Publishing Briefs: Tori Amos Stays Downtown, Plus Concord Acquires Hits By ‘Photograph’ Co-Writer

February 7, 2025 E Jazz Reporter

Artistes

Also: Prescription signs a “High Horse” co-writer, Warner Chappell forges alliance with Luke Steele and Position Music rides with WAVES.

Tori Amos

Kavita Kaul

Publishing Briefs is a bimonthly bulletin of recent signings, deals and doings in the wide world of music publishing.

In case you missed it, the NMPA announced this week it will issue takedown notices to Spotify for 2,500 podcast episodes, alleging they contain unlicensed works from 19 member publishers. And this morning, Warner Music announced a new direct deal between its publishing arm, Warner Chappell, and Spotify. Caught up? Here’s what else is going on:

That little earthquake you feel? It’s a rush of new extensions from Downtown Music Publishing, including a renewed pact with iconic singer-songwriter Tori Amos. Under the renewal, Downtown will continue to represent Amos’ entire catalog, which spans 16 studio albums and several live releases. Renowned for her ethereal vocals, poetic lyricism and classically trained piano prowess, Amos has kept fans rapt since her 1992 breakthrough, Little Earthquakes, and high-charting followups like 1994’s Under the Pink and 1996’s Boys for Pele. Her iconic songs include “Crucify,” “Silent All These Years,” “Cornflake Girl,” “Caught a Lite Sneeze” and “A Sorta Fairytale,” among many others. DMP also extended its agreements with several other notable writers. These include Tim Kellett, known for his work with Olive, The Durutti Column and Simply Red. Also renewed are deals with Les Claypool, the inventive bassist and quirky voice behind alt-rock trio Primus; Geoff Wilkinson, founder of Us3 and producer of the classic “Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)”; and acclaimed songwriter Brett Dennen.

Concord acquired a portion of Ed Sheeran compatriot Johnny McDaid’s song catalog and will also represent his future works. McDaid, a member of Snow Patrol since 2011, has written for artists like Sheeran, BTS and Pink, with notable hits including “Photograph,” “Bad Habits” and “Shivers.” Originally from Northern Ireland, McDaid moved to London as a teenager and later led the band Vega4 before joining Snow Patrol in time for its Fallen Empires album. Over the years, he’s collaborated with major artists across multiple genres, including Robbie Williams and David Guetta. His creative union with Sheeran has been particularly impactful, co-writing seven songs on Ed’s X album, including “Photograph,” and eight songs on ÷, featuring the ubiquitous “Shape of You” (not included in this catalog deal). He continued working with Sheeran on=, co-writing major hits “Shivers” and “Bad Habits.” “Johnny is a true artist,” said Jim Selby, chief publishing officer at Concord. “His catalog to this point has reached incredible heights, culturally resonating around the world. We’re thrilled to represent some of his iconic works and honored to partner with Johnny for the future.”

Trending on Billboard

Warner Chappell Music signed an exclusive worldwide administration deal with Luke Steele, the artist behind Australian electronic duo Empire of the Sun. The group has won multiple awards, including eight ARIA Awards, and sold over 5.5 million albums with 7.6 billion streams, WCM said in its announcement. Steele has also achieved success as a solo artist, collaborating with Jay-Z and Beyoncé. WCM co-chair and CEO Guy Moot praised Steele as one of Australia’s most influential musicians, adding “he’s consistently pushed boundaries and delivered groundbreaking work with every release.”

Prescription Songs signed Nashville-based songwriter Trent Dabbs, known for co-writing “High Horse” with Kacey Musgraves and “Girls Chase Boys” with Ingrid Michaelson. Dabbs recently worked on Stephen Sanchez’s singles “Evangeline” and “Emotional Vacation,” and collaborated with artists like COIN, Valley, Noah Cyrus, and NEEDTOBREATHE. In 2024, he released songs with Maggie Antone, Allen Stone, Wild Rivers, and Astrid S.

Big Yellow Dog Music welcomed country artist Ethan Garner to its artist and songwriting roster. After playing shows around the Nashville area, he earned an opening slot for Travis Denning. Garner joins a roster that includes songwriter Daniel Tashian, producer Jared Conrad, Dave Pittenger, Jessie James Decker and more. Garner is managed by Matt Musacchio of Champ Management/Red Light Management. –Jessica Nicholson

Universal Music Publishing Nashville signed country artist Dalton Davis to an exclusive global publishing agreement. Originally from North Carolina, the Nashville-based Davis is set to release his debut album in 2025. His second single, “Sit Crooked,” has nearly half a million streams, and his third single, “Blue Ridge Sky,” was released on Jan. 31. Roxy King, senior director of A&R at the company, praised Davis as the “rare artist that knows exactly who he is and what he wants to say,” while UMPG Nashville chairman and CEO Troy Tomlinson highlighted his “it factor.” Davis is represented by WME for touring and managed by Alex Lunt of Type A Management.

Electronic duo WAVES, consisting of Spencer Bridle and Frankie Grant, signed a global publishing deal with Position Music. Known for their “elevated rave” sound, WAVES scored radio airplay with singles “Mr. Wilson” and the followup “Jalapeño,” and in 2024 dropped a cover of Macklemore’s “Thrift Shop,” titled “Pop Some Tags.” Their latest single, Stuck on You featuring Sarah de Warren, was released last month. WAVES join a Position roster that also includes Tinashe, Cannons, Audien and Judah & the Lion.

Bucks Music Group signed British rapper and producer CLAVIS 7EVEN to an exclusive worldwide publishing deal. The Congo-born CLAVIS 7EVEN first gained attention on BBC and elsewhere with his mixtape 7’s Deadly Sins. His single “LOSIN U” featured on Apple Music, and he was named BBC Introducing’s Artist of the Day last month.

Daily newsletters straight to your inbox