CTM Outlander has struck a deal with five-time Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum-selling singer/songwriter Sam Hunt.
The deal sees the company acquire Hunt’s publishing catalog, with Hunt also signing to a go-forward publishing deal for his future works.
CTM Outlander is a partnership between Dallas, Texas-based Outlander Capital, led by Les Ware and Mike McKool, and Netherlands-based independent music entertainment company CTM, led by industry veteran André de Raaff.
Today’s news marks the venture’s latest deal with a country music star, following its deal with Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer Ross Copperman earlier this month.
Hunt’s debut studio album, Montevallo, broke several chart records with five singles, including three consecutive Hot Country Songs chart and four Country Airplay chart No.1s.
The lead single from the album, Leave The Night On, peaked concurrently on the Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts, making Hunt the first country artist since Billy Ray Cyrus 22 years ago, to reach the top of three country charts simultaneously in the Nielsen SoundScan-era.
Hunt released his Grammy-nominated, Triple-Platinum-selling sophomore album titled Southside in 2020, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and in the Top 5 of the Billboard Hot 200 all-genre chart.
Hunt also has success as a songwriter with several top artists.
Some of his No. 1 hits as a songwriter include Come Over by Kenny Chesney, Cop Car by Keith Urban, I Met A Girl by William Michael Morgan and We Are Tonight by Billy Currington.
Hunt’s single Body Like A Back Road recently obtained RIAA Diamond-certification (10x platinum), becoming the eighth country artist ever to reach this status. The single has since surpassed that status, and currently sits at 11x Platinum-certification.
“Discussing the sale of some of my catalog took a while and I am glad that it did, as I got to know André and his CTM Outlander team better and better.”
Sam Hunt
Commenting on the deal with CTM, Hunt said: “Discussing the sale of some of my catalog took a while and I am glad that it did, as I got to know André and his CTM Outlander team better and better.
“They continued to meet with me and my team over the last several months to discuss what working together might look like.
“I appreciate their diligence and belief in what I am doing as an artist, and more importantly, as a songwriter. I believe we will have a productive partnership both internationally and here at home.”
Sam has been on our radar for a long time, and we were very eager to work with him.”
André de Raaff, CTM Outlander
André de Raaff, CEO of CTM Outlander, added: “Sam has been on our radar for a long time, and we were very eager to work with him. Since we landed in Nashville, we signed some of the most prolific songwriters like Shane McAnally, Natalie Hemby, Ross Copperman and Michael Tyler. By adding Sam to our roster, who is not only one of the most respected songwriters in town but also a global superstar and touring artist, we feel we can service the community even better.
“We are truly honored that Sam, after being in talks with us for a long time, decided to sign with our company. Sam is an example of an artist and songwriter that we can help move forward in the international market; his body of work doesn’t only dominate the U.S. radio waves and streaming world but also travels throughout the world. We look forward to supporting Sam in his endeavors and expansion, and are excited to work with him in the country music space and international scene.”
“We’re thrilled to add a singer-songwriter with the stature of Sam Hunt to the CTM Outlander family.”
Mike McKool CTM Outlander
Mike McKool (Director, CTM Outlander) said: “We’re thrilled to add a singer-songwriter with the stature of Sam Hunt to the CTM Outlander family.
“Not only is he the type of artist that we want to be in business with, but more importantly he’s the type of person that we want to invest in. Sam has clearly experienced an immense amount of success, and our goal at CTM Outlander is to provide Sam with the resources he needs to achieve all his future endeavors.”
Elsewhere in Nashville, CTM Outlander has previously acquired the catalogs of, and signed deals with the likes of, Shane McAnally, Natalie Hemby, Michael Tyler, Ben Burgess and SMACKSongs.Music Business Worldwide
