JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum Jody's Mis-Information About The Music Business

"As a songwriter, in the year 2,000, there were still over 2,000 "Staff writers" employed in Nashville...Has anyone met a Staff Writer lately?"

I guess I'm like Beetlejuice in that when someone mentions my name, I feel summoned. Hey folks.

I don't speak too much on the issue of streaming, because that is not my end of the industry. I am in the teaching, creation and development of songs, writers and artists, and in helping other people find their footing and direction. Once they get to the point of releasing material, dealing with power players in the industry, producers, publishers, labels, mangers, etc. that is the domain of other people, and while I still get cuts, and have things going on, it is not my primary focus.

I can speak to things like "staff deals", the modern processes the industry here in Nashville use and various challenges we all go through. The thing about streaming and the current payments (or lack thereof) in the music business is that there are very few people happy with anything, being paid much from anything. My favorite line is:

"How can you tell you're in Nashville?"
"Your UBER or LYFT driver had "SONG OF THE YEAR" two years ago."

Not far off the mark. I know four number one writers that drive for those two companies.

As far as the "2000" staff writers in 2000, that is really a large overestimate. The high point was about 1460 in 2005, I believe. (Numbers from BMI, ASCAP and NSAI), but started decreasing drastically from that point. It was leveling off leading up to that and many "deals" were not what most people think of "deals." People weren't being paid money to write, getting their demos paid for, etc. Most were independent contractors, with relationships or "exclusive representation deals, with publishers representing them but no money exchanged. Some had single or a few collections of songs represented but probably could not be considered "staff."

The numbers now are closer to less than 300. And going down all the time. I had a publisher in the late 90's tell me that within 10-15 years there would be no more staff deals. He was pretty close to right.

Many publishers started disappearing at that point also, and more and more went to "song plugging fee for service."
Some who even had hit songs on the radio did not have an actual "deal", yet had some special deal worked out with a publisher. Even more would have deals with these "CANNE Millionaire" companies, (wealthy people that would come in, throw a lot of money around, and then disappear in the middle of the night when they got bored and go to something else. leaving the company broke, the writers and staff unemployed, and buildings empty.)

The "deal" of today is almost exclusively some young artist, usually under 25, and a few of the experienced, hit writers who have their own publishing companies. If you have a shot at a record deal, you have a shot at a publishing deal. It is about ARTIST BRANDING AND FAN BASE. If they look attractive, build extensive followings (OUTSIDE OF NASHVILLE), have money backing you, or are of a particular interest to a power player, you have shots at deals. But it is not always money. That usually comes AFTER things get rolling.

Interestingly, we are going through our own "Harvey Wienstein" scandal here, in that one of the most powerful publicist, manager, agents in town, has just had a number of young male acts, accuse him of trading favors for sex.
Has caused his business to shut down, and his clients, like Dolly Parton, Kid Rock, and hundreds of others, to quit him. A big broo ha ha.

So that is more or less the state of "deals" these days. Once again, as songs themselves lost their value, the methods of promotion of songs and building artists, have changed. It's actually much the way it has always been, just the competition has increased. Streaming has played a huge part in that. Some people are doing it well, most are just trying to find a way to get and keep a public bored in seconds, interested enough to actually build a career.

But I can tell you that if you want to meet a "staff writer" it is pretty easy. Most of the bar tenders, waiters, waitresses, valet parking lot attendants, are those people. Just talk to them when they are waiting on you.

MAB