HYBE’s Big Machine Label Group has linked up with Hard 8 Working Group to launch a brand new label, Hard Working Record Company. BMLG boss Scott Borchetta, H8WG co-founders Dirk Hemsath and Rich Egan and partners David Conway and Mike Bachta joined forces on the Nashville-based imprint, developed on the heels of successful BMLG-Hard 8 collaborations on Brantley Gilbert and Kidd G. Seen experimenting with hand gestures intended to ward us off are (back, l-r) BMLG’s Mike Rittberg, HWRC’s LJ Stoll, BMLG’s Andrew Kautz and (front, l-r) Hemsath, Borchetta and Egan.

While BMLG has reached into rock, hip-hop and R&B with its John Varvatos and Blac Noize! Label partnerships, Hard 8 has had big pop success with singer-songwriter Tate McRae. HWRC will operate under the BMLG umbrella and, per Borchetta, will bring “quality and visionary A&R in all genres.” Added the Big Machine boss, “Rich, Dirk and the Hard Working team live for artist discovery and development and they’re bringing in heat from the onset.”