CMA Launches New Membership Tiers

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The Country Music Association has announced the launch of a new membership structure that features four tiers of membership—Student, Industry, Professional and Lifetime. With the restructure, CMA aims to offer both prospective and current music industry personnel access to professional development, educational programming, mental health resources, opportunities for intentional connection and so much more.

The Student tier is completely free and offered to high school or college students aged 16 or older (or high school/college-aged individuals) who are interested in working within the music industry, whether that is the Country Music industry or beyond. Student members will receive access to internships and apprenticeships, tailored and intentional programming (including access to CMA’s collegiate professional development program, CMA EDU), as well as opportunity for community building.

The Industry tier is offered to both current and prospective music industry professionals who don’t work the majority of time in country music. Industry members see value in being connected to CMA and have access to a portion of membership benefits. The Industry tier costs $25 annually.

The Professional tier is offered to industry professionals who primarily work within country music. Professional members receive access to research and insights, professional development opportunities, thoughtful community connection, healthcare guidance, customer/client cultivation, mentoring, CMA’s member directory, opportunities to purchase event tickets and more. Professional members are invited to vote for the CMA Awards and other industry honors if they meet additional criteria. Financial assistance is available to assist with annual dues ($100) through scholarships and individual sponsorships.

The Lifetime tier is offered to various individuals who have achieved prominent industry accolades. Lifetime members receive all benefits provided to Professional members, in addition to specialized communication and a premier level of community connection.

“As part of our strategic planning, every few years, we take a deeper look at CMA’s operations to ensure that we are set up for success,” says Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “In looking specifically at CMA Membership, we saw the need to not only create growth opportunities with our industry’s future in mind, but to also ensure our organization and what we offer our industry remains relevant. It’s important that our business recognize why CMA exists and how we can be instrumental not only in the genre’s success, but the success of each and every individual who has an investment or interest in country music. We are excited to continue to support our current members, and we look forward to welcoming new members into CMA.”

“Throughout the past several years, including the work we did to support our industry through the pandemic, we truly understand the value of listening,” adds Tiffany Kerns, Senior Vice President, Industry Relations & Philanthropy. “We cannot assume we know what our members want. What excites me most is seeing how feedback from those within country music and even music industry professionals working in other genres has directly influenced what CMA Membership has become. We recognize the importance of wrapping our arms around individuals even before they step foot into our industry, and we intend to support them throughout their careers.”

Current CMA members can access a brand-new member website by logging into CMAmember.com. Additional content and information will continue to be featured for members to frequently engage with. Prospective members are also encouraged to visit the new website to learn more about what CMA membership can offer and to find out which tier is best suited for their own professional journey.

LB Cantrell
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