2020 MusicRow Awards Category Profile: Robert K. Oermann Discovery Artist of the Year

Following the announcement of this year’s nominees for the 32nd annual MusicRow Awards, we take a look at the MusicRow Robert K. Oermann Discovery Artist of the Year category. The award will honor a Nashville developing artist who demonstrates significant talent and potential to rise.

The MusicRow Awards will be announced virtually among multiple MusicRow platforms on Tuesday, August 18, 2020. Presenting Sponsor of the 2020 MusicRow Awards is City National Bank.

Click here to see the full list of MusicRow Awards nominees.

Winners are determined solely by MusicRow Magazine subscribed members. Voting is now open and closes on July 17 at 5 p.m..

To receive a ballot to vote in the MusicRow Awards, become a MusicRow member here.

Avenue Beat powered onto the scene with the debut “Ruin That For Me,” which has amassed over 11 million global streams to date and continues to rise at country radio. The Genzennial trio comprised of Sami Bearden, Savana Santos and Sam Backoff is spreading like wildfire through social media apps including TikTok, thanks to their melodic brand of pop, keen lyrics, and saucy titles like “Thank You Anxiety” and “I Don’t Really Like Your Boyfriend.”

Jameson Rodgers is storming country radio with his debut single “Some Girls.” The rising star previously released two successful independent EPs, accruing millions of streams and fans. He spent much of 2019 supporting Luke Combs on tour and playing his own headlining dates. Rodgers, a Mississippi native, initially made his mark on Music City as a songwriter, and earned an additional MusicRow Awards nomination this year for Breakthrough Songwriter, as co-writer of hits by Florida Georgia Line and Chris Lane.

Niko Moon is warming up summer radio with his playful, self-penned debut single “Good Time.” Though it is his first time on the radio as an artist, Moon has a strong musical track record as a longtime collaborator with Zac Brown Band, having credits on five of the band’s No. 1s. Moon is co-writing and co-producing his debut EP, set for release later this year. He is a Texas native who relocated to Georgia at age 10. The result is his own hooky blend of southern music meets sunny hip-hop.

Payton Smith is primed for success with his debut single “Like I Knew You Would,” which he co-wrote. The Louisiana native is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter known for a stage presence that belies his 20 years. These talents have helped him accrue over 20 million global streams. As a self-taught musician, Smith has an online video series called It Started With A Song, covering artists who influenced his music, ranging from Pearl Jam and John Mayer, to George Strait and Chris Young.

Randall King is a modern traditionalist with a strong following in his native Texas, playing 150 dates per year and self-releasing music before signing with Warner Music Nashville in 2019. Now he’s working with seasoned producers Bart Butler and Ryan Gore, and is still bringing plenty of twang to his new music, including recent releases “She Gone” and “Hey Cowgirl.” King’s 2018 self-titled and self-produced album has contributed to his more than 15 million on-demand streams.

Trea Landon is a rising singer-songwriter who is primed for success with the release of his Dirt Road Dancin’ EP, produced by hitmaker Scott Hendricks, who is nominated for Producer of the Year. Landon began playing guitar and writing music at age 16. Citing fellow Georgia natives The Peach Pickers as one of his major influences, he followed in their footsteps to Nashville in 2015 and landed a publishing deal with Dallas Davidson’s Play It Again Music.