Tom Douglas (“The House That Built Me” Miranda Lambert, “Meanwhile Back At Mamas” Tim McGraw, “I Run To You” Lady A) does what he does best on Songwriter Soup. With his signature eloquence and vulnerability, the patriarch of music row explains what held him back from pursuing his natural calling until his forties. We talk about the powerful effect of our parents voices in our heads, the role of pain as a songwriter’s most effective tool, and how many songs it takes to turn this creative pursuit into a business.

Tom's songwriter Playlist on Apple Music: The Songwriters: Tom Douglas

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The trio is joined this week by hit songwriter, Brett James (“Jesus Take The Wheel” Carrie Underwood, “Mr. Know It All” Kelly Clarkson, “Out Last Night” Kenny Chesney). Brett takes us through his on again, off again relationship with medical school interwoven between record deals and publishing deals, culminating in a surprise season of hits. The crew discusses how to manage your expectations through seasons of ups and downs, enjoying the mentor position in a room with younger writers, and the future of superstardom in the streaming era.

Listen to Brett James' songwriter playlist on Apple Music:

Brett James: The Songwriters

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This week, Laura, Tracy & Kevin are joined by Laura’s songwriter manager, Hannah Babitt on Songwriter Soup. The crew attempts to breakdown the multitude of ways that the industry at large might consider compensating songwriters in the streaming era. They delve into the contrasts between Nashville and LA systems, the significance of transparent communication, when and when not to put your foot down, and the delicate balance of maintaining relationships while fostering industry-wide change. This episode is a candid look at the real-time shifts and the thoughtful minds spearheading these transformations.

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This week, hit songwriter Amy Wadge (“Thinking Out Loud” Ed Sheeran, “Consequences” Camila Cabello, “Wonder Woman” Kacey Musgraves) brought her signature eloquence and lovable nature to the Soup. She shares her perspectives on being a woman in the songwriting world, how important it is to have people around you who believe in you, and her long distance relationship with her career in songwriting, which for her, involves regular travel overseas. We cover the harrowing chapter of her life during which she and Ed Sheeran were involved in a high profile copyright lawsuit for “Thinking Out Loud”, and we talk thru a few measures songwriters can take to prevent some of these lawsuits from happening in the first place.

Amy Wadge: The Songwriters Playlist on Apple Music

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We're back! After taking the summer off, Laura, Tracy and Kevin are getting back in the saddle with an episode dedicated to you, the listener, answering questions straight out of Laura's DMs. We're talking pay-to-play publishing, coveting that perfect song idea, and whether or not Nashville is the right place for your songs.

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One of Music City’s matriarchs, Liz Rose (“You Belong With Me” Taylor Swift, “Girl Crush” Little Big Town, “Burn It Down” Parker McCullum) is here for the long haul. Her tips and tricks for how to hang in there and focus on the love of the job are evergreen, just like her hits.

Liz's Songwriter Playlist on Apple Music

Written By Liz Rose Playlist on Spotify

The Love Junkies Songbook on Apple Music

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Chris DeStefano brings a rare set of skills to the writer's room. Trained in film scoring at Berklee, Chris's knowledge of musical mechanics allows him to break out of ruts in writing sessions and infuse his songs with depth and gravitas. From singing in a boys choir in Austria, to session work in LA, to playing in a Salsa band in Las Vegas, to writing hits for Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood, Chris's story proves of one of our favorite themes on this podcast: no matter where your songwriting journey takes you, nothing is wasted.

Chris's Songwriter Playlist on Apple Music

Written By Chris DeStefano on Spotify

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Are you still with us? If you've made it this far into our Catalog Sale deep dive, congratulations, you're a superstar. In the third installment of this series, Tracy's back to give his take on Mike Molinar's master class, we dig further into multiples and admin rights, and wax poetic on the game of commodifying art.

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The catalog sale saga continues! This week we're joined by Mike Molinar (Big Machine Music president and Laura's publisher) to give a publisher's perspective on catalog sales in 2024. Mike walks us through the terminology used in these negotiations and shares insights into some of the stress-inducing misinformation that permeates songwriter circles.

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