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Ross Golan
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Key Information

Ross Jacob Golan (born April 8, 1980) is an American songwriter, record producer and playwright.[1]

Life and career

[edit]

Early career

[edit]

Golan graduated from Deerfield High School (Illinois) of Deerfield, Illinois in 1998. He studied music at the University of Southern California, and has since released songs with artists including Maroon 5, Justin Bieber, Celine Dion, Nicki Minaj, Gwen Stefani, Lady Antebellum, Michael Bublé, Selena Gomez, Keith Urban, Ariana Grande, Flo Rida, Enrique Iglesias, One Direction, P!nk, The Dixie Chicks, Pitbull, Lauv, Idina Menzel, Nelly, Luis Fonsi, Demi Lovato, Jason Derulo, Meghan Trainor, Cee Lo Green, 5 Seconds of Summer, Linkin Park, Prince Royce, Snoop Dogg, Charlie Puth, James Taylor, Avril Lavigne, Little Mix, Gavin DeGraw, Colbie Caillat, Andy Grammer, James Blunt, Big Sean, Travis Barker, Lukas Graham, Sabrina Carpenter, Skylar Grey, Rixton, The Vamps and Icona Pop, among others. He is the 2016 BMI "Pop Songwriter of the Year" and is currently published by Warner/Chappell Music. His concept album The Wrong Man was released worldwide by Interscope Records on 26 July 2019.

Early Record Deals

[edit]

Golan had multiple record deals, the first in 2003 with Insider Trading Corporation/EMI, which was a label he started while in school. The label teamed up with EMI's then-president Phil Quatararo, releasing Reagan Baby. After that, Golan co-founded Glacier Hiking, which had a hybrid publishing/label deal with Lionsgate[citation needed] - the band released a self-titled EP before breaking up in 2009.

The Wrong Man

[edit]

Golan developed a musical called The Wrong Man,[2] based on the concept music album, which is about a man who is wrongly accused of a crime committed in Reno, Nevada. A one-man version of the show, starring Golan, ran in Los Angeles in February 2014 and received three Ovation Award wins out of four nominations. The musical made its way to New York City, playing Off-Broadway to previews beginning 18 September 2019, with an October 7 opening and scheduled run through 24 November 2019 at the Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater Space. The full-cast stage production included Tony winners and nominees Tommy Kail, Alex Lacamoire and Joshua Henry.[3] The Wrong Man received 9 Drama Desk Awards nominations including Best Musical and 3 Lucille Lortel Awards nominations. The show was also honored with four Outer Critics Circle Awards including best original score for Golan.

The concept album was released worldwide by Interscope Records on 26 July 2019. That version made it to the big screen, with an animated film adaptation written and performed by Golan. The movie premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2019.[4]

Song Credits

[edit]
Title[5] Year Artist Album
"Anyway" 2011 Cee Lo Green The Lady Killer: Platinum Edition
"Hold Up" 2011 Demi Lovato Unbroken
"Take You" 2012 Justin Bieber Believe
"Marilyn Monroe" 2012 Nicki Minaj Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded
"Wipe Your Eyes" 2012 Maroon 5 Overexposed
"Happening" 2012 Medina Forever
"Compass" 2013 Lady Antebellum Golden
"Shame" 2013 Keith Urban Fuse
"You Are Fire" 2013 Prince Royce Soy el Mismo
"Back From The Dead feat. Big Sean and Travis Barker" 2013 Skylar Grey Don't Look Down
"When I Find Love Again" 2013 James Blunt Moon Landing
"3,000 Miles" 2013 Emblem3 Nothing to Lose
"Let It Rain" 2013 Eliza Doolittle In Your Hands
"Unkiss Me" 2014 Maroon 5 V
"Mrs All American" 2014 5 Seconds of Summer 5 Seconds of Summer
"Stuck on a Feeling" 2014 Prince Royce Double Vision
"Live It Up" 2014 Colbie Caillat Gypsy Heart
"Nice Guys"
"Love Pretenders" 2014 The Madden Brothers Greetings from California
"Empty Spirits"
"Same Old Love" 2015 Selena Gomez Revival
"Survivors"
"Cologne"
"My House" 2015 Flo Rida My House
"If I Could Fly" 2015 One Direction Made in the A.M.
"Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah)" 2015 Andy Grammer Magazines or Novels
"Painkiller (featuring Meghan Trainor)" 2015 Jason Derulo Everything Is 4
"Talk About You" 2015 MIKA No Place In Heaven
"Take The World By Storm" 2015 Lukas Graham Lukas Graham
"What Happened To Perfect"
"Funeral"
"Wait on Me" 2015 Rixton Let the Road
"Appreciated"
"Don't Cry For Me" 2015 Martina Stoessel Tini
"80's Films" 2015 Jon Bellion The Human Condition
"Wake Up" 2015 The Vamps Wake Up
"I Found A Girl"
"Held By Me"
"Dangerous Woman" 2016 Ariana Grande Dangerous Woman
"Fresh Eyes" 2016 Andy Grammer The Good Parts
"Zillionaire" 2016 Flo Rida Zillionaire
"Today Is Yesterday's Tomorrow" 2016 Michael Bublé Nobody But Me
"Hopeless Romantic" 2016 Meghan Trainor Thank You
"Mom"
"Small World" 2016 Idina Menzel idina.
"Then There's You" 2016 Charlie Puth Nine Track Mind
"You Gotta Not" 2016 Little Mix Glory Days
"Sounds Good to Me" 2017 Nelly Sounds Good to Me
"Halfway Right" 2017 Linkin Park One More Light
"Barbies" 2017 P!nk Beautiful Trauma
"Change" featuring James Taylor 2018 Charlie Puth Voicenotes
"Diamonds Are Forever" 2018 Sabrina Carpenter Singular Act I
"Exhale" 2019 Singular Act II
"Lovers Never Die" 2019 Celine Dion Courage
"Sola" 2019 Luis Fonsi Vida
"Goddess" 2019 Avril Lavigne Head Above Water
"El Tejano" 2020 Lauv How I'm Feeling
"March March" 2020 The Chicks Gaslighter
"Feel Me" 2020 Selena Gomez Rare
"Happy Now" 2021 Pentatonix The Lucky Ones
"Let Me Reintroduce Myself" 2022 Gwen Stefani Let Me Reintroduce Myself
"Walk It Out" 2022 New Hope Club L.U.S.H.
"L.U.S.H."
"Getting Better" 2022 Getting Better
"Girl Who Does Both" 2022
"Goodbye" 2022 Mimi Webb Goodbye
"I'll Be" 2023 Celine Dion Love Again soundtrack
"Slow Low" 2023 Jason Derulo Slow Low
"Single Soon" 2023 Selena Gomez Single Soon
"Layers" 2025 Jolin Tsai Pleasure
"Pleasure"

Podcast

[edit]

Golan is also the podcast host of And the Writer Is... which is co-produced by Joe London. It has garnered three million downloads.

Advocacy

[edit]

In 2016, Golan co-authored an initiative to include songwriters in the Grammy Awards "Album of the Year" category, and 2017 marked the first year a songwriter received a statue for the award. In 2018, he was a leading voice in the Music Modernization Act. In 2019, he became the first songwriter to sit on the board of directors of the National Music Publishers Association in the 100-plus year history of that organization. In 2021, he advocated to have the 33% rule eradicated from the Grammy Awards "Album of the Year" category and in 2022, all songwriters, producers and engineers who worked on a nominated album will for the first time be recognized as nominees.

Awards and nominations

[edit]

Ovation Awards

  • 2014: Winner, "Video/Projection Design" - Michael Hoy and Adam Flemming, for the Skylight Theatre Company production of The Wrong Man.[6]
  • 2014: Winner, "Lyrics/Music for an Original Musical" - Ross Golan, for the Skylight Theatre Company production of The Wrong Man.[6]
  • 2014: Winner, "Book for an Original Musical" - Ross Golan, for the Skylight Theatre Company production of The Wrong Man.[7]
  • 2014: Nominee, "Best Production of a Musical (Intimate Theatre)" - Skylight Theatre Company, for the production of The Wrong Man.[7]

BMI Awards

  • 2016: Winner, "Pop Songwriter of the Year".

Outer Critics Circle Award

  • 2020: Winner, "Best Original Score" - for the MCC production of The Wrong Man.

Drama Desk Award

  • 2020: Nominee, "Outstanding Score" - for the MCC production of The Wrong Man.
  • 2020: Nominee, "Outstanding Musical" - for the MCC production of The Wrong Man.

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Ross Golan

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Ross Golan (born April 8, 1980) is an American multi-platinum songwriter, , , and host. A native who studied music at the , Golan has co-written hit songs for major pop artists including "" for , "My House" for , and "" for , among collaborations with , , and others. Recognized as the 2016 BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year, he has advocated for songwriters' inclusion in Grammy Album of the Year awards—achieved starting in 2018—and played a key role in passing the Music Modernization Act of 2018. In 2019, Golan became the first songwriter elected to the board of the National Music Publishers' Association, and in August 2025, he was named co-chair of the Recording Academy's Songwriters & Composers Wing. As a , he released the The in 2019, which debuted as an musical. Golan hosts the And the Writer Is..., featuring in-depth interviews with acclaimed songwriters on the music industry's inner workings.

Early Life and Education

Childhood and Initial Musical Influences

Ross Golan was born on April 8, 1980, in Deerfield, a northern suburb of , . Raised in the Chicago suburbs, far from major centers like or New York, Golan's early pursuit of music reflected a self-motivated interest in an environment lacking direct professional pathways. His initial musical influences stemmed from family exposure, particularly his mother's affinity for musical theater, alongside pop artists such as and . Golan began composing songs at age 12, marking the onset of his songwriting experiments prior to any formal training or institutional involvement. These formative experiences in a non-coastal, suburban setting underscored a development of his craft, driven by personal listening rather than industry proximity.

University Studies and Formative Experiences

Golan enrolled in the Music Industry program at the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music, earning a degree in 2001. This structured curriculum emphasized the business and production aspects of music, providing foundational knowledge in areas such as sequencing, , and industry operations that complemented his prior performance interests. During his time there, following high school graduation in 1998, he engaged in extracurricular activities that honed collaborative skills, including participation in the university's VoCal group, where he developed vocal arrangement and ensemble performance abilities. Key formative experiences included joining a house band, which afforded opportunities to open for established acts like E6 and , offering practical exposure to live performance logistics and audience engagement without venturing into professional recording deals. For his senior project, Golan initiated a venture, applying coursework in music business to manage operations, artist development, and basic production, which yielded early demos and demonstrated his capacity for entrepreneurial application of academic training. These efforts facilitated initial industry connections, such as with BMI executive Casey Robison, a freshman-year hallmate whose later introductions underscored the networking value of university proximity to ' music scene. Through these structured developments, Golan's mindset evolved from a primary focus on personal artistry toward recognizing songwriting's collaborative and commercial efficacy, informed by observations of songwriters' roles during program interactions and extracurricular projects, setting the stage for his post-graduation pivot without immediate attribution to specific commercial outputs.

Early Music Career

Rock Band Involvement

Following his graduation from the University of Southern California, where he studied music, Ross Golan pursued opportunities as a performer by fronting rock bands in the early 2000s. He initially led Ross Golan & Molehead, releasing the album Reagan Baby on November 2, 2004, through a deal involving executive Phil Quatararo; the record featured politically charged tracks such as "Revolutionist" and "Martha Stewart," but achieved no significant commercial traction amid a crowded landscape dominated by established acts and emerging digital distribution challenges. In 2006, Golan co-founded Glacier Hiking with multi-instrumentalist , formerly of Abandoned Pools and Eels, blending melodic with introspective lyrics. The duo secured a and label deal with Lionsgate, culminating in a self-titled EP release, and undertook tours to promote their material, including performances that honed Golan's stage presence. Despite these efforts, disbanded without achieving mainstream breakthrough, reflecting broader industry economics where unsigned or modestly backed acts struggled against major-label pop dominance and the shift toward artist-driven songwriting models post-2000s. These experiences, marked by limited sales and audience reach, underscored the high barriers to success in performing —requiring not just talent but exceptional timing and marketing resources—prompting Golan's eventual pivot to professional songwriting.

First Record Deals and Transitions

In 2003, Golan signed his first record deal with via Corporation, a label he founded as a university student, which acquired rights to his rap project Reagan Baby recorded alongside the band Molehead. The album, featuring politically charged tracks with minimalist hip-hop production and guitar elements, was released in 2004 but achieved negligible commercial traction, as evidenced by the band's subsequent dissolution and lack of presence or sales documentation beyond niche availability. EMI's partial acquisition of allowed Golan to manage the imprint for several years, during which he pursued a second band project oriented toward pop-guitar sounds, yet this too resulted in no discernible sales or industry breakthrough. These early ventures exposed harsh contractual mechanics, including limited promotional support and dependency on label priorities amid genre mismatches—rap and efforts clashing with prevailing pop market demands—culminating in repeated underperformance that Golan later described as selling "no records." Faced with exhausted artist deal options and empirical failure in front-facing roles, Golan pivoted strategically to behind-the-scenes songwriting by the mid-2000s, viewing it as a more viable path given the higher success rates observed in collaborative pop production over solo or band releases. This shift was necessitated by the absence of sustainable income from prior contracts, underscoring industry realities where artist viability hinges on rare alignments of timing, genre fit, and label investment rather than talent alone.

Songwriting Achievements

Breakthrough Collaborations and Hits

Golan's breakthrough as a pop songwriter emerged through targeted collaborations in the mid-2010s, beginning with "Hey Mama," a track for featuring , , and , released on March 17, 2014. Co-written with producers including and contributions from , the song developed from structured sessions emphasizing rhythmic hooks suited to electronic dance music's formulaic builds. Golan has noted that such hits arise from deliberate preparation, studying co-writers' strengths and the track's intended energy, rather than relying on fleeting inspiration. In early 2015, Golan partnered with rapper and producer Johan Carlsson on "My House," released January 13, incorporating samples from . Hammond's "Impeach the President" while crafting verses around party anthems' repetitive, chant-like structure. The writing involved Marco Borrero in iterative refinements to align with 's urban-leaning style, focusing on empirical adjustments to melody and lyric flow during room sessions. This process underscored Golan's approach of capturing initial concepts from everyday observations—such as driving—before collaborative polishing to ensure commercial viability. Later that year, on October 9, 2015, Golan co-wrote "Same Old Love" for Selena Gomez's album Revival, collaborating with , , and the Norwegian production duo . The mid-tempo track evolved from sessions prioritizing emotional detachment themes, with lyrics refined through back-and-forth edits to match Gomez's and pop-R&B hybrid sound. Golan described adapting to each project's "DNA," involving genre-specific vernacular and multiple revisions to distill core ideas into polished hooks. Extending into 2016, Golan contributed to Ariana Grande's title track "Dangerous Woman," released March 11, alongside Johan Carlsson and Max Martin, blending retro-soul elements with contemporary R&B. Initially conceived for another artist, the song's development featured layered production choices and lyric tweaks in focused writing rooms to emphasize empowerment motifs fitting Grande's persona. These partnerships highlighted Golan's method of variance per collaboration, always grounded in preparatory analysis and iterative craftsmanship to navigate pop's structural demands.

Commercial Impact and Metrics

Golan's compositions have achieved significant commercial benchmarks, including multiple entries on the , with at least one reaching the No. 1 position, such as Flo Rida's "My House." Additional credits have peaked in the Top 5 and Top 10, demonstrating consistent high-level chart performance across pop releases. These outcomes reflect the efficacy of his melodic and lyrical approaches in capturing broad audience appeal, as measured by sales, , and aggregated in chart methodologies. Certifications underscore the enduring market impact, with Golan recognized as a multi-platinum songwriter by industry standards, indicating songs exceeding 2 million units in U.S. and equivalents. BMI performance awards further quantify this, honoring millions of airplays for his works, culminating in his designation as Pop Songwriter of the Year in 2016 and co-recipient in 2017. This contrasts sharply with his pre-songwriting efforts, which yielded negligible chart presence and , attributable to the genre's narrower commercial viability amid declining rock radio dominance and streaming preferences for pop's formulaic accessibility. In peer comparisons, Golan's metrics highlight systemic undervaluation of non-performing songwriters in artist-dominated billing, where performers garner primary credit despite songwriters driving core commercial elements like hooks and structure; for instance, his outputs rival those of top producers in units moved but receive secondary visibility. This dynamic persists as of 2025, with global streams for credited tracks likely in the billions collectively, though precise aggregates remain tied to performer platforms rather than songwriter-specific tracking.

Independent Creative Works

The Wrong Man Project

is a and stage musical created by Ross Golan, centering on a of wrongful and framed . The story follows Duran, an ordinary man in , who becomes entangled with a woman fleeing her abusive ex-husband; the ex frames Duran for her murder after killing her himself, leading to Duran's conviction and escape. Golan developed the project over more than a decade, with initial previews as an "underground musical" featuring 14 songs presented in 2014. The full , comprising 16 tracks with a runtime of 58 minutes, was released on July 26, 2019, marking Golan's independent foray into multimedia storytelling beyond his pop songwriting collaborations. Golan wrote the music and lyrics, with production by , evolving the work from album format into a chamber musical staged at MCC Theater's world premiere on October 7, 2019, directed by and starring as Duran. The production emphasized a noir aesthetic, with Duran on the run post-conviction, and received extensions due to demand, running through late 2019. In 2022, it became the world's first NFT musical through digital collectibles of production elements. Reception highlighted the project's taut exploration of systemic failures in , with critics praising its avoidance of overt moralizing while gripping audiences through character-driven suspense and Henry's performance. Variety noted its portrayal of a "good man" repeatedly victimized by circumstance, underscoring causal chains of bad luck and institutional error without broader polemics. The Hollywood Reporter commended the musical's buoyant rendering of noir tragedy, attributing its impact to Golan's melodic structure that mirrors the protagonist's unraveling fate.

Subsequent Projects like Inside Voices

Following the release of , Golan pursued further innovations in alt-rock musical theater with Inside Voices, a project emphasizing personal resilience through a historical lens. Announced in November 2023 as part of Second Stage Theater's Next Stage Festival, the musical features Golan's original book, music, and lyrics, continuing his pattern of self-directed creative control in blending contemporary rock elements with narrative storytelling. Directed by Tony Award winner Michael Mayer, Inside Voices draws from true events to depict the story of a 16-year-old prodigy navigating challenges in 1828 , underscoring themes of , the spirit's , and the significance of internal conviction. The work highlights Golan's shift toward introspective, character-driven alt-rock compositions that prioritize emotional depth over commercial pop structures evident in his earlier songwriting hits. The project advanced to its first public reading and performance on November 14, 2024, marking a key developmental milestone amid ongoing festival support for emerging theatrical voices. This iteration reflects Golan's commitment to iterative experimentation in stage formats, adapting rock-infused scores to theatrical constraints while maintaining autonomy over thematic and musical integrity, though full production details remain in progress as of late 2024.

Podcast and Public Engagement

Launch and Format of And The Writer Is...

"And The Writer Is... with Ross Golan" debuted on January 21, 2017, with its inaugural episode featuring an interview with songwriter . The podcast adopted a weekly release schedule, hosted by and produced by Joe London, focusing exclusively on in-depth conversations with professional songwriters responsible for commercial hits across genres. Episodes typically run 60 to 90 minutes, structured around dissecting the creative mechanics of specific songs, including collaborative room dynamics, iterative revisions, and the emotional and technical labor involved in crafting and melodies. The format emphasizes transparency in the songwriting craft, challenging romanticized notions of innate genius or "magic" by highlighting repeatable processes, such as co-writing sessions in professional studios and data-driven refinements based on artist feedback and market testing. Guests have included writers behind tracks like Dua Lipa's "New Rules" (e.g., episodes unpacking production choices with collaborators) and Ariana Grande's "7 Rings" (e.g., discussions with co-writers on thematic evolution and hook development), illustrating the podcast's focus on granular breakdowns rather than surface-level anecdotes. By late 2018, the series approached one million total downloads, reflecting early traction among aspiring and professional musicians seeking practical insights. As of 2025, the podcast maintains its core structure with ongoing weekly episodes, such as the May 2025 installment with exploring artistic priorities over algorithmic trends, and an August 2024 episode with Lostboy detailing viral-to-label transitions. This consistency underscores Golan's intent to provide unvarnished access to industry hitmakers' workflows, prioritizing evidentiary accounts of persistence and skill over inspirational platitudes.

Influence on Songwriter Visibility

The And The Writer Is... has elevated the visibility of songwriters by providing a dedicated platform that highlights their contributions to major hits, often overshadowed by performing artists, thereby shifting industry perceptions toward recognizing collaborative song creation processes. Through in-depth interviews with acclaimed writers, it exposes the economic realities of songwriting, including royalties and credit allocation, which are frequently undervalued in public narratives dominated by artist-centric success stories. This focus challenges the misconception of songs as solitary artist endeavors by presenting data-driven discussions on hit-making dynamics, such as the iterative co-writing sessions behind tracks like Grande's "." Listener metrics underscore its reach and potential influence: by April 2018, the series approached 1 million downloads across seasons, enabling widespread exposure of songwriter stories to audiences beyond industry insiders. Episodes featuring executives like National Music Publishers' Association CEO David Israelite have dissected systemic payment issues, fostering greater awareness of how mechanical royalties and streaming economics disadvantage writers relative to labels and platforms. This has contributed to cultural shifts, with observers noting the podcast's role in altering perceptions of songwriter compensation and recognition, as evidenced by its coverage in major outlets highlighting mind-changing effects on pay equity debates. By its 150th episode in December 2021, the program had sustained discussions on persistent songwriter challenges, including diversity in writing rooms and credit disputes, reinforcing of collaborative realities over romanticized solo genius tropes. While direct causation remains correlative, the podcast's amplification of these issues—through verifiable hit breakdowns and royalty mechanics—has correlated with heightened public and industry on elevating behind-the-scenes creators, distinct from formal efforts.

Advocacy and Industry Reform Efforts

Key Campaigns for Royalties and Credits

In 2018, Golan spearheaded a campaign among songwriters to oppose amendments proposed by to the Music Modernization Act (MMA), which would have undermined songwriters' interests by altering provisions and potentially favoring performing rights organizations over creators. Through extensive mobilization and direct outreach, Golan positioned himself as a leading voice, pressuring to withdraw the amendments. The effort culminated in a compromise on August 2, 2018, securing unconditional support from , the National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA), and songwriters, which enabled the MMA's passage by on October 11, 2018. The legislation established a mechanical licensing collective (MLC) to streamline digital mechanical royalty payments, reducing administrative burdens on songwriters while prioritizing market-based licensing over fragmented negotiations. Golan endorsed the MLC's formation in 2019, signing onto coalitions that advocated for its role in collecting and distributing mechanical royalties from streaming and downloads at no cost to creators. He collaborated with organizations like Songwriters of North America (SONA) and the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) to highlight inefficiencies in royalty distribution, including unclaimed funds estimated in the hundreds of millions annually. Golan's advocacy raised awareness of unclaimed royalties through campaigns and personal engagements, contributing to MMA provisions for equitable redistribution based on streaming rather than direct claims. This approach emphasized transparency and data-driven matching of funds to rights holders, avoiding regulatory overreach by leveraging collective administration. Golan participated in Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) proceedings for mechanical royalty rates, including Phonorecords IV (covering 2023–2027), where he supported arguments for rates reflecting songwriters' contributions amid streaming platforms' profits exceeding $100 billion globally in 2021. In these efforts, aligned with NMPA and publishers, he underscored data showing songwriters receiving approximately 9–12% of U.S. streaming revenue—far below labels' shares—while advocating for percentage-of-revenue benchmarks over per-stream pennies to align incentives with . The CRB's December 2022 determination raised subpart B rates to 6.5% of service revenue (effective a compounded increase from prior 5.7% for 2018–2022), though digital services appealed elements, prompting ongoing defenses for creator-centric outcomes. Golan's focus remained on empirical undervaluation metrics, such as mechanical royalties for hits generating $140,000 split among co-writers yielding per-person fractions dwarfed by platform margins.

Positions on Artist-Songwriter Dynamics

Ross Golan has publicly advocated for merit-based attribution of songwriting credits, emphasizing that recognition and shares should be reserved for individuals who demonstrably contribute to the , , or other core creative elements of a composition. As a signatory to the 2021 from The Pact—a coalition of prominent songwriters including , , and Amy Allen—Golan endorsed a commitment to withhold credits from non-contributors, countering what the group described as a growing industry norm where artists leverage their influence to claim shares without substantive input. The letter highlighted cases such as Lipa's "" (2017), where co-writers and noted demands for artist credits despite minimal lyrical or melodic alterations, and Ariana Grande's "" (2019), where Victoria Monét and reported similar pressures for unearned splits. Golan's stance aligns with The Pact's critique that such practices erode ethical collaboration standards and financially disadvantage professional songwriters, who often rely on royalties as their primary income amid broader industry challenges like streaming's low per-play rates. The group argued that normalizing unearned credits perpetuates a misconception of the artist as the singular creator, ignoring the collaborative reality where external writers craft foundational elements tailored to an artist's style. Empirical data supports the dilution effect: surveys indicate that non-creative inclusions fragment pools, contributing to widespread low earnings among songwriters, with 54% reporting annual income below $1,000 and only 10% exceeding $30,000, exacerbated by shares allocated to parties without verifiable contributions to . While some artists defend claiming credits by citing intangible inputs like conceptual direction or vocal phrasing, Golan and The Pact prioritize evidence of tangible changes—such as editing or composing melodies—over subjective assertions, arguing that vague "vibe" contributions fail to justify diluting from hits that generate millions in revenue. This position distinguishes credit ethics from royalties disputes, focusing on cultural to restore fairness in attribution rather than mechanical rights. Golan's advocacy underscores a first-principles view that compensation must track causal creative labor, challenging power imbalances where artist leverage overrides merit.

Leadership Roles and Recent Developments

In August 2025, Ross Golan was appointed Co-Chair of the Recording Academy's Songwriters & Composers Wing, serving alongside Chair Evan Bogart to guide the programming and initiatives for its approximately 6,000 members, including songwriters, composers, and producers. In this leadership position, Golan has emphasized advancing creator prosperity through expanded resources and advocacy tailored to songwriters' professional needs, building on the wing's evolution into a key industry hub. Golan joined the board of directors of Songwriters of (SONA), a prominent advocacy organization for songwriters and composers, enhancing his influence in policy and organizational strategy. He also serves as co-chair of the National Music Publishers' Association's (NMPA) Gold and Platinum Program, focusing on recognition for hit songwriters. In October 2024, Golan received the SONA Warrior Award at the organization's annual gala, recognizing his contributions to songwriter advocacy and industry leadership. These roles position Golan to drive structural reforms in creator support amid ongoing challenges in royalties and visibility as of late 2025.

Reception, Criticisms, and Legacy

Awards and Recognitions

In 2016, Golan was named BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year, recognizing his contributions to multiple chart-topping pop songs that year. In 2017, he tied with for BMI Songwriter of the Year at the 65th Annual BMI Pop Awards, honoring their authorship of eight of the most-performed pop songs of the prior 12 months. In 2024, Golan received the Warrior Award from Songwriters of North America (SONA), acknowledging his efforts in advancing songwriters' rights and industry reforms. On August 21, 2025, he was appointed Co-Chair of the Recording Academy's Songwriters & Composers Wing, a leadership role aimed at enhancing support and visibility for songwriters within the organization.

Debates Surrounding Advocacy Views

Golan's advocacy for apportioning songwriting credits based on verifiable contributions has sparked debate, with critics arguing it diminishes the holistic role of performing artists in modern creation. In sessions like his 2025 discussion with independent artist , Golan emphasized splitting royalties proportionally to inputs such as , , production, and , countering claims that artists deserve larger shares for "vibes" or minimal oversight. Russ contended that multi-hyphenate creators who handle and warrant higher percentages to reflect their end-to-end involvement, viewing rigid contribution-based splits as undervaluing artist in an era of . Supporters of Golan's position cite from collaborations, where undue credits inflate artist shares beyond 50-70% in hit songs despite songwriters providing core elements; for instance, mechanical royalties from streaming average under $0.004 per play, further eroding writers' fractions when diluted by non-creative claims. Opposition from artist-centric advocates frames Golan's critiques as resistant to democratizing credit for emerging, self-sufficient talents, potentially entrenching a songwriter-publisher elite over performer-driven . This tension echoes broader left-leaning calls for artist empowerment, prioritizing intuitive contributions like emotional direction in sessions over documented inputs, as seen in defenses of pop stars demanding points on tracks like Ariana Grande's "" or Dua Lipa's "" for thematic guidance. rebuts such entitlement norms with royalty statistics: songwriters receive approximately 9-12% of total recorded music revenue globally, compared to performers' 50%+, arguing that unearned credits exacerbate this imbalance without incentivizing quality output. Empirical analyses of top charts show over 60% of hits involve external writers, underscoring collaboration's value while highlighting how inflated artist credits reduce per-writer earnings by 20-30% on average. Debates over guild-like reforms in songwriting further divide Golan's pro-market realism from union-style empowerment models. During the 2023 WGA strike, Golan advocated emulating writers' collective bargaining for royalties and transparency but cautioned against formal guilds, citing causal risks like fragmented stakeholder incentives in music—publishers, labels, and DSPs might withhold cooperation, stalling reforms as seen in stalled PRO rate hikes. Artist rights groups push guild structures to counter perceived publisher dominance, arguing they empower individuals against corporate extraction, yet Golan highlights data from post-MMA implementations where voluntary alignments yielded 44% royalty hikes without strikes, versus potential disruptions reducing output incentives in a hit-dependent market. Critics of his stance, including some indie artists, decry it as overly conciliatory to market forces, favoring aggressive unionization to dismantle "entitlement" to low streaming payouts, though evidence from European PRO models shows guild rigidities correlating with 10-15% fewer new releases due to negotiation deadlocks.

Broader Industry Influence

Golan's sustained advocacy has catalyzed policy reforms enhancing songwriter recognition, most notably the Recording Academy's elimination of the "33% rule" in October 2021, which had capped Grammy nominations and wins at one-third of a track's contributors regardless of actual involvement. This shift, directly spurred by Golan's March 2021 and subsequent campaigning, enabled full crediting for all writers and producers starting with the 2022 Grammys, thereby broadening professional validation and visibility in an era where collaborative songwriting proliferates. His podcast "And The Writer Is...", launched in 2017, has amplified perceptions of songwriters as integral industry drivers rather than obscured figures, with episodes dissecting royalty mechanics and streaming's erosive effects—such as mechanical rates trailing sound recording payouts—cultivating public and peer support for equitable reforms. This platform's focus on transparency contributed to momentum behind the 2018 , which mechanized digital royalties and improved creator payouts, though empirical data shows streaming's per-stream earnings for songwriters hovering below $0.005 as of 2023, perpetuating disparities. Golan's August 2025 appointment as Co-Chair of the Recording Academy's Songwriters & Composers Wing, serving 6,000 members alongside Evan Bogart, extends his influence into programming and advocacy strategy, positioning him to address persistent gaps like streaming undervaluation amid platform lobbying for sub-15% rate shares. While these efforts have fortified creator security through expanded credits and legislative gains, unresolved inequities—evident in ongoing National Music Publishers' Association disputes—highlight the causal limits of visibility-driven change against entrenched economic models favoring labels and tech giants.

References

  1. https://www.thrivetimeshow.com/business-podcasts/the-music-industry-101-with-prolific-hit-maker-ross-golan/
  2. https://www.andthewriteris.com/band
  3. https://www.billboard.com/pro/ross-golan-co-chair-grammy-songwriters-composers-wing/
  4. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ross-golan-mn0000800539
  5. https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/ross-golan-songwriter-podcast-interview-7751609/
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  36. https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/Second-Stage-Theater-to-Present-The-Next-Stage-Festival-Supporting-Early-Career-Playwrights-20231101
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  43. https://starlightpr1.com/blog-detail/spotlight-songwriter--and-the-writer-is-host-ross-golan-on-podcastings-unexpected-consequences-educating-young-artists/
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