In a major move in the publishing world, Sony Music Publishing has announced the appointment of Walter Jones as executive vice president and head of A&R, effective February 22. In the role, he will oversee the company’s U.S. A&R efforts and work closely with the U.S. creative team to further support both emerging and established songwriters, according to the announcement. He also will work to advance SMP’s overall A&R strategy on strategy and new opportunities for its roster.
He will be based in the company’s Los Angeles office and report to chairman/CEO Jon Platt. Sony Music Publishing Nashville, led by Rusty Gaston, and Sony Music Publishing Latin, led by Jorge Mejia, will continue to report to Platt.
Jones, who left his role as co-head of A&R at Universal Music Publishing last month, has signed or worked closely with songwriters such as H.E.R., Lil Baby, Quavo, Quay Global, Chi Chi, Lil Yachty, City Girls, Alessia Cara, G-Eazy, A$AP Rocky, Pusha T and others. He earned a Grammy Award in 2019 for co-producing H.E.R.’s “Album of the Year,” and in December was recognized on PvNew’s Hitmakers list for his role in the late Pop Smoke’s hit “For the Night,” featuring Lil Baby.
The move represents a homecoming: Prior to joining UMPG in 2017, Jones spent seven years at Sony/ATV (now Sony Music Publishing), rising to VP of urban A&R.
Jones said,“I’m so excited to join Jon and the team in this new chapter at Sony Music Publishing, where I first became a publisher. This is the right time, and Sony is the right place. I look forward to working closely with our A&R team to continue serving our songwriter community.”
Platt said,“Walter is a gifted A&R executive with incredible creative insight.I’ve witnessed his growth as a leader and his ongoing dedication as a mentor to new and accomplished songwriters and creatives. Walter’s collaborative approach will be instrumental to our success, and I look forward to working alongside him to deliver a superior level of service to SMP’s songwriters.”
