MBW’s Key Songs in Life… is a series in which we ask influential music industry figures about the tracks that have defined their journey and existence to date. Picking the plates that mattered to them this time was SMP’s Walter Jones, one of the most respected A&R executives in publishing. The “Key Songs in Life…” series is supported by: Published by Sony Music.
It didn’t take long for Walter Jones, executive vice president and head of A&R at Sony Music Publishing, to admit as much. No need to even ask. Unless ‘Really?’ Counts as a question.
Reflecting on the often tortuous selection process behind his seven hit songs, he initially said: “You know what, it wasn’t hard at all.”
Then, after saying just one sentence MBW” part, he continued: “I’m not saying it’s not something to think about… In fact, the really challenging part is… well, I’m lying, it’s hard! [laughs].
Jones is currently enjoying his second tenure at Sony. The first time, from 2009 to 2016, the company was called Sony ATV. He left there to serve as co-head of A&R at Universal Music Publishing Group for five years until SMP chief executive Jon Platt lured him back in 2022.
During this time, Jones signed and collaborated with artists such as HER, Lil Baby, Quay Global, Chi Chi, Lil Yachty, City Girls, Alessia Cara, G-Eazy, A$AP Rocky, Pusha T, and more.
HER appears on his list, and he believes the song perfectly exemplifies the intersection of A&R and art at its best.
The other tracks, he explains, are both playlists and narratives. He said: “In the end, I try to tell my story. For me, it’s about the song, of course, but also about the album, the artist, the time and the place. It’s about memory.
“I remember where I bought almost all of my music over the years, what I was doing when I bought it, how I felt when I opened it – because all of these things are special to me.
“I feel bad for kids today because they don’t get that feeling of, or a real sense of ownership of, those things that they wanted so badly that finally got into their hands.”
The first track certainly proves that his choices are not just about the songs, but also about the stories. You doubt you’ll find it on his 2024 Wrapped compilation – but it’s Jones’ first musical memory, so it’s the perfect, if unpredictable, place to start…
1) Andrea McArdle, “Tomorrow” (1982)
I was in first grade and it was 85/86. My grandmother was the assistant choir teacher at our school. To join the choir you have to sing The sun will come out tomorrow From Anne.
But, because I didn’t want to join the choir, I intentionally sang flat every time, not only for my choir auditions, but also for songs we sang every time we went to church. Like when she asked me to take piano lessons: “No, I want to be a DJ” [laughs].
So, I never had a choir – I had to follow them wherever they went.
Listening to it now, it’s such a wonderful memory. I could see that everyone was wearing blue pants, white shirts and red vests, the choir uniform. I’m still glad I managed to avoid joining!
2) Guy, Make Me Happy (1988)
I’m nine or ten now and I just remember this song coming on the radio and my cousins and aunts singing and dancing to it.
This is a very early Teddy Riley work and production, so it has real pedigree. Plus, it’s a real uptempo song and dancing to a song like that was a big thing for families at the time.
Because music was still a family thing at the time, I would listen to what they listened to when I was this age. I’m about to discover my own stuff, but mostly what’s going on at home.
Or sometimes in the car, in the backseat, playing WBLS or Kiss FM. There are many memories. That said, even now, if I hear this song, it still sounds really good to me.
3) Daddy Kane, The Slick Operator (1989)
I still remember buying this – the cassette tape! There was a record store on Fifth Avenue in my neighborhood in Brooklyn called Records and Tapes.
I walked over and I think it was $3.99 [for It’s A Big Daddy Thing, Kane’s second album from which Smooth Operator was the lead single] I’ve had enough. I had a small tape recorder in my room, and I would play that tape all day long, double-sided, for several days.
Daddy Kane is from Brooklyn and he’s the smoothest guy. He’s Big Daddy Kane!
This is definitely when I found out what was going on. Hip-hop is a fun place to be, but my love for hip-hop wasn’t necessarily triggered by anyone in my family because there was so much RnB and gospel music out there.
Hip-hop was something that happened outside of my home, something I discovered on my own or with friends.
Daddy Kane is also a happy balance, he’s a rapper but there’s a lot of R&B in it. This is a good bridge.
4/5) Wu-Tang Clan, Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1992) / Nas, Illmatic (1994)
I remember listening to Wu-Tang Clan, Room 36 In the car with a friend of mine. There was a lot of swearing in the beginning and throughout the skits; I just remember thinking, ‘Wow, I can’t believe Jason’s mom is letting us listen to this!
That’s why I initially got a lot of criticism from friends. Wu-Tang is different from Daddy Kane again. They are different from everyone.
It was a day I will never forget with Nas. I’m going to watch a basketball game with my good friend JJ. We both had Walkmans at the time, but on this day he and I shared headphones because he had ilmatik But I don’t think so. I knew right away, I had to get this.
I went to the record and tape company, came home, pressed play, and my God, it was like a movie. It’s so descriptive. I can see everything, I can smell everything! I automatically insert myself into every scene.
Everything is familiar from where I grew up. It’s a very real thing for us – the whole record is very special. This is still true. This is a landmark release and I’m in love with it from top to bottom.
Sorry, in both cases I had to have the entire album, as they are both very complete works. Like I said, they’re almost movies to me, they’re so connected.
6) Montel Williams, This Is How We Do It (1995)
This is April 2003. I had graduated from college and was finding my path as a young person, driven by my love for music.
I had the opportunity to go out and road manage and DJ for Montel Jordan. He received such a huge blow, this is what we doprobably about 10 years before I got together with him.
But because it was so popular, the song gave me the opportunity to travel the world with him. It showed me the power of a song, what a song means to people, how far it can take you, and how it can take on a life of its own. I have to play it night after night – that’s non-negotiable!
He had been touring for years after this, and I, a 21-year-old kid, started touring the world with him because of the hit records he wrote.
To be honest, without Montel and this song, I really don’t know when I would have been able to go abroad for the first time.
I learned a lot from his manager at the time – she’s still his manager, his wife Christine Jordan. They gave me these rules to follow and I did exactly what they asked; I didn’t want to mess up.
I’m also a young man leading grown men, telling them what we expect and what we need. It was so funny looking back now, but I got so much out of it.
I think the most important thing is people management and communication, how to talk to people to get them to do what needs to be done.
Even though I must have played and listened to it a thousand times, I still love this song!
7) She, Hurt(2021)
I served as executive producer on three or four projects that HER did. This song is from her debut album deep in my mind.
I remember when we were doing this session, I heard this loop playing and I called her and Tiara Thomas, the other writer, to come into the studio and listen to it and write it down because I knew I felt something right away.
Montel told me a cheat code before, which is to get hit and hit again. that’s what he did this is what we do [the track is built around Slick Rick’s Children’s Story].
In this case, we create cultural success damage By modifying Herp Alpert’s having sex in the rainproduced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis [1987].
This has always bothered me because we worked so hard to achieve this. We tried to clear the initial sample but were denied. So we just had to replay it. We even tried to have Jimmy and Terry reenact what they did originally, but that didn’t work out either.
Finally we found a wonderful musician named Jeff Gitty who did it. He captured the absolute essence of the original song. That was a moment for me.
At Sony Music Publishing (SMP), we believe every voice matters. We’re the world’s #1 music publisher, with a 25-year mission to elevating the artistry of the world’s greatest songwriters and composers. We put songwriters at the forefront of everything we do and design our suite of services to expand opportunity, build connections and defend their rights. Our team benefits from an international team dedicated to supporting you at every career stage. From classic catalogs to contemporary hitmakers, history is always being written. We are part of Sony’s global family of companies. Learn more about SMP here.global music business
