MusicRow Weekly (CountryBreakout Awards, News, Charts, More…)

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This week’s edition of The MusicRow Weekly highlights major milestones, industry honors and new ventures shaping the country music landscape, from the latest CountryBreakout Awards to notable career moves across the business. Click here to see the full edition.

For 24 years, MusicRow has celebrated the power of country radio in secondary markets through its annual MusicRow CountryBreakout Awards. The awards recognize the songs, artists and industry professionals who dominated spins on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart panel throughout the previous year. Drawing from reporting stations in secondary markets across the country, the awards honor eight categories that reflect the collaborative effort required to bring a hit song to life, from songwriting and recording to promotion and radio support.

This year’s winners reflect the breadth of talent driving the genre’s continued success. Morgan Wallen, Megan Moroney, Rascal Flatts, Hudson Westbrook and LOCASH each topped their respective categories for the most spins across the reporting stations, while MCA earned recognition on the label side. Behind the scenes, hit songwriters Ashley Gorley, Charlie Handsome and Taylor Phillips were honored for their songwriting achievements, while MusicRow Radio Chart reporter Justin Brown was also recognized for his contributions.

Another major moment this week came on Tuesday night (March 10), when Jelly Roll officially became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. The singer-songwriter was inducted by close friend and fellow Opry member Lainey Wilson during an emotional ceremony, marking a career milestone for the artist.

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum also announced a major new exhibition spotlighting the life and career of Clint Black. Titled “Clint Black: The Hard Way On Purpose,” the exhibit will trace Black’s path from a working-class upbringing to becoming one of country music’s defining voices of the late 1980s and beyond. Featuring artifacts, personal items and career highlights, the exhibit will open April 22 and run through August 2027 as part of the museum’s regular admission offerings.

Elsewhere in the industry, longtime music executive Brian O’Connell was honored with the Bob Kingsley Living Legend Award, recognizing his lasting contributions to country music and artist development.

Veteran artist manager Bill Simmons, management partner Kendal Marcy and award-winning songwriter and publisher Chris DuBois have launched Domain Artist Management in partnership with Domain Capital Group. The new firm begins operations with its flagship client, three-time Grammy winner Brad Paisley.

On the booking and publishing fronts, rising artist Jacob Hackworth has signed with The Neal Agency for booking representation, while songwriter Jamie Moore has inked a deal with Spirit Music Group.

In addition, the latest MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart is included. Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton take the No. 1 spot with “A Song To Sing.” Explore more chart data here.

The MusicRow Weekly is delivered every Friday, featuring Nashville’s top music industry news, exclusive interviews, song reviews, radio and songwriter charts and more. Sign up for free here.

Madison Hahnen
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