Universal Music Publishing Group Signs Kenny Chesney to Global Publishing Deal

Ellise Shafer editorLooks like the band behind the songs featured in Netflix’s wildly popular “Tiger King” are finally getting their share of the spotlight.Vince Johnson, one half of The Clinton-Johnson Band who wrote and performed the songs Joe Exotic tried to pass of as his own, has officially signed an exclusive worldwide licensing and distribution deal with BMG Rights Management and Create Music Group.

A black reporter in Pennsylvania was reportedly removed from covering George Floyd protests over a joke she posted on Twitter about fans of country music star Kenny Chesney. The tweet suggested that the reporter showed “bias,” her employer, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, reportedly determined.

Over the weekend, Universal Music Group chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge announced the company would convene a social justice task force in the wake of nationwide protests prompted by the May 25 killing of George Floyd.

By Variety Staff

As protests over the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minnesota police continue across the country, Universal Music Group (UMG) plans to launch a company task force for inclusion and social justice initiatives.Chairman/CEO Lucian Grainge included the task force news in a recent memo to staff, which was first reported by Variety and has been obtained by Billboard. The task force will be led by chief counsel Jeff Harleston.

By Jem Aswad

DEALS

Def Jam is going international. A little more than a half a year after launching Def Jam South East Asia, Universal Music Group announced Def Jam Africa, a new division based in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Lagos, Nigeria, that will focus on "hip-hop, Afrobeats and trap talent in Africa" and report to Universal Music Sub-Saharan Africa & South Africa managing director Sipho Dlamini.

Today, Universal Music Group announced that it is launching Def Jam Africa, a new label division that operates within the continent to represent the best hip-hop, Afrobeats and trap talent in Africa. To start, the label will be based in Johannesburg and Lagos; the entirety of its starting roster comes from either South Africa and Nigeria.

It’s an exciting day in the local music industry today as record giant Universal Music South Africa announces that they have developed a local division of the world-famous Def Jam Recordings imprint – and it’s set to be a game-changer for African music.

It’s a big day for Mi Casa! The local trio are known for blending house music with a proudly South African flair and as they continue to promote their new single ‘Church Bells’, the lead single off their upcoming studio album ‘We Made It’, the group has announced a new global partnership with Afroforce1 Records, a division of Universal Music Group Africa.

By Chris Willman

Singer, songwriter and rapper Rod Wave has been signed to a worldwide co-publishing deal by Sony/ATV, the publisher announced Monday (May 18). The agreement covers his catalog and future works.Rod Wave broke through with the single “Heart on Ice,” which rose to No.

By Variety Staff

Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney, Sheryl Crow, Billy Ray Cyrus, Kelsea Ballerini and many more country artists will appear on CMT’s virtual benefit concert May 20 for Feed the Front Line Live.

Brad Paisley, Kelsea Ballerini, Grace Potter, Jon Pardi, Brett Young, Rita Wilson and Billy Ray Cyrus are among those on board to help out Feed the Front Line May 20.

By Variety Staff

Kenny Chesney re-enters the Billboard Artist 100 chart (dated May 16) at No. 1 to become the top musical act in the U.S.

Kenny Chesney's Here and Now enters both the Billboard 200 and Top Country Albums at No. 1 this week.