And The Writer Is...with Ross Golan (And The Writer Is)

Leading a new wave of Latin music and culture for over a decade, today’s famed producer and artist guest, is the mastermind behind some of music's most iconic hits. A four-time GRAMMY© nominee, three-time Latin GRAMMY winner along with seven nominations, multiple BMI Award Winner, he has been churning out career-defining hits for artists as well as his own, including Daddy Yankee, Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Rosalia, Lauren Jauregui, Zion & Lennox, Anuel, Ozuna, Don Omar, Wisin & Yandel, Kali Uchis, Rauw Alejandro, Jhay Cortez and more. In 2019, he made his artist debut reaching the top charts with hit singles: “I Can’t Get Enough,” ”Adicto,” ”Callaita,” #1 Latin Pop and Airplay single “Agua” and GRAMMY® nominated “Un Dia(One Day).” In 2021, our guest continued pushing the culture forward on a global scale executive producing, Selena Gomez’ first full Spanish language body of work "Revelacion," "Sunbathe" alongside Miguel, and Bad Bunny and Jhay Cortez’ “Dakiti,” which went No. 1 globally. In addition, he continues to break records as the only producer to sit at the #1 spot on the Billboard charts for a record 102 weeks.  His latest two hit releases pack massive star power; “Summer Of Love” with Shawn Mendes and “Lo Siento BB:/” featuring Bad Bunny and Julieta Venegas.  And The Writer Is… Tainy!

Artwork: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Garnering two GRAMMY-Awards, seventeen number ones across multiple charts, billions of streams, and over 100 million albums sold since the launch of his career, this guest unlocks the unpredictable side of superstars throughout pop, hip-hop, R&B, rock, and beyond. After meeting Timbaland in 2001, he ignited an unbelievable string of seminal smashes—yet to relent. By 2019, his discography encompassed Justin Timberlake’s “SexyBack,” “My Love,” “Lovestoned,” “What Goes Around Comes Around,” “Filthy,” and “Say Something (feat. Chris Stapleton),” DJ Khaled’s “Shining (feat. JAY-Z & Beyoncé,” M.I.A.’s “Bad Girls,” Britney Spears’ “Gimme More,” Madonna’s “4 Minutes,” and Nelly Furtado’s “Promiscuous [feat. Timbaland),” to name a few. Additionally, he helmed songs for the likes of Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, Ciara, JoJo, Duran Duran, Chris Brown, Björk, Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, T.I., and 50 Cent, among others. He has been named “Songwriter of the Year” by SESAC for 2007, 2008, and 2010. And The Writer Is... Danja!

This episode is sponsored by SESAC.

Art: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He is a Grammy Award-winning producer, engineer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter who has worked with a diverse roster of artists, including Adele, Haim, Sky Ferreira, Vampire Weekend, Charli XCX, Usher, Brandon Flowers, Madonna, Tobias Jesso Jr., Carly Rae Jepsen, Cass McCombs, and Justin Bieber among many others. He co-wrote and produced Usher’s 2012 single, "Climax", which won the 2013 Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance. In 2014, he was nominated for a "Producer of the Year" Grammy and won for his production on Vampire Weekend's ‘Modern Vampires of the City,’ which was awarded "Best Alternative Music Album." In 2017 he won for his production work on Adele's 25, which was awarded "Album of the Year." In 2020, he won a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album for his production work on Vampire Weekend’s ‘Father of the Bride.’ And most recently, this year he is a 2021 Grammy nominee for Album of the Year his writing and production on HAIM’s ‘Women in Music Pt. III.’ And The Writer Is… Ariel Rechtshaid!

Artwork: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

She is a multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated artist, songwriter and producer hailing from Rochester, New York. At the age of 15 she signed her first record deal with Columbia Records and released her debut album, ‘Underage Thinking’. The album’s lead single, “For You I Will (Confidence),” quickly found a spot in the Top 40. After a brief stint as a teen pop star, she began to co-write and produce music for other artists. She has written songs for acclaimed artists across the musical spectrum including P!nk, Maroon 5, Anne-Marie, Dej Loaf, Leon Bridges, Christina Aguilera, One Direction, Tiesto, Matoma, Empire of the Sun, Niall Horan, 5 Seconds of Summer, Birdy, DJ Snake and DNCE. Most notably her compositions and productions with Shawn Mendes have earned her multiple #1s and include the 2017 BMI song of the year “Stitches,” hit singles "Treat You Better,” “Mercy,” "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back,” the Grammy nominated “In My Blood,” as well as Shawn’s new single “If I Can’t Have You”. And she played an integral role on the Billboard #1 self-titled Shawn Mendes album producing and co-writing 11 tracks. As an artist, she recently released her new solo album ‘LilyAnna’ under the moniker teddy<3 which features the singles “Body & Soul” and “I Was in a Cult”. And The Writer Is…Teddy Geiger!

This episode is sponsored by BMI.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The epitome of the phrase “persistence pays off,” today’s guest laid it all on the line to make his dreams a reality. This artist and songwriter moved to Nashville from Southern Delaware with $21 in his pocket. He lived in his car and worked multiple odd jobs waiting tables, making smoothies at a gym, stocking shelves at Wal-Mart, etc. Now signed to BBR Music Group’s Stoney Creek Records, a lifetime of never giving up has brought him full circle. His debut single “Best Shot” from his 2018 debut album ‘Mercury Lane’ is an RIAA certified Platinum hit that claimed the No. 1 spot on Country radio for three weeks. On the heels of that success, his second single “Make Me Want To” hit the No. 1 spot on the Country Airplay chart this year, marking the first time in history that a Black artist launched their career with two consecutive No. 1 singles on Country radio. His talent for songwriting is undeniable, with a knack for razor-sharp hooks and a love of deep messages. In 2019, he received his first ACM nomination for New Male Artist of The Year, a CMT Music Awards nomination for Breakthrough Video of the Year for “Best Shot” and won Breakthrough Artist-Writer of the Year at the 31st Annual MusicRow Awards. His current single “This Is Us” is a genre-defying track featuring Noah Cyrus has garnered 30 million streams – his fastest consuming single to date. It is featured on his new collaboration project, ‘Bettie James.’ Inspired and named after his late father and grandmother, the EP was co-produced and co-written by our guest and combined his deep love of family and wide ranging musical sensibility. It features collaborations with hitmaking artists such as Nelly, Noah Cyrus, Rita Wilson, Tim McGraw, Mickey Guyton, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, The Oak Ridge Boys, and more. To him, it is a musical composition of love, heartbreak, perseverance, hope, and faith. NPR calls the project an “announcement of his arrival” and a “huge step for country” while Billboard hails it “a powerful statement from a developing voice.” And The Writer Is… Jimmie Allen!

This episode is sponsored by SESAC. 

Art: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s MUST-LISTEN episode we catch-up with Season 2 guest, President, and CEO of the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), David Israelite. Israelite is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the NMPA’s operations, from legal strategy and implementation to government affairs and advocacy. His tenure to date has produced landmark successes on behalf of songwriters and publishers including the Music Modernization Act (MMA) and the largest CRB rate increase in history, in addition to groundbreaking industry collaboration in royalty rate agreements and raising the profile of the publishing community.

We begin our conversation highlighting the new CARES Act which was signed into law on March 27th, 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic which offers various types of provisions to individuals in need of aid. We also discuss the current state of the world and the music industry, specifically how it has affected songwriters and publishers. And we look back on the time in between our last conversation with Israelite in 2017. Learning more about the passing of the MMA (which became law in October 2018), the creation of the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) which will be the central hub from which streaming services will obtain permission to use the millions of songs found on their platforms, details on black-box funds, and more. And The Writers Is… songwriter advocate, David Israelite!

For information on The CARES Act visit the NMPA Resource Guide: 

http://nmpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/NMPA-Resource-Guide-to-the-CARES-Act-.pdf

For additional information on how to access support please visit:

NMPA - http://nmpa.org/

SONA - https://www.wearesona.com/

NSAI - https://www.nashvillesongwriters.com/

ATWI - http://www.andthewriteris.com/

To watch the video interview: https://www.youtube.com/andthewriteris

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Based out of Williamsburg, VA, today’s guest first rose to national prominence with The Way It Is, his 1986 Grammy-winning debut album with The Range. The title track became the most-played song on American radio in 1987 while Tupac Shakur’s timeless song “Changes” builds on “The Way It Is” and set the stage for many subsequent versions of the track, including Polo G’s current single “Wishing For A Hero.” In 1991, Hornsby collaborated with Bonnie Raitt, playing on her iconic hit “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” Additionally, Hornsby was a part-time member of the Grateful Dead from September 1990 to March 1992, performing over 100 concerts in America and Europe. He has written six full film scores for Spike Lee including his recent Netflix series She’s Gotta Have It, and contributed music to four others, including 2018’s BlacKkKlansman. Last year, Hornsby released his acclaimed album, Non-Secure Connection, which featured collaborations with James Mercer, Jamila Woods, Vernon Reid, Leon Russell, Justin Vernon and more. The 13-time Grammy nominee has solidified his status as a highly sought-after collaborator. Hornsby’s own 21 albums have sold over 11 million copies worldwide, and he has appeared on over 100 records including releases with Bob Dylan, Don Henley, the Grateful Dead, Ricky Skaggs, Bob Seger, Chaka Khan, Brandon Flowers, Bonnie Raitt, Sting, Mavis Staples, Willie Nelson and more. And The Writer Is… Bruce Hornsby!

Artwork: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest epitomizes what it means to be a successful, uncompromising, and independent artist. Wearing many hats, she is a songwriting legend, passionate philanthropist, dedicated animal rights advocate, generous friend, and an incredible mother. With a storied career, she began her musical journey as the lead singer of 4 Non Blondes and has continued to have a profound impact on pop culture with her message of female empowerment. She has composed and produced hit songs for artists such as P!nk, Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys, Britney Spears, and Adele, and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015. Most recently, our guest was nominated for a 2020 GRAMMY Award with Dolly Parton for “Girl In The Movies,” a song they wrote together for the Netflix film Dumplin'. Last year, she was nominated for the 2019 GRAMMY award for Producer of the Year, making her the first woman in 15 years to be nominated in the category. That same year, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and Critics Choice Award for her work on “Girl In the Movies.” In addition, she is the co-founder of We Are Hear, a combination record label, publishing house, management company, and production entity that she launched with fellow multi-platinum producer Kerry Brown in 2017. Today, she fosters the creativity of others, actively seeking and nurturing new talents to share with the world. And The Writer Is… Linda Perry!

This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle and BMI.

Art: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guests are the dynamic duo from the foothills of Boulder, CO to a household name – if we’re talking house parties.Since 2008, the American electro-pop duo has rocked sold out venues, amphitheaters, and college campuses around the world, playing shows on every major continent except Antarctica (too cold). With over 15 million singles sold worldwide and three U.S. RIAA Certified platinum songs, this duo has cemented their sound with global hits like their 3x multi-platinum single “Don’t Trust Me,” which reached #1 at Top 40 Radio and #7 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as hugely popular songs “STARSTRUKKK” (Feat. Katy Perry) and “My First Kiss” (Feat. Kesha) and memorable performances on American Idol, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and the MTV Video Music Awards. Over the past decade, they have pivoted to more behind the scenes work, having written and produced hits for other artists such as Maroon 5’s “Love Somebody,” Steve Aoki’s “Waste It on Me” (Feat. BTS), MAX’s “Lights Down Low,” Ariana Grande’s “Tattooed Heart,” and Kesha’s “Blah Blah Blah” among many others. They continued to play in front of thousands of fans while celebrating the 10-year anniversary of their RIAA certified Gold album WANT. Now, the duo is back with Photo Finish Records, where it all started – and they’re coming harder than ever. Their new single “LONELY MACHINES” (feat 100 gecs) is the first taste of much more music to come. And The Writers Are… Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte of 3OH!3.

Artwork: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He is a composer, lyricist, conductor, arranger, orchestrator, director, and performer – who has been hailed as “one of Broadway’s smartest and most sophisticated songwriters since Stephen Sondheim” (Philadelphia Inquirer). Best known for his dazzling scores to several of the most renowned musicals of his generation, including the generation-defining ‘The Last Five Years,’ his debut song cycle ‘Songs for a New World,’ and the seminal ‘Parade,’ for which he won the 1999 Tony Award for Best Score, he also received two Tony Awards for his score for ‘The Bridges of Madison County,’ a musical adapted with Marsha Norman from the bestselling novel. A film version of his epochal Off-Broadway musical ‘The Last Five Years’ was released in 2015, starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan and directed by Richard LaGravenese. His musical ‘13,’ written with Robert Horn and Dan Elish, is now in production with Netflix to be adapted for the small screen. For the past four years, he has been the artist-in-residence at New York’s SubCulture, where he offers a sold-out concert every month with stars of Broadway and the music world. He is the winner of the 2018 Louis Auchincloss Prize, the 2002 Kleban Award for Outstanding Lyrics and the 1996 Gilman & Gonzalez-Falla Foundation Award for Musical Theatre. The New York Times refers to him as “a leading member of a new generation of composers who embody high hopes for the American musical.” And his songs, including the cabaret standard “Stars and the Moon,” have been performed and recorded by Ariana Grande, Audra McDonald, Kristin Chenoweth, Billy Porter, Betty Buckley, Renée Fleming, Jon Hendricks, and many others. And The Writer Is…Jason Robert Brown!

This episode is sponsored by ABKCO.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Multi-platinum, GRAMMY nominated artist/producers – comprised of brothers Kyle and Michael Trewartha – are known for their chart-topping style of pop music, blending crisp electronic production and infectious vocal melodies. Each amassing over 2 billion global streams, our guests' viral hit singles “The Middle” and “Starving” introduced the duo to virtually every corner of the world. In 2016, RIAA Quadruple-Platinum song “Starving” with Hailee Steinfeld and Zedd reached #5 at the US Top 40 and was nominated for an American Music Award. In 2018, “The Middle” – in collaboration with Zedd and Maren Morris – became a certified RIAA Triple-Platinum record, held the #1 spot on the US Top 40 charts for five consecutive weeks, and accumulated three GRAMMY nominations, two iHeart Music Awards, a Billboard Music Award, and an AMA nomination. The duo has performed “The Middle” with collaborators Zedd and Marren Morris on The Billboard Music Awards and Ellen. Other notable releases include Camila Cabello collaboration “Crown” for Netflix’s Bright Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2017), and “Grey Area” featuring Disney starlet Sofia Carson (2019). In 2020, our guests offered their most personal and genre-defying installment yet in the form of sibling EPs: LIGHT and DARK. The 11-song project features vocals, writing, and production from the brothers on every song, and represents a new and exciting phase for them. Michael explains, “This time the music is really coming from us. It’s about our lives and our friends, the good and the bad.” And The Writer Is… Grey!

Artwork: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest is a Grammy-nominated songwriter and vocal producer known for her signature concepts, edgy and prolific lyrics, and catchy pop melodies. She's written for Dua Lipa, Katy Perry, Kim Petras, Charli XCX, 5 Seconds of Summer, Years & Years, Idina Menzel, Santigold, The Neighbourhood, New Kids on the Block, and many more. Most notably she co-wrote Katy Perry's "Dark Horse ft. Juicy J" and nine songs on Katy Perry’s album ‘Witness,’ including her single “Swish Swish.” She also co-wrote the alternative hit “Good Things Fall Apart ft. Jon Bellion” by Illenium, “Something’s Gotta Give” by Camila Cabello, “Black Widow ft. Rita Ora” by Iggy Azalea, “Two Fux” by Adam Lambert, “Get On Your Knees (Beg For It) ft. Ariana Grande” by Nicki Minaj, and “The Feeling ft. Halsey” by Justin Bieber. And most recently, she has penned Dua Lipa's hit singles “Physical” and "Levitating" from her album 'Future Nostalgia' and "What Makes a Woman" by Katy Perry for her album 'Smile.' As an artist, she formed the underground electro club pop project called Ultraviolet Sound (UVS). UVS topped the dance chart with their single, "Girl Talk" from an independent label in 2011. She has also been featured and has co-written on multiple EDM records such as "Fuzzy Peach" by Brillz, “Saturn” by Kill The Noise/Brillz, “Can’t Get Enough” by Tommie Sunshine/Halfway House, and “Reality” by Bro Safari. In 2017, she released her solo EP and accompanying short film entitled ‘Songs from the Sea.’ In addition to her work in music, she co-hosts “Right to the Source,” a podcast about the creative process and spiritual journey. This guest understands the mind of the artist and is not afraid to be different and daring in her approach to songwriting. And The Writer Is… Sarah Hudson!

Art: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hailed as “the most promising and influential new country star of the last five years" by The New York Times, he is a multi-platinum, ACM, CMA, CMT, and Billboard Music Award-winning artist from Asheville, NC. His new deluxe album, What You See Ain't Always What You Get, recently debuted at #1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart as well as Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. It also set the new weekly streaming record for a country album with 102.26 million on-demand streams, breaking his own record, which was set last November with the release of his platinum-certified, global #1 album, What You See Is What You Get. The new deluxe album features all 18 tracks from What You See Is What You Get as well as five new songs including “Forever After All,” which debuted at #2 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart—the highest entrance ever for a male country solo artist. Adding to a series of groundbreaking and historic years, Combs recently made history as the first artist ever to have their first two studio albums spend 25 weeks or more at #1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart—breaking Taylor Swift’s previously held record at 24 weeks. The achievement comes as What You See Is What You Get topped the chart for the 25th time, while his 2017 debut, This One’s For You, has spent 50 non-consecutive weeks at #1—tying the record for the longest reign atop the chart. Moreover, Combs recently won two awards at the 55th ACM Awards, three awards at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards, and two awards at the 54th CMA Awards. Continuing his triumphant run at country radio, Combs’ recent single, “Lovin’ On You,” spent multiple weeks at #1 on both the Mediabase/Country Aircheck chart and the Billboard Country Airplay chart. This is Combs’ ninth-consecutive #1 single—a first on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart—as well as his eighth single to spend multiple weeks at #1. His current single, “Better Together,” is already top 10 at country radio and rising. And The Writer Is… Luke Combs!

Artwork: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest boasts a more diverse catalogue and interesting journey than your average songwriter. With multi-platinum hits across genres, her own label/publishing/management company, Jinsing, and a Senior A&R position at Parlophone Records, she has achieved so much since hanging out in her Grandad’s reggae shop as a child. Recognising the early talent of the now seven times #1 artist Jess Glynne whilst hosting a song-writing masterclass at Jess’s college, our guest went on to co-write the UK No. 1’s ‘Hold My Hand’ which led to her Ivor Novello nominations and to her winning a BMI Award. She has gone on to collaborate with a host of international producers and artists and recently co-wrote the 2021 UEFA Championship x Pepsi anthem ‘Rotate’ by Burna Boy and Becky G. Other collaborators include producers such as Fraser T Smith, Toby Gad, Stephen Di Genius, Diplo and David Guetta, and artists Jax Jones, Paloma Faith & Sigala, RAYE, Madison Beer, Sean Paul, Rita Ora, Clean Bandit, Craig David, Gary Barlow, Jennifer Lopez & Maluma, Joel Corry and Hailee Steinfeld. In recognition of her achievements she was nominated for Songwriter Of The Year at the Music Business Worldwide Awards 2018, and won the “Music Creative” Award at Music Week's 2018 Women In Music event. She also recently won her second BMI award for Madison Beer’s ‘Home With You’ and joined the board of Directors of the prestigious Ivors Academy in 2020. And The Writer Is… Jin Jin!

Artwork: Michael Richey White.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our final guests of 2020 are a dynamic duo who are best known for contributing their original songs to the Oscar-winning animated film ‘Frozen’ and its 2019 sequel, ‘Frozen 2,’ the biggest animated film of all time. 

They composed seven songs for the sequel, including the single "Into the Unknown" which was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, the Academy Award for Best Original Song, and most recently a 2021 Grammy Nomination for Best Song Written for Visual Media. The duo was also nominated for a Grammy for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media. The original Grammy-winning ‘Frozen’ soundtrack spent 33 weeks in the top 5 on the Billboard 200 chart, including 13 weeks at No. 1. It is certified 4x Platinum and was ranked the No. 1 best-selling album on the 2014 year-end Billboard 200 chart. The soundtrack received two Grammy Awards for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media and Best Song Written for Visual Media for “Let It Go.” Following the success of Frozen, our guests collaborated in writing songs for the 2017 Pixar film ‘Coco,’ for which they won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for the song "Remember Me.” In addition to film, they have each have written songs and composed for renowned Broadway shows such as ‘The Book of Mormon’ and ‘Avenue Q,’ and ‘In Transit.’And one half of this duo, joined an exclusive list of 12 other individuals who have each won Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards in competitive categories, being the youngest person ever to have earned all four awards. And The Writer Is… Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez!

Art: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guests this week are two Grammy Award-winning artists, songwriters and musicians who were members of the alternative rock band, R.E.M. Having established a powerful legacy as one of the most enduring and essential rock bands in popular music history, R.E.M. pioneered the alt-rock movement of the ‘90s, influencing the likes of Radiohead, Nirvana, Pavement and Pearl Jam. Formed in 1980, the group enjoyed an extraordinary three-decade-long run of creative vitality and multi-platinum sales before amicably disbanding in 2011. With the massive commercial and critical success of 1991’s ‘Out of Time’ and 1992’s ‘Automatic for the People,’ in just a few years, the Athens, GA, four-piece had become one of the biggest, most recognizable bands in the world, thanks to hits like “Losing My Religion,” “Man on the Moon” and “Everybody Hurts.” Despite great success, the band members never lost track of their core values—remaining outspoken in their views about political, social, and environmental issues, and never wavering when it came to artistic integrity. Throughout the course of their career together—an immense legacy which approaches a 40-year tenure in 2020—R.E.M. released a total of 15 studio albums, won three GRAMMY Awards, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. In 2019 Craft Recordings released a 25th-anniversary reissue of R.E.M.’s acclaimed ninth album, ‘Monster.’ And The Writers are...Michael Stipe and Mike Mills of R.E.M.! 

This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle, SESAC & Royalties.

Art: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our next guest is an Australian born and raised, No. 1 charting, Grammy-nominated songwriter. Her passion for music sparked at a young age after winning a songwriting grant, which inspired her to follow the career path of her idol, Sia. After learning Sia – along with her other favorite songwriters Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift – were signed to Sony/ATV Publishing, she submitted a demo to their Sydney office which impressed Head of A&R, Maree Hamblion and she was later signed. Since then this songwriter has used her unique talent to co-write US and Australian radio charting songs such as LDRU’s “Keeping Score (feat. Paige IV),” Cosmo’s Midnight’s “History,” David Guetta’s “Don’t Leave Me Alone (feat. Anne-Marie),” and two of Zedd’s No.1 hits, "Stay (with Alessia Cara)” and the 2019 Song of the Year Grammy-nominated song “The Middle” with Grey and Maren Morris. She has also crafted songs for major artists such as Camila Cabello, Galantis, Dua Lipa, Demi Lovato, Jonas Brothers, Ruel, Mabel and contributed four songs to Khalid’s No. 1 Billboard Top 200 debut album 'Free Spirit'. In 2018, she received the APRA Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year award and then won APRA’s Songwriter of the Year award the very next year. Additionally, she is nominated for Song of the Year at the 2019 CMA Awards for co-writing Maren Morris’ No. 1 single, “Girl.” And The Writer is… the unstoppable, Sarah Aarons!

This episode is sponsored by BMI and Bandzoogle.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest hails from Mississippi and is the quintessential illustration of a highly successful and driven jack-of-all-trades: singer, writer, host, actor, producer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and cosmonaut. Beyond his fame as a member of the phenomenally successful group *NSYNC, where the group sold an impressive 80 million-plus records worldwide, he has since made himself a household name. With countless career highlights in music including multiple Grammy nominations, two diamond RIAA awards, MTV Video Music Awards, American Music Awards, People’s Choice Awards to name just a few. Other career highlights include: being the youngest person ever inducted into the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame, starring as Corny Collins in the Broadway hit, “Hairspray,” publishing his best-selling memoir, “Out of Sync,” making it to the finals on ABC’s hit show, “Dancing with the Stars,” and most recently producing a documentary, “The Boy Band Con: The Lou Pearlman Story,” which debuted at the SXSW film festival in March 2019. On his podcast, ‘The Daily Popcast with Lance Bass’ he breaks down the biggest stories in Hollywood each day. The show takes a journalistic approach to entertainment with unprecedented access to the biggest names in the industry. Philanthropically, he remains active in various charitable organizations. In addition to being on the Board of Trustees for onePULSE, he also serves as an executive board director of the Environmental Media Association and has been serving on the board for nearly a decade. In being with the EMA, he has helped educate both children and adults on environmental issues. He’s the national youth spokesperson for World Space Week and is a certified cosmonaut. He is a strong advocate for animals and supports numerous causes and charities like The Trevor Project, Thirst Project, HRC, Vanderpump Dog Foundation, and St. Jude’s hospital. And The Writer Is...Lance Bass!

This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle.

Art: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He is one of the world’s most influential music makers. An artist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, visual artist, and producer. Hailing from Hull, Quebec, this guest is the sonic shaper and spiritual inspiration of albums by the likes of U2, Neil Young, Peter Gabriel, Emmylou Harris, and Bob Dylan. An ambient music pioneer, his unique and innovative approach to sound is a key ingredient to the many well-loved songs he’s written over the past four decades that appear on his critically acclaimed solo albums such as ‘Acadie,’ ‘The Beauty of Wynona,’ ‘Shine’ and Grammy-nominated ‘Belladonna.’ His music, whether vocal or instrumental, has always maintained a cinematic quality, which carries through to his steel guitar symphony projects ‘Flesh And Machine’ and ‘Goodbye To Language’ albums. Most recently, he co-wrote and produced the ‘Red Dead Redemption 2 Soundtrack’ and is currently working on his upcoming project, ‘Daniel Lanois & Heavy Sun’, soon to be released via eOne. “The road is calling as the music keeps on guiding me through the labyrinths of song, messages, and inventions. Surrounded one more time by talent I admire, this new body of work features harmony singing with built-in capacity to raise the spirit." And The Writer Is...Daniel Lanois!

Art: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Born and raised in Reston, VA, our guest is an award-winning artist, record producer, songwriter, and musician. As a producer and songwriter, he is responsible for hundreds of millions of album sales worldwide due to his work with artists including Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, Halsey, Maroon 5, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Kesha, Sia, The Weeknd, Selena Gomez, Wiz Khalifa, Kanye West and many more. He is the recipient of the Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a five-time BMI Songwriter of the Year award winner, 2017 iHeartRadio Producer of the Year award winner, and eight-time Grammy nominee. This creative is also the founder of two labels in collaboration with Interscope Records: Mad Love Records and Friends Keep Secrets. His latest release, “Lonely” with Justin Bieber follows his 2018 debut album ‘FRIENDS KEEP SECRETS,’ which featured hits “Eastside” with Halsey and Khalid, “I Found You” with Calvin Harris, “Better to Lie” with Jesse and Swae Lee and “Roses” with Juice WRLD and Brendon Urie as well as collaborations with Ty Dolla $ign, 6LACK, Ryan Beatty and more. “Eastside,” the producer’s first-ever artist release, topped charts worldwide and is certified 4x Platinum in the U.S., with many other accolades worldwide. The album has been streamed more than 4 billion times to date. In 2019, he shared “I Can’t Get Enough” with Tainy, Selena Gomez, and J Balvin; and “Graduation” with Juice WRLD. Recently he made his television debut with a guest role in dear friend Lil Dicky's FX Networks comedy "Dave," and premiered the first season of his food show with acclaimed chef Matty Matheson, "Matty and Benny Eat Out America." He was the first guest on our podcast and in this episode, he is back to catch us up on everything he’s been up to. And The Writer Is... benny blanco!

Art: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest this week is an Ivor Award-winning songwriter, producer, and musician, who has collaborated with a wide range of artists including One Direction, Thomas Rhett, Maren Morris, Chris Brown, Jason Derulo, Fifth Harmony, Maroon 5, Big & Rich, Leona Lewis, and Little Big Town. He co-wrote and co-produced a majority of One Direction’s last three albums including the hit singles, “Drag Me Down,” "Best Song Ever" and "Story of My Life.” With Thomas Rhett he has co-written and co-produced numerous songs including his No. 1 singles “Craving You (feat. Maren Morris),” from the Grammy-nominated album ‘Life Changes’ and “Look What God Gave Her,” from the CMA Album of the Year nominated album ‘Center Point Road,’ (which he also co-produced). Additionally, he co-wrote and produced Niall Horan’s recent single “Nice To Meet Ya,” the No. 1 Top 40 single “Slow Hands,” as well as “On The Loose” & “Finally Free,” Rudimental’s Ivor Award-winning, multi-platinum single “These Days (feat. Jess Glynne, Macklemore & Dan Caplen),” Harry Styles’ “Two Ghosts,” Amber Mark’s “Put U On (feat DRAM),” Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs’ “Don’t You Forget About Me,” and many more. And The Writer Is…Julian Bunetta!

This episode is sponsored by BMI, ABKCO, and NSAI.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is the epitome of a modern artist - a Grammy-nominated multi-talented and versatile singer, songwriter, vocal producer, and dancer; an artist that lives up to the hype. Her unique and truthful perspective showcases her duality; fresh and familiar, sexual and substantial; a feeling of nostalgia blended with modern and youthful aesthetics. Selected as Apple Music's Up Next artist in 2020, Monét released her critically acclaimed project JAGUAR in August, which was the #1 R&B album on iTunes in 66 countries. The self-assured young artist we know today as one of the most promising singer-songwriters of 2021, who is responsible for some of the biggest hits in contemporary pop, hip-hop, and R&B for top 40 and critical darlings alike, including Ariana Grande, Brandy, Chloe x Halle, Nas, T.I., BLACKPINK, Selena Gomez, Lucky Daye, and Kehlani. Her songwriting is just an extension of her ability to shine as an artist in her own right. Her music and art play with the idea of gender roles, themes of femininity, and owning one’s own sexuality. And her motivation to bring honesty into her music makes it possible for many to find their truth in it. And The Writer Is… Victoria Monét!

Artwork: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He’s collaborated with such legendary artists as George Harrison, David Bowie, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Ringo Starr, among many others, and he’s toured with the likes of Stevie Nicks, Greg Allman, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Cheap Trick, and the Steve Miller Band. At 18, he co-founded one of the first supergroups, Humble Pie. By 22, he was touring incessantly and making use of the talk box which would become his signature guitar effect. In 2007, he won the Grammy Award for “Best Pop Instrumental Album” for ‘Fingerprints,’ and in 2014 he was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame. His 2019 album, ‘All Blues’, was No.1 for fifteen weeks on Billboard’s Blues Chart. He has voiced himself in “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy” and appeared on “The Colbert Report” and “Madam Secretary.” For Cameron Crowe’s film, Almost Famous, he wrote songs, served as an advisor, and played the role of Reg. In his memoir ‘Do You Feel Like I Do?: A Memoir,’ he shares stories of his diverse collaborative work and reveals both the blessing and curse of ‘Frampton Comes Alive!,’ his breakout 1976 live album that spawned three top-20 singles and sold 8 million copies the year it was released (over 17 million to date). He opens up about his experience grappling with fame at a young age and how he continues to play despite an inflammatory muscle disease. Woven throughout is the story of his favorite guitar, which he thought he’d lost in a plane crash in 1980 but reappeared in 2011, saved from the wreckage. And The Writer Is… Peter Frampton!

Art: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With more than three decades of experience, our guest is one of music’s most respected, accomplished executives and a preeminent creative authority. She is the first female chairman of a global music company and the first woman to be named CEO of a major music publisher. Since joining Universal Music Publishing Group in 2015, she has transformed the company into a billion-dollar business and the industry’s best global home to songwriters. She has led the signings and extensions of world-class songwriters including the Bee Gees, Elton John, Carly Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Prince, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Rosalia, Alicia Keys, Coldplay, Justin Bieber, Jack White, SZA, Post Malone, Quavo, Brandi Carlile, Ariana Grande, H.E.R., Harry Styles, Maren Morris and many more. A strong advocate for women’s empowerment, our guest co-founded and serves on the Board of Directors for She Is The Music, a nonprofit championing equality and inclusion for women. She also serves on boards for the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA), and The Archer School for Girls. She has been named to numerous prestigious honors, including: Billboard 2020 ‘Executive of the Year’ for the prestigious Power 100 list; Billboard Power 100 numerous consecutive years; Billboard 2015 Executive of the Year for their Women In Music issue; Rolling Stone’s ‘Future 25’; Variety’s Power of Women L.A.; 2016 March of Dimes Inspiring Woman of the Year for her accomplishments as a leader in the entertainment industry and as a dedicated mother; and more. Prior to joining Universal Music, she served as Co-President of Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Previous to that, she was part of the senior management team at EMI Music Publishing, serving as head of the company’s east coast publishing division and then revitalized and led EMI’s west coast division. Outside of music, this executive has also served as a producer of the successful films Drumline and ATL and as executive producer for VH1’s Drumline 2. And The Executive Is... Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group, Jody Gerson!

This episode is brought to you in partnership with She Is The Music.

Art: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we’ve partnered with the Songwriters Hall of Fame to bring you the final episode of Season 5, which features our special guest host, Hannah Karp, editorial director of Billboard. Among music legends, this guest is truly exceptional. He amplifies his legacy as a multiple GRAMMY-winning composer, producer, arranger, and guitarist by constantly traversing new musical terrain and successfully expanding the boundaries of popular music. As the co-founder of CHIC and the newly elected Chairman of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, he pioneered a musical language that generated chart-topping hits like “Le Freak,” (the biggest selling single in the history of Atlantic Records) and sparked the advent of hip-hop with “Good Times”. This writer transcends all styles of music across every generation with a body of work that’s garnered him inductions into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (2017) and the Songwriters Hall of Fame (2016). With the late Bernard Edwards, he was responsible for writing and producing the songs for their band CHIC, including the hits "Dance, Dance, Dance,” "Everybody Dance,” "I Want Your Love," and "Good Times.” The team also wrote and produced hits for other artists such as Norma Jean Wright, Sister Sledge, Sheila and B. Devotion, Johnny Mathis, Debbie Harry and Fonzi Thornton, with major hits including “He’s The Greatest Dancer” and “We Are Family” (both for Sister Sledge) and “I’m Coming Out” (Diana Ross). His work in the CHIC Organization and his productions for artists like David Bowie, Diana Ross, and Madonna have sold over 500 million albums and 75 million singles worldwide while his innovative, trendsetting collaborations with Daft Punk, Avicii, Sigala, Disclosure, and Sam Smith reflect the vanguard of contemporary music. And most recently, he was appointed as the first-ever Chief Creative Advisor for the legendary Abbey Road. He & CHIC recently released their first new studio album, “It’s About Time” in over 26 years to critical acclaim and a Top 10 position in the UK album charts. And The Writer is… Nile Rodgers!

This episode is presented in partnership with the Songwriters Hall of Fame and features special guest host, Hannah Karp, editorial director of Billboard. Prior to joining Billboard as news director in 2017, Hannah worked as a staff reporter for the Wall Street Journal, where she covered the music business as well as other industries including sports, travel and consumer products, and regional economics. A native of Berkeley, Calif., she holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Duke University and a master's degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This songwriter from West Palm Beach, Florida is quite familiar with the roller coaster of the music business. She has seen both the apex of success and experienced the struggles of rock bottom. There is no question she is an exceptional songwriter, a creator of the highest caliber. With notable cuts like Kelly Clarkson's smash "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)," DJ Snake's "Let Me Love You feat. Justin Bieber," and Kygo's "It Ain't Me fest. Selena Gomez," which also happens to currently be the #2 song on Top 40 radio, she is clearly a master of her craft. And The Writer Is...Ali Tamposi!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is an American record producer, musician and songwriter from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As the son of Philadelphia soul icon Dexter Wansel, he grew up in the music industry and began writing and producing his own music at the age of ten, citing rapper Nas and Motown songwriting team Holland–Dozier–Holland as his early inspirations. In 2006, today’s guest reached out to Nicki Minaj via Myspace message looking to collaborate. After her initial interest, he sent her an idea that would eventually become the basis for "Your Love". Nicki recorded the track and the unmastered demo subsequently leaked in 2009, landing at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Rap Songs, and launching our guest and production partner Warren "Oak" Felder to international acclaim. Since then, today’s guest has collaborated with an impressive list of artists including Ariana Grande, Usher, Demi Lovato, Kehlani, Rihanna, Alessia Cara, Megan Thee Stallion and many more. And The Writer Is… Pop Wansel!

Artwork: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

She is one of the most versatile artists in the music and entertainment world. A true pioneer and multi-talented woman with unprecedented success as a world-record composer, singer, producer, communicator, motivational speaker, entrepreneur, and dedicated philanthropist. All in one. Born in Panama, of Brazilian, European, and Asian roots; our guest was raised in a multicultural and multilingual environment, which allowed her to be the versatile professional she is today in a global market. Her songs have been recorded by Justin Bieber, Akon, Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee, Marc Anthony, Chayanne, Gloria Trevi, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Prince Royce, and Ha-Ash among others. She is the only Latina woman, in history, to achieve a #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 list, with a Spanish song. She is also the female composer with the longest number #1 record on Billboard, the first Hispanic woman to obtain a Grammy nomination for a Major Category (Song of the Year), the composer with the most reproduced song of all time (worldwide) on digital and radio platforms, and the youngest person to enter the Latin Composers Hall of Fame. About 200 CDs and more than 40 singles have been released with her songs, (including the unprecedented worldwide success "Despacito"). Simultaneously, with music, she has a respectable career in the media world, both in front and behind the screens. Through her company ENDERTAINMENT, she creates formats and produces shows and diverse contents, with high results, not only in numbers but also, in social impact. Her true mission has always been using arts as a vehicle for the common good. This task has been successfully achieved through her Foundation (Puertas Abiertas), by benefiting thousands of children and young people, with projects such as TalenPro, which unites entertainment, culture, values, social responsibility, and education. In 2020, She released her new album ‘MP3 - 45,’ a multilingual concept album that pays tribute to the music of her past while charging head-first into the sounds of her future, celebrating the dichotomy of a modern woman who both honors tradition and embraces change. And The Writer Is… Erika Ender!

Artwork: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week our guest is a multi-platinum country music artist, songwriter and two time CMA Award nominee who released the best-selling debut by a male with his platinum album, ‘Up All Night’. The album featured three #1 hit singles, including “Beer Money”, “Hey Pretty Girl”, and the 2x platinum breakout hit “Somethin’ ‘Bout A Truck”. He has released three studio albums and his third album ‘Slowheart’ garnered instant praise from critics and landed on multiple “Best Of” lists including Entertainment Weekly and Rolling Stone. The album also featured his fourth #1 hit “More Girls Like You”. He is currently headlining a tour following the release of his acclaimed EP ‘Room To Spare: The Acoustic Sessions’. The seven-song release showcases a more vulnerable side with an acoustic show that features songs from his entire career in a stripped down setting. In addition to his work in music, he founded the Comeback Kid Skatepark Project, which aims to provide skateparks to underprivileged children in inner-city communities across the country. And The Writer Is…Kip Moore!

This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Season 2 guest is a mother, singer, songwriter, producer, label head, and BMI Country Songwriter of the Year winner from Sterling, Kansas. Since we last spoke to her, she launched her label, Songs & Daughters, an imprint of Big Loud (which will soon have a publishing division). The company is dedicated to signing female artists and nurturing both the art and the artist. She also co-wrote the No. 1, 4xPlatinum single “Tequila” by Dan + Shay, which won the GRAMMY Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance. The song also won Single and Song of the Year at the CMA’s and BMI’s Country Song of the Year. Many of her songs have been recorded by Florida Georgia Line, Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Camila Cabello, Kenny Chesney, Thomas Rhett, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Lee Brice, Kelsea Ballerini, Raelynn, Walker Hayes, Martina McBride, among others. And The Writer Is… Nicolle Galyon!

Please join us to help keep the music community alive and thriving, giving it as much as it gives us. To donate or to apply for assistance visit the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund site: https://www.grammy.com/musicares/get-help/musicares-coronavirus-relief-fund

Watch this video interview on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/andthewriteris or on Instagram at @andthewriteris

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s Grammy nominated hit songwriter and mega-producer guest, has been the man behind a decade of sound, helping some of the biggest artists in the world use their voices and he is now returning to his roots as a solo artist. He is a 4x BMI Songwriter of the year and has penned smashes that include 30 No. 1 songs and other chart climbers for stars including Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani, Darius Rucker, Kenny Chesney and P!nk, Dierks Bentley, and so many more. Our guest has also produced acclaimed and GRAMMY-nominated albums for Urban, Bentley, and others. Now focusing on his own artist story, today’s guest is releasing his EP, Somewhere There’s a Light On, a five-song collection of his shimmery Southern pop. Featuring back-to-back singalongs and our guests’ ferocious musicality, the EP is radio-ready piano, staccato percussion, synths, snaps and smooth vocals, with country music’s love of cohesive narratives. He co-wrote Somewhere There’s a Light On with favorite collaborators, including a pair with Ed Sheeran. And The Writer Is… Ross Copperman! 

Artwork: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first episode of our “And The Writer Stays at Home” series, we catch up with a Grammy-nominated writer and producer from Season 3 who has produced and written for artists such as Jason Derulo, Selena Gomez, Nick Jonas, Justin Bieber, Britney Spears, Pitbull, Chris Brown, Dua Lipa, and more. Most recently, this Los Angeles native co-wrote and produced Dua Lipa’s current Top 40 No.1 hit single, “Don’t Start Now,” which was just RIAA certified platinum. And he also co-wrote and produced Selena Gomez’s single “Look at Her Now” from her No. 1 album ‘Rare.’ And The Writer Is… Ian Kirkpatrick!

Please join us to help keep the music community alive and thriving, giving it as much as it gives us. To donate or to apply for assistance visit the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund site: https://www.grammy.com/musicares/get-help/musicares-coronavirus-relief-fund 

Watch this video interview on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/andthewriteris or on Instagram at @andthewriteris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Songwriter. Record Producer. A&R Executive. This hitmaker has done it all. You'd be hard pressed to find a person in the business who isn't familiar with the work of this heavy hitting creative. With writing credits such as Beyonce's "Ring Off" and A&Ring Jason Derulo's "Talk Dirty" and CeeLo Green's "Fuck You", amongst countless others, this songwriter's work is seemingly always on the radio. CEO and Founder of Artist Publishing Group...And The Writer Is...Mike Caren!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest this week is hit songwriter who was trained as a classical violinist from the age of three and got his start in pop music with the Chicago area band he co-founded, Made in Hollywood. He is a powerhouse behind huge global hits including the 7x multi-platinum single “Havana” by Camila Cabello, the 5x multi-platinum “Work from Home” by Fifth Harmony, 4x multi-platinum “Let Me Love You” by DJ Snake & Justin Bieber, “Wolves” by Selena Gomez & Marshmello, “It Ain’t Me” by Kygo & Selena Gomez, “Let Me Go” by Hailee Steinfeld and Alesso ft. Florida Georgia Line and watt, and more. He has also contributed to several major albums and artist projects for Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Lukas Graham, Rita Ora and Carly Rae Jepsen, amongst others. This musician effortlessly carves pop melodies with more consistency than most songwriters in the game. And The Writer Is… Brian Lee!

This episode is sponsored by BMI.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Originally from Buchanan, Virginia our guest is an award winning, multi-platinum artist who moved to Nashville to pursue his passion for songwriting. There he met his future bandmates and together went on to form the band Old Dominion, in which he is the lead singer. He co-wrote the band’s first hit song, "Break Up With Him," which is RIAA certified platinum. Old Dominion’s sophomore album, ‘Happy Endings’, debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart & #7 on the Billboard Top 200. The album produced three platinum, #1 singles, “Written In The Sand,” “No Such Thing As A Broken Heart” and “Hotel Key,” all of which our guest co-wrote. He also co-wrote the band’s single “Make It Sweet,” which recently hit #1 on the Country charts. In addition to his band, he has written hit songs for other artists such as Kenny Chesney ("Save It for a Rainy Day"), Sam Hunt (“Make You Miss Me”), Dierks Bentley (“Say You Do”), Luke Bryan ("Goodbye Girl") and Tim McGraw (“Kiss A Girl”) among others. He is a three-time winner of the Association of Independent Music Publishers “Artists Writers of the Year” award, a two-time CMA “Triple Play Award” winner and the recipient of the ASCAP “Artist Writer of the Year” award. Additionally, he is a two-time Academy of Country Music Award winner for “Vocal Group of the Year,” and Country Music Award winner for “Vocal Group of the Year” as a part of Old Dominion. And The Writer Is...Matthew Ramsey!

This episode is sponsored by SONOS.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In an industry that has historically been dominated by men, this songwriter has been tearing down ancient gender barriers in the music business for over decade. She has made a name for herself as a co-writer of numerous #1 hits, all while with her own flourishing artist career to boot. Collaborator on massive songs such as Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream", "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)", "California Gurrls", "Roar", as well as the Britney Spears hit "Hold It Against Me" and Taio Cruz's "Dynamite", there no question that this creative mind has songwriting skills of the highest caliber. And The Writer Is...Bonnie McKee! 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we are joined by two highly-influential music creators’ rights advocates. Kris Ahrend began his career in the music industry working in the Law Department at Sony Music, where he provided legal services to all of Sony’s US divisions, including its publishing company. He subsequently worked in the business and legal affairs department at Sony BMG Music Entertainment before accepting a senior executive role at Rhino Entertainment. Kris Ahrend now serves as Chief Executive Officer for The MLC, where he leads the organization’s mission to ensure songwriters, composers, lyricists, and music publishers receive their mechanical royalties from streaming and download services in the U.S. accurately and on time. Most recently, Ahrend led the development and launch of Warner Music Group’s Center of Excellence for Shared Services in Nashville, where he oversaw the operations of fifteen different functional teams providing a variety of administrative, financial, and legal services to Warner Music’s U.S.- based publishing teams, record labels, and corporate divisions. 

Michelle Lewis is an award-winning songwriter, composer, singer and music creators’ rights advocate. From her early career as a recording artist signed to Irving Azoff’s Giant Records, to her first radio hit, Cher’s “A Different Kind of Love Song” in 2002, to the 2014 worldwide #1 single “Wings” by the British girl group Little Mix, Ms. Lewis brings authenticity, musicality, and heart to a diverse range of pop music. In 2015, Michelle Lewis co-founded the non-profit advocacy organization, Songwriters Of North America (SONA) in response to the ever-increasing complexities and inequities in digital royalties paid to songwriters and composers. Through her roles as SONA’s Executive Director, on the ASCAP Board of Directors, as an LA Chapter board member of the Recording Academy and on the Executive Committee of the Music Peer Group for the Television Academy, Michelle is solidly situated on the leading edge of issues facing songwriters: the ongoing fight to make streaming royalty rates more fair to creators, education and empowerment of creators through metadata, the implementation and utilization of the new Mechanical Licensing Collective, and fighting for songwriters to get healthcare and workplace safety standards in place.

And The Executive are… Kris Ahrend and Michelle Lewis! 

Artwork: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

And The Demo Is…“Shatter” by Malena Cadiz, “Staying” by Kyle Reynolds and “Where Do We Go” by Naashi!

Ross and Joe’s new live web series, “And The Demo Is…”, launched on the ATWI Official YouTube Channel December 17th, 2020. In the series, dedicated to highlighting and mentoring new songwriters, Joe and Ross provided a real-time critique and offered tips on the featured demos. In Part 1 of Episode 2 which aired on Friday, March 26, the guys give feedback on the song “Shatter” by Malena Cadiz ( IG: @malena.cadiz / TikTok: @malena.cadiz) who collaborated on the song with songwriter, Marshall Gallagher (IG: @swinghero). They also critique “Staying” by Kyle Reynolds (Twitter: @KyReynoldsMusic / IG: @kylereynoldsmusic / TikTok: @kylereynoldsmusic), which was co-written by Ellee Duke (IG: @elleeduke). The last demo they went over on Part 1, Episode 2 of ATWI was “Where Do We Go” by Naashi (IG: @naashiwroteit / Twitter: @_naashi_ / TikTok: @naashi) who wrote the song with Kyle Junior (IG: @kylejunior). 

Big thanks to YouTube for their support!

To submit your demo for Ross and Joe to critique visit: https://linktr.ee/andthewriteris

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is a Pulitzer Prize, Grammy®, Emmy®, Tony® and Olivier Award-winning songwriter, actor and director. Creator and original star of Broadway’s Tony®-winning Hamilton and In the Heights. Additional Broadway: Freestyle Love Supreme (co-creator, guest performer, Special Tony® Award Recipient), Bring It On (co-composer/co-lyricist, Tony® nomination for Best Musical) and West Side Story (2009 revival, Spanish translations). Recipient of the 2015 MacArthur Foundation Award, the 2018 Kennedy Center Honors and the 2019 Portrait of a Nation Prize. Our guest, alongside his Family, are active supporters of initiatives that increase people of color’s representation throughout the arts and government, ensure access to women’s reproductive health, and promote resilience in Puerto Rico. TV/Film credits include: Television/film credits include: Hamilton (2021 Emmy® Award,Outstanding Variety Special - Pre-Recorded), His Dark Materials, Fosse/Verdon, Curb Your Enthusiasm (2018 Emmy® nomination), Saturday Night Live (2017 Emmy® nomination), DuckTales, Sesame Street, The Electric Company, House, We Are Freestyle Love Supreme, Siempre, Luis, 200 Cartas, Mary Poppins Returns, Moana (Grammy® Award for Best Original Song), In the Heights, Vivo, tick, tick… BOOM! and Encanto (2022 Academy Award Nomination for Best Original Song). For Vanessa, best of wives and best of women. And The Writer Is… Lin-Manuel Miranda!

Watercolor by: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is a 17-year-old singer/songwriter who creates the kind of self-possessed pop music that’s empowering for both artist and audience. Since making her debut with the boldly confessional “dumbass”—a heavily playlisted track that premiered in early 2020—the Nashville-based musician has independently released a series of singles built on her unfiltered yet beautifully nuanced brand of songwriting. Her debut single for Atlantic Records, “abcdefu” has quickly proved a breakout hit for our guest, topping charts left and right with a viral stint that’s been fueled by the creation of over 1.5 million TikToks using the track. Along with propelling her to #1 on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart, “abcdefu” debuted at #51 on Billboard’s Hot 100 before reaching #15. The infectiously honest track peaked at #1 on both iTunes’ Pop and overall US charts, along with reaching the #1 most-Shazamed song in the US on November 30, 2021. Along with reaching #1 on Spotify’s Viral Songs Global and being featured on the cover of Spotify’s “Today's Top Hits,” “Fierce Femme,” “Pop Rising,” and “Teen Beats” playlists,“abcdefu” has also been added to Spotify’s “New Music Friday” and “The New Alt,” and many more. Now at work on her debut project, our guest is intent on making music that offers her listeners a certain emotional freedom. And The Writer Is… GAYLE!

Watercolor by: Michael Richey White 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is an urban legend in the flesh. An acknowledged virtuoso in the music industry, he began his career as a prodigy at the age of 15. Tireless in his work ethic, our young guest quickly established himself as a formidable musical force, with a trail of outstanding accomplishments writing his indelible page in music history. The wildly successful producer/songwriter/musician, has been an in‐demand producer since his early beginning; megastars line up to work with him to insure that next smash. He has added to the hit lists of music talents such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, George Michael, Mariah Carey, Sam Smith, Mary J. Blige, Beyonce, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Brandy, Jennifer Lopez, Jay Z, Notorious B.I.G., Drake, Big Sean, Toni Braxton, Kelly Clarkson, The Pussycat Dolls, N'Sync, Backstreet Boys, Jessie J, Ludacris and countless others. CEO of his production company, Sonix, Inc., our guest has garnished over 250 million sales worldwide. He also serves as National Trustee, Vice President of Advocacy, and Los Angeles Chapter Governor of the Recording Academy (Grammys) to improve the rights for all music creators and is a happily married father of four children:. And The Writer Is… Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins!

Artwork: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s heavy hitter guest broke out with critically acclaimed 2020 debut album, A ROCK, “an album that owes as much to AC/DC as George Jones” and “one of the most self-assured full-length debut albums in years'' (Billboard). The project joins countrified mixtape HIXTAPE VOL. 1 and most-recent HIXTAPE VOL. 2, as well as career-launching EPs THIS OLE BOY and WHERE TO FIND ME. HARDY is the 2022 ACM Songwriter of the Year and two-time AIMP Songwriter of the Year, additionally nominated for New Artist of the Year at the 2021 CMA Awards. One of CRS’ 2021 New Faces of Country Music, a CMA Triple Play award recipient and a Vevo DSCVR artist, the pride of Philadelphia, Miss. has earned his reputation as "a breakout in the making" (HITS). HARDY has co-penned 11 #1 singles since 2018, including his own chart-topping, double platinum-certified single “ONE BEER” feat. Lauren Alaina + Devin Dawson, and most-recent #1 alongside Dierks Bentley and BRELAND, “Beers On Me.” Current Top 10 hit “GIVE HEAVEN SOME HELL” is a hard-charged tribute to a fallen friend, the most-added single of the week at country radio upon launch. Serving as direct support on Morgan Wallen's Dangerous Tour now, he has also opened for Jason Aldean, FGL, Chris Lane, Thomas Rhett, Cole Swindell and more.. And The Writer Is… HARDY!

Watercolor by: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With his countless musical ventures, today’s guest has defined the term reinvention. In collaborating with some of the world's largest artists to date, he has paved the way for unique creativity. From being the frontman of alternative rock band, The Sleepy Jackson to half of electronic music duo Empire of the Sun, after 20 years of music making, he now emerges with a mystic, domestic wisdom on the comparatively unadorned and transportive new debut solo album, Listen To The Water. He has always taken the road less traveled, and now that road has led to a secluded cabin on a private lake in Northern California, and the birth of a new chapter of music. “I have hard-wired myself to be in a constant state of ever-grow. I will never be satisfied. You don’t make a record for no-one to hear. I want people to be captivated by it. In a way it’s a life story. You want them to hear the mistakes, the wisdom, the failure but also the glory”, our guest reflects. And The Writer Is… Luke Steele!

Watercolor by: Michael Richey White 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is a lifelong advocate for empowering creators and the Founder and Executive Chairman of Downtown Music Holdings. Since its start in 2007, Downtown has become the leading service provider to the global music business by driving equity and innovation across the industry. As Executive Chairman, he leads Downtown’s Board of Directors, drives strategic development and works with the executive team on transformational growth opportunities for the organization. Today, Downtown manages more than 23 million music assets on behalf of over one million artists and enterprise clients hailing from 145 countries from a catalog that spans 100 years of popular music, including music for film and television, and the single largest independent sound recording catalog in the industry. The company’s diverse client base features some of the biggest brands in music and entertainment, including iconic songwriters, composers and recording artists, major film and television production studios, gaming companies, the world’s largest music companies, music asset owners and other music service providers. Over the course of his career, our guest has received numerous esteemed recognitions, including Variety’s New Leaders, Billboard’s Power 100, Crain’s New York “40 Under 40,” and is a recipient of the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) Indie Award. He serves as Vice President of the Board of Directors for the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA), and is co-founder of NY is Music, a non-profit coalition dedicated to advancing the importance of the role of music in economic development, culture, and education in New York State. And The Executive Is… Justin Kalifowitz! 

Watercolor by: Michael Richey White 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is an American songwriter and record producer. He is best known for his work with Justin Bieber, Lil Nas X, Lizzo, The Kid Laroi, and Gracie Abrams. He has charted five songs in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, including The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber’s “Stay” and 24kGolden and iann dior’s “Mood” which both charted at number one. Our guest was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and began playing guitar at 10 years old. After playing in bands and singing covers at venues around LA, he discovered what it meant to be a producer and became enamored with the career. At 16, he began an internship with producer Benny Blanco before moving to New York City to attend New York University. While attending NYU, he worked as a producer and songwriter with Gracie Abrams and Omar Apollo, executive producing both their debut projects. After dropping out of NYU to return to Los Angeles, he began working full time on music. During the pandemic in 2020, he met and began working with longtime collaborators The Kid Laroi, Lil Nas X, Omer Fedi, and 24k Golden. In October of that year, he got his first Billboard Hot 100 #1 song with “Mood” ft. Iann Dior, which topped the chart for 8 weeks. Later that year he produced The Kid Laroi’s breakout hit “Without You” and in July of 2021 produced “Stay,” a fast-paced pop rap, pop rock, and synth-pop song, which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for 7 weeks, later becoming the 2nd longest running song in the top 10 of all time and spent the most weeks at #1 in pop radio history. He earned a nomination at the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards for Album of the Year for Lil Nax X’s ‘Montero,’ which Slatkin worked on as a producer and songwriter, working on “That’s What I Want”. Our guest was named to Variety’s Hitmakers of the Year in 2021 and to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 List in 2022. He was an honoree for Pop Song of the Year at the 2022 BMI Pop Awards for “Mood” and was nominated for Producer of the Year at the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards! And The Writer Is… Blake Slatkin!

Watercolor by: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is one of country music’s most renowned, talented and distinguished writers. From his early days of writing and drumming in Hattiesburg, Mississippi to being crowned Songwriter of the Century by ASCAP, he has indeed created for himself a monumental platform in the history of country music. As the writer of songs including Brooks and Dunn’s “Believe” to Blake Shelton’s “Boys ‘Round Here” to Morgan Wallen’s “Chasin’ You”, he has amassed over 350 cuts, 130 singles, and 29 #1’s. After moving to Nashville in 1985 to pursue a career in songwriting, he received his first chart success after having co-written “The Only One” from Roy Orbison’s album, Mystery Girl. In 1990, our guest signed his first publishing deal with Almo/Irving Music, and ten years later, he signed with BMG Music Publishing. In 2003, he opened his own publishing company, and within the first year of the independent company’s operation, he experienced the first single of the catalog; “Live Like You Were Dying” by Tim McGraw not only peaked at the top of the charts for ten weeks, but it also was named NSAI Song of the Year, CMA Song of the Year, ACM Song of the Year and won the Grammy Award for Best Country Song. In 2012, our guest co-founded Big Loud’s management division, the launchpad of Florida Georgia Line, followed by Big Loud Records in 2015. His success has continued to escalate at exponential levels throughout the years. He was proclaimed ASCAP’s “Songwriter of the Year” in 2003, 2005, and 2007 in addition to being named “Writer of the Year” by NSAI and Music Row in 1997. In 2009, he received the impressive honor of NSAI’s “Songwriter of the Decade” and won the 2014 Heritage Award from ASCAP as the most performed country songwriter of the century. Following those years of success, hard work & accomplishments, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in October of 2015. In 2017, he was honored with a CMA Triple Play Award for FGL’s “Anything Goes” & Blake Shelton’s “Gonna” & “Came Here To Forget.”. For the past 18 years, Wiseman has hosted The Stars of Second Harvest Show at the Ryman, showing his philanthropic heart and giving all proceeds to the Second Harvest Food Bank Of Middle Tennessee. To date, this musical event has raised over $2 million for the food bank. And The Writer Is… Craig Wiseman!

Watercolor by: Michael Richey White 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is continuing her path to world domination, kicking off 2022 with a Best New Alternative Artist nomination for the iHeart Radio Music Awards. It’s a well deserved nod after being the most played female artist on Alt Radio with “Serotonin.” The song reached #2 and spent 30 weeks on the Alt chart, 21 of those weeks in the Top 10. “Serotonin” streams surpassed 84M for the track, with over 1.85 billion career streams to date. Her first headline tour since the release of her debut completely sold out the North American run and was a hot pick at the Coachella Music Festival this past April. Since our guest released her critically acclaimed debut album if i could make it go quiet last year, the album received world-wide critical acclaim from fans and critics alike and was revered by the likes of Taylor Swift, Camilla Cabello and more. It was included on “Best of 2021” lists from Rolling Stone, Billboard, Variety, NPR, Stereogum, NYLON, and more. In 2021, she also performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night With Seth Meyers, as well as TV performances worldwide on Skavlan, Late Night Berlin, and MTV’s EMAs. And The Writer Is… Girl In Red!

Watercolor by: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is a singer-songwriter born of Caribbean roots with records that have entertained masses for over 15 years and his momentum has yet to stop. His talents touch the core elements of a hit record; whether he’s lighting up the stage as a performer or writing and producing your favorite top-charting hit. As a native of St. Thomas, VI; he first entered the music industry as one half of powerhouse duo R.City, alongside his brother. The road to becoming a world-renowned artist and songwriter isn’t always as smooth as one may hope. The brothers arrived in the US with only $35 to their name, sleeping in studios and on the MARTA (Atlanta’s public transportation); but their mindset remained ambitious. At 25yrs old, our guest and his brother Timothy signed their first deal with Akon propelling them into the next stage in their career, making hits. While signed to Akon, the Thomas brothers’ catalog grew and the potential for producing #1 records became a reality. R.City penned Mario's "Music For Love", Sean Kingston “Take You There” and Pussycat Dolls “When I Grow Up”; as well as music for Janet Jackson, Chris Brown, Flo Rida, and Usher. Later R.City signed to RCA and Dr. Luke and this relationship led to popular songs that dominated radio by Ciara, Beyonce, Nikki Minaj, Rhianna, Miley Cyrus and many more. Now, after years of success he continues to produce grammy award-winning projects like Grammys 2020 Best Contemporary Album  “Cuz I Love You” by Lizzo, #1 Rhythmic Radio Hits like "Best Friend" by Saweetie & Doja Cat and "Big Energy" by Latto. 4x Grammy-winning songwriter and strategic businessman, our guest has merely scratched the surface of his capabilities. And The Writer Is… Theron Thomas from Rock City!

Watercolor by: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is an American songwriter / producer. He has released seven studio LP's that have garnered him a loyal following despite never being fully embraced by mainstream media and commercial radio. Describing his music is difficult, he's been inspired by artists such as John Lennon and Stevie Wonder to Bob Marley and Outkast. His compositions have been recorded by Carlos Santana, Dido and Richie Havens. In 20 years of touring, he has built a devout following, performing at sold out theaters and ballrooms across the country. Over time, our guest’s music has become the soundtrack to the lives of those who have embraced it and he continues to inspire audiences through what can only be described as deep personal connection. And The Writer Is… Citizen Cope aka Clarence Greenwood

Watercolor by: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is a multi-platinum singer-songwriter who has earned critical applause and an increasingly fervent fan following since the arrival of her extraordinary, platinum-certified, 2011 debut, lovestrong, which featured the 5x-platinum certified smash, “Jar of Hearts” and gold-certified “arms.” She followed lovestrong. with the worldwide hit single, “A Thousand Years,” exclusively featured on THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 1 & 2– ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACKS. The RIAA diamond certified track was a multi-format radio favorite, and accompanied by an equally popular companion video, now boasting over 1.3 billion individual views via YouTube alone. HEAD OR HEART, her acclaimed gold-certified, second album, arrived in 2014, highlighted by the RIAA 2X platinum certified single, “Human.” Our guest kicked off 2019 with songs for carmella: sing-a-longs and lullabies, a collection of songs the acclaimed singer-songwriter sang to her daughter everyday, released on Carmella’s first birthday. She released the poignant single “Tiny Victories,” a track she wrote for the HBO documentary FOSTER, which made its premiere in Spring 2019. Most recently, she released songs for rosie in honor of her daughter on what would have been her first birthday and most recently, her latest studio album, a lighter shade of blue, released this summer. And The Writer Is… Christina Perri!

Watercolor by: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guests are a part of a globally celebrated, multi-platinum rock band and have cemented themselves as one of the most commercially viable and important acts of the past two decades. Their success includes worldwide sales of more than 50-million units, solidifying their status as one of the top-selling acts of all time and the second best-selling foreign act in the U.S., in the 2000’s decade, behind only The Beatles. Their inescapable and irresistible smash “How You Remind Me” was named Billboard’s ‘Top Rock Song of the Decade’. It was the number-one most played song on U.S. radio (any format) in the 2000’s decade according to Neilsen Soundscan, being spun over 1.2 million times. Their album All The Right Reasons was Diamond Certified (10-million copies sold) by the RIAA, in 2018, and has currently sold more than 13-million units in the U.S. and 19-million units worldwide. Amongst all these accolades, they’ve also been named Billboard’s “Top Rock Group of the Decade”, and they have received a staggering nine Grammy Award nominations, three American Music Awards, a World Music Award, a People’s Choice Award, twelve JUNO Awards, seven MuchMusic Video Awards, and have been inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame (2007). With more than 23 chart-topping singles and fans spanning the globe, they boast twelve consecutive sold-out world tours, playing to well over 10-million diehard and adoring fans. And The Writers Are… Chad Kroeger and Ryan Peake of Nickelback! 

Watercolor by: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is a multi-platinum songwriter behind 22 US Top 40 Hits including everything from Panic! At The Disco, One Direction, Fitz and the Tantrums, Weezer, Katy Perry, blink-182, Ringo Starr, Def Leppard, Carole King, Billy Idol, Jewel, Train, Tom Morello and Gym Class Heroes. He’s been named one of Variety’s Hitmakers as well as Rolling Stone's Producer of the Year and most recently held the #1 position on the Billboard Rock Songwriters Chart for nine weeks, a record. And The Writer Is… Sam Hollander! 

Watercolor by: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is Co-Chair and COO of Warner Chappell Music (WCM), the global publishing arm of Warner Music Group. She is at the forefront of a new generation of music executives at the intersections of creative and commercial, entertainment and technology. Known for being a champion of songwriters and their songs, her dynamic, innovative approach drives the development and promotion of music creators at all stages of their careers. Along with Warner Chappell’s Co-Chair and CEO, Guy Moot, our guest oversees the company’s global business, which includes a full spectrum of high-touch support services focused on creating transformational opportunities for its legendary roster of songwriters and rich catalog of songs. Since starting at WCM, she and Guy have built a culture of service and creative identity anchored in the company’s shared values of curiosity, collaboration, and commitment.Prior to joining WCM in June 2018, she was one of three partners at the acclaimed independent music publisher SONGS. During her time at SONGS, the company built a roster of over 300 songwriters, signing Lorde, The Weeknd, Diplo, and many others. She has also held positions at Universal Music Publishing, DreamWorks Music Publishing, and Elektra Records. As one of the leading voices in the music industry, our guest has been named one of Billboard's “Women in Music: The Most Powerful Executives in the Industry” for the past seven years running as well as included in the publication’s esteemed “Power 100” list in both 2019, 2020 and 2022. She was also recognized on Variety’s Variety500, along with the publication’s LA Women’s Impact Report. She holds a BA degree in Communications from the University of Southern California. And The Executive Is… Carianne Marshall! 

Watercolor by: Michael Richey White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is an English songwriter and record producer. He has won a number of awards, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, 3 Grammy Awards, and 2 Ivor Novello Awards. He is best known for his work with Sam Smith (“Unholy” "Stay with Me", "Writing's on the Wall", "Lay Me Down", "Too Good at Goodbyes", "Dancing with a Stranger"), Disclosure ("Latch", "You & Me", "White Noise", "Magnets"), Clean Bandit ("Rather Be")‚ Stormzy ("Crown") and Taylor Swift ("Christmas Tree Farm"). Our guest also has songwriting and producer credits with artists including Alicia Keys, Khalid, Normani, Kano, Dave, FKA Twigs, Ellie Goulding, Mary J. Blige, James Bay and more. And The Writer Is… Jimmy Napes!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With over 66 million album equivalents, and 55 million digital songs sold, not to mention over 110 billion combined streams, today guest is the singer of a GRAMMY® Award-winning, multi-Platinum rock band. The group developed a grassroots following with a series of independent EPs before making their major-label debut on KIDinaKORNER/Interscope with 2012’s Continued Silence EP and full-length debut NIGHT VISIONS, which entered the Billboard 200 at No. 2, while lead track “Radioactive” topped Billboard’s Hot Rock Songs, won a GRAMMY® for Best Rock Performance, and achieved RIAA Diamond status. After achieving their first #1 with “Radioactive,” the band immediately repeated this feat with “Demons,” marking the first back-to-back #1’s for the band, with both songs in the Top 5 simultaneously. 2015’s platinum selling Smoke + Mirrors debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.The 3x platinum selling album EVOLVE followed in 2017, earning a GRAMMY® nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album and unleashing three No. 1 Alternative radio hits: “Believer,” GRAMMY®-nominated “Thunder,” and “Whatever It Takes.” All three songs were also top 5 hits at Alternative radio. “Believer” was the quickest song to reach #1 for them. The band’s fourth album and platinum selling, ORIGINS, debuted atop Billboard’s Top Alternative Albums and Top Rock Albums charts, while its lead single “Natural” spent nine weeks at No. 1 at Alternative Radio. It was recently announced that their smash single “Thunder” received Diamond certification by the RIAA. With the certification of “Thunder,” Imagine Dragons have notably become the first group in music history to achieve four Diamond singles. For their fifth studio album, the band teamed up with esteemed producer Rick Rubin. 2021’s Mercury — Act 1 debuted in the Billboard 200 top 10. In 2022, they expanded the world of Mercury with a double album, Mercury – Acts 1 & 2, including the single “Bones,” which has gathered over 380 million streams to date and the accompanying music video.

And The Writer Is… Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.