# Thomas Rhett Launches New Label

> Thomas Rhett creates Fifty-One/Forty-Nine Records with HYBE America’s Blue Highway to own his music catalog.
- Title: Thomas Rhett Launches New Label · Music Business Worldwide
- Summary: Thomas Rhett creates Fifty-One/Forty-Nine Records with HYBE America’s Blue Highway to own his music catalog. Thomas Rhett launched Fifty-One/Forty-Nine…
- Keywords: thomas rhett, fifty-one/forty-nine records, blue highway records, hybe america, record label, music catalog, country music, acm awards, grammy nominations, music, business, Thomas
- Source: Music Business Worldwide — https://musicbusinessworldwide.com/thomas-rhett-launches-fifty-one-forty-nine-records-with-hybe-americas-blue-highway-in-deal-he-says-gives-him-the-opportunity-to-own-his-body-of-work
- Published: 2026-10-06T15:00:35+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: thomas rhett, fifty-one/forty-nine records, blue highway records, hybe america, record label, music catalog, country music, acm awards, grammy nominations, music, business
## Thomas Rhett Launches Label
Thomas Rhett launched Fifty-One/Forty-Nine Records with Blue Highway Records, a Nashville-based company owned by HYBE America.
## Rhett Seeks Ownership of Work
Rhett says the partnership gives him 'the opportunity to own the body of work I’ve spent my entire career creating.'

> the opportunity to own the body of work I’ve spent my entire career creating
## Blue Highway Describes Label
Blue Highway describes Fifty-One/Forty-Nine as an 'artist-led record company' founded by Rhett and built around long-term ownership, creative independence and artist development.

> artist-led record company
## Label Appears in Copyrights
Fifty-One/Forty-Nine Records already appears in the copyright line of Rhett’s 2024 album About a Woman and later releases.
## Previous Label Deal
Rhett’s 2022 album Where We Started carried a Big Machine Label Group copyright line, but the arrangement covers only recent releases.
## Blue Highway CEO Jake Basden
Jake Basden, CEO of Blue Highway Records, praised Rhett’s musical fluidity and his ability to create honest country music that resonates globally.

> musical fluidity is matched by his sense of lyrics, songs, and what people feel
## Historical Context
HYBE America rebranded Big Machine Label Group as Blue Highway Records in February, folding Valory into the renamed company after Borchetta’s departure.
## Rhett’s Achievements
Rhett has 25 No. 1 singles and over 16 billion streams, plus eight ACM Awards and two CMA Awards.
## Key takeaway

Thomas Rhett launched Fifty-One/Forty-Nine Records with Blue Highway Records to own his music catalog, marking a shift from previous label deals.