Publishing Briefs: WCM Nashville and Morgan Wallen’s First Signing, Plus Kobalt Fetches ‘Mutt’ Writer

It’s gotta be the May 1st edition of Publishing Briefs, our semimonthly bulletin of recent signings, deals and doings in the wide world of music publishing. Since the last time we gabbed, Kristin Robinson whipped up a comprehensive guide to the comments submitted in the Copyright Office’s inquiry regarding PROs and Robert Levine analyzed the growing pushback among clubs and radio stations on the amount of collecting societies in the U.S.

Caught up? Here’s what else is going on:

Warner Chappell Music Nashville and Morgan Wallen’s publishing company, Wilder Music, signed songwriter Jared Mullins to a global publishing deal. Wilder’s first signing, Mullins has co-written No. 1s like “Thank God” (Kane Brown feat. Katelyn Brown) and “Homemade” (Jake Owen), and has also collaborated with Wallen, Little Big Town and others. Originally from Maryland and West Virginia, he moved to Nashville in 2013 and has since written for Cole Swindell, Justin Moore and others. In 2022, he co-penned LOCASH’s “Beach Boys,” featuring Mike Love and Bruce Johnston. Wallen praised Mullins’ passion and creativity, while Mullins expressed gratitude for Wallen’s belief in him. “It is incredibly exciting to be working with Jared,” glowed Jessi Vaughn Stevenson, vp of A&R and digital at WCMN. “His talent is vast and varied, and to be partnering with Morgan is the cherry on top.”

Warner Chappell Music signed a worldwide administration deal with the one-and-only Diplo. A three-time Grammy winner, Diplo is known for a mess of global hits like “Where Are Ü Now,” “Lean On,” “Run the World (Girls)” and “Paper Planes.” He is a key member of Major Lazer, LSD, and Jack Ü, and his work with Silk City and Dua Lipa on “Electricity” earned platinum certification. Diplo continues to innovate with ventures like Diplo’s Run Club and his labels Mad Decent and Higher Ground. His recent projects include “Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley: Chapter 2 – Swamp Savant” and he just curated Diplo’s HonkyTonk at Stagecoach Festival, featuring artists like Paris Hilton and Anderson .Paak. “Diplo is a visionary creative whose multi-faceted success includes pushing boundaries with his own projects, creating cross-genre hits for others, and breaking talent through collaboration,” said Gabz Landman, senior vp of A&R at WCM. “It takes a rare kind of talent to be able to build and sustain a successful career that spans multiple decades – something Diplo has done almost effortlessly, and we’re so honored to help amplify his legacy even more.” Diplo added:  “The Warner Chappell team … have an immensely skilled, forward thinking staff that I feel can help complement how I approach making and placing music.”

Kobalt signed Bizzy Crook, who played a key role in writing Leon Thomas’ breakout hit “Mutt.” The track recently peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and currently sits at No. 1 on the Hot R&B Songs chart. Thomas praised Crook’s dynamic songwriting process, describing it as complementary to his. “I’ll usually do the hooks and he’ll have really cool ideas for verses, and I’ll shape out a pre-chorus that really brings everything together,” Thomas said. “It’s kind of like playing Tetris with words.” Besides the original release, “Mutt” has been remixed twice, featuring collabs with Freddie Gibbs and Chris Brown. “His talent as a songwriter and storyteller is undeniable, and his work on ‘Mutt’ is a testament to the kind of creativity and vision we love to support,” said Genevieve Huguely, Kobalt’s manager of creative. “Bizzy brings a fresh perspective and a unique voice to everything he touches, and we’re proud to be part of this next chapter in his journey.”

Sony Music Publishing Nashville signed 18-year-old country singer-songwriter Caiden Wallace to a global publishing deal in partnership with Marv Green’s new venture, Out Yonder Music. Hailing from Springville, Calif., Wallace has gained attention with songs like “More Than a Night,” “Manipulate” and “Don’t Call,” which have earned millions of views on social media. His first studio-produced single, “Girl I Never Had,” was released on April 18. Rusty Gaston, CEO of SMP Nashville, praised Wallace’s raw talent and potential, observing that “his California roots are infused into every song he writes, and he is creating something special.” Green, who is Wallace’s uncle, highlighted his nephew’s “spirited work ethic and his natural born artistry” and predicted a major record deal in the near future. 

Thomas Daniel signed an exclusive co-publishing agreement with Big Machine Music. His songs have been recorded by K-Pop stars ENHYPEN, Lauren Spencer Smith, Alexander Stewart, TAEYEON, and &TEAM. A multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and vocalist, Thomas has over 150 million streams of his own releases. Mike Molinar, BMM’s president, praised Thomas as a “natural,” adding, “his incredible sense of melody and capacity to capture the full range of human emotion lyrically are just a couple of reasons why we are so proud and excited that he chose us as his publishing partner.”

Armada Music Publishing signed new deals with Bloom Twins, SHELLS and Trance Wax, and extended its partnership with Da Beatfreakz. This expansion strengthens Armada’s UK presence and adds to its roster of successful producers and songwriters, including D.O.D, Ki Fitzgeral and Chicane. Ukrainian-born Bloom Twins (twin sisters Anna and Sofia Kuprienko) have joined under exclusive writer agreements to grow their songwriting careers following tracks like “High on Beat” and “DayDream.” SHELLS (Sarah Sheldrake) signed an exclusive deal after achieving a UK Top 5 hit and a BRIT nomination for “Dancing is Healing.” Belfast-based Trance Wax (Garry McCartney) brings his trance-inspired catalog and sold-out shows to the fold. Armada renewed its deal with Da Beatfreakz, whose 26x platinum hit “Prada” has over one billion streams. “This is an exciting time for Armada Music Publishing—we’re honored to join forces with Bloom Twins, SHELLS and Trance Wax, and build on the success of our partnership with Da Beatfreakz,” said Maykel Piron, CEO of Armada Music Group. “Each of them truly represents the very best in songwriting, and we’re thrilled to support them on their respective musical journeys.”

Audius, a decentralized music discovery and community platform, has partnered with Downtown Music to integrate millions of licensed recordings into its ecosystem. This deal includes both recording and publishing assets from Downtown’s catalog, giving over 4 million artists and 5,000 clients more control over monetization and fan engagement. The partnership looks to empower Downtown’s roster, including estates like John Lennon & Yoko Ono and Miles Davis, and contemporary artists like Jason Mraz and Pamungkas, to engage fans beyond traditional streaming. Audius collaborates with major names such as Skrillex, deadmau5 and Disclosure, and integrates with performance rights organizations like ASCAP and BMI. Both companies emphasized the benefits of artist autonomy and direct fan interaction, with Downtown vp of product and services strategy Harmen Hemminga highlighting Audius as a platform that “opens new doors for creative fan engagement and monetization, putting control into the hands of artists and rights holders.”

Musou Music Publishing and Warp Publishing have both joined IMPEL, the international collective licensing agency for digital music publishing rights. Musou Music Group, established in 2006 and headquartered in Athens, Greece, also includes Musou Music Production, Musou Studios and Musou Records. Warp Publishing, with offices in London and Los Angeles, grew out of Warp Records and offers personalized music publishing services to a diverse roster of artists, score composers and songwriters, including Boards of Canada, Slowdive, Khruangbin, Danny Brown and more. It also represents music catalogs for companies like Psychotic Reaction Music, Inni Music and Infine Music. Now in 17 countries, IMPEL represents top independent publishers like Beggars Music, Bucks Music and Reservoir, with a repertoire featuring global icons such as Ed Sheeran, Beyoncé and Rihanna. 

Last Publishing Briefs: Reservoir Media Expands to India