Jason Isbell Signs Worldwide Publishing Deal
The current King of Americana and now Grammy-nominated singer songwriter Jason Isbell has signed an exclusive worldwide publishing deal with Downtown Music Publishing. The news comes near the end of a marquee run for Isbell, who along with his Grammy nominations for Best Americana Album (Something More Than Free) and Best American Roots Song (“24 Frames”), has also landed at #16 on Billboard‘s year-end Independent Album’s chart.
“We are thrilled to be working with Jason and his incredible song catalog,” says Downtown COO Andrew Bergman. “With each new album, Jason’s music continues to reach ever-wider audiences, crossing over to numerous genres. We are truly honored to partner with Jason and his fantastic team.”
Jason Isbell’s Something More Than Free not only charted at #1 in country upon its release, it also found its way to #1 on the rock and folk charts.
The deal he signed is very similar to the deal inked by Sturgill Simpson in June with Downtown Music. One of the primary benefits to artists to signing a publishing deal is to get their music placed in movies, films, and other outlets. The boost in exposure can be important for songwriters, especially ones who aren’t regularly featured on mainstream radio. In late November, Sturgill Simpson’s cover of “The Promise” landed prominent placement in the critically-acclaimed HBO series The Leftovers—an example of what can result from a publishing deal.
“We look forward to doing more licensing, helping him promote his brand, and we’re in a great place for that. We feel like timing wise it couldn’t be better for all of us,” said Downtown Music Publishing’s VP of A&R Steve Markland.
READ: Chris Stapleton and Jason Isbell Come Up Big in 2015 Grammy Nominations
December 11, 2015 @ 10:37 am
Congrats to Jason, but to talk about an individual artist as having a “brand” is the exactly problem with the music industry.. And probably our culture as a whole.
December 11, 2015 @ 11:59 am
Everything worth a shit gets commercialized. I trust Jason to deal with it well.
December 12, 2015 @ 6:09 am
I realize everything, and every artist, is commercialized and turned into a commodity (though it is whether or not they are worth a shit). I think it is a problem in our culture. I never said I didn’t trust Jason to deal with it.
December 11, 2015 @ 1:38 pm
every single person in the music industry has a “Brand” even if they don’t go out of their way to promote it
December 11, 2015 @ 10:46 am
Jason Isbell may just be the best songwriter of the modern era in any genre.One of the best , if not the best.
December 11, 2015 @ 11:55 am
He’s no. 72 on Trigger’s all-time list. I wonder how he would rate among contemporary songwriters?
Trigger? Another list possibility??
December 11, 2015 @ 2:55 pm
Sure, I love to hemorrhage readers because so and so is on some list, or so and so isn’t, so that clearly means I’m either ignorant or bias and am never worth paying attention to again.
December 11, 2015 @ 8:17 pm
Since you’ve done greatest albums and a greatest songwriters list , do you plan on releasing a greatest singer( based on their voice) list?
December 11, 2015 @ 2:46 pm
I’d nominate Hayes Carll but, semantics.
December 11, 2015 @ 11:43 am
A guitar tab songbook of his music would be a nice xmas gift. Hope we get one soon
December 11, 2015 @ 4:48 pm
There’s enough live stuff on YouTube to finger it out. Besides, playing someone else’s songs note for note is lame am I right
December 11, 2015 @ 7:34 pm
Usually you can figure it out. What confuses some guitar players is when he uses an odd tuning with a capo…lol.
December 11, 2015 @ 1:37 pm
does this mean he can sell songs on music row?
December 11, 2015 @ 5:20 pm
We need more Jason Isbelle’s in this world desperately
December 12, 2015 @ 8:00 am
Good, he is awesome just like Trump
December 12, 2015 @ 8:58 am
What, Jason Isbell’s irrationally afraid of dark people, too? I did not know that
December 12, 2015 @ 9:44 am
Good for him. He deserves his piece of the pie and more $ in his pocket.
December 12, 2015 @ 8:21 pm
Usually news like this worries me for an artist but Jason Isbell has been in this game a long time. He’s already seen ups and downs. In other words “this ain’t his first rodeo”. He’ll take it well.
December 13, 2015 @ 2:05 pm
I say congrats to Jason for this deal. If I was in his shoes? I would absolutely try to make every red cent that I could off of my art. He got an AMAZING gift in getting to join a band on a wildly-swinging upward trajectory and he made them even BETTER. While it takes a LOT for me to give ANY album a 10/10 (ie…”perfect”) rating? The DBT’s came AWFULLY close with both “Decoration Day” and “The Dirty South”. Part of that was due to both Jason’s playing and songwriting.
Unfortunately, for myself, I found “Something More Than Free” mostly unsatisfying. I can’t quite put my finger on what that something is. It’s NOT a bad album. It’s not a bad listen.(In fact, it’s a LOT like DBT’s “English Oceans” for me…another album that, while good? It just did not hit the high water mark for some reason…..on an unrelated note? That new 3-disc live set they just released is incredible)! I just feel like it is a less-accomplished “Southeastern”, and while I found “Southeastern” to be a wonderful album for Jason at that point in his life and career, even that album would not be my favorite Isbell album (which is “Here We Rest” – partially for reasons that are personal to me). However, it’s hard for me to fault Jason for carrying on with what I consider the “Southeastern-formula”. If, as an artist, that is what you are into writing and how you are into sounding at the time – and, on a commercial level, it is also working to generate you to a level of success that is on an even larger extent at the moment than the one your former band is at? Man – GOOD FOR YOU Jason!