Austin Snell Signs Record Deal, Named First Country Artist To SiriusXM’s Artist Accelerator Program [Exclusive]
Country riser Austin Snell has been named the first country artist to be selected as a part of SiriusXM’s Artist Accelerator program, which aims to develop and break new artists by leveraging the combined audience of the company’s flagship premium subscription service, SiriusXM, and its ad-supported streaming service, Pandora. Snell became the latest SiriusXM’s the Highway’s Highway Find, which serves as the channel’s vessel to bring country artist discovery to its listeners.
Pictured (L-R, front row): Taylor Aretz (WMN), Genevieve Thompson (Mick Management); (L-R, middle row): Lynn Oliver-Cline (River House Artists), Lance Houston (River House Artists), Stephanie Davenport (WMN), Snell, Cris Lacy (WMN), Patrick Sabatini (WMN); (L-R, back row): Zebb Luster (River House Artists), Grant Gravitt (Mick Management), Matt Cottingham (Lewis Brisbois). Photo: Alan Poizner
A native of Dudley, Georgia, Snell moved to Nashville in May of 2022. He quickly began making waves, releasing “Excuse the Mess” in September of the same year. The track amassed more than 1 million streams in its first week out. He followed the breakout hit with a cover of Cassadee Pope’s “Wasting All These Tears” before releasing his own “Get There First” on Jan. 27. Since his first release in September, Snell has generated more than 7 million Pandora Streams.
Snell coins his unique blend of rock and country “grunge country,” which appears to be a hit as his songs have accumulated over 35 million streams since September of 2022.
Snell shares, “It is a dream come true to be supported by SiriusXM and Pandora, I grew up listening to music on these platforms. I am extremely grateful to be included in their Artist Accelerator program.”
SiriusXM’s support began while Snell was still an independent artist, but it was also announced that River House Artists and Warner Music Nashville have signed Snell as the first artist co-signed via the joint venture between the two entities.
“Watching Austin craft his sound and unique style over these past few years has been an honor. He truly knows who he is as an artist and musician,” says Zebb Luster, GM of River House Artists. “He has a natural ability to follow his own instincts that have musically set him apart. I’m so thankful to have the opportunity to work alongside Warner, just as Lynn Oliver-Cline and Cris Lacy envisioned this partnership thriving.”
