BMG is opening up its acclaimed myBMG app to artists across the music industry to allow them to pitch for songs from BMG songwriters.
Artists can submit written briefs or even videos to BMG’s world-class roster of writers which includes Jessie Reyez (‘One Kiss’, ‘Promises’), to Erika Ender (‘Despacito’), Victoria Monet (‘7 Rings’), Jason Evigan (‘Girls Like You’) and Camille Purcell ‘Don’t Call Me Up’).
The app-based version of BMG’s long-time ‘Watchlist’ service for songwriters means artists will be able to reach out direct to the BMG clients worldwide who use the myBMG app.
The graphic and interactive layout of the new BMG Watchlist is in stark contrast to the Excel listings still used by most music publirs. It means BMG is the only major international publir with an online ‘who-is-looking’ tool, fully integrated within its own signature app.
Erika Ender, the multi-Platinum, Latin singer-songwriter, performer and producer, who signed to BMG in February 2020, said: “I’m enjoying everything about the Watchlist. There you get to see the artists who are looking for songs, the projects, the producers, where they’re from, what they’re looking for exactly and it’s such a powerful tool for us all to do our job the best way we can.”
BMG VP, Global Writer Services Marian Wolf said, “myBMG has been a pacesetter for the industry ever since we launched it in 2013. Now as well as connecting our clients to their royalty and other key information and insights, myBMG will act as a connector between artists and songwriters helping generate new creative opportunities for both.”
As the only major international music company combining music publishing and recordings under one roof and off the same technology platform, BMG’s initial focus with its new Watchlist is the company’s own recording artists.
“As of today [April 29] BMG’s myBMG Watchlist includes pitch opportunities from around the world including access to priority projects from BMG artists such as Jason Aldean and Spencer Sutherland,” said Wolf. “While it is available in a desktop version, we think the app will prove most attractive to artists and songwriters, enabling writers to pitch songs to artists or vice versa at anytime and anywhere.”
The Watchlist is also open to artists from other companies and current listings include pitches from labels including Arista Records, Atlantic Records, Capitol Records, Columbia Records, RCA Records, Republic Records, Universal Music Australia, Warner Music UK, Sony Music Germany, SM Entertainment and Avex Music Japan.
The digital, innovative functionality of the app will complement BMG’s in-house creative team supporting songwriters in today’s growing global market.
“This is not a replacement for the time-honored music publishing skill of developing songwriter careers and connecting writers and songs with artists,” said Wolf, “but it is a significant enhancement.”
Recent successful songs from placements and collaborations initiated by BMG’s 34-strong global writer services team include ‘When God Whispered Your Name’ (Keith Urban), ‘I Dare You’ (Kelly Clarkson), ‘I Love Me’ (Demi Lavato), ‘Girlfriend’ (Mabel), and ‘Cool’ (Dua Lipa).
The addition of Watchlist functionality to myBMG was previously planned for Q4 2020 but was brought forward because of the coronavirus crisis, said BMG CTO Sebastian Hentzschel.
“In the current crisis artists and writers need all the help they can get,” he said, “so as soon as this thing hit, our teams worked very hard to accelerate the integration of Watchlist functionality into myBMG.
“BMG was very early in launching an online client portal for publishing clients. It was an obvious expression of our key insight that the music business was going to have to get a whole lot more transparent and user friendly. Since then we’ve had the launch of the app back in 2017 and the addition of recordings. Others have now followed and that’s all to the good, but our view now is that myBMG should sit at the centre of our day-to-day relationship with clients. That means not just royalty and copyright information, but synch updates and now Watchlist too.
“An app will never replace an artist or songwriter’s personal relationship with BMG – ultimately we’re a music company not a technology company – but myBMG is a key element in BMG’s commitment not just to fairness and transparency, but to service too.”