LOS ANGELES – June 27, 2023 (CelebrityAccess) – PULSE Music Group (PMG) and Concord have launched PULSE Records. The label is the latest vertical for PMG, which already boasts a music publishing and artist management arm. The venture will capitalize on PMG’s ability to invest in high-caliber creative talent, supported by Concord’s existing label services platform and administrative teams. PMG heads Scott Cutler and Josh Abraham, along with Ashley Calhoun, President and Head of Creative, will lead PULSE Records.
With the launch of the new label, Concord is doubling down on its already successful partnership with PMG. In 2020, Concord entered into an exclusive A&R-driven joint venture (jv) to support PMG’s continued expansion. With this new label venture, PMG will lead A&R, creative, and marketing services, while Concord will provide a global footprint, financial resources, administration, and label services for PULSE Records. The label will be a part of Concord Label Group and distributed through the company’s longtime relationship with Universal Music Group (UMG).
“We have been looking to grow our PULSE Music Group brand into the records space for a while now. Given our background as producers and songwriters in our own right, we bring a unique perspective to working in the label space—but we knew we had to get our footing right. With the 15-year success of our publishing division, a company we have built from scratch, we are surrounded by the best in emerging talent and a highly curated roster. We will continue to set a very high artistic bar with PULSE Records. In addition to launching emerging talent, we plan to work with artists that helped redefine genres with whom we have created strong relationships over the years that will soon be coming out of their existing deals. There is a lot of goodwill in the community for PULSE. Our team is known to provide a creative sanctuary and a community where songwriters and recording artists can grow their careers. With the launch of PULSE Records, we are even better positioned to achieve this for our clients. It takes the right business partners to build a business like this, and we couldn’t be happier to have the backing of Concord and the support and business acumen of its senior leadership team as we continue to grow PULSE Music Group and launch PULSE Records,” said Scott Cutler and Josh Abraham, Co-CEO’s of PMG.
Bob Valentine, the incoming CEO of Concord, said: “Scott, Josh, Ashley, and the team at PULSE have been a great collaborator with Concord in publishing some of the highest charting songs in the world. Globally recognized as one of the leading frontline creative teams and first-class incubators for culturally relevant music, PULSE Music Group is a company that Concord continues to greatly admire, and we couldn’t ask for more exceptional business partners as we work to launch PULSE Records.”
PULSE Records has brought Lauryn Caldwell as the label’s SVP and Head of Marketing. Caldwell served seven years at mtheory as Vice President (VP), Marketing and Artist Partnerships. She also worked in music marketing at TikTok and as Tour Marketing and Artist Development Manager at Warner Bros. Records.
The company has also appointed Sara Ahmed as Vice President of Marketing. Ahmed previously served as Senior Director of Marketing for Atlantic Records, following positions at EMPIRE and Live Nation. Tizita Makuria, who joined PMG in November 2022, will serve as Vice President of Creative across both PULSE Music Group publishing and PULSE Records. Bel Mesbahi has joined the team as Creative Director, A&R, across both PULSE Music Group publishing and PULSE Records. Mesbahi previously worked at Alamo Records.
As the company enters its 15th anniversary in 2023, PMG’s award-winning client roster is credited with more than 200 million units of recorded music sales and more than 75 billion music streams. With more than 250 active clients, PMG has amassed 350+ Gold & Platinum certifications.
Most recently, PMG’s Isaac “Zac” De Boni and Michael “Finatik” Mulé pka FNZ were honored as Top Producers at the BMI R&B Hip-Hop Awards and took home “Song of the Year” honors at BMI Pop Awards for The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber’s “Stay” – co-written by FNZ.
PMG’s Tyler Johnson won the IVOR Novello Award for PRS for Music most performed work for Harry Styles’ “As It Was” (winning alongside co-writers Harry Styles and Kid Harpoon). Angel Lopez landed No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 with “First Class” by Jack Harlow. PULSE Music Group currently holds the No. 3 Billboard Hot 100 with “Flowers” – Miley Cyrus. “Flowers” has spent sixteen consecutive weeks at No. 1 at Hot AC, becoming the longest-running female chart-topper this decade for Billboard Adult Airplay and the fastest song to reach 1 billion Spotify streams in Spotify history.
