Scott Cutler Joins NMPA Board

The National Music Publishers’ Association has announced that Scott Cutler has joined its Board of Directors. Scott is the co-CEO of Pulse Music Group and also a multi-platinum songwriter and record producer in his own right.

As a member of the alternative rock band Ednaswap, Cutler co-wrote “Torn” which was covered in 1997 by Natalie Imbruglia. Her recording became the worldwide number one airplay song, sold an estimated four million copies, and is certified Platinum in 3 countries. He co-wrote “Piano in the Dark” with singer/songwriter Brenda Russell which was nominated for Song of the Year at the 31st Annual Grammy Awards. In 2007, he won the Critic’s Choice Award for Best Song for “Listen” from the motion picture adaption of Dreamgirls. The song was also nominated for Best Original Song at the 2007 Academy Awards and the 2007 Golden Globe Awards.

In 2007, Cutler created the music publisher Pulse Music Group with writer/producers Josh Abraham and Anne Preven with a mission to create a sanctuary for its artists and songwriters, offering high level creative and hands on artist development. The company, along with Pulse Management, operates under the Pulse Recording umbrella.

Through his experience both on the creative and business side of the industry, Scott Cutler is a champion of songwriter’s rights and ensuring that creators are fairly compensated. In February of this year, Cutler was named to the Board of Directors of the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) to help represent the interests of the music community and make informed decisions on the implementation of the Music Modernization Act (MMA). The Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) represents the industry-wide consensus submission to the U.S. Copyright Office (USCO) to create the collective required by the Music Modernization Act (MMA) to license and administer mechanical rights.

NMPA President & CEO David Israelite: “Scott has always been an active member of NMPA and his voice will be even more amplified as a new director on our board. It is wonderful to add not only an accomplished executive but also a songwriter and producer to our leadership, and we look forward to his valuable perspective at this particularly dynamic period in our industry.”

“As both an independent publisher and a songwriter, I am honored and humbled to stand with the NMPA and the highly respected publishing executives and songwriters that serve on its Board,” said Scott Cutler. “David Israelite and the NMPA have tirelessly worked toward important milestones over the past year with both the CRB verdict and the unanimous passage of the MMA. It’s a new era for the music industry but there is still a lot to be done to ensure that the work of music creators is properly valued and protected — I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work.”

Under the leadership of co-CEOs Scott Cutler and Josh Abraham, Pulse Music Group and its creative team has doubled its NPS, won the AIMP Publisher of the Year award in 2018 and climbed into the Top 10 publisher market share in the US. The company has also formed partnerships with Creative Nation, the Nashville based music management and publishing company owned by songwriter Luke Laird and Beth Laird; Marc Anthony’s Magnus Media; Nas’s Mass Appeal; and Rick Rubin’s American Recordings. Recent hits from Pulse Music Group writers include Maroon 5’s “Girls Like You feat. Cardi B” via Starrah (tied for the longest run at #1 on the Billboard Radio Songs chart this century and #1 in 11 countries); Camila Cabello’s “Havana” feat. Young Thug via Starrah (#1 Billboard Hot 100, RIAA 6X Platinum) and Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode” feat. Drake via OZ (#1 Billboard Hot 100, Urban, and Rhythmic Radio, RIAA 5X Platinum) & the record-breaking Latin hit “Despacito.” Pulse writer Starrah also won last year’s ASCAP Pop Songwriter of the Year award. Recent signings by the company include Tyler Johnson, El_P, Rich the Kid, and YBN Cordae.