Kent Earls

EVP/GM, Universal Music Publishing Group Nashville

Highlight Reel

Inkings: new artists Josh Hoge and Greylan James and the re-signing of Keith Urban and Kane Brown

—Urban’s #1 country album, Graffiti U, is yielding another Top 10 hit with “Coming Home.” Brown has the most streamed album thus far in 2018 and has held the #1 spot for 12 weeks. Sam Hunt’s new single, “Downtown’s Dead,” is already Top 20 at radio.

On the runway:

Developing artists include highly buzzing Caylee Hammack and Chase McGill, who signed his first publishing deal with UMPG in 2012 and has current charting singles out with Luke Bryan (“Sunrise Sunburn Sunset”), Cole Swindell (“Break Up in the End”) and Kane Brown (“Lose It”).

What has been the most surprising development in the sector, from your perspective?
We’re thrilled to see major growth in the quantity and impact of successful cross-genre collaborations in the past year. Bebe Rexha f/Florida Georgia Line’s ‘Meant To Be’—co-written by UMPG writer (and Capitol Christian Music Group artist) David Garcia—started as a pop song and became the country song of the year; Camila Cabello pulling in UMPG writer Kane Brown on “Never Be the Same” to boost the song to #1 pop; and the global smash that Zedd had on “The Middle” featuring Maren Morris. These pop artists understand the value of cross-genre by enlisting top country acts to be a part of their singles. As something we’ve long been striving for in Nashville, it is exciting to see our artists embraced and experiencing tremendous success outside of the country format because of their contributions on these tracks.