David Cook Signs a Publishing Deal

Good News!

We learned about this in DCO but it still is smile-inducing to read it here on mj’s. :clap_tb:

He is, indeed, a gifted songwriter! I’m happy for and proud of our boy.

So NOW we know why he’s been been covering “Hot For Teacher”

“Little girl from CHERRY LANE, how did you get so bold?…”

That’s good. I want more David songwriting!
I assumed he had a publishing deal already, but I guess I was wrong. He’s in good company.
And that’s a sweet quote about him.

Hee, I always thought that Van Halen line was double entendre.

Er, on a more respectable note, this is an interesting article about the development of Cherry Lane and their nurturing of song-writers.

Cherry Lane Music Publishing: Where Songwriter is King

I just love a lot of the guy’s lyrics. He had a turn for a sweet phrase.

I think there’s a lot to love on Analog Heart, and I’m pleased to hear we’ll be getting more o’ that. Yay, Cookie!

This opens up the chance for one of the songs from DCTR/AH to be on a television/movie soundtrack..LOL!

Congrats, David!

This is really great for Cook. The fact that he ended-up signing a deal with a boutique indie firm rather than the standard contract that Idols usually get with the big-daddy Universal is quite interesting. Cherry Lane is known for really nurturing their songwriters and for being one the first publishing companies to forge close relationships with film and television clients. The co-publishing aspect of this deal is tremendously more lucrative than a standard writer-publisher contract. His songs have proven thus far to be pretty successful licensing targets (Heroes, ADAM, Permanent), so I would guess his existing catalog gave him some good leverage in being able to secure co-publishing rights for future material. It’s certainly cool to see his picture rotating on their homepage amongst folks like Quincy Jones and Elvis.

He is, indeed, a gifted songwriter! Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m happy for and proud of our boy.

That, he is! And, that, I am too!

This is super news for David. Kudos!

I love waking up to front page David Cook news on mjs. Hooray for David. Soo excited to hear more of him!!

WTG COOKIE !!!!

YAY, for David Cook! The real money is in song writing. David is exceptionally talented in this area, unlike those who just sing or perform suddenly insisting on getting writing credits.

I’m glad to see him signed with a reputable and respected publishing company.

Cook is my all time favourite of all the talent to come out of AI. Kris Allen is coming in at a close second. I hope he can follow in DC’s footsteps.

I lean towards the poets … the singer/songwriters.

What great news this is. Sounds so impressive! I’m so glad his wonderful songwriting abilities are being recognized. I just love that quote “gifted songwriter”. It must be so validating for him. The lyrics on AH (I think) are very, very good for someone who was so young when he wrote them.

The fact that he ended-up signing a deal with a boutique indie firm rather than the standard contract that Idols usually get with the big-daddy Universal is quite interesting.

That’s what I find interesting as well. So Idols typically just sign publishing deals with Universal? I’m confused about what this is– does every songwriter have a publishing deal? What did DC have before this then?

I am thrilled! This is wonderful news for David. Awesome. I really appreciate how his management found him deal that speaks to his song-writer/musician brand. His heavily (co) written debut album speaks to that as well – which, in and of itself, was so different from the typical Idol (debut) album.

DC was an “indie” or DIY artist, so he didn’t have anything before this.

I loove his songs from Analog Heart and the once heard “optimistic to a fault”
I hope he can publish some of those, whether he sings them or not!

This is exciting news!!! I have some of the same questions smallie asked:

Thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s what I find interesting as well. So Idols typically just sign publishing deals with Universal? Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m confused about what this isà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ does every songwriter have a publishing deal? What did DC have before this then?

Cook is my all time favourite of all the talent to come out of AI. Kris Allen is coming in at a close second. I hope he can follow in DCà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s footsteps.

Oh, me too TwigLA!! Wouldn’t it be awesome for DC to collaborate on a song for Kris’s album? A girl can dream.

This opens up the chance for one of the songs from DCTR/AH to be on a television/movie soundtrack..LOL!

I’ve always thought “Avalanche” would be perfect for a movie soundtrack!!! Also songs from AH would fit on so many tv shows!

Congratulations David!!! Yet another reason to be a proud fan!! Yay!!

Now, THIS is the type of news I’d prefer to read about. Good for him!

So Idols typically just sign publishing deals with Universal? Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m confused about what this isà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ does every songwriter have a publishing deal? What did DC have before this then?

I know based on a press release from last year that Universal handles copyright administration for 19E as an entity (which I assume includes the coronation songs though I’m not sure about that). They also have signed writer-publisher deals with former Idols like Daughtry, Carrie, Kelly, and most recently Jason Castro. I would guess that prior to this deal being inked, the licensing of Cook’s catalog was handled, perhaps under a short-term contract, via this relationship.

It sounds like what Cook has entered into with Cherry Lane includes a co-publishing agreement on future material, in addition to them administrating his current catalog. Here’s a pretty good article that explains how a co-publishing contract works. In addition to ensuring that he retains a higher percentage of the royalties from his licensed material, I would assume that part of the draw to a smaller firm like Cherry Lane would be simply more personalized attention given to matching the songwriter’s catalog to appropriate licensing opportunities.

I have to think there was a very compelling business reason for Dave’s team (which remains so strongly aligned with 19E) to forgo the existing relationship with Universal. So I’m just guessing that one way or another, there was more money to be had at Cherry Lane.

That was very helpful as always, ladymadonna.

I have to think there was a very compelling business reason for Daveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s team (which remains so strongly aligned with 19E) to forgo the existing relationship with Universal.

In light of this, I find the Billboard quote interesting:

The deal was negotiated by Stumpf, Cherry Lane VP of business & legal affairs Keith Hauprich, and Iain Pirie at 19 Entertainment and Howard Siegel at Pryor Cashman LLP.

Sounds like 19E helped him negotiate the deal, so implicit blessings from them, I’m guessing.

Oh yeah sma11ie, that’s what I meant. 19E was responsible for brokering the deal, which suggests to me that they will be making a bigger cut off this (be it in the short- or the long-term) than they would from any other offers they may have gotten. Now of course this is assuming that Universal (or other publishing companies) were also interested in licensing Cook’s catalog. But considering he is starting to become the king of the inspirational montage music, I find it hard to believe Universal at least wouldn’t have taken him. I have to guess the Cherry Lane deal was simply a better fit and a more lucrative deal all around.

This is great – go David! I love his songwriting… some of my very favorite DC songs are on Analog Heart.

Yeah David! I am also a huge fan of Analog Heart. He can write a great song that’s for sure.

Thanks ladymadonna for the added knowledge about the publishing end of the business! Congrats, Cookie and Cherry Lane, sounds delish.

I wonder if Universal is just the go to publishing group for most peeps [I know INXS just renewed their vast back catalogue with Universal for all rights outside of the US, in other words every other place in the globe but the US because I think another company owns their US rights, so complicated] or Sony does not have a publishing arm with enough clout or reach? or just doesn’t have a publishing arm or maybe Universal gave 19 a blanket deal on Idol contestants that was lucrative to 19? Presumably however after album one, the Idol winner can go free agent on that aspect and then 19 Entertainment is looking for the best deal for their client and themselves of course.

This is great news for David! :smile1_tb:

David is such a gifted writer, this is great news!

Congratulations David! Very impressive news indeed! Along with DCTR, I love Analog Heart and many of the Axium songs as well. I am not sure how many of those he wrote. To say David has a way with words would be an understatement on my part! I love his lyrics and that they can have more than one meaning. He is just so talented. I am grateful that David graced the AI stage! His music has changed my life in too many ways to post here!

I love Analog Heart and many of the Axium songs as well. I am not sure how many of those he wrote.

If you’re curious, here is a good post about Axium. He wrote or co-wrote every song but Incarcerate.

LadyM, thanks a lot for all the info. It’s interesting that he didn’t go the usual way and found a different “home”. They have great names with them but it’s great that it looks like they take more time with each client and he won’t get lost in a list of houndreds of names.

David well done!!!
I have always considered you to be the best. I knew you would be up there with the greats because you belong there. Your new home. You must be bursting with pride!!
Up there on the same page as Elvis. Nice one!
You are a stellar musician all the way around and your songwriting is so beautiful and deep and amazing.
Congratulations Rock Star!!!!
Love ya!

leome – Thank you so much for that link! How did I miss that? I thought he wrote most of those songs as well, but I wasn’t sure, since I never had a hard copy of his Axium work. The man is incredibly gifted. He was so young when he wrote those, and yet his words are quite profound!

Awesome news. Go, David!

(Did Elvis write songs? I really had no idea.)

CONGRATULATIONS DAVID COOK!!!

I love his writing and can’t wait until the world discovers what a great songwriter he is. Exciting news!! :clap_tb:

Woohoo! Congrats to David!

I think songwriting may be the area where Cook eventually finds the most acclaim. I do not believe he will end up being in the top echelon of recording artist stars that Idol produces. But, he has shown flashes of brilliance as a songwriter (LOTM as an inversion of TOML– unless that was a happy coincidence?), although he still has a lot of room for growth. He’s always been a very talented lyricist, but I think his composing skills have improved too (A Daily Anthem is a step up from most of Analog Heart, musically).

Anyway, I could eventually see him writing hits for other artists– perhaps even other Idols– and gaining recognition (and awards) for it. So with songwriting as well as his own major music career– however long it lasts– and his inevitable forays into screen and stage acting, the kid isn’t going to be going hungry.

This is great news. I always thought that David’s songs would be perfect in soundtracks and it’s great to know that there is such a thing as a music publishing company that can promote this. He definitely has a gift when it comes to songwriting… whether his lyrics are complex, like in Makeover or extremely simple, like in Not Around, they make an impact.

And I think David will absolutely be in the top echelon of recording artist stars that Idol produces.

I think he’s already in the top echelon of recording artists that Idol has produced, course that’s prolly because his is the only album I wanted to purchase thus far. Can you say mileage? :laugh_tb: ANYway…at the very least it would be sad to silence that voice and have his material sung exclusively by other singers.

à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“I was most impressed with David Cook the gifted songwriter,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  said Stumpf.

Word. It’s cool to hear it from a dude who obvs knows da bizness. Good on 19 for taking special care of one of Cook’s best assets. When you think about it, between the Axium back catalogue, AH, the unreleased mystery album holy grail, DCTR, and songs like KOTN, Souvenir and Breathe Tonight that didn’t make DCTR proper, he’s been a pretty damn prolific songwriter, especially for a 26 year old. I wonder if Cherry Lane could help him buy the rights back for the Axium stuff? I have no idea, but that would be cool.

Technically, noctem, I think Cook said A Daily Anthem was written in 2005, which would predate Analog Heart….not that I am an encyclopedia of Cook songwriting knowledge or anything, cuz that would be weird.

I did a search of David’s songs on the Cherry Lane site and only the DCTR songs were listed. Is it possible that his pre-Idol songs are not inluded in his “current catalog”? That would be a terrible pity, I think.

And I think David will absolutely be in the top echelon of recording artist stars that Idol produces.

By top echelon, I mean the “big three” of Kelly, Carrie, and Daughtry. I think and he and Jordin will hover beneath that level and contend with each other for the “fourth most successful Idol recording artist” slot (out of those who have already established their music careers).

It’s possible that Cook’s second album could end up being his massive breakout. But, Idols generally sell less on their sophomore releases (sometimes significantly less). I could be wrong, but I don’t think there has been a second record by an Idol that has outsold his/her first since Kelly’s “Breakaway”.

“but I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think there has been a second record by an Idol that has outsold his/her first since Kellyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Breakawayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ .”

I think each idol winner paves their own way. Jordan is the perfect example. She started off very weak and gained tons of momentum and I wouldn’t be surprised if her 2nd album did better. I think Battlefield is superior to her other singles and will probably bring in new fans. Cook’s best songs (i.e. the ones he actually wrote) have not even been released as singles and he just got this publishing deal, so who knowns what that will bring. They’ve both already broken a lot of Idol trends so I wouldn’t go by what’s happened in the past…..yet.

Loved that he went with an indie publishing label whose motto is “the Songwriter is King!”. He’s definitely showing his 12-year songwriting-and-selling-CDs-outa-the-back-of-his-van experience with this move. Understanding the industry and understanding which direction/s he wants his music to go and understanding where he best fits. Also, capitalising on the resources that Idol has given him to the max (shows he knows how to get the best of this advisors).

About Analog Heart music not being on their portfolio yet, could be David is holding on to his back catalogue coz he doesn’t want to farm it out at this point (he doesn’t have to co-publish everything right now until he sees how they optimise his DCTR catalogue). Or could be, he’s simply about ‘progression’ and AH will remain a piece of nostalgia that he can delve into in live performances for the ‘invested’ fans? Or could a re-release be in the offing? Woohoo!