


Payday Music Announces Publishing Deal With Estate of Kenny Young
Independent publisher Payday Music signs Kenny Young estate and rising songwriter Sarah Close.
Payday Music Publishing, a leading independent publisher of EDM, pop, hip-hop, jazz and reggae, has signed a publishing deal with the estate of the late Kenny Young.
Why it matters:
Prior to his passing in 2020, Young enjoyed a decades-long career as a songwriter, musician and producer. A songwriter in the world-renowned Brill Building, Young co-wrote "Under the Boardwalk", which became a 1964 hit for The Drifters. In 1969 he wrote "Arizona", a U.S. Top 10 hit for Mark Lindsay. After enjoying several Top 10 hits in the UK with his band Fox ("Only You Can" and "S-S-S- Single Bed"), in 1980 he co-wrote "Ai No Corrida" with Chaz Jankel, which became a Grammy Award-winning hit for Quincy Jones.
New signing:
Payday has signed UK-based songwriter Sarah Close (AKA bbyclose), who was nominated for a Brit for her performance with BL3SS & CamrinWatsin on "Kisses". The song has been streamed more than 290 million times on Spotify over the past 12 months.
Payday Music Publishing, a leading independent publisher of EDM, pop, hip-hop, jazz and reggae, has signed a publishing deal with the estate of the late Kenny Young.
Why it matters:
Prior to his passing in 2020, Young enjoyed a decades-long career as a songwriter, musician and producer. A songwriter in the world-renowned Brill Building, Young co-wrote "Under the Boardwalk", which became a 1964 hit for The Drifters. In 1969 he wrote "Arizona", a U.S. Top 10 hit for Mark Lindsay. After enjoying several Top 10 hits in the UK with his band Fox ("Only You Can" and "S-S-S- Single Bed"), in 1980 he co-wrote "Ai No Corrida" with Chaz Jankel, which became a Grammy Award-winning hit for Quincy Jones.
New signing:
Payday has signed UK-based songwriter Sarah Close (AKA bbyclose), who was nominated for a Brit for her performance with BL3SS & CamrinWatsin on "Kisses". The song has been streamed more than 290 million times on Spotify over the past 12 months.
Payday Music Publishing, a leading independent publisher of EDM, pop, hip-hop, jazz and reggae, has signed a publishing deal with the estate of the late Kenny Young.
Why it matters:
Prior to his passing in 2020, Young enjoyed a decades-long career as a songwriter, musician and producer. A songwriter in the world-renowned Brill Building, Young co-wrote "Under the Boardwalk", which became a 1964 hit for The Drifters. In 1969 he wrote "Arizona", a U.S. Top 10 hit for Mark Lindsay. After enjoying several Top 10 hits in the UK with his band Fox ("Only You Can" and "S-S-S- Single Bed"), in 1980 he co-wrote "Ai No Corrida" with Chaz Jankel, which became a Grammy Award-winning hit for Quincy Jones.
New signing:
Payday has signed UK-based songwriter Sarah Close (AKA bbyclose), who was nominated for a Brit for her performance with BL3SS & CamrinWatsin on "Kisses". The song has been streamed more than 290 million times on Spotify over the past 12 months.
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