On December 5, Sony Music Publishing (SMP) celebrated the official opening of a state-of-the-art office and studio compound in Hollywood’s historic media district. While the compound does feature office space for company staff, Sony Music Publishing intends for the location to be a creative hub for songwriters across Los Angeles, referring to the flagship location as “a testament to SMP’s commitment to fostering creativity and collaboration.”
Making a “Disneyland for Songwriters”
The official opening began with an evening party attended by major figures in the music industry, creatives, and company executives. Reportedly, one staffer who attended the party explained that the goal of the new creative hub was to create “a Disneyland for songwriters.”
The New Creative Hub’s Historic Location
Sony Music Publishing’s new Los Angeles office space is housed in a renovated century-old building redesigned in collaboration with studio architects WSDG and design collective RIOS. The project’s construction lasted three years in all, but the “beautifully reimagined” building was successfully “customized to elevate the creative experience.”
As Sony Music Publishing went on to say, the design reflects “a modern vision as the premier service company for the world’s most impactful songwriters and composers.”
State-of-the-Art Resources and Premier Accessibility
All in all, the new SMP compound contains five dedicated writer studios, six listening rooms, and a state-of-the-art recording studio including a large control room and two independent recording booths. The recording studio features Augspurger Quattro equipment, capable of “extraordinary playback levels.” All five writer studios are outfitted with premier outboard gear and are identical to ensure flexibility and accessibility.
These creative suites are located alongside both office spaces and social areas, which are intended to encourage interaction between creatives and company staff.
Each creative suite “maximizes acoustic performance,” as they are equipped with “cutting-edge systems,” according to Sony Music Publishing.
“The space is really beautiful, lots of natural light and aliveness,” said Mike Sabath, Sony Publishing Songwriter for Raye, Lizzo, and Shawn Mendes. “I had my bird sounds playing from my phone in my pocket while Jon was giving me the tour. After he had shown me the entire space, I pulled out my phone and he was laughing, because the whole tour he was thinking there were birds flying around the office! Luckily, no birds flew in, but the space felt natural and open enough that some birds flying around would fit right in.”
Insight From Chairman Jon Platt
Sony Music Publishing Chairman Jon Platt had this to say about the launch of the company’s new creative hub: “Our focus has been on creating environments that nurture the talent, vision, and goals of our songwriters and people. Our aim was to build a space that supports songwriters every step of the way, welcomes creators, and supports their needs. I am exceptionally proud of what we have built as a team.”
Sony Music Publishing’s Creative Expansion Efforts
The expansion is part of Sony Music Publishing’s ongoing efforts to increase support for the company’s songwriters on a global scale. The company has been working on similar developments in Nashville, Tennessee, as well as outside of the United States in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, Spain, Colombia, Sweden, South Africa, India, and others.
Advancing as a Market Leader by Supporting Talent
Part of these expansion efforts are intended to advance Sony Music Publishing as a market leader that supports artists and their creative needs. The industry giant is certainly equipping itself to occupy this role, seemingly sparing no expense on high-end tech with which artists can discover their full potential. Sony Music Publishing’s new creative hub is a sign that the industry is prioritizing artist talent moving forward, recognizing the power of creativity when it is given the right outlets to shine.
