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Country star Thomas Rhett and Hybe Americas’ Nashville-based label Blue Highway Records have announced a new partnership, Fifty-One/Forty-Nine Records. Described as “artist-led,” the partnership offers “an innovative
approach to the artist-label relationship,” according to the announcement. following more than a decade of shared success. (Pictured above, L-R: Blue Highway CEO Jake Basden, Rhett and G Major Mgmt’s Virginia Bunetta.)
“When we started talking about what the next chapter could look like, I knew I didn’t simply want to make another deal. I wanted to build something that reflected the legacy and shaped the future of my music,” Rhett said. “From my initial conversations with Jake and the leadership team at Blue Highway, it was clear they, too, were thinking differently about what a record company can be for an artist today. This allows me the opportunity to own the body of work I’ve spent my entire career creating, while still having an ambitious team and global infrastructure around me for my future recordings.”
Blue Highway CEO Jake Basden said, “Thomas Rhett has always been an artist, a songwriter, a performer who brings the best of what being a progressive country artist is today: someone who is willing to explore how other genres merge with Nashville without losing his roots, without sounding calculated or forced. Having watched Thomas Rhett come into his own and then achieve major success, I am honored to be his partner going forward.”
+ Grammy and Latin Grammy-winning Puerto Rican rapper-producer Wisin has signed with WME for representation in all areas.
The move comes a month after the September launch of “La Universidad del Perreo,” his new 12-track album and six months after his guest appearance with Karol G at Coachella. Over the years he has also collaborated with Daddy Yankee, Jennifer Lopez, Pitbull, J Balvin, Ricky Martin, Maluma, Rosalía, and more. Wisin is managed by Chris Duque of D27 Entertainment.
+ Willard Ahdritz, founder of Kobalt Music Group, has launched Ahdritz Capital Partners, a music and media technology investment firm, and announced that Isabel Keulen, most recently CEO of SSE Ventures and SSE Business, has joined as an investment partner, based in Stockholm and working in association with the New York-based Ahdritz and investment partner Stephen Langer.
Ahdritz founded Kobalt in 2000 and led it for more than two decades as CEO and then chairman, building one of the largest independent music companies in the world. He also co-founded the digital collection society AMRA. Ahdritz stepped down from Kobalt when it was acquired by Primary Wave in July 2026.
“Music is global, yet the capital and networks founders need have been concentrated in a few cities,” said Ahdritz. “We want to support founders and innovation not only in those markets, but also in other parts of the world too.”
+ Artist House, the independent label-publisher-management-studio company founded by Grammy-winning songwriter-producer Gregg Wattenberg and Steve Lerner, has named Jim Cooperman chief operating officer. He will oversee business and legal affairs, operations and publishing for the New York-based music company.
Cooperman joins after 14 years at Madison Square Garden Entertainment, where he served as SVP and associate general counsel of legal and business affairs and played a key role in structuring deals for events at Sphere in Las Vegas, including residencies by U2, Phish, Dead & Company and the Eagles. Previously, he held senior roles at Wind-up Entertainment, BMG, RED, Relativity, Loud and RCA Records.
“I’ve had the privilege of working alongside Jim over the years, and I’m thrilled that he has joined the Artist House team,” said Lerner. “We’ve created something meaningful in a remarkably short time, and Jim’s talent, experience, and integrity will be an important part of our continued growth.”
+ Los Angeles-based band Lo Moon has signed with [PIAS] and will release their first single for the label on Wednesday, “Satellite.” The track was written by frontman Matt Lowell and produced by Alex Farrar (MJ Lenderman, Hotline TNT, Wednesday); the band recently completed dates supporting the War on Drugs.
+ Floating Leaf Entertainment, the artist management company founded by Jeb Hurt based in Austin, Texas, has joined Red Light Management, bringing its roster — including multi-platinum artist Koe Wetzel, Kolby Cooper, Fox & Vead and others — into the management company founded by Coran Capshaw.
“This is about taking what we’ve built at Floating Leaf and giving it an even bigger runway,” said Hurt. “We’ve always been incredibly focused on the artist — who they are, what makes them different and how we can help build a career around that. Red Light has an incredible history of doing the same thing at a global level.”
“Jeb has built something special at Floating Leaf,” said Ben Kline of Red Light Management. “He has an incredible instinct for artists and has earned the kind of trust that you can’t manufacture. Koe, Kolby, Fox & Vead and the rest of the roster are a reflection of that.”
+ The Beggars Group of Labels (4AD, Matador Records, Rough Trade Records, XL Recordings and Young) has added four new staff members and a brand-new department: Max Datner, Ariana Mamnoon, Rrita Hashani and Molly McGuffin. Datner and Mamnoon will comprise the radio and music discovery department, while Hashani and McGuffin join the marketing team.
The announcement reads, “As phrases like ‘marketing’ and ‘radio’ have evolved over the last couple of years, we have found it beneficial to redefine what those kinds of roles mean for us in today’s music industry. As we embark on massive album campaigns for Queens of the Stone Age, Erykah Badu, Fontaines D.C., Julia Jacklin and more, this is the perfect time to expand with new roles that dedicated to identifying modern and creative ways to champion both established and new artists.”
+ Warner Music Group has announced an expansion of its Middle East and North Africa (MENA) leadership: Ahmed Nureni has been promoted to Managing Director, MENA, reporting to President of EMEA, Recorded Music, Guillermo Gonzalez; while Ahmad Alghawanmeh joins the company as General Manager, MENA, reporting directly to Nureni.
Nureni will oversee Warner Music’s MENA’s overarching vision, corporate development, strategic joint ventures, and catalog expansion across all markets. Alghawanmeh joins WMG from Sony Music Entertainment and will lead commercial growth, business development, market expansion initiatives, and multi-territory operational delivery for the region.
Gonzalez said, “MENA continues to be one of the fastest-growing music markets in the world, and Warner Music is committed to staying at the forefront of that momentum. Ahmed has done an outstanding job building our presence in the region over the last several years, and will develop this further in his new role, while, in Ahmad we are adding an executive with sharp commercial instincts, deep regional relationships, and a proven track record in digital strategy.”
+ Activist Artists Management has announced the addition of Chelsea Fodero and Mak Symmonds as Artist Managers. Most recently, Fodero served as Day-to-Day Manager for Usher, helping to oversee his “Past Present Future” World Tour, as well as creative, styling, merchandising and brand partnerships. She previously managed Grammy-winning Producer of the Year Andrew Watt.
Symmonds was most director of marketing at Smack, leading strategy across the company’s management, label and publishing divisions. There, she worked closely with Grammy-winning songwriter and founder Shane McAnally, as well as Walker Hayes and actress and singer Jenna Davis. Previously, she served as day-to-day manager Chris Tomlin, Patrick Droney and Redferrin. Fodero is based in New York, while Symmonds is based in Nashville and Los Angeles; the company’s roster includes the Lumineers, Orville Peck, Dwight Yoakam, the Grateful Dead, Dead & Company (co-managed with Azoff/Moir), the Pretty Reckless and Young the Giant, among others.
+ Vibee, the music-led destination experience company founded by Live Nation, today announced three promotions across its marketing team. Dave Johnston has been promoted from Senior Marketing Manager to Associate Director, Marketing; Merisanda Finley from Digital Marketing Specialist to Digital Marketing Manager; and Lory Hagopian from Senior Designer to Lead Creative/Brand Designer. All three will continue to report to Doneen Lombardi, VP/Head of Marketing.
“As Vibee continues to grow, so does the incredible marketing team responsible for bringing our packages and immersive experiences to life and getting them in front of music fans around the world,” Lombardi said. “Dave, Merisanda and Lory have each made meaningful contributions to our valuable partnerships and overall business.”
