As you may have read elsewhere on this site, Warner/Chappell’s Ben Vaughn has been upped to President of the pubco. And if you pay attention to this column, you already know that he’s pretty widely admired by fellow execs, staff, artists and small, furry animals. Reporting as always to pubco overlord Jon Platt, Ben will continue to be a leading light for songwriters and their rights.

By the by, W/C tunesmiths contributed to 52 of the Top 100 year-end country singles, including smashes by Thomas Rhett, Sam Hunt, Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood and too many others to mention.

Look for releases from a bevy of new/breaking artists in Ben's stable, including Big Machine/BMLG’s honky-tonk geniuses Midland, Universal Nashville’s Brandon Lay, Sony Nashville’s Seth Ennis (and labelmates LANco, whose sophomore set is poised for big things) and Warner Music Nashville’s Devin Dawson and Cale Dodds. Ben will be busting out his fake beard again soon, as a furiously buzzing new album by his breakout writer (and Mercury Nashville artist) Chris Stapleton is due in the spring