The Power Of Print: MusicRow Spreads Wisdom From Industry Leaders
With MusicRow’s six yearly print issues, subscribers have the opportunity to read exclusive editorial content and hear from some of the Nashville music industry’s thought-leaders.
This year’s features included interviews with BBR/BMG’s Jon Loba and JoJamie Hahr, Pandora/SiriusXM’s Johnny Chiang, Neon Coast’s Martha Earls, Loeb & Loeb’s Derek C. Crownover, Anthem’s Gilles Godard, Concord’s Brad Kennard, AEG Presents’ Adam Weiser, NBC’s Cassandra Tryon and many more. Managers Brad Belanger, Blythe Scokin, Mandelyn Monchick and Zach Sutton gathered for a round-table with MusicRow in the Artist Roster issue, as did Missy Roberts, BJ Hill, Kenley Flynn, Colt Murski and Tali Canterbury in the Publisher issue, and Nate Towne, Chad Kudelka and Matthew Morgan in the Touring/Next Big Thing issue.
MusicRow also distributed five updated directories, including the InCharge executive directory, the Artist Roster company directory, the Publisher company directory, the Next Big Thing rising executives directory and the Touring company directory.
Follow along below as MusicRow revisits its print editions of 2023. All six MusicRow print issues detailed below are available for purchase at MusicRow.com, and are included with MusicRow subscriptions.
Country Radio & Streaming Issue (February/March 2023)
EMI Records/Universal Music Group’s Tyler Hubbard graces the cover of the 2023 Country Radio & Streaming Issue. Hubbard’s debut solo single “5 Foot 9” hit No. 1 at radio in just six months, and he has followed it up with multiple successful releases such as “Dancing’ In The Country” and “Back Then Right Now.” Inside this issue, MusicRow spotlights the 2023 CountryBreakout Awards winners. The 2023 winners include Male Artist of the Year Morgan Wallen, Female Artist of the Year Miranda Lambert, Group/Duo of the Year Old Dominion, Breakout Artist of the Year Jackson Dean and Independent Artist of the Year Cody Jinks. Warner Music Nashville was honored with Label of the Year for the first time, while Ashley Gorley was named Songwriter of the Year for the fourth time. WVNW’s Erik Lane, who reports to the weekly MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart, was named Reporter of the Year.
Also in this issue, MusicRow takes an inside look at BBR Music Group’s successes and strategies with BMG Nashville President Jon Loba and Executive Vice President Recorded Music – Nashville, JoJamie Hahr. Warner Music Nashville’s SVP of Radio, Kristen Williams, and then-SVP of Streaming, Tim Foisset, and Sony Music Nashville’s Exec. VP, Promotion & Artist Development, Steve Hodges, discuss the breakout year of Nashville rising artists Megan Moroney and Bailey Zimmerman. Also featured is a compelling profile on Pandora/SiriusXM’s Johnny Chiang, and a look at ONErpm’s expansion to Nashville in a conversation with Managing Director of ONErpm’s Nashville Office, Tim Wipperman. MusicRow highlights the community-growth aspects of secondary market radio with KAIR’s Program Director Neil Wieland. Also in a special feature, MusicRow Publisher/Owner, Sherod Robertson, shares his adventurous journey to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, one of the tallest mountains in the world.
InCharge Issue (April/May 2023)
Big Loud Records’ heavy-hitter HARDY covers MusicRow‘s sought-after InCharge Issue this year. HARDY has soared to new heights, with his critically acclaimed the mockingbird & THE CROW gaining over two hundred billion streams. A five-time ACM award winner, HARDY is a three-time CMA Triple Play award recipient, the 2022 BMI Country Songwriter of the Year and a three-time AIMP Songwriter of the Year.
The annual InCharge guide highlights some of the most influential music industry executives in the Nashville entertainment community. This year’s directory includes 376 profiles which are accompanied by contact information, career biographies and detailed board and organizational membership affiliations. The guide also includes a company appendix, record label staff appendix and a professional categories appendix, which lists executives by their areas of expertise, including label, talent agency, management, music publishing, legal, finance, performing rights organizations and more. In this issue of InCharge, MusicRow also takes a look at Artificial Intelligence (AI) and what it means for the music industry, highlighting both the opportunities and the dangers of AI.
Artist Roster Issue (June/July 2023)
ASCAP songwriter and MCA Nashville recording artist Jordan Davis is featured on the cover of MusicRow’s 2023 Artist Roster Issue. Davis has amassed more than six billion streams worldwide and six No. 1 singles at country radio. This year’s Artist Roster print edition features exclusive editorials, including a celebration of Kane Brown’s elevation into a genre-leading artist, shared by members of Brown’s team Martha Earls, Braeden Rountree, Dennis Reese and Alex Alvga. Also in this issue, four of Nashville’s top managers—Brad Belanger, Blythe Scokin, Mandelyn Monchick and Zach Sutton—join together for a round-table about working in this fast-paced industry with its dynamic social media and technological climates.
MusicRow catches up with RECORDS Nashville for the Artist Roster issue, speaking with Executive Vice President Joe Fisher, Vice President of Promotion and Commercial Strategy Josh Easler and RECORDS Founder Barry Weiss about their collaborative work with a wide range of artists. MusicRow also celebrates 50 years of CMA Fest, and Music Health Alliance’s Founder and CEO Tatum Hauck Allsep and CFO and Certified Senior Advisor Shelia Shipley Biddy celebrate a decade of “healing the music” with their organization. Additionally, the Artist Roster issue contains a six-part company directory, complete with client rosters in the categories: Label, Management, Talent Agents, Publicity, Artist Services (Banking, Business Management/Financial/Insurance, Digital Music, Legal, Marketing, Radio Promotion and Media) and Organizations (Trade & Professional Development, Performing & Mechanical Rights and Unions).
MusicRow Awards Issue (August/September 2023)
Stoney Creek Records’ genre-blending artist Jelly Roll graces the cover of the 2023 MusicRow Awards print issue. Jelly Roll released his debut country project, Whitsitt Chapel, in June of 2023. It became the largest country debut album in Billboard Consumption chart history–earning the singer-songwriter another milestone after he topped Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart for more than 28 weeks, the longest reign for an artist in the chart’s existence.
The issue spotlights MusicRow Awards nominees in a range of categories, including Producer of the Year, Label Group of the Year, Talent Agency of the Year, Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year, Breakthrough Artist-Writer of the Year, Male Songwriter of the Year, Female Songwriter of the Year, Song of the Year, Discovery Artist of the Year, Breakthrough Artist of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Group/Duo Artist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year, as well as the Top 10 Album All-Star Musicians. The winners were announced online in a virtual event on Sept. 12.
The MusicRow Awards print issue also delves into the sales, streaming and social media impact that major country music awards shows have on an artist’s career, and highlights the upcoming inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards. Additionally, Lainey Wilson looks back on the past two years after receiving her first industry award—a MusicRow Award in 2021. The MusicRow Awards print issue also contains an informative roundup of all the awards applicable to the Nashville music industry.
Publisher Issue (October/November 2023)
MusicRow’s 2023 Publisher Issue features COJO Music / Warner Music Nashville artist Cody Johnson on the cover. With more than six billion global career streams, Johnson celebrated the release of his new studio album Leather, which contains his rising single “The Painter.” His stellar 2023 also included being named Best New Country Artist at the iHeartRadio Music Awards, taking home the CMT Music Award for Performance of The Year and “’Til You Can’t” winning Country Song of The Year at the Grammy Awards.
The Publisher Issue includes the 2023 Publisher Directory, listing Nashville’s top publishing companies as well as organizations available for songwriters. Back again in this print edition is the State of the Union roundtable, this time featuring UMPG’s Missy Roberts, Warner Chappell’s BJ Hill, Sony Music Publishing’s Kenley Flynn, Curb | Word Entertainment’s Colt Murski and 50 Egg Music’s Tali Canterbury. Additionally, Loeb & Loeb’s Derek C. Crownover tells MusicRow about trending music industry deals and ASCAP’s Kele Currier is the subject of the popular My Music Row Story column.
Concord’s Brad Kennard speaks to MusicRow about the company’s resurgence in Nashville, and Gilles Godard sheds light on Anthem Music Publishing Nashville’s bright future. MusicRow’s 2023 Publisher Issue also highlights the work and careers of some of Nashville’s most in-demand songwriters, including Parker Welling, Madeline Edwards, Matt Dragstrem, Cameron Bedell, Lily Rose and newly-inducted Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Rafe Van Hoy.
Touring & Next Big Thing Issue (December 2023/January 2024)
The last of the MusicRow print issues for the year, the Touring & Next Big Thing issue, features Broken Bow Records’ Dustin Lynch on the cover. Lynch has achieved nine No. 1 hits; four top five albums; 10 Gold, Platinum and multi-Platinum certified singles and tallied over 5.4 billion cumulative global streams. The Tennessee native has earned industry recognition as a Grand Ole Opry member as well as high-profile nominations for the Academy of Country Music Awards, American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards and more.
Inside MusicRow‘s Touring & Next Big Thing Issue is the 10th annual Next Big Thing class of artists, consisting of Avery Anna (Warner Music Nashville), Ashley Cooke (Big Loud Records/Back Blocks Music), Jackson Dean (Big Machine Label Group), Corey Kent (Sony Music Nashville), Kameron Marlowe (Sony Music Nashville), Bryan Martin (Average Joes Entertainment), Chase Matthew (Warner Music Nashville), Megan Moroney (Sony Music Nashville/Columbia NY), Josh Ross (Universal Canada/UMG Nashville/The Core Records), Dylan Schneider (BBR Music Group) and The War And Treaty (UMG Nashville). This issue also features the N.B.T. Industry Directory Class of 2024, which highlights rising Nashville music business professionals who are having a major impact on the industry. These industry members occupy important roles at their respective companies, and are on a trajectory of excellence to successfully lead the Nashville music industry into the future.
Also included in the Touring & Next Big Thing issue is a conversation with top agents including WME’s Nate Towne, CAA’s Chad Kudelka and UTA’s Matthew Morgan in a round table discussion about the issues and opportunities facing our business. AEG Presents’ Adam Weiser speaks to MusicRow about cultivating connection at live events for this issue, and KultureCity’s Uma Srivastava shares about her work to create concerts more inclusive for those with sensory issues. MusicRow highlights Mtheory’s Equal Access program and its participants in this issue, and The Oak Ridge Boys talk about their 50 years on the road. Additionally, the 2024 Touring Directory is included in this issue, featuring contact information for touring transportation, production companies, rehearsal spaces and insurance firms.
Important Print Dates For 2024:
Country Radio & Streaming Issue (February/March 2024)
Space Deadline: 1/26
Camera Ready Art Deadline: 2/13
Street Date: 2/27
InCharge Issue (April/May 2024)
Space Deadline: 3/22
Camera Ready Art Deadline: 4/9
Street Date: 4/23
Artist Roster Issue (June/July 2024)
Space Deadline: 5/17
Camera Ready Art Deadline: 6/4
Street Date: 6/18
MusicRow Awards Issue (August/September 2024)
Space Deadline: 7/19
Camera Ready Art Deadline: 7/30
Street Date: 8/20
Publisher Issue (October/November 2024)
Space Deadline: 9/13
Camera Ready Art Deadline: 10/1
Street Date: 10/15
Touring & Next Big Thing Issue (December 2024/January 2025)
Space Deadline: 10/25
Camera Ready Art Deadline: 11/12
Street Date: 12/3
- MusicRow Releases 2024 InCharge Issue, Kelsea Ballerini Graces The Cover - April 23, 2024
- MusicRow Magazine Honors Six At 11th Annual Rising Women On The Row - March 19, 2024
- Dylan Scott Featured On The Cover Of MusicRow’s 2024 Country Radio & Streaming Issue - February 27, 2024