MusicRow Elevates Industry Voices Across Print Issues

With its six annual print issues, MusicRow Magazine derives insight from Nashville’s industry leaders with exclusive editorial content and print directories.

Across the 2025 issues, MusicRow spoke with Jennie Smythe (Girlilla Marketing), Sara Knabe (Big Loud), Kenny Chesney, Cyndi Forman (UMPG Nashville), Mike Molinar (Big Machine Music), Kevin “Chief” Zaruk and Simon Tikhman (The Core Entertainment), Joybeth Taylor, Scott Safford (Safford Motley PLC), Gina Miller and Chelsae Partosan, among many others.

Follow along below as MusicRow revisits its print editions of 2025. All six MusicRow print issues detailed below are available for purchase at MusicRow.com, and are included with yearly MusicRow subscriptions.

Women of Music Row Issue (February/March 2025)

Warner Records Nashville’s rising star Avery Anna graces the cover of MusicRow’s inaugural Women of Music Row Issue. Attracting attention from esteemed media outlets like Rolling Stone, Billboard, American Songwriter and more, exciting newcomer Anna released her sophomore album, let go letters, earlier this year. Avery is still celebrating the success of her 2024 full-length debut, Breakup Over Breakfast, where she “further displays promise and prowess” (GRAMMY.com). The album’s 17 tracks, all written or co-written by the “towering, soul-baring tunesmith” (Billboard), showcase her ability to harness raw emotion and infuse it into a nuanced lyricism well beyond her years.

Inside MusicRow’s Women of Music Row Issue, label executives Cris Lacy and Taylor Lindsey discuss their approach to leadership. The partners of Farris, Self & Moore reflect on 10 years in business with a roundtable discussion on their journey. Veteran entertainment marketer Jennie Smythe opens up about her inspiring new memoir. Acclaimed songwriters Jessie Jo Dillon, Jessi Alexander, Allison Veltz Cruz and Trannie Anderson share their perspectives on navigating the industry as female hitmakers. Todd Cassetty explores his dedication to spotlighting women in country music through his groundbreaking Song Suffragettes platform.

This issue also recognizes the Rising Women on the Row Class of 2025: Lydia Schultz Cahill, Rakiyah Marshall, Michelle Tigard Kammerer, Katie Kerkhover, Jessi Vaughn Stevenson and Julie Sturdivant. The magazine made its official debut at MusicRow’s 12th annual Rising Women on the Row breakfast event on March 20.

InCharge Issue (April/May 2025)

MusicRow’s annual InCharge issue highlights some of the most influential industry executives in the Nashville music business. This year’s edition includes 370 profiles which are accompanied by contact information, career biographies and detailed board and organizational membership affiliations. The guide also includes a record label staff index, a company 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.

Award-winning singer-songwriter Riley Green graces the cover of the 2025 InCharge issue. CMA and ACM award winner Green has been capturing the hearts of country music fans since his 2018 self-titled EP debut with Big Machine Label Group. With hits like the double-Platinum “There Was This Girl,” the triple-Platinum “I Wish Grandpas Never Died” (performed at the 55th ACM Awards), and the No. 1 duet “Half of Me” with Thomas Rhett, Green has become known for his authentic, relatable songwriting and classic country sound.

Artist Roster Issue (June/July 2025)

Sony Music Nashville’s Old Dominion is featured on the cover of MusicRow’s 2025 Artist Roster Issue. Since breaking onto the music scene, the band has notched nine No. 1 singles at country radio, surpassed five billion on-demand streams, earned a dozen RIAA Platinum and Gold single certifications and headlined arenas and amphitheaters around the globe. Old Dominion has earned eight Academy of Country Music and seven Country Music Association Group of the Year awards. The band earned their seventh successive win for Vocal Group of the Year at the 2024 CMA Awards, breaking the record for most consecutive Vocal Group Award wins in CMA history.

This year’s Artist Roster edition includes a range of exclusive editorial features, including a behind-the-scenes look at the first-ever country residency at The Sphere in Las Vegas, featuring Kenny Chesney and his longtime production manager Ed Wannebo. Other highlights include Big Loud’s Sr. VP of A&R Sara Knabe discussing the label’s expanding roster, and day-to-day managers Sophia Sansone and Emily Crews sharing insights into the intricacies of their roles. The issue also goes backstage at the Grand Ole Opry to highlight the team that brings the iconic show to life every night. Additionally, distribution leaders Ryan Cunningham (ONErpm), Morgan Mills (CMDshft), Katie Studley (The Orchard) and Alison Junker (Stem) discuss how both signed and independent artists are strategically utilizing their platforms. As always, the Artist Roster issue includes a six-part company directory, listing client rosters across categories including Label, Label Services/Distribution, Management, Talent Agents, Publicity and Artist Services (spanning Banking, Business Management, Digital Music, Legal, Marketing and Radio Promotion).

MusicRow Awards Issue (August/September 2025)

Leo33 breakout star Zach Top graces the cover of the 2025 MusicRow Awards Issue. Top, who released his sophomore album earlier this year, recently earned his first No. 1 at country radio with “I Never Lie” and was named New Male Artist of the Year at the 2025 ACM Awards. These accomplishments follow the release of Top’s breakthrough 2024 debut album, Cold Beer & Country Music, which garnered over 3.5 million streams in just its first week.

The MusicRow Awards print issue highlights the 2025 MusicRow Awards nominees in a range of categories, including Producer of the Year, Studio of the Year, Label Group of the Year, Talent Agency of the Year, Publishing Company 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. Winners were announced online in a virtual event on September 3.

The 2025 MusicRow Awards print issue also looks into the new country category at the Grammy Awards, as well as the success and ethos of The Core Entertainment, helmed by Kevin “Chief” Zaruk and Simon Tikhman. The issue also contains an informative roundup of all the awards applicable to the Nashville music industry.

Publisher Issue (October/November 2025)

The 2025 Publisher Issue features Sony Music Nashville/Columbia Records’ Megan Moroney on the cover. Multi-Platinum hitmaker, critically adored singer-songwriter, record-breaking headliner—just a few years after making her debut, Moroney has ascended to a truly stratospheric level of stardom. Her smash-hit sophomore album, Am I Okay?, delivered standouts like its Platinum title track (her second No. 1 at country radio) and Platinum-certified “No Caller ID,” helping to boost her streaming numbers to over 3.6 billion total global streams across platforms.

The 2025 Publisher Issue is a highly-anticipated annual resource that includes the updated Publisher Directory, a listing Nashville’s top publishing companies, as well as organizations available for songwriters. Back again in the 2025 Publisher Issue is the State of the Union roundtable, this time featuring UMPG Nashville’s Cyndi Forman, Warner Chappell Music Nashville’s BJ Hill, Sony Music Publishing Nashville’s Anna Weisband, Big Loud Publishing’s Mike Giangreco and Tape Room Music’s Caroline Hodson. Also in this issue is a tribute to the late Ben Vaughn, Warner Chappell Music Nashville President and CEO, who passed away earlier this year.

Elsewhere, publishing leaders at Concord, Jody Williams Songs, River House Artists, CTM Outlander and ASCAP share insights into what makes a writer “deal-ready.” Big Machine Music’s Mike Molinar talks about the impact of artificial intelligence and Safford Motley PLC’s Scott Safford discusses common publishing deal contract clauses, and how writers can protect their art. MusicRow’s 2025 Publisher Issue also highlights the work and careers of some of Nashville’s most in-demand songwriters, including Spirit Music Group’s David Garcia, Verse 2 and Sony Music Publishing’s Joybeth Taylor, UMPG Nashville’s Allison Veltz-Cruz, Warner Chappell’s Summer Overstreet and Curb’s Bobby Tomberlin.

Touring & Next Big Thing Issue (December 2025/January 2026)

Thrivin’ Here Records/Warner Records Nashville’s Gavin Adcock is featured on the cover of the 2025 Touring & Next Big Thing Issue. The MusicRow Awards Discovery Artist of the Year’s album, Actin’ Up Again, was crowned the largest major-label country debut from a solo male artist released in 2024 and was the year’s top streaming major-label debut across the genre. Own Worst Enemy debuted as the top new country album on the Billboard 200 Country Chart (No. 4) and top streaming new album on the Billboard 200 All-Genre Chart (No. 14) week of release.

Inside MusicRow‘s Touring & Next Big Thing Issue is the 12th annual Next Big Thing class of artists, consisting of Graham Barham (Sony Music Nashville/Disruptor Records), Kaitlin Butts (Republic Records), Laci Kaye Booth (Geffen Records), The Castellows (Warner Records Nashville), Kashus Culpepper (Big Loud Records), Lanie Gardner (BBR Music Group/Stoney Creek Records), Alexandra Kay (BBR Music Group/Wheelhouse Records), Braxton Keith (Warner Records Nashville), Zach John King (Sony Music Nashville), Chase McDaniel (Big Machine Records/Big Machine Label Group), Ty Myers (RECORDS Nashville/Columbia), Emily Ann Roberts (RECORDS/Sony Music Nashville), Hudson Westbrook (River House Artists/Warner Records Nashville) and Stephen Wilson Jr. (Big Loud Records). This issue also features the N.B.T. Industry Directory Class of 2026, which highlights rising Nashville music business professionals who are having a major impact on the industry. MusicRow’s N.B.T. Industry Directory is the first and only list of its kind.

The 2026 Touring & Next Big Thing Issue features a roundtable conversation with top agents including WME’s Barrett Sellers, Wasserman’s Lenore Kinder, The Neal Agency’s Brian Carothers, UTA’s Brian Hill, CAA’s Lindsey Myers and Kinkead Entertainment’s Greg Scott about the current issues and opportunities facing the live music business. MusicRow highlights mental health visibility within the industry with a look at Hollywood & Mind’s first On Location event in Nashville. Industry executives Gina Miller and Jeanette Porcello discuss genre and equity in Music City. Chrissy Hall, Director of Concerts for the Ryman Auditorium, the Grand Ole Opry House and Ascend Amphitheater, shares insights into the role of venue bookers, and Chelsae Partosan and Matt Morgan talk about life on the road as tour managers.