Sony Music Publishing has signed a world publishing take care of By Design, a Nashville-based music firm centered on faith-driven content material.
The settlement offers Sony Music Publishing worldwide administration rights for By Design‘s catalog and roster. The partnership will even discover joint-venture signings aimed toward growing new songwriters within the religion and Christian music area.
By Design was launched in 2025 by Josh Bailey, Josh Thompson, Rod Riley and Jeremy Holley. The corporate not too long ago introduced on Josh Pauley as Vice President of Publishing & A&R to supervise songwriter growth.
By Design operates as a part of a three-entity construction. The principle label indicators and develops artists. A second entity, Archetype Music, features as a music rights holding firm that acquires Christian music catalogs. A 3rd element, Blueprint, operates as a nonprofit centered on what the corporate describes as discipling and equipping faith-based creators.
“Our ardour for songwriters and nice songs drives every thing we do at SMP, and it’s clear that By Design shares the identical spirit.”
Rusty Gaston, Sony Music Publishing Nashville
The label’s present roster consists of nation artist FrankieBallard, pop-folk performer ZoeLevert, singer-songwriter AlexJude, and the sister duo barlow. Further signings are deliberate however haven’t been introduced.
Rusty Gaston, CEO of Sony Music Publishing Nashville, stated: “Our ardour for songwriters and nice songs drives every thing we do at SMP, and it’s clear that By Design shares the identical spirit. We’re thrilled to accomplice with their group and champion the unimaginable roster and catalog they’re constructing.”
Josh Bailey, Co-Founding father of By Design, stated: “We’ve all the time stated that By Design is greater than a label — it’s a inventive ecosystem. Partnering with Sony Music Publishing permits us to increase that ecosystem, giving our creatives best-in-class help on a world scale. It’s about equipping creatives to inform significant tales and offering the infrastructure to carry these tales to life.”
“We’ve all the time stated that By Design is greater than a label — it’s a inventive ecosystem. Partnering with Sony Music Publishing permits us to increase that ecosystem.”
Josh Bailey, By Design
Josh Thompson, Co-Founding father of By Design, added: “This partnership displays what we’ve believed from the start — that nice artwork thrives in nice alignment. Rusty and the SMP group perceive the steadiness between inventive excellence and creator care, and collectively we’re constructing a basis that empowers writers to dream boldly and impression tradition by means of their authentic design.”
The deal marks one other growth of Sony Music Publishing’s Nashville operations. Final month, the division signed a world administration settlement with Sea Gayle Music and Area Capital Group. Sea Gayle Music was based in 1999 by songwriter Chris DuBois, artist/songwriter Brad Paisley and songwriter/producer Frank Rogers. Area Capital Group acquired Sea Gayle’s catalog in 2020 and shaped a three way partnership with the writer.
“Rusty and the SMP group perceive the steadiness between inventive excellence and creator care, and collectively we’re constructing a basis that empowers writers to dream boldly.”
Josh Thompson, By Design
The take care of By Design comes because the consumption of latest Christian music has grown. NPR reported in June that modern Christian music is now breaking into mainstream recognition, with the style experiencing a 60% bounce in Spotify streams over a five-year interval final 12 months.
Luminatestated in its 2024 mid-year report that modern Christian music noticed the fourth quickest development versus different genres in 2024, trailing behind nation music.
