The Music Industry 101 with Prolific Hit-Maker Ross Golan

What Record Deals Has Ross Golan Had?

Throughout Ross Golan’s career, he has had a variety of record deals including, the first deal that he signed in 2003 with Insider Trading Company / EMI which was actually a record label that Ross started while still attending college. Ross’s label decided to join up with Electric and Musical Industries (EMI) and their president at the time to release “Reagan Baby.” Soon after, Ross Golan went along to co-found a band by the name of Glacier Hiking which a hybrid publishing/label deal with the well-known Lionsgate team. Ross Golan’s band then decided to release a self-titled EP (Extended Play recording) before deciding to break up in 2009. He then signed his underground musical project, The Wrong Man to Interscope Records.

How Did Ross Golan Get Started in Songwriting?

Much like most songwriters, Ross Golan got started in high school as a broke student who wanted to make a living for himself. He was in a band that was doing well and signed to a record label (the same record label as Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic) and his agent along with Ryan Tedder talked to Ross and encouraged him to try his hand at songwriting, so he did.

What Is Ross Golan’s Creative Process Like?

Inspiration for Ross comes from many different places but some of his biggest hits have come to him while doing tasks such as driving around town or walking his dog. When an idea hits, he will stop everything and record all of his ideas into his phone. The process then really takes off by trying to collaborate with other people and seeing what others can contribute to the song.

How Does Ross Golan Work with Artists Who Feel Stuck Into One Particular Music Genre?

Simply put, he embraces it. Many people have asked his advice about this subject and embracing it is something he preaches. Each genre a songwriter writes for has its own “math” and language that people can identify with so you have to adjust your writing for that genre.

What Are The Best Words of Wisdom Artists Can Glean From the Podcast?

The most successful songwriters all view it as a job and not the common misconception of writing lyrics is more of a party. They show up every day and put in work by studying who they are writing for and what is popular in that genre at that time.

What Music Did Ross Golan Create?

Ross Golan created and developed the critically acclaimed musical known as The Wrong Man, which was written about a man who ultimately was wrongly accused of a crime that was committed in Reno, Nevada. A modified version of Ross Golan’s show ran in Los Angeles during February of 2014 and went on to receive three Ovation Awards out of the four nominations that it received including Best Musical, Best Book, Best Lyrics and Music.

What is Song Math?

https://www.dailytexanonline.com/2019/03/15/songwriter-and-artist-ross-golan-explores-pop-music-components-history

https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8391396/and-the-writer-ross-golan-songwriter-podcast-spotlight-interview

What Podcasts Has Ross Golan Produced?

Ross Golan has recorded and produces his podcast, And the Writer is with his co-producer Joe London. Throughout their career, Ross Golan has interviewed such iconic songwriters and artists as:

• Jon Bellion – Jon is the songwriter who debuted his album “The Human Condition” on the top 5 on the Billboard Top 200. His song “All Time Low” went on to become a three-time multi-platinum hit “All Time Low.” Throughout Jon’s career, he has written hits for multi-platinum artists including Jason Derulo’s “Trumpets” and Christina Aguilera’s “Fall In Line (Featuring Demi Lovato).”
• Charlie XCX – She was ultimately the last guest of season 3 of And the Writer Is and she is both a BRIT and Grammy-nominated songwriter. Throughout her career she has been credited with writing “Fancy” by Iggy Azalea, “I Love It” by Icona Pop, etc. Throughout her career she has also decided to write for such artists as Selena Gomez, David Guetta, Blondie, James Blunt, Stargate, Afrojack, Camilla Cabello, etc.
• Ian Kirkpatrick – Ian is the songwriter of choice behind, Dua Lipa’s international hit, “New Rule,” Justin Bieber’s multi-platinum album “Purpose,” Nick Jonas’ “Levels,” Jason Derulo’s “Want to Want Me,” etc.
• David Israelite– David isn’t a songwriter, but what he does makes a huge impact on songwriters. He is the CEO and President of the National Music Publishers’ Association. His work has been splendid on furthering the progression of the Music Modernization ACT (MMA) which is new legislation that aims to improve royalty payments to songwriters, artists, and creatives in the digital era.   
• Bebe Rexha – Bebe is an outstanding songwriter, singer, and artist. She released the No.1 multi-platinum hit single “Meant to Be” featuring Florida Georgia Line. Her stellar song writing skills created “The Monster” by Eminem and Rhianna, and “Me, Myself & I” by G-Eazy.
• Emily Warren – Emily is a Grammy-winning, multi-platinum artist and songwriter. This incredibly talented woman has written songs for mainstream pop artists such as Dua Lipa, Shawn Mendes, Frenship and more.
• John Feldmann – featured on season 3, John is a multi-talented man. John is the co-founder, lead singer, songwriter, and producer of the most influential American punk rock group, Goldfinger. His outstanding production and writing style is a creative force that drives the pulse of Punk, Pop/Punk, Rock, and Alternative music. He has written hits for Panic! At the Disco, 5 Seconds of Summer, and many more incredibly gifted artists!
• Allee Willis –  Allee is one of a kind. She is a Grammy, Emmy and Tony award-winning and nominated songwriter. Her hits include “September” and “Boogie Wonderland” by Earth, Wind & Fire. She co-authored Oprah Winfrey’s produced Tony and Grammy-winning musical, The Color Purple. This multi-talented woman has written for Diana Ross, Cher, Ray Charles, Boy George, and many more incredibly gifted artists!  
• Joe London – Joe was featured on season 3 of the podcast, Joe is a man who makes everyone sound like angels. He is a Grammy-nominated and ACM award-winning songwriter and producer. He has written the Grammy-nominated and BMI Country Song of the Year, “Die A Happy Man;” Pitbull’s “Fireball;” and Jason Derulo’s “Wiggle” (feat. Snoop Dogg),” and Sage The Gemini’s “Now and Later.” He is a renowned producer who co-wrote and co-produced Thomas Rhett’s Grammy-nominated album “Life Changes”.
• David Hodges – Featured on Season 3, David has quite the resume. He is a multi-platinum, Golden Globe-nominated, Grammy and BMI award-winning songwriter and producer with over 65 million records sold to date. He has worked with megastars such as Keith Urban, Maren Morris, Jason Mraz, and Christina Aguilera.
• Nick Jonas – A former recipient of the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s prestigious Hal David Starlight Award, Nick Jonas is an unbelievably talented guy. He is a multi-platinum, Grammy and Golden Globe-nominated recording artist, actor, and award-winning songwriter. His hits include a No. 1 U.S. radio hit, “Jealous” and single “Chains.” His sophomore solo album debuted as the No.1 selling album of the week. As an actor, he appeared in Fox’s horror-comedy series, “Scream Queens” and the show “Kingdom.”
• Mozella – Mozella, a Detroit native, is an amazing songwriter. This artist is one of the most sought after collaborators in the business. She has written some of Pop’s music most influential hits such as Miley Cyrus “Wrecking Ball”, One Direction’s chart-topping “Perfect”, and Kelly Clarkson’s Grammy-nominated “Love So Soft.” It’s her mission to create honest music and lyrics that inspire human connections.
• Busbee – Busbee’s career in the music industry is quite remarkable. He is a prominent Grammy-nominated songwriter, producer, and publisher. Best known for carving parallel careers in mainstream Pop and commercial Country. Busbee has written with and produced for a wide range of artists, including Gwen Stefani, P!nk, Kelly Clarkson, Jon Bellion, and many more artists.
• Ryan Tedder – Ryan kicked off Season 3 of the podcast. This gifted songwriter and Grammy-winning record producer has penned songs for the likes of Adele, Camila Cabello, Ed Sheeran and worked with some of music’s most influential legends such as Stevie Wonder, Beyonce and Paul McCartney.
• Mike Posner – A Season 2 feature finale. This inspirational artist and songwriter, first release “Cooler Than Me” went on to be a multi-platinum hit single and earned more than 3 million in sales in the US. One of the industry’s most sought after songwriters, he has written hits for Maroon 5 “Sugar”, Justin Bieber “Boyfriend”, and Big Sean “Don’t Tell Me You Love,” and more talented artists.
• Andy Grammer – Genuine and authentic, Andy Grammer is passionate about spreading positivity and truth through music. He is a multi-platinum hitmaker who is the first male pop star in a decade to reach the Top 10 on Adult Pop Radio with “Keep Your Head Up” and “Fine By Me” off of his debut self titled album.
• Lindy Robbins – Lyrical genius, Lindy Robbins is responsible for crafting David Guetta’s #1 hit “Dangerous (feat. Sam Martin)”, the top 10 charting single “Skyscraper” for Demi Lovato, as well as the 2006 Disney Radio Song of the Year “Cinderella” by Cheetah Girls. Her career includes songwriting credits for major artists such as Jason Mraz, One Direction, Brandy and countless other well-known artists.
• Kenny “BabyFace” Edmonds – With more Grammys, you can tally with both hands, Kenny “BabyFace” is a gifted man. He is the co-founder of LaFace Records with L.A. Reid, is a masterful songwriter. Throughout his career, he has had 200 Top 10 R&B hits, over 50 Top 10 Pop singles, and 16 No. 1’s. He is responsible for nurturing the careers of megastars such as TLC, OutKast, Usher, P!nk, and Toni Braxton. He penned hits for legendary superstars Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, and Barbra Streisand.
• Sir Nolan Lambroza – Sir Nolan has worked with some of the most influential pop artists in the music industry. His co-writing and production credits include the No.1 hits “Good For You (feat. A$AP Rocky)” by Selena Gomez and “Jealous” by Nick Jonas. He also penned the top 10 hits “All In My Head (Flex)” by Fifth Harmony and “Feel This Moment (feat. Christina Aguilera) by Pitbull.
• Zach Crowell – Popular songwriter Zach Crowell is gifted when it comes to producing record-breaking music. He co-wrote and co-produced Sam Hunt’s album “Montevallo,’ including “Body Like a Back Road,’ which shattered records for the most consecutive weeks on top of the Billboard’s hot country songs chart as the longest-running No. 1 by a solo artist in history. He is the winner of CMA Triple Play Award.  
• Ashley Gorley – Remarkable is one to describe Ashley’s exceptional songwriting career. He has written 35 No. 1 singles and had more than 300 songs recorded by artists such as Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Florida Georgia Line, Blake Shelton, and Brad Paisley. He was named the ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year in 2009, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. He received the CMA Triple Play Award nine times in his career.
• Nicolle Galyon – Highly successful songwriter Nicolle has written some incredible No. 1 hits. She earned her first No. 1 song with “We Were Us” performed by Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert. She eventually partnered again with Lambert and won the ACM’s 2015 ‘Song of the Year’ and the CMA’s 2014 ‘Single of the Year’ for “Automatic.” She co-wrote and co-produced RaeLynn’s album ‘Wild Horse’, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart. It marked the first time in 10 years a female has co-produced an album that debuted No. 1 on the Country Album chart.
• Rhett Akins – Mastermind Rhett Akins has written chart-toppers for some of country music’s biggest names. He’s had 28 No.1 singles (and counting!), and was named the No. 4 Billboard Country Songwriter. He co-wrote Blake Shelton’s “Honey Bee,” which became the highest selling digital debut by a country male solo artist. He is also a successful solo artist with a No. 1 hit “Don’t Get Me Started”.
• Thomas Rhett – Thomas Rhett writes melodies that climbs the charts. He has penned songs for Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia, Scotty McCreery, Joe Nichols, and Lee Brice. He contributed to Jason Aldean’s 4x-platinum album “My Kinda Party.” He also is an incredible performer. His Album “Life Changes” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard and features smash hits such as “Unforgettable” and “Craving You feat. Maren Morris.”
• Dan Wilson – If you ever listened to top hits such as Adele’s “Someone Like You,” and the Dixie Chicks’ ‘Not Ready to Make Nice” then you are very familiar with the incredible work of Dan. He is a remarkable artist, songwriter, and producer, and also the frontman of rock group Semisonic. He has produced some of the most iconic pop songs of the last three decades. Artists he has written for include Taylor Swift, Chris Stapleton, P!nk, Phantogram, Noah Cyrus, and Bishop Briggs.
• Claude Kelly – Four-time Grammy nominee Claud Kelly is a music icon. He has penned chart-topping hits for well-known artists over the last two decades. This list includes Britney Spears “Circus,” Bruno  Mars’s “Grenade,” and Miley Cyrus’s “Party In the U.S.A.” He has also worked with notable artists such as Whitney Houston, Faith Evans, Christian Aguilera, and John Legend.
• Charlie Puth – Charlie’s work is cutting-edge and simply amazing. He co-wrote and was featured on the 9x Multi-Platinum single “See You Again,” by Wiz Khalifa, which was featured on the “Furious 7: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack”. His platinum debut album “Nine Track Mind” featured the hit singles, “Marvin Gaye (feat. Meghan Trainor), “One Call Away,” and “We Don’t Talk Anymore (feat. Selena Gomez)”.
• Julia Michaels – Julia is young, bright, and incredibly gifted. Featured on season 2 of the podcast, at the time she had recently released her debut mini-album “Nervous System”. The album’s first single “Issues” went 6x Platinum worldwide. This young woman has quite the resume as she has co-written songs for Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, and Nick Jonas.
• Jack Antonoff – Music artist Taylor Swift’s Top 10 radio single ‘Look What You Made Me Do,’ was co-produced and co-wrote by this bright man. Jack’s workmanship also includes Lorde’s smash sophomore album, “Melodrama,” including it’s infectious single ‘Green Light,’ and even dropped a sophomore album of his own called “Gone Now.”
• Desmond Child – Legend is the perfect word to describe songwriter Desmond. Exceptionally talented, he is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and personally co-founded the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame. He has five decades in the music industry business. His craftsmanship includes songs Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer,” Joan Jett & The Blackheart’s “I Hate Myself For Loving You,” and Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” and many other big hits.
• Ali Tamposi– Ali is a high caliber songwriter. She has penned many hit songs such as Kelly Clarkson’s smash “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You),” DJ Snake’s “Let Me Love You Feat. Justin Bieber,” and Kygo’s “It Ain’t Me fest. Selena Gomez,” which went on to be the No.2 song on the Top 40 radio.
• Simon Wilcox — Brilliant songwriter Simon Wilcox has multiple platinum and gold singles under her belt. She has penned songs such as “Jealous” by Nick Jonas, “Duele El Corazon” by Enrique Iglesias, and “Write On Me” Fifth Harmony. She is known for her versatility and spot-on lyricism.
• John Ryan — The mastermind songwriter behind One Direction’s radio hits is this man. He co-wrote the band’s popular singles such as “Drag Me Down”, “Best Song Ever”, and “Story of My Life”. He has also worked with other greats including Maroon 5 (“Don’t Wanna Know”), Pitbull (“Fireball”), and Jason Derulo (Wiggle).
• Noel Zancanella — Grammy award winner and BMI Songwriter of the Year awardee, Noel Zancanella is a very talented man. He has penned hits such as OneRepublic’s “Counting Stars”, Demi Lovato’s “Neon Lights”, and Ellie Goulding’s “Burn.”  
• The Script — Known in their community for their songwriting mastery and amazing storytelling skills, The Script is definitely a multi-talented band. Since the release of the 2008 No.1 self-titled debut album, they have gone on to sell out stadiums. Among their lyrical hits are “Breakeven” and “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved”.
• Luke Laird — Luke is a standout Country music songwriter. He has written 23 No.1 Country Singles on the Billboard Charts. Among those hits include Luke Bryan’s “Fast”. He has worked with other great artists such as Carrie Underwood’s “Last Name” and Kenny Chesney’s “American Kids”, and Blake Shelton’s “Hillbilly Bone (feat. Trace Adkins).
• Ricky Reed — This Grammar award nominee producer and highly talented songwriter have penned notable hits such as Jason Derulo’s “Talk Dirty”, Meghan Trainer’s “No”, and Twenty One Pilots’ “Ride.” He has his very own imprint label under Atlantic, Nice Life Recording Company.
• Mikkel Eriksen — This great producer-songwriter has a track record for producing massive No. 1 hits. He has production and writing credits on popular No.1 singles such as Ne-Yo’s “So Sick”, Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable”, and Katy Perry’s “Firework”.
• Michael Fitzpatrick of Fitz and The Tantrums — A lead songwriter of the widely popular LA-based band, Michael is an incredibly skilled lyricist. The band has penned radio hits such as “Breaking The Chains of Love”, “Moneygrabber”, and “Out of My League”.
• Bonnie McKee — Bonnie’s resume is beyond impressive. She has made a name for herself with numerous No.1 hits in the music industry as a female songwriter. She has worked on songs such as Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream”, “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F,)”, “California Gurls”, “Roar”, as well as the Britney Spears hit “Hold It Against Me” and Taio Cruz’s “Dynamite”.
• Evan Bogart — Evan has written worldwide hits for a number of great artists. His passion for good music shows up in the incredible songs he has penned for others. He has written for the likes of Beyonce’s “Halo”, Ashley Tisdale’s “He Said, She Said”, and Rihanna’s “SOS”.
• LunchMoney Lewis — LunchMoney has a gift for writing hit songs. He is the co-writer of songs such as Fifth Harmony’s ‘Bo$$’ and Jessie J’s ‘Burnin’ Up’. Known in the industry for his contagious positive spirit, he is well-sought after for his upbeat attitude and stellar writing skills.
• Jason Evigan — Exceptional songwriter Jason has penned a number of worldwide No. 1 hits. He has co-written songs including Jason Derulo’s smash “Talk Dirty”, Nick Jonas “Chains”, and David Guetta’s “Lovers on the Sun”.
• Justin Tranter — One of the top creative minds in the music industry, Justin has penned hits including Justin Beiber’s “Sorry”, Nick Jonas’ “Close feat. Tove Lo”, and Maroon 5’s single “Cold feat. Future”. He was featured on season 1 of the podcast.
• Sean Douglas — Diverse. It’s definitely an accurate description of Sean’s impressive writing skills. He has written many club bangers and country ballads. His work earned him Grammy nominee for Best Country Song in 2017. He was featured on season 1.
• Savan Kotecha — Savan elite’s mind has crafted some of the world’s biggest records. An outstanding writer and businessman, his handiwork is top-notch.
• J Kash — J Kash is continuing to climb the ladder of success in the music industry. After hitting rock bottom, he refused to stay down. This relentless guy is a star in the music community for his writing. J Kash was featured on episode 2, season 1.
• Benny Blanco — There are some people who are really great in their craft and then there are those that are unbelievable exceptional at what they do. Benny Blanco is one of them. A recipient of the Hal David award given by the Songwriter Hall of Fame by the age of 28, Benny’s handiwork is top-notch. In fact, he has penned too many No. 1 songs to count. He was interviewed on episode 1 of season 1.
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