Universal Music Group announced that it is rebranding its Nashville operations under a new identity with a familiar name: Music Corporation of America (MCA), “a name that speaks to creativity, imagination, an honored legacy and the future of music,” according to the announcement.
The division’s roster includes such major country artists as as Alan Jackson, Brothers Osborne, Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, Darius Rucker, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, George Strait, Jon Pardi, Jordan Davis, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Luke Bryan, Maddie & Tae, Parker McCollum, Priscilla Block, Reba McEntire, Sam Hunt, Tyler Hubbard and Vince Gill.
MCA is led by recently appointed president/ CEO Mike Harris (above left) and chief creative officer Dave Cobb (right); its artists will also be able to leverage the support of the Republic Collective in the U.S. and UMG globally. UMG leads the industry with a historic 39.4% in overall country marketshare, with MCA — formerly known as Universal Music Nashville — the top label group with 16.2% according to Luminate.
The Music Corporation of America’s portfolio will continue to operate and support frontline labels: Mercury Nashville, EMI Nashville, Capitol Nashville and MCA Nashville along with the newly launched Lucille Records, founded by Cobb. Lucille is spearheaded by Austin Jenkins, SVP of A&R for MCA, and its initial artist roster includes Lamont Landers, Landon Smith, Isabel Dumas, and Sons of Habit.
The company also annoouned the appointments of Katie McCartney as EVP/general manager and Tom LaScola as head of artist and audience strategy, by way of an enhanced alliance with his company, the Trenches.
As one of Cobb’s first key initiatives, the company also announced a new creative strategic alliance dedicated to supporting and developing homegrown Nashville songwriting talent naming Jessie Jo Dillon as the newly minted “Song Buddy.” This role “reflects a deep commitment to the vital role songwriters play in the local creative ecosystem,” according to the announcement.
The rebrand continues UMG’s recent trend of reviving dormant or little-used brands, such as PolyGram and Geffen. MCA was the company’s flagship label beginning in 1972 but was folded into Geffen in 2003. MCA traditionally had a very strong presence in country music.
Mike Harris commented: “With the popularity of country music and the tremendous impact that it continues to make in popular culture, we recognize the importance of Nashville and the impact it has always made in America. The incredible staff of these labels will operate with a sense of independence and autonomy, but with a pursuit of excellence and healthy competition as a shared agenda.”
Dave Cobb added: “I want to let the art lead, embrace community, and approach the business with intention. We show up, work hard, and put artists, songwriters, community, and fans first. We want to get this right for them. That’s what this is all about.”
