Matt Rogers is a songwriting dynamo. He has written for major country artists like Brett Aldridge, Luke Bryan, Dustin Lynch, Justin Moore, Chris Young, Jimmie Allen, and tons more- even branching out to other genre artists like Jordin Sparks.

Matt started his music career in Nashville, like many other artists, but it wasn’t until a chance opportunity allowed him to play some songs for a publisher, at a bar, while filming a documentary that things started to click into place. Matt joins us to share his experiences as a songwriter on this episode of The Big Break.

Show Notes

2:10 How the pandemic has impacted Matt and songwriting as a profession

4:07How Matt first got into music, starting as a journalist

9:35Getting to Nashville, as an editor, and starting to work as a songwriter

“Okay buddy, you got something going on here that maybe we should try to pursue…”

15:10Getting meetings with PRO’s, Publishers, and Labels, and keeping momentum with your circle

“When I got there, there was like a camera man, and a couple people, and they were talking to the publisher and a couple writers, and the guy I was writing with was like ‘why don’t you play them a song?’ so I grabbed a guitar and played a song, and the publisher said ‘play me another one…’”

24:30Negotiating, and understanding, your publishing deal

“When you are getting to the stage of a [publishing deal], the best advice I would give anybody is get a great lawyer.”

28:45Matt’s first hit- We Went by Randy Houser

35:08The network and circles of writers, and working to cast a wide net

“You cast a wider net- let’s say I write for Sony, and I write a song with a guy who writes for Warner Chappell, and I write with another writer who writes for Big Yellow Dog. Now we have three sets of publishers slinging this song around town instead of just one.”

38:20Catalog sales, and what’s next

“We look at every song as a potential, life-changing, financial aspiration.”

45:15How do people follow you and keep up with you?

Freedom is a Highway by Jimmie Allen

A Little Less Broken by Luke Bryan

The One You Need by Brett Eldredge

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Matt Rogers - Understanding your Publishing deal