MERCURIAL MUSINGS

We try to refrain from overusing the “Mercury rising” thing, but the label isn’t making it easy.

Tyler Arnold and Ben Adelson’s shop, part of the larger Republic family, currently has five tracks in the Spotify U.S. Top 50, two of them by Post Malone (including “I Like You” f/ Doja Cat, now Top 10) and the others from Big Loud's Morgan Wallen ("You Proof," Top 20), Stephen Sanchez ("Until I Found You") and Noah Kahan ("Stick Season"). Arnold, seen on the left in the tandem photo included here, inked Posty to Republic years before taking the helm at Mercury and seeing the superstar added to his roster.

The label’s BoyWithUke recently hit #1 at Alternative radio with “Toxic,” and it's poised to follow that up with a new single from format giant AJR, “I Won’t,” slated to drop 7/29. More Modern Rock action comes courtesy of young act Giant Rooks, whose “Morning Blue” has been added at KROQ and Alt 92.3 in NYC. Meanwhile, troubadour James Bay has his third Top 5 U.K. album with Leap.

Arnold and Adelson are also building out their team, having added Senior Directors of A&R Jamie Sudhalter and Justin Davis. The new arrivals’ first instructions, we’re told, were to send all calls from HITS to voice mail.

Oh, and if you've got any pithy variations on "Mercury rising," send them along. Our editors have maxed out their thesauruses.