will automatically be upgraded to match. While Eleven Music is currently trained on production music (through their basic tier), the updated iteration (Eleven Music Pro) will be trained on cleared catalog music from Kobalt and Merlin.
Eleven Music’s pricing model reflects a departure from traditional sound recording compensation, which has the publisher’s share receiving about 25 percent of total royalties, while recorded music traditionally receives about a 75 percent share. Gen A.I. has presented an opportunity to negotiate more freely for publisher compensation, since it is not governed by Section 115 of the US Copyright Act as traditional publishing and recording is.
Cochise Adds RPM
Florida rapper-entrepreneur Cochise has partnered with ONErpm to maximize marketing, distribution, fan initiatives, and increase artistic momentum. First single with ONErpm “I LIE” had three million streams, while follow-up viral “BRACES” had organic videos from Coi Leray, Lola Young, etc.
Growing Angry Mob
Independent Music Publisher Angry Mob Music has launched a new creative in-house sync division, AM2, led by Co-Founder and Executive Director, Creative Sync, Sean Harrison. Providing sync production, A&R, and licensing under one umbrella, the new group includes Jessie LaBelle (Chicago) as Director of Creative Sync, Ashleigh Coulter (Los Angeles) as Manager of Creative Sync (joining existing AM2 team member and Creative Sync Manager, Ryan Brooks (New York). The team will report to Harrison.
With multiple locations operating within advertising, trailer, promos, gaming, and film and TV media, the new group provides a one-stop shop for music production, supervision, and sync A&R. The current client list includes Marvel, Walmart, Google, Toyota, the WNBA, Sony, Ubisoft, PlayStation, Xbox, and others. Past commercial placements include Ulta, Abercrombie and Fitch, Google, House of Gucci, Call of Duty - Vanguard, The Green Knight, and Netflix’s Bridgerton. Full details at angrymobmusic.com/am2.
Perkins Songwriting Expands
With ongoing songwriter events in California, Ireland, Denmark, and Greenland, Brett Perkins’ Listening Room Collaborative Songwriting Retreats are now expanding to events and festivals including Barcelona (Spain), San Luis Obispo (California), and Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Past retreat and workshop participants include over 2,000 songwriters from over 30 countries, consisting of beginners to seasoned pros looking for inspiration. Alumni have recorded (many commercially released), co-written, and toured as a result of bonds formed at camp. Full details and registration at listeningroomretreats.com.
Perkins also offers song consulting services and shares many recordings (from almost 50 years of performing) for free at brettperkins.com.
