Peermusic has tapped James “Jamie” Cerreta as its next president, U.S. and Canada. In the new role, Cerreta will report to CEO Mary Megan Peer and will oversee the Peermusic roster, signing strategy and other initiatives in the two territories. He is based in Peermusic’s Los Angeles office.
Cerreta’s relationship with Peermusic began in 2017 when the company signed a sub-publishing agreement to represent the copyrights controlled by Big Deal Music Group, where he was serving as co-president. This relationship continued through Big Deal’s acquisition by Hipgnosis in 2020 and transformation into the so-called Hipgnosis Songs Group (HSG), which Cerreta also led. Peermusic continued to act as HSG’s sub-publisher until the catalog was sold to Sony Music Publishing earlier this year.
Cerreta brings with him decades of experience in the music industry, largely in the independent publishing sector. He started his career on the label side with A&R roles at Mercury, Island Def Jam and Hollywood Records. He then switched to publishing, working for Chrysalis Music Publishing, where he signed Ray LaMontagne, My Morning Jacket, Manchester Orchestra, The Bravery, Mastodon and Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, ultimately working his way up to head of West Coast A&R. In 2012, he became a founding partner of Big Deal Music.
Once Big Deal was acquired by Hipgnosis, Cerreta moved over to the Merck Mercuriadis-founded company to serve as executive vp of HSG. There, he continued to work with artists Ray LaMontagne, My Morning Jacket, and Manchester Orchestra and also signed new artists and songwriters including Blake Mills, Ethan Gruska, Weyes Blood, Beach House, FIDLAR, Phoelix, and Lucy Dacus. He also helped develop venture partnerships with Big Family (Julian Bunetta and John Ryan), Nice Life (Ricky Reed), NOID and STMPDWN.
Peer said of Cerreta’s hiring: “Jamie brings deep indie publishing experience to Peermusic, coupled with proven creative and deal-making instincts. His strong relationships with songwriters and producers are built upon his history of supporting their creative development as they grow their careers. I know that Peermusic’s US and Canadian writers, as well as new signings, will enjoy Jamie’s support as he drives our companies forward in his new position.”
“Working so closely with Peermusic over the past decade has fostered my appreciation for the history, integrity and performance of the company all around the world. It’s a real honor to be stepping into this role in the US and Canada,” added Cerreta. “I’m grateful to Mary Megan for this opportunity to contribute to the tradition established by the Peer family nearly 100 years ago, advocating for the enduring work of great writers, regardless of genre.”