Maren Morris’ “GIRL” Hits No. 1 At Country Radio

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Maren Morris‘ “GIRL” is No. 1 on country radio this week, marking her third No. 1 career song (and second No. 1 as a songwriter), as well as the first solo song by a female to top the Billboard Country Airplay Chart since February 2018.

Morris co-wrote “GIRL” alongside Greg Kurstin and Sarah Aaron.

“Maren took us to church and taught us how to meet in the middle,” says Big Yellow Dog Music’s Carla Wallace. “Now she has empowered women everywhere with her anthem ‘Girl.’ Maren, your halo continues to shine. Congratulations on you latest #1 hit/song.”

The song is the title track from the multi-Platinum artist’s second album, which shattered the record for the largest-ever debut streaming week for a country album by a woman with 23.96 million streams in its first week. The album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.

Morris is currently in the midst of a sold-out world tour, including appearances this weekend at Newport Folk Festival with The Highwomen—her all-star collaboration with Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby and Amanda Shires—and with Dolly Parton and The Highwomen as part of a history-making all women Saturday night headline set, during which Parton congratulated Morris on the No. 1 from stage. GIRL: The World Tour continues this summer, and Morris will support Miranda Lambert on her Roadside Bars & Pink Guitars tour this fall.

Michael Hardy Heads To Top Spot On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart

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Michael Hardy makes his way to the No. 1 spot this week on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart, with Blake Shelton’s “God’s Country,” Chris Lane’s “I Don’t Know About You,” LOCASH’s “One Big Country Song,” Florida Georgia Line’s “Talk You Out Of It” and his own tune, “Rednecker” all charting. Hardy ends Ashley Gorley‘s three-week reign atop the chart, sending Gorley to the No. 2 slot.

Hillary Lindsey remains at No. 3 this week, with four charting titles: “Buy My Own Drinks” (Runaway June), “Closer To You” (Carly Pearce), “Knockin’ Boots” (Luke Bryan) and “It All Comes Out In The Wash” (Miranda Lambert).

Jordan Schmidt enters the Top Five this week, at No. 4; and Bobby Pinson comes in at No. 5.

The MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart, published every week, uses algorithms based upon song activity garnered from airplay, digital downloaded track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.

Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.

“Old Town Road” Makes Chart History

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Lil Nas X‘s freight train of a hit, “Old Town Road,” has spent 17 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, making it the longest-running No. 1 hit in the history of the chart. The feat breaks a previous tie for the longest run at No. 1 on the Hot 100, set by the 1995 hit “One Sweet Day” from Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men, as well as the 2017 hit “Despacito” from Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee (ft. Justin Bieber), each with a 16-week reign.

“Old Town Road” was originally released as a solo track, before the genre-bending Lil Nas X added country entertainer Billy Ray Cyrus to a remixed version of the song. Subsequent remixes of the viral hit have featured Young Thug, Mason Ramsey, Diplo and BTS. The release of each remix brought a newly-consumable version of the song to the music-streaming public, and extended its stay in the public consciousness. The Hot 100 chart includes both the original version of a song and its remixes to feed into the calculation of a track’s chart position, which helped “Old Town Road” retain its staying power atop the chart.

Olivia Jean’s New Third Man Records Project, ‘Night Owl,’ Set For September

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Olivia Jean is set to release her second full-length album Night Owl, on Aug. 30 via Third Man Records. The title track and first single “Night Owl” is available today on streaming services and on 7” vinyl with physical-only B-side “Jaan Pehechaan Ho.” The black vinyl 7” is available now and tri-color 7” records will be available at Third Man Records Nashville & Detroit storefronts on Saturday, August 3rd.

As Olivia Jean’s first self-produced album, Night Owl commingles surf guitar, ’60s girl group harmonies, and punk into a collection of songs depicting heartache, revenge, guilt, and frustration in a sort of “bubblegum garage” at its best. The new challenge of producing, as well as opening the studio door for other musicians to collaborate, has helped lead to her richest collection of songs to date. Surf-inflected originals like “Garage Bat,” “Shut Your Mouth” and “Night Owl” soar and scorch alongside incendiary covers “Brushfire (Flamin’ Groovies)” and the stand-out “Jaan Pehechaan Ho.”

Olivia Jean is set to play three Nashville dates Aug. 29-31 at the Ryman Auditorium and will tour with the Raconteurs this September.

Night Owl Track List:
1. Garage Bat
2. Night Owl
3. Shut Your Mouth
4. Brushfire
5. In Two
6. If You Don’t Love Me By Now
7. Rhinestone
8. The Hunt
9. Jaan Pehechaan Ho
10. Can You Help Me
11. Siren Call
12. I Used To Be Lonely
13. Perfume
14. Tsunami Sue

Kane Brown’s Headlining Los Angeles STAPLES Center Show Sells Out In Two Hours

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Kane Brown‘s upcoming headlining show at the Los Angeles STAPLES Center, set for Oct. 18, sold out two hours after tickets went on sale on Friday, July 26. The concert will mark the first major milestone event in a year-long series of celebrations honoring the arena’s 20th anniversary.

Brown is the first artist to top all five Billboard Country charts simultaneously. With his 4x Platinum certification for “Heaven,” he became one of only five country artists to earn multiple 4x Platinum hits, joining Luke Combs, Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, Sam Hunt, and Taylor Swift.

Brown recently released “One Thing Right,” a collaboration with DJ/producer Marshmello; Brown also co-wrote the track with Marshmello, Jesse Frasure, Josh Hoge, and Matthew McGinn. After originally meeting at the 2018 American Music Awards, where Brown won three awards (Favorite Male Artist – Country, Favorite Album – Country, and Favorite Song – Country for “Heaven”) and Marshmello took home Best Electronic Dance Artist, the two entertainers will bring “One Thing Right” to GMA’s Summer Concert Series on Aug. 30.

Lance Freed Named President Of Newly-Formed Blackbird Music Publishing Group

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Photo Credit: Gary Gershoff |

Blackbird Presents, Keith Wortman and The Raine Group have named Lance Freed President of the newly-formed Blackbird Music Publishing Group. Freed was previously President of Rondor Music International where he led the building of that company into the largest independent music publisher in the world, resulting in its sale to Universal Music Publishing Group.

Blackbird Music Publishing Group will have offices in New York City, Los Angeles and Nashville, and has acquired the administration rights to the famed music catalog of Burt Bacharach. With over 400 songs, including timeless classics such as “What The World Needs Now Is Love,” “I Say A Little Prayer,” “What’s New Pussycat,” “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do),” “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head” and “That’s What Friends Are For,” the Academy, Golden Globe and Grammy Award-winning songwriter, musician and composer had one of the most sought-after catalogues in the industry.

“Music publishing is a natural next step for us given that our work across film, television, concerts and festivals enables us to offer incredible opportunities to songwriters. There was only one name on the list for us to lead this effort and it was Lance Freed. Lance is the most thoughtful and creative music publishing executive in our industry, and I am thrilled that he has joined the Blackbird Presents family,” said Keith Wortman, CEO of Blackbird Presents.

“I am thrilled to join Keith, Blackbird Presents and The Raine Group as President of Blackbird Music Publishing Group. My entire career has been predicated on providing total, complete, personal focus on songwriters and their songs. Now I get to continue that journey and also provide a range of remarkable strategic and financial opportunities to songwriters given the similar philosophy and assets of my new partners,” said Freed, President of Blackbird Music Publishing Group.

“We are thrilled that Lance has joined the Blackbird Presents Family. We look forward to supporting him as he leads our strategic expansion into music publishing,” says Co-Founder and Partner of The Raine Group Jeff Sine.

Caylee Hammack, King Calaway, Waterloo Revival Safe Following Gilroy, California Shootings

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A shooter opened fire Sunday (July 28) at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in Gilroy, California, located approximately 80 miles southeast of San Francisco. The incident resulted in four deaths, including the alleged shooter, and injuries to more than 15 others.

Caylee Hammack, King Calaway, and Waterloo Revival were among the artists who performed during the festival. All three acts performed earlier in the day on July 28, and had departed the event ground prior to the shootings. Each artist took to social media to assure fans of their safety, and to offer their condolences to those affected.

“WE ARE OKAY!” Hammack stated on Instagram. “We left right before all this must’ve happened and we are okay. @waterloorevival @kingcalaway and us all played today but we believe are all safe and away from the festival now. This makes me sick. There was so many smiling faces today, just enjoying the beautiful day together. My heart and prayers go out to the 11 injured. #gilroygarlicfestival”

“Thank you to everyone who has reached out. We’re all ok,” the members of King Calaway said via Twitter. “Sending out love to everyone at the Gilroy Garlic festival and the emergency services at the scene.”

“Thank you to everyone who has called and Text [sic], we are all okay and safe from the Garlic Festival shootings,” the members of Waterloo revival stated via Twitter. “Please pray for the victims and their families.”

The shooting occurred on the final day of the three-day festival, which attracts more than 100,000 people and includes food, cooking competitions and music performances. According to NBC News, six-year-old Steven Romero was among the victims of the shooting. Police also shot and killed a suspect who was carrying an assault-type rifle, and believe a second person may have been involved.

CBS News identified the shooter as 19-year-old Santino William Legan.

Bobby Hamrick Signs With Spirit Music Nashville

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(L-R): Derek Wells, Senior Director A&R/Production, Spirit Music Nashville; Brian Bradford, Sr. Director of Administration, Spirit Music Nashville; Bobby Hamrick; Frank Rogers, CEO, Spirit Music Nashville and Michelle Davey, Administration Coordinator/Office Manager, Spirit Music Nashville

Bobby Hamrick has signed a publishing deal with Spirit Music Nashville.

“As soon as I heard Bobby’s music, I knew I wanted to work with him,” said Frank Rogers, Chief Executive Officer, Spirit Music Nashville. “He is a rare talent who weaves effortlessly between genres while writing, singing, playing and producing. The entire Spirit Music Nashville team is thrilled to get the opportunity to partner with Bobby.”

Hamrick has written songs for Tim McGraw and Faith Hill (“Roll the Dice”), Luke Bryan (“You Look Like Rain”), Lindsay Ell (“Always Kiss the Girl”), and many others. He is a singer, lyricist and producer/engineer and has also appeared as a session musician on Grammy-winning recordings and as a background vocalist on many hits.

“I couldn’t be happier to be making music with Frank, Derek Wells, Freeman Wizer and the rest of the team at Spirit,” said Hamrick. “I can’t wait to see what we do together!”

Since Frank Rogers’ appointment in May, Spirit Music Nashville has made quick impact with the formation of a JV with Platinum producer Derek Wells (also appointing Wells as Senior Director A&R Production) and earlier this month announced the signing of Jeremy Bussey. Other recent successes by Spirit Music Nashville and Fluid Music Revolution include ASCAP’s Song of the Year (“Body Like a Back Road” by Sam Hunt, Zach Crowell and Josh Osborne); SESAC’s Song of the Year (“It Don’t Hurt Like It Used To” by Billy Currington); CMA Song of the Year (“Blue Ain’t Your Color” by Keith Urban) and CMA Album of the Year (From a Room: Volume 1 by Chris Stapleton); and a publishing interest in ACM nominations for Song of the Year (“Whiskey & You” by Chris Stapleton); Single of the Year (“Broken Halos” by Chris Stapleton and “Drinkin’ Problem” by Midland) and Songwriter of the Year (Josh Osborne).

Additional Seating Opens Today For Kacey Musgraves’ Sold-Out Bridgestone Arena Concert

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Following the initial sellout of Kacey Musgraves’ upcoming headlining show at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, additional seating has been opened for the Nashville date on her Oh, What A World: Tour II stop.

All remaining tickets for the last official stop of her tour will be released today at 12 p.m. CST at LiveNation.com. Production for the Bridgestone Arena show on Oct. 25 will be specially altered to fit as many fans into the venue as possible. Anyone who already purchased tickets will keep their same seat location.

Maggie Rogers and YOLA will open as special guests on the Nashville date. This will be the only Musgraves tour stop to feature Rogers.

Musgraves’ most recent album, Golden Hour, earned Album of the Year honors at the Grammy Awards, Country Music Association Awards and the Academy of Country Music Awards.

Following the album’s release, Musgraves has performed shows in North America, the U.K., Europe, Japan, China, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa, where she performed as part of the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100. She has appeared at festivals from Bonnaroo to Governors Ball, and became the first-ever female country artist to play Coachella. She hit the Newport Folk Festival, FloydFest, and Hinterland Music Festival and will perform at Lollapalooza and Outside Lands this August.

On The Row: Brinn Black Showcases New Single “72’s”

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Brinn Black. Photo: Haley Crow

Brinn Black visited the MusicRow Magazine offices recently to perform her new single, “72’s,” which showcases the vulnerability in her storytelling and a voice imbued with warmth. The song finds her pining over a lover who seems more obsessed with his pack of Marlboro 72s than with her. The track follows her previous release, “Daddy’s Medicine.”

A longtime resident of Nashville, Black also formed the multi-day music retreat Lyrics On The Lake Songwriters Festival six years ago. The event has raised more than $100,000 for The Children’s Miracle Network of Hospitals in Black’s home state of Virginia.

Brinn with MusicRow staffers.