Ryan works with artists and writers such as Randy Montana, Dustin Lynch, Lady Antebellum, Rhett Akins, Lee Brice, Will Weatherly and Riley Green, among others. The Michigan native previously served at ASCAP (where he co-founded the GPS Project to help unsigned acts navigate the pub world) and worked in A&R for UMG on the label side before joining Warner Chappell in 2014; he was upped to VP in 2017.

“The role of a publisher has become incredibly multifaceted, especially with respect to artist development,” he says. “The fundamental approach of strategy, collaboration and song pitching is still the bedrock of a great publisher. But it’s becoming more and more common to act as a manager or record label during the early stages of an artist’s growth cycle. It’s doing the A&R for an EP, implementing digital strategies for DSPs/social media and working with the agencies planning the road strategy. The role continues to evolve—which, for a Type 7 [i.e. a high-spirited, optimistic extrovert] who sees endless possibilities and loves innovation, makes the publishing world an exciting place to be.”