• Multi-platinum producer/songwriter Tricky Stewart is expected to be named Head of A&R at Epic Records.
• Chris Anokute has been appointed SVP A&R at Island Def Jam.
• Word on the street is that Mike Caren (Co-President, Elektra Records, and EVP A&R, Atlantic) is leaving WMG for Universal.
• Shawn Holiday has been named SVP of A&R at both, RCA Records and Sony/ATV Music Publishing.
Drake, who we first featured 3 years ago when he was unsigned, released his new album “Take Care” last Tuesday. It debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart with 631k units sold, earning Drake the third biggest first week of the year behind Lil Wayne’s “Tha Carter IV” (964k) and Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” (1.1m).
Brantley Gilbert, who we featured back in January 2009 when he was unsigned, is currently having a huge hit with his first single “Country Must Be Country Wide”. The song is #1 on Country Radio and #3 on the Billboard Country Charts.
Brantley co-wrote the first two singles, “My Kinda Party” and “Dirt Road Anthem”, off of Jason Aldean’s latest album, which has sold 2 million copies in the United States alone. Both songs were part of Brantley’s artist pitch when we first found him, with “Dirt Road Anthem” being our buzz track when we featured him. However, despite having two major hit songs in his repertoire, no major label seriously went after Gilbert. He had to give away his two best songs to a superstar artist and help him sell two million albums for the industry to take notice, with Scott Borchetta eventually signing him to a record deal earlier this year.
Whatever happened to labels hearing hit songs and artistic potential.
19-year old rapper Mac Miller, who we first featured in August 2010, has topped the Billboard 200.
His album “Blue Side Park” sold 149,000 units in its first week. (Tip: The record was co-produced by Mansions on The Moon, a new production duo that we first highlighted last year.)
Childish Gambino, who we featured in June, has signed to Glassnote Records. His first studio album, “Camp”, was released by Glassnote yesterday.
Link: facebook.com/BabyBeeMusic
Contact: andrew@brightmanmusic.com
Imagine Dragons, who we featured in January 2010, have signed to Interscope.
Currently #4 on iTunes (UK) with a cover of “Wherever You Will Go” by The Calling. Signed to a small indie out of London.
Link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5THMr7YbEM
Contact: jonathan@northernlightsmgt.co.uk
J. Trill, who we featured in March 2010, has signed with EMI Music Publishing. The deal was done by Jake Ottmann.
Kelly Clarkson has cut the song “Honestly“, which we featured as a publishing pick two years ago. The song will appear on Clarkson’s new album, “Stronger“.
Listen to the original demo at this link. (Vocals by Nathan Barlowe.)
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