Following the announcement of this year’s nominees for the 37th annual MusicRow Awards, presented by City National Bank, we take a closer look at the Breakthrough Artist-Writer of the Year category.

The Breakthrough Artist-Writer of the Year honors a Nashville songwriter and recording artist who wrote or co-wrote their first top 10 country song via radio or streaming during the eligibility period. Outside nominations from Nashville’s publishing community are considered for this award.

This year’s winners will be announced online on all MusicRow platforms on Wednesday, Sept. 3.

Click here to see the full list of MusicRow Awards nominees.

Winners are determined solely by MusicRow Magazine subscribers. Voting is now open and closes on Aug. 15 at 5:00 p.m. To receive a ballot to vote in the MusicRow Awards, become a MusicRow subscriber here.

Drew Baldridge earned his breakthrough with “She’s Somebody’s Daughter,” the co-written ballad that became the first independently released debut single to reach No. 1 on the Country Aircheck/Mediabase chart. Now RIAA Gold-certified, the viral hit has amassed more than 1.1 billion impressions and remains the highest-charting self-funded song on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. The success of the single led to a deal with BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville, where Baldridge followed up with the Top 10 track “Tough People.” His newest release, “Get Me Gone” featuring Emily Ann Roberts, previews more music to come. Named to the CRS New Faces Class of 2025 and selected as an iHeart On the Verge artist, Baldridge was also honored as MusicRow’s Independent Artist of the Year. As a songwriter signed to Sony Music Publishing, he has penned more than 500 songs, recorded by artists such as Bailey Zimmerman, LOCASH, and Chase Matthew. Baldridge has toured alongside Eric Church, Cody Johnson, Jason Aldean, and Luke Bryan, and is currently on the road with Zimmerman ahead of another run with Johnson.

Ella Langley scored two breakout hits—both of which she co-wrote—including her chart-topping duet “You Look Like You Love Me” with Riley Green and the fan-favorite “Weren’t For The Wind.” The Alabama native built her foundation playing bars and festivals before moving to Nashville in 2019, where she quickly carved out a space with her gritty, no-frills sound. Her 2023 debut EP Excuse The Mess laid the groundwork for Hungover, her full-length debut released in August 2024. Co-writing all 14 tracks, Langley delivered an unfiltered look into her story, earning critical acclaim and spots on The New York Times and Rolling Stone’s “Best of 2024” lists. “You Look Like You Love Me” marked her first Billboard Hot 100 entry and first No. 1 at country radio, making her one of only two women to top the Billboard Country Airplay chart in 2024. The Platinum-certified single also earned CMA and ACM wins, including Musical Event and Single of the Year. After supporting Morgan Wallen and Luke Bryan, Langley sold out her first headline tour and returns to the road with Wallen and Green this summer.

Chase Matthew scored his breakout with the Platinum-certified “Love You Again,” a Top 5 hit he co-wrote and the first single to showcase his bold mix of country grit and emotional edge. The Nashville native built his career from the ground up, first finding viral success as an independent artist before signing with Warner Music Nashville. Now with more than 1.4 billion global career streams and 1.5 million social media followers, Matthew has emerged as a dynamic force in the genre. His Platinum debut single “County Line” put him on the map, and he continues his momentum with his third album CHASE and the Gold-certified single “Darlin’,” currently at country radio. Named to MusicRow’s Next Big Thing and the Opry NextStage Class of 2024, he’s also earned nods from HITS and the People’s Choice Country Awards. As a songwriter and performer, Matthew blends a rowdy, grounded persona with a deep twang and emotional delivery. After headlining his sold-out “Come Get Your Memory tour,” Matthew is out on his 2025 world tour now.

Josh Ross broke through with “Single Again,” the vulnerable, cowritten hit that captured hearts across North America and marked a major turning point for the rising global artist. Blending rock influences with modern country and raw lyricism, the Canada born, Nashville-based singer-songwriter has carved out a space uniquely his own. Ross followed the Platinum-certified “Trouble” with his 2024 8-song project Complicated, earning him his first JUNO Award for Country Album of the Year and setting the stage for his full-length debut Later Tonight, due September 19. With more than 1 billion global streams, Ross is known for his raspy vocals, heart-on-sleeve storytelling, and a sound that leans as much into arena rock as it does country. Named the 2024 CCMA Entertainer of the Year and recipient of the CMA’s Jeff Walker Global Country Artist Award, he has toured with artists ranging from Nickelback and Brantley Gilbert to Bailey Zimmerman and Luke Bryan. Most recently, Ross wrapped a Canadian run with Jelly Roll and will open select shows for Dylan Scott this fall.

Zach Top scored his breakout with “I Never Lie,” the co-written standout that helped catapult him into country music’s spotlight. With a voice rooted in tradition and a writing style that bridges classic sensibilities with modern finesse, Top made waves with his debut album Cold Beer & Country Music, released in 2024. The project drew critical acclaim, landing on year-end “Best Of” lists from Rolling Stone, Billboard, and The New York Times. After opening for Lainey Wilson through the summer and fall, Top launched his own “Cold Beer & Country Music Tour” in early 2025—selling out dates within hours. Along the way, he’s taken the stage with legends and innovators alike, including Alan Jackson, Dwight Yoakam and Billy Strings. In April, he was named ACM New Male Artist of the Year, affirming his growing presence in the genre. With a firm grasp on both storytelling and stagecraft, Top is poised as one of country music’s most promising young artist-writers.

Tucker Wetmore broke through with “Wind Up Missin’ You,” the Platinum-certified hit he co-wrote that helped fuel his rapid rise. The track, along with fellow smash “Wine Into Whiskey,” earned Wetmore multiple appearances on the Billboard Hot 100 and pushed his career streams past 1 billion in just over a year. Wetmore made his Grand Ole Opry debut in 2024 and released his first EP, Waves On A Sunset, followed by his full-length debut What Not To. He also contributed two songs—“Already Had It” and “Steal My Thunder”—to the Twisters soundtrack. Known for his rich vocal tone and emotional writing, Wetmore has built a loyal fan base through dynamic live shows. After supporting Kameron Marlowe and Luke Bryan, he launched a sold-out headline run in 2024 and continued with international dates across the UK, U.S., and Europe in early 2025. He’s currently on the road as direct support for Thomas Rhett’s “Better In Boots Tour.” An ACM New Male Artist nominee, Wetmore has earned “Artist to Watch” nods from Billboard, MusicRow, Spotify, the Opry, and more.

Humanable is set to launch the world’s first-to-market AI free social media platform, slated to be released in the fourth quarter of this year.

The platform was created to allow artists to share certified AI-free music and allow fans to interact directly with artists. The platform will be free for fan use. For artists and others wishing to have commercial accounts, the monthly subscription will be waived for all U.S.-based Humanable music members. All artists, influencers and music will be verified by the platform.

“The music industry is now seeing the negative effects of unchecked generative AI that Humanable’s co-founders have been warning about for the past year. From fully AI-generated songs from AI-generated bands reaching millions of unsuspecting listeners, we’re now witnessing the advent of ‘music designers’ who bypass royalty rights and use music generation platforms to create celebrity status to sell clicks and other goods and services,” says Lilian McGrady, President and Co-Founder of Humanable. “This is why Humanable launched to certify human-only music—so that consumers still have choices even in the flood of GenAI outputs. Human fans want real connection with real artists on social media, not with bots and GenAI outputs. Humanable’s social media platform allows artists and fans to opt out of the fake world.”

Jelly Roll, the Jonas Brothers, Cece Winans, Dan + Shay and more are joining forces in Nashville for Stand Up to Cancer’s Fundraising Special which will air on Aug. 15, marking the first time the special will be broadcast from Nashville and bringing SU2C’s mission to the heart of Music City.

The telecast will also feature performances by Noah Cyrus, Gavin DeGraw, Marcus King, Brothers Osborne, Jon Pardi and Winans joined by the Nashville Community Gospel Choir, all lending their talents to help raise critical funds for cancer research.

The special will also include pre-taped segments featuring Kevin Bacon, Jamie Foxx, Tim McGraw, Zoe Saldaña, Keith Urban and Reese Witherspoon. Sheryl Crow will serve as the evening’s host and also perform, along with remarks by SU2C co-founder Katie Couric. Music icon Dolly Parton previously participated in a tune-in campaign to raise awareness for the Nashville telecast, which will feature stories from survivors whose lives were transformed by research made possible through donor support. Viewers will also hear from SU2C-funded researchers about recent breakthroughs in early detection and cancer treatment, along with the growing potential of AI to accelerate progress in the field.

The one-hour special will air simultaneously on over 30 participating media platforms across the U.S. All four major U.S. networks will carry the show, with broadcasters donating prime time slots to support the cause. The telecast will also be available to watch on-demand across multiple digital and streaming platforms.

As a lead-up to the special, SU2C has launched the #Up2Us to #StandUpToCancer campaign, which runs through Aug. 31. Now in its fifth year, the month-long fundraising initiative brings together creators from across Twitch, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube to support groundbreaking cancer research. The campaign features diverse livestream content, from gaming to other engaging genres, and creators will host fundraising streams to raise awareness and support SU2C’s mission to fund research aimed at detecting, treating, and ultimately curing all cancers.

Notable participating streamers and creators include Tess Bohne, Neebs Gaming, Trisha Hershberger, The Jang, KandidlyKayla, Stormfall33 and Khleo Thomas. SMOSH and Marissa Hill are among the YouTube creators attending the SU2C telecast.

Pictured (L to R): Stephanie Cox (Kobalt), Ben Goldsmith, Kevin Lane (Kobalt).

Songwriter Ben Goldsmith has extended his publishing deal with Kobalt Music.

Goldsmith originally signed with Kobalt in 2022, and has had songs recorded by Bailey Zimmerman, Nate Smith, Braxton Keith, Kat Luna, Braedon Barnhill, Tigirlily Gold, Dillon James and others.

“No one works harder than Ben,” says Senior Director, Creative Kevin Lane. “He’s put in countless hours to get to this point and I’m so glad we are seeing that hard work begin to pay off.”

“I am very excited and grateful to continue working with Kevin, Stephanie and all of Kobalt. Since my early days in Nashville, Kevin has been a champion of me, and I am lucky to have him as my publisher. Kobalt feels like a family and I’m looking forward to the next chapter with them,” says Goldsmith.