Hit songwriter and OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder, veteran artist manager Ron Laffitte and former Downtown Music Chief Business Officer Andrew Sparkler have launched Runner Music, a new venture that initially will be primarily focused on music publishing, both by acquiring existing copyrights as well as entering into inspired partnerships with established and emerging songwriters, according to the announcement.
According to the announcement, the three “will provide an innovative partnership for creative and writer development, each bringing his unique artist development skills to the table. Ryan’s amazing experience as a chart-topping artist, songwriter and producer, Ron’s expertise as an artist manager of over 45 artists including Pharrell, Usher and OneRepublic and Andrew’s experience signing writers, as well as acquiring and monetizing catalogs. With the massive growth in digital licensing and the expansion in global distribution the team is excited to collaborate and steward artist careers in this dynamic and exciting marketplace.”
Melody Holdings, an affiliate of the Blackstone Group, is an equity partner.
Tedder says, “As a songwriter/artist for the better part of 20 years and a publisher for almost as long, I can offer a unique perspective on what creatives are looking for when partnering with a publishing company. I’ve been signing and developing songwriters since 2008 — focusing on that is something I’ve been thinking about for a long time and I have found the best team/team builders with Ron and Andrew. I look forward to working with incredible artists, and helping to discover and shine a light on up-and-coming songwriters as well as partnering and working with established hit makers.”
Sparkler added, “Runner Music is a unique alternative in the music publishing space, and I am thrilled to be embarking on this new endeavor with two industry titans who can bring immense knowledge and expertise into this new venture.”