ASCAP Unveils Songwriters Selected for GPS Project Class of 2026
January 14, 2026
Dedicated to empowering music creators and supporting emerging talent, ASCAP has announced the songwriters selected for the 13th annual ASCAP GPS (Guidance from Publishers for Songwriters) Project. The Class of 2026 will be the biggest yet with the addition of a new Christian music cohort joining their country music peers.
The ASCAP Nashville membership team, helmed by ASCAP Vice President Mike Sistad, designed the program to help promising, unsigned songwriters, who have been identified by the ASCAP team as ready for a publishing deal, take the next step in their career. Well-known ASCAP GPS country music alumni include Jacob Davis, Hannah Dasher, Caylee Hammack, Joe Ragosta and more.
Curated by ASCAP Associate Director of Nashville Membership Duane Hobson and ASCAP Manager of Nashville Membership Emilia James, the ASCAP GPS Project Class of 2026 includes rising country music songwriters Abigail Mae, Anna Kline, Bailey Taylor, Cade Walker, Faith Schueler, Jake Arthur, Josh David, Kevin Monahan, Maddie Lenhart and Remy Garrison as well as up-and-coming Christian music songwriters Eleanor Bryan, Grace + Max, Jay Speight, Maggie Youngs, Phoebe Scott and Wes Harris.
Over the next year, the writers will be paired with publishers who will listen and critique their songs and host follow-up meetings to help develop their craft. A highly regarded opportunity in the Nashville community, the program has helped numerous songwriters earn publishing agreements as a result of their participation.
Participating 2026 publishers include Big Machine Music, Capitol CMG Publishing, Centricity Publishing, Curb | Word Music Publishing, Eclipse Music Group, Empire Publishing, Essential Music Publishing, Integrity Music Publishing, King Pen Music, Kobalt Music Publishing, Liz Rose Music, Reservoir Media, Sony Music Publishing, Spirit Music Nashville, TIM Publishing and Warner Chappell Music Nashville.
Picture L-R (GPS Class of 2026): ASCAP’s Emilia James, Eleanor Bryan, Bailey Taylor, Abigail Mae, ASCAP’S Duane Hobson (front row); Anna Kline, Remy Garrison (second row); Wes Harris, Jay Speight, Maddie Lenhart, Faith Schueler (third row); Grace + Max, ASCAP’s Ryan O’Grady, Maggie Youngs (fourth row); Phoebe Scott, Jake Arthur, Kevin Monahan (fifth row); Josh David, Cade Walker (back row) (Photo Credit: Larry McCormick)
Pictured L-R (GPS Country Music Class of 2026): ASCAP’s Duane Hobson, Kevin Monahan, Jake Arthur, Faith Schueler, Josh David, Cade Walker, ASCAP’s Emilia James (back row); Anna Kline, Remy Garrison, Bailey Taylor, Maddie Lenhart, Abigail Mae (front row) (Photo Credit: Larry McCormick)
Pictured L-R (GPS Christian Music Class of 2026): ASCAP’s Ryan O’Grady, Phoebe Scott, Eleanor Bryan, Wes Harris, Grace + Max, Maggie Youngs, Jay Speight, ASCAP’s Emilia James (Photo Credit: Larry McCormick)