Spotify’s Hot Country Playlist Now Enhanced With Original Video

Keith Urban becomes first artist on Spotify Hot Country to enhance the playlist with video, supporting his Graffiti U album, out April 27.

Spotify’s flagship country playlist, Hot Country, is now enhanced with video. The newly enhanced playlist follows the recent video integrations of fellow Spotify playlists such as Rap Caviar and Viva Latino, which combine music and video into a single view, allowing Spotify users to listen to their favorite audio tracks, as well as watch original interviews and music videos featuring their favorite artists on the on-demand streaming service.

The Hot Country enhanced playlist launches today (Friday, April 27) with content from Keith Urban, who releases his latest album, Graffiti U, today, as well as content from Kacey Musgraves and a special performance from Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton.

On Hot Country, Urban will offer viewers a behind-the-scenes look at his extensive guitar collection, as he discusses his love of playing in his new home studio, and looks at the inspiration behind his new album.

Urban said, “Spotify has been an amazing partner, helping me to connect my music with people all over the planet. On their new Hot Country playlist people will not only hear Graffiti U, they’ll be able to come inside the studio with me and see a bit about the making of the album. Can’t wait for everyone to hear it.”

According to Brittany Schaffer, Head of Artist and Label Marketing at Spotify’s Nashville office, the country music audience has been slower to adopt streaming than audiences of other genres. However, she says “country artists have been craving the attention of the streaming services to help bring the country audience into streaming and craving a deeper ability to connect with and expand their audiences,” she says. “The enhancement of the Hot Country playlist is Spotify’s first significant step in helping artists do just that.”

Schaffer also notes that the enhanced playlist is only the beginning of Spotify’s collaboration with the country industry. “Spotify is serious about making an impact in country music, and the launch of the Hot Country enhanced playlist is only the first step in showing that commitment,” she says. “This opportunity is opening new doors for current and potential listeners of country music, in Nashville and around the world. Our commitment doesn’t start and end with the launch of Hot Country.”

To bring more Hot Country to its more than 4.5 million followers worldwide, the enhanced playlist feature will also launch in four additional markets outside the U.S.: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Spain (in addition to the UK, Sweden, and Latin America).

According to John Marks, Programming Head of Country Music at Spotify, the audience for country music will only keep growing. “There are multiple awakenings happening right now. Streaming is opening a global market. There’s been a hybridizing of other international music into the country playlists, which is opening people’s eyes and minds to country music in other countries. Launching in those markets—which have very active fan bases—will start to speed up the process.”

Marks, who has a long history working in Nashville with country industry and artists, is enthusiastic about the partnership—and he’s not the only one, he says. “The Nashville music industry and Nashville artists have really embraced this idea out of the shoot. We have some big stars on board with Keith Urban and Kenny Chesney, and there are plenty others on queue. It’s really been gratifying to see how quickly and how nimbly everyone in the industry has supported this idea of enhanced playlists and to see it all come together.”

Executives from Sony Music Nashville, Universal Music Group Nashville, and Warner Music Nashville also weighed in on the newly enhanced playlist.

“Late last year when Spotify rolled out their Open House they talked about Nashville as such an important market and musical identity that they were focused on growing, and I really wanted to believe it was true,” said UMG Nashville’s Cindy Mabe. “Coming into 2018, I watched the thorough roll out of the Cover Stories, a weekly video series with the Hot Country enhanced playlist and I am absolutely blown away.  The most important job I do is to tell our artists’ stories and vision for what they have to say through their music so the fans can connect.  Spotify has truly put their money where their mouth is with their investment in Nashville while leaning into our artists’ stories in order to grow the audience.  I know there is a lot more yet to be rolled out but I am so excited to watch as Spotify brings our music to our fans in new and exciting ways.”

“Not only is Spotify’s relaunch of Hot Country another clear sign of their deepening commitment to country music, it’s also an indicator that fans of our genre are consuming music in more new ways than ever before, through video and on their phones,” said Warner Music Nashville’s John Esposito. “The addition of video content to the playlist will surely bring a deeper connection between the fans and the artists they love. Music and video are certainly going to “Get Along” together on Hot Country!”

“We’re so excited that Spotify is furthering their investment in country music by offering another level of media to their Hot Country playlist!” said Sony Music Nashville’s Randy Goodman. “More new ways we can showcase our artists and grow country music streaming in general is a great and welcome thing!”

Weekly Chart Report 4/27/18

Click here or above to access MusicRow’s weekly CountryBreakout Report.

Exclusive: Nashville’s Chicks With Hits Song Plugging Group To Celebrate 20 Years

Chicks With Hits meets with Jeannie Seely.

On May 1, songplugging group Chicks With Hits will celebrate 20 years with a party at BMI’s Nashville office.

Mighty Kimmy Jo Music’s Kim Jones and Wrensong/Rezonant Publishing’s Abbe Nameche founded the group two decades ago, as a way for female independent music publishers to gain the same attention as larger music publishers from producers, A&R executives and artists.

The group’s lineup has included publishing powerhouses such as co-founders Nameche and Jones, as well as Celia Froehlig, Courtney Crist, Debbie Zavitson, Diana Maher, Janie West, Jewel Coburn, Judy Harris, Leslie T. DiPiero, Lisa Johnson, Melanie Howard, Ree Guyer, Robin Palmer, Stephanie Cox, Tracy Gershon, Lisa Ramsey-Perkins, Katherine B. Church, Karen Conrad, Shawn Heflin, and Whitney Daane.

“We came up with the idea of doing a whole woman’s group,” recalls Jones. “Whitney’s catalog was very contemporary, mine was very contemporary and we were in a meeting at Sony and they wanted to hear some really country songs. Neither of us really had really country songs in our catalogs at the time, so after the meeting, we thought we should ask [Harlan Howard Songs’] Melanie Howard. So that’s how we started getting into gear to find catalogs that represented more country material, and from that point, the idea grew.”

“Hatched,” supplied Daane.

Chicks With Hits celebrates Jo Dee Messina’s “Bring On The Rain.”

Together, the women created a song pitching “one-stop shop,” where a group of female song pluggers from different organizations pitch songs for a particular artist’s project in one pitch meeting.

Among the hits that these Chicks With Hits sessions have produced include Jo Dee Messina’s “Bring on the Rain,” Joe Nichols’ “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off,” Martina McBride’s “In My Daughter’s Eyes,” and more.

Over the past two decades, the group has gone to some memorable lengths to gain attention in Nashville’s close-knit music industry, including holding an Easter Parade down the streets of Music Row, complete with a trailer, hay bales and two people dressed as chickens. Other times, they would welcome all the female A&R executives out for a boat party and song pitching event.

“We did a CD of drinking songs for St. Patrick’s Day, and a collection called ‘Songs You’re Afraid To Cut’ for Halloween,” recalls Nameche.

“Whatever we could do to get their attention, we would do,” said Daane. “We did a drinking game. If a producer kept a song he had to do a shot, and if he passed on a song, all the Chicks [members] had to do a shot. Another time, we did a cattle call of producers at BMI’s conference room. If they kept a song, they had to make a donation to Second Harvest Food Bank. Everybody was so generous.”

In our first 10 years, we basically did whatever we needed to do to be able to get our songs heard. Everyone, Garth, Tim McGraw, Dixie Chicks, Reba, Keith Urban, would meet,” Jones says. They mentioned a recent meeting with Trisha Yearwood, who is back in the studio working on new music.

The members of the group are as deeply devoted to their fellow members as they are competitive with their songs—and often, that means championing songs from other Chicks With Hits members.

“I played ‘Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off’ for [producer and label exec] Tony Brown to pitch to Brooks & Dunn,” recalls Judy Harris. Brown, who was with Universal South at the time, didn’t feel the song fit the duo, but he felt it was a good match for Joe Nichols. The song would go on to be a No. 1 hit.

The Chicks With Hits members say that in addition to the chart-topping successes they’ve had over the past two decades, perhaps an even bigger success has come personally.

“We have been there for so many events in each others’ lives,” says Jones. “We’ve supported each other through family members dying, divorces, illnesses, career changes, kids. It’s great to have a group of women who support you professionally and personally.”

At 6 p.m. on May 1, immediately following the 20th anniversary celebration, Change The Conversation will be hosting a Chicks With Hits panel to discuss the state of songwriting and publishing.  To RSVP, email officialchangetheconvo@gmail.com.

Chicks With Hits members meet with a group of Nashville producers.

Chicks With Hits meets with Cyndi Lauper.

Brett Young Celebrates Platinum Single “Like I Loved You”

Pictured (L-R): Nate Deaton, GM KRTY; Tina Ferguson, VP Sales KRTY; Brett Young, Jimmy Harnen, BMLG Records President and BMLG EVP; Stella Prado, BMLG Records Director West Coast Promotion. Photo: Ruby Sabin

Brett Young was surprised by BMLG Records President Jimmy Harnen Wednesday evening (April 25) at a sold-out show at The Rodeo Club in San Jose for his chart-topping third single “Like I Loved You” earning RIAA Platinum Certification. The song marks Young’s third consecutive single to reach  the sales mark, following “Sleep Without You” and “In Case You Didn’t Know.”

Young is currently headlining his Caliville Tour, in addition to joining Thomas Rhett’s Life Changes Tour 2018.

 

Old Dominion Announces Additional Happy Endings Tour Dates

Old Dominion has announced new shows as part of its Happy Endings world tour. The additional string of dates are set to kick off on Oct. 4, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee, with Michael Ray, Granger Smith, Walker Hayes and High Valley opening on select dates.

Lead singer Matthew Ramsey says of the tour, “It’s a little hard to wrap our minds around the size of some of these venues. It suddenly feels like we are in the big league now. But we feel ready and excited to bring that positive energy and the momentum we’ve built over the past few years to the stage. This is what we’ve been working for!”

Old Dominion recently earned the 2018 Academy of Country Music Awards trophy for Best Vocal Group, and celebrated a nomination for Top Country Duo/Group Artist at the upcoming Billboard Music Awards.

ADDITIONAL HAPPY ENDINGS WORLD TOUR 2018 DATES:
Oct. 4 Knoxville, TN – Knoxville Civic Coliseum #
Oct. 6 Rochester, NY – Main Street Armory #
Oct. 11 Amarillo, TX – Amarillo Civic Center #
Oct. 12 Las Cruces, NM – Pan American Center #
Oct. 26 State College, PA – Bryce Jordan Center ^
Oct. 27 Roanoke, VA – Berglund Center ^
Oct. 31 Dublin, Ireland  – Dublin Whelans
Nov. 1 Belfast, UK Belfast – Empire Music Hall **
Nov. 3 Liverpool, UK –  O2 Academy 2**
Nov. 4 London, UK – O2 Shepherds Bush Empire**
Nov. 5 Bristol, UK – Trinity Centre**
Nov. 6 Manchester, UK – Manchester Academy 2**
Nov. 8 Birmingham, UK – O2 Institute Birmingham**
Nov. 9 Glasgow, UK – Queen Margaret Union**
Nov. 10 Glasgow, UK – Queen Margaret Union**
Nov. 29 Estero (Ft. Meyers), FL – Germain Arena #
Nov. 30 St. Augustine, FL  – St Augustine Amphitheatre +
Dec. 7 Huntington, WV – Big Sandy Superstore Arena #
Dec. 8 Grand Rapids, MI – Deltaplex Arena #
Dec. 13 Bismarck, ND – Bismarck Event Center *
Dec. 14 Fargo, ND – Scheels Arena +
Dec. 15 Duluth, MN – Amsoil Arena*

* w/ High Valley
# w/ Michael Ray & High Valley
^ w/ Granger Smith & High Valley
** w/ Walker Hayes
+ Support To Be Announced

CMA Fest Announces Additional Performers To Free Stages

The CMA has announced additional artists performing at this year’s CMA Fest. Hundreds of artists are set to perform during the festival, now in its 47th year, which will take place June 7-10.

The Maui Jim Broadway Stage at Hard Rock Cafe entertains fans daily from 10:45 AM-4:30 PM, with BMI programming performances from 2:45-6:30 PM including Adam Craig, Ray Fulcher, Trea Landon, Drew Parker, Faren Rachels, and Payton Smith. Additional acts taking the Maui Jim Broadway Stage at Hard Rock Cafe include 17 Memphis, Ryan Beaver, Logan Brill, Brennley Brown, Austin Burke, Davisson Brothers Band, Travis Denning, Jeffrey East, Hannah Ellis, FILMORE, Noah Guthrie, Levi Hummon, Brett Kissel, Tegan Marie, Josh Mirenda, Hudson Moore, Hayley Orrantia, Meghan Patrick, Stephanie Quayle, Jordan Rager, Brandon Ray, Restless Road, Tyler Rich, Adam Sanders, Scooter Brown Band, Kalie Shorr, Natalie Stovall, Sweet Tea Trio, Temecula Road, Mitchell Tenpenny, The Last Bandoleros, Tyminski, andCarter Winter.

Located inside the NCVC Visitor Center at Bridgestone Arena, Nashville Acoustic Corner Stage will take place daily from 11 a.m.-4:40 p.m. Thursday’s performances are presented by ASCAP and feature Max Camp, Hannah Dasher, Austin Jenckes, Parker McKay, Steven Lee Olsen, Riley Roth, Steel Union, Matt Stell, TRAVLRS, and Sarah Allison Turner, while Friday’s performances are presented by SESAC and feature Spencer Crandall, Ben Danaher, Erin Enderlin, Livy Jeanne, Jordyn Mallory, Tom O’Connor, Jake Rose, Seaforth, SZLACHETKA, and Jenny TolmanSaturday and Sunday’s performances include Baylou, Craig Wayne Boyd, Lewis Brice, Emily Brooke, Kenton Bryant, Dallas Caroline, Ruthie Collins, Dalton & the Sheriffs, Sarah Darling, Haley & Michaels, Halfway to Hazard, Lucas Hoge, House Whiskey, Madison Kozak, Kendell Marvel, Ian Munsick, Ray Scott, George Shingleton, Sons of Daughters, and Tara Thompson.

All outdoor daytime stages, including both the Maui Jim Broadway Stage at Hard Rock Cafe and Nashville Acoustic Corner Stage, are free and open to the public.

Nashville Film Festival To Host Tower Records Documentary Screening

The 49th annual Nashville Film Festival has added five new film screenings to the lineup, including a showing of All Things Must Pass: The Rise and Fall of Tower Records.

The documentary, directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Sean M. Stuart, follows the rise and fall of former retail giant Tower Records. Founded by Russ Solomon in a small town drugstore in 1960, Tower Records would become a retail industry powerhouse with more than 200 stores in 30 countries. In 1999, Tower Records made $1 billion. Less than a decade later, the company filed for bankruptcy. While most attribute the retail store’s fall to the rise of music downloads and later streaming, the documentary explores deeper reasons for the company’s closure.

The opening night for this year’s Nashville Film Festival will also include the musical documentary Out On A Limb, a behind-the-scenes look at rock star Steven Tyler, told through interviews, first-person narrative, and a live performance at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.

 

The Nashville Film Festival runs May 10-19 at Regal Hollywood Stadium 27. For more, visit nashvillefilmfestival.org

Riser House’s Dillon Carmichael Preps August Release For Debut Album

Newcomer Dillon Carmichael, who recently signed artist and publishing deals with Riser House, will release his debut album Hell On An Angel on Aug. 17.

The 10-track album was produced by Dave Cobb. Carmichael co-wrote six tracks on the album, in addition to “Old Flame,” which Carmichael wrote solo. The track “Country Women” features a co-writing credit from Jon Pardi.

A talent for music runs in Carmichael’s family. His father performed in a Southern Gospel Quartet, his mother sang around eastern Kentucky, and Carmichael’s uncles are country entertainers John Michael Montgomery and Montgomery Gentry’s Eddie Montgomery.

This summer, Carmichael is slated to open for Montgomery Gentry, Josh Turner, Randy Houser, Ben Haggard and more.

Hell On An Angel tracklist:
1. Natural Disaster (Anthony Smith, Chris Wallin)
2. It’s Simple (Carmichael, Larry McCoy, Chris Rodgers, Neal Coty)
3. Country Women (Jon Pardi, Jim Kaufman, Britton Cameron)
4. Hell On An Angel (Carmichael, Daniel Smalley)
5. Dancin’ Away With My Heart (Carmichael, McCoy, Coty)
6. Hard On A Hangover (Becky Montgomery, Robert Jason Young)
7. What Would Hank Do (Carmichael, Jordan Rager, Houston Phillips)
8. Might Be A Cowboy (Carmichael, Joey Hollis, Tom O’Connor)
9. Old Flame (Carmichael)
10. Dixie Again (Carmichael, Aaron Raitiere, Leroy Powell)

Dierks Bentley Introduces ‘The Mountain’

Dierks Bentley brought The Mountain to Music Row on Wednesday morning, April 25.

At what was billed as an “intimate album preview” held at Southern Ground Studio, the country star talked about his latest project and aired its tracks over the facility’s speakers. The Mountain was largely written and recorded in Telluride, Colorado. Wednesday’s brunch event marked its Nashville debut.

“This whole experience was transformative for me,” said Bentley of making The Mountain. “I felt like we’d gone as far as we could go with Black [his previous album]. So we brought in Jon Randall. He added some really cool elements. We went out to Telluride to write songs and make a record….It was a magical experience.

“I feel like there’s a theme through the album of gratitude and celebration. Being out in the mountains was freeing for me.”

In addition to the celebratory single “Woman Amen,” the collection includes such feel-good tracks as “Living,” “You Can’t Bring Me Down” and “Stranger to Myself.”

“Son of the Sun” is a rambling-man groover with swirling guitar figures. “The Mountain” addresses personal struggles that end in triumph. “Nothing On But the Stars” is a romance, while “Goodbye in Telluride” is about the end of romance. “One Way” is at once breezy and wistful.

Brothers Osborne are his guests on the dynamic, churning rocker “Burning Man,” the likely second single. Brandi Carlile joins him on vocals in the joyous, bluegrass-y “Travelin’ Light,” which also features Sam Bush, Tim O’Brien and Jerry Douglas.

The latter two reappear, providing poetic instrumental backup on the ballad “My Religion.” It is one of three tunes on the collection that Bentley did not co-write. The others are “Burning Man” and the album-closing “How I’m Going Out,” which bids farewell to youth and fame.

Randall and his wife Jessi Alexander co-wrote that finale track. He co-produced the album with Ross Copperman, and the two of them provide instrumental support on many tracks, as does Bush.

The Mountain is slated for release on June 8.

Robert K. Oermann speaks with Dierks Bentley.

Tony Brown To Sign New Book At Country Hall Of Fame And Museum Event

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will host a book signing for the launch of Tony Brown’s Elvis, Strait, to Jesus: An Iconic Producer’s Journey with Legends of Rock ‘N’ Roll, Country & Gospel Music on Thursday, May 3 in the museum’s 5th Avenue lobby.

Brown’s coffee table book explores his 40-plus year career as a hit producer, player and record executive and includes insights from many of the legendary artists and industry heavyweights whose work he has shaped. The book highlights the career that has been responsible for more than 100 No. 1 hits with artists ranging from Reba McEntire, George Strait, Lionel Richie, Vince Gill, Trisha Yearwood, Cyndi Lauper, Billy Joel, and Joe Cocker, to Lyle Lovett, Steve Earle, Patty Loveless, and Barbra Streisand. Photography by Rick and Melissa Core-Caballo are featured throughout the publication, accompanied by images from Brown’s personal archives.

Each celebrity, artist, or collaborator posed in Brown’s French renaissance chair while illustrating their history together for the book, and the exact chair featured throughout the entirety of the book will be at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum during the signing for attendees to pose and take photos. The event is free and open to the public.

The book will be available on May 1 at all book and gift stores, including the Museum Store at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Pre orders can be purchased at tonybrownenterprises.com and copies will be available at the event for purchase and signing.