TIDAL And Oculus Partner To Bring Live, Immersive Concerts Straight To Fans’ Homes


TIDAL and Facebook’s virtual reality platform Oculus are joining forces to bring live, immersive, and intimate music performances straight into people’s homes in the Venues app, available on the Oculus Quest and on TIDAL. Later this year, TIDAL and Oculus will livestream a series of immersive concerts with some of the biggest names in music.

TIDAL and Oculus will provide viewers with a re-imagined live performance experience that feels as though you are standing in the crowd with other fans. As everyone continues to practice social distancing, TIDAL members and nonmembers alike can enjoy front row access to exclusive performances that are available in virtual reality in the Venues app and in 2D video and high quality audio on TIDAL. All performances will be available simultaneously in Venues and TIDAL.

“At a time when livestreamed performances are seen as the new norm, TIDAL’s partnership with Oculus provides music lovers an elevated concert experience with more interaction and dimension than past livestreams. Oculus is revolutionizing the live music experience and matched with TIDAL’s HiFi audio quality, members will be able to remember what it feels like to stand in a large crowd at a concert venue,” said Lior Tibon, TIDAL COO.

ACMs Dominate Wednesday Night, But Ratings Slip

Last night’s Academy of Country Music Awards on CBS, which surprised viewers with a shocking tie for Entertainer of the Year, and included musical perfection from the likes of Mickey Guyton, Eric Church, Carrie Underwood and more, dominated primetime, bringing in 6.59 million viewers and earning a 1.0 rating in the 18-49 demo (1.5 in adults 25-54 demo).

While 6.59 million viewers was enough for the Academy of Country Music Awards to dominate its timeslot, it fell significantly short of last year’s ratings.

This year, the show moved from its usual April airing to September, and aired from Nashville for the first time, incorporating performances and awards presentations from three iconic venues—The Bluebird Cafe, the Grand Ole Opry, and the Ryman Auditorium.

On April 7, 2019, the Academy of Country Music Awards drew 9.9 million viewers over three hours (and a 1.6 rating in the 18-49 demo), which was down nearly 18% from 2018’s 12.06 million viewers.

 

ACM Awards: Carrie Underwood, Thomas Rhett Tie For Entertainer Win


Last night’s 55th annual Academy of Country Music Awards proved to be a history-making evening, in more ways than one.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the awards show was held in Nashville for the first time, instead of its longtime home of Las Vegas. Instead of an arena packed with fans, artists performed for empty seats, at three Nashville venues—the Ryman Auditorium, Grand Ole Opry House and Bluebird Café. Many of this year’s performances were pre-taped.

2019’s Entertainer of the Year winner Keith Urban presided over the evening, offering a consistent, laid-back approach to guiding the show.

Glitzy production was mostly eschewed in favor of scaled back performances. Though the decision was made out of necessity due to social distancing and COVID restrictions, the sparse production allowed many of country music’s most gifted vocalists and song crafters to shine.

Dan + Shay. Photo: Courtesy Getty Images/ACM

Duo of the Year winners Dan + Shay suited up for a vocal-and-keyboard power ballad “I Should Probably go To Bed,” highlighting Shay Mooney’s towering, octave-jumping falsetto.

Midway through the show, audio of Johnny Cash’s “Ragged Old Flag” served as an intro to Eric Church laying down the gauntlet, eviscerating the majority of party-centric songs on country radio, through his seething performance of “Stick That In Your Country Song” at the Grand Ole Opry House. Thunderous vocalist Joanna Cotten joined him, their voices playing off of each other, urging the intensity of the song to a defiant crescendo.

Maren Morris poses with the Female Artist of the Year award at the 55th Academy of Country Music Awards at the Grand Ole Opry on September 16, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. The ACM Awards airs on September 16, 2020 with some live and some prerecorded segments. (Photo by John Shearer/ACMA2020/Getty Images for ACM)

Notably, women delivered the bulk of the evening’s most memorable moments. Premier entertainer Carrie Underwood, a Grand Ole Opry member since 2008, delivered a vocal spectacle honoring the legacies of several female members of the Opry, showing off her range as she rolled through Patsy Cline’s “Crazy,” a spitfire rendition of Loretta Lynn’s “Ain’t Woman Enough To Take My Man,” a joyful reading of Barbara Mandrell’s ‘I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool,” cool and confident on Dolly’s “Why’d You Come In Here Looking Like That,” Reba’s “The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia,” and a soaring finish with Martina’s “A Broken Wing.”

Gabby Barrett and Female Artist of the Year winner Maren Morris were powerful vocalists, Kelsea Ballerini turned in one of her most traditionally country-tuned performances to date, while Miranda Lambert showed just why she’s the most-awarded artist in ACMs history (with 35 wins) with her laid-back performance of “Bluebird” (performed appropriately at the Bluebird Café), alongside the song’s writers Luke Dick and Natalie Hemby. At the Ryman, newly-minted New Female Artist of the Year Tenille Townes performed a punk-acoustic rendering of “Somebody’s Daughter.”

“It’s a reminder that we’ve all got a story and in these times, we all need each other,” she said.
For Taylor Swift’s celebrated ACM homecoming, she returned to her singer/songwriter roots, just a guitar and a microphone, simple harmonica accompaniment, backlit by a single spotlight as she performed “betty” from her album folklore.

The most stunning of all was Mickey Guyton’s history-making turn on the Opry stage as the first Black female artist to perform her own music at the Academy of Country Music Awards.
Dressed in a flowing, pure white gown and backed only by Keith Urban’s responsive piano work, Guyton poured her heart and talent into a musical rebuttal against gender inequality—one of two impactful songs she has released this year speaking out against not only gender but racial inequality—titled “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?”.

Throughout the evening, artists including Urban, Darius Rucker and Tim McGraw acknowledged ongoing fight against social injustices in America.

“We are trying to fight two pandemics—COVID and social injustices. Far too many lives have been lost to both,” Urban said, adding, “Country music is many things, but at its heart, its center, its core, it’s about community.”

But performances from Guyton and Kane Brown spoke even louder. Brown offered an authentic take on “Worldwide Beautiful,” accompanied by a several vocalists from Belmont University’s choir.
“I just want everybody to love everybody,” Brown said.

The ACMs, which launched a task force to promote equality earlier this year, took that initiative to heart on last night’s televised show, with artists including Guyton, Brown, Rucker and Jimmie Allen all appearing.

Luke Combs. Photo: Getty Images/Courtesy of the Academy of Country Music

In terms of awards, Luke Combs’ juggernaut of a career keeps surging. In just four years, he’s gone from releasing his debut single to being nominated for an ACM Entertainer of the Year nod. He did win Album of the Year for What You See Is What You Get, a project that has remained cemented in the upper echelon of the artists—and at No. 1 most weeks—since its debut. Combs also earned Male Artist of the Year.

“This album was hell to make but we did it,” he said. “Thank you fans for loving this album.”
From the Ryman, Old Dominion offered a cool mashup medley of tracks, including “One Man Band,” “Written In The Sand,” “Break Up With Him,” and more, transitioning into “Hotel Key.” They picked up two honors, Group of the Year, and Song of the Year, for “One Man Band.” Their heartfelt thank you speeches including a reference to late songwriter Andrew Dorff and thanked their crew members and fellow road warriors who have been hit hard this year as concerts have been largely shut down due to COVID.

At the Ryman, pop-polished Thomas Rhett and cowboy Jon Pardi teamed for “Beer Can’t Fix.” They even did a little coordinated fancy footwork to complete the ‘90s shuffle feel. Continuing the jeans-clad ‘90s vibe was Morgan Wallen in a Canadian tuxedo, performing “Whiskey Glasses” and prowling the Opry stage and performing for the empty seats as if there were a full house.

Blake Shelton. Photo: CBS

Blake Shelton picked up Single of the Year for “God’s Country.”

“This is a shock and an honor,” he said, thanking producer Scott Hendricks as well as his Warner Music Nashville team and country radio. “You’ve been so good to me with all my singles.”

Another of country music’s most revered vocalists and song interpreters, Trisha Yearwood, honored those country music has lost over the past year, including Kenny Rogers, Charlie Daniels, Bob Kingsley, Jimmy Capps, John Prine, Joe Diffie, Jan Howard, busbee, and so many more.
The evening ended with another history-making shock, when Urban announced a tie for the Entertainer of the Year honors. Rhett celebrated his first win in the category, while Underwood earned her third Entertainer of the Year accolade (and her first in more than a decade).

“Oh my goodness gracious…Keith, what is happening right now?” Thomas Rhett said, before going on to thank his family and team.

“2020, man,” said Underwood, in accepting her honor. “I am more than happy to share this with Thomas Rhett,” she said, going on to praise all of the year’s nominees. She also left the audience with a message that summed what so many entertainers and their teams feel during this strange year: “You guys, hold on [live music] will happen again. Just hold on.”


Carrie Underwood. Photo: Carrie Underwood/Instagram

Music City Grand Prix To Bring Three Days Of Racing Excitement To Nashville

Gentleman Start Your Engines: The Music City Grand Prix, in partnership with INDYCAR, is bringing the NTT INDYCAR SERIES race to Nashville Aug. 6-8, 2021. The three-day international festival of speed and sound will be staged on a temporary grand prix circuit running through downtown Nashville and around the Nissan Stadium campus.

Attendees can look forward to live music performances by top artists, best-in-class chef-curated food experiences and entertainment that centers on speed in a way only Music City can serve up. Stages with an all-star lineup will be a part of this event with top talent performances including CeCe Winans as well as many others which will be announced at a later date.

“With Nashville’s deep motorsports roots, combined with its ability to deliver world class live music, Music City Grand Prix is certain to throw a party that only Nashville can deliver, buckle up – it’s gonna be a wild ride,” said Kix Brooks.

President/CEO of Big Machine Label Group, Scott Borchetta, is an investor in the event and will be instrumental in curating the music for this festival. “As a partner, Big Machine will be bringing all of its entertainment experience to ensure that the inaugural IndyCar weekend will combine all things music and racing for an incredible weekend of entertainment. You don’t have to be a race fan to enjoy what this event will bring to the city. But I bet you leave a race fan,” said Borchetta.

ASCAP Citizen Campaign Seeks To Inspire Music Creators And Fans To Vote


ASCAP has launched a new citizen campaign powered by HeadCount urging the PRO’s more than 775,000 music creator members and their fans to make sure their votes are counted on Election Day 2020.

To kick off ASCAP Citizen, ASCAP’s socials will feature photos and videos with personal messages about voting from ASCAP members each day during the week of September 21. The initial list includes Jermaine Dupri, Jane Wiedlin and Charlotte Caffey of The Go-Gos, John Nolan of Taking Back Sunday, Matt Berninger of The National, Brothers Osborne, Avenue Beat, Ingrid Michaelson, Joe Godino of The Menzingers, film composer Pinar Toprak, mxmtoon, Donna Missal and The Maine, among many others.

ASCAP will also amplify the “get out the vote” messages of other top members who are engaged in their own vote campaigns, including artists like Cardi B, Billie EilishFinneas, Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez, Diplo, John Stamos and others partnered with HeadCount.

“We are music creators, from all walks of life. Our music has the power to change the world,” said ASCAP Chairman of the Board and President Paul Williams. “That’s why we work so hard for it to be heard. Now, we need our votes to be heard. It’s time to embrace our role as ASCAP Citizens.”

As a non-partisan organization, Headcount uses the power of music to register voters and promote participation in democracy.  As part of ASCAP’s new partnership with HeadCount, anyone can visit headcount.org/ascap or text VOTER ASCAP to 40649 to register to vote or verify and update their voter registration status. ASCAP is also an official partner in National Voter Registration Day (Sept. 22). To extend the momentum of that effort, ASCAP will invite all music creators and fans to share their own ASCAP Citizen messages on social media using the hashtag #ASCAPCitizen to inspire their followers to register to vote ahead of upcoming state voter registration deadlines.

“This partnership celebrates the role of musicians and songwriters as citizens. We applaud ASCAP for its leadership in giving members all the resources they need to help turn out the vote,” said Andy Bernstein, HeadCount’s founder/Executive Director.

Kalie Shorr To Debut New iHeartRadio Original Podcast


Kalie Shorr is launching a new podcast, “Too Much To Say With Kalie Shorr,” with Premiere Networks and Bobby Bones, VP/Creative Director of iHeartCountry and host of the The Bobby Bones Show. The show will be distributed by Bones’ Nashville Podcast Network.

Shorr appeared on The Bobby Bones Show this morning to talk about the podcast and performed “Lullaby” and “Alice in Wonderland” from her critically-acclaimed debut album Open Book. Executive produced by Bones, “Too Much To Say with Kalie Shorr” features Shorr as she shares, (and often overshares) her thoughts on everything from music to martinis, social media to social anxiety, regrets to risky texts and more. Shorr will also reveal diary entries and feature interviews with her crazy group of friends.

“We made Kalie a Spotlight Artist on ‘The Bobby Bones Show’ earlier this year and it was clear our audience was paying attention and believes in her,” Bones said. “She is a force in the genre and I’m so excited to add her voice and stories to our growing network.”

“When Bobby had the idea to start this podcast, I was so excited,” said Shorr. “Hosting my own show has been a goal of mine for a long time and I can’t think of a better team to be working on it with. It’s great to be given this platform and I really look forward to sharing my story candidly in a new format.”

New episodes of “Too Much To Say with Kalie Shorr” will be available Wednesdays on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard.

BREAKING: 2020 ACM Awards Winners


The 55th annual Academy of Country Music Awards, hosted by Keith Urban and airing on CBS, marked the first time the awards show aired from Nashville, featuring performances from three iconic venues—the Grand Ole Opry House, the Ryman Auditorium, and the Bluebird Cafe.

Early winners announced before the ceremony include Tenille Townes as New Female Artist of the Year, and Riley Green as New Male Artist of the Year. Miranda Lambert and several tourmates from her 2019 Roadside Bars & Pink Guitars tour—Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack and Elle King—won Music Event of the Year for their rendition of “Fooled Around and Fell In Love.”

Thomas Rhett won Video of the Year for “Remember You Young,” produced by Dan Atchison and TK McKamy, while Hillary Lindsey was named Songwriter of the Year.
Carrie Underwood and Thomas Rhett tied for the night’s top honor, Entertainer of the Year, while Luke Combs earned two honors, Male Artist of the Year and Album of the Year (for What You See Is What You Get).

Dan+Shay took home the evening’s first honor, Duo of the Year, while Maren Morris was named Female Artist of the Year. Old Dominion was also a double winner, picking up Song of the Year for “One Man Band,” as well as the Group of the Year honor. Blake Shelton‘s “God’s Country” was named Single of the Year.

Entertainer of the Year
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett—WINNER (tie)
Carrie Underwood—WINNER (tie)

Female Artist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Maren Morris—WINNER
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood

Male Artist of the Year
Dierks Bentley
Luke Combs—WINNER
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban

Duo of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay—WINNER
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie and Tae

Group of the Year
Lady A
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion—WINNER
The Highwomen

New Female Artist of the Year
Ingrid Andress
Gabby Barrett
Lindsay Ell
Caylee Hammack
Tenille Townes—WINNER

New Male Artist of the Year
Jordan Davis
Russell Dickerson
Riley Green—WINNER
Cody Johnson
Morgan Wallen

Album of the Year
Center Point Road – Thomas Rhett
GIRL – Maren Morris
Heartache Medication – Jon Pardi
What You See Is What You Get – Luke Combs—WINNER
Wildcard – Miranda Lambert

Single of the Year
“God’s Country” – Blake Shelton—WINNER
“One Man Band” – Old Dominion
“Rainbow” – Kacey Musgraves
“Rumor” – Lee Brice
“What If I Never Get Over You” – Lady A

Song of the Year
“10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay feat. Justin Bieber
“Girl Goin’ Nowhere” – Ashley McBryde
“God’s Country” – Blake Shelton
“One Man Band” – Old Dominion—WINNER
“Some of It” – Eric Church

Video of the Year
“10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay feat. Justin Bieber
“God’s Country – Blake Shelton
“One Man Band” – Old Dominion
“Remember You Young” – Thomas Rhett—WINNER
“Sugarcoat” – Little Big Town

Songwriter of the Year
Ashley Gorley
Michael Hardy
Hillary Lindsey—WINNER
Shane McAnally
Josh Osborne

Music Event of the Year
“10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay feat. Justin Bieber
“Dive Bar” – Garth Brooks feat. Blake Shelton
“Fooled Around and Fell in Love” – Miranda Lambert feat. Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack, and Elle King—WINNER
“Old Town Road” – Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus
“What Happens in a Small Town” – Brantley Gilbert feat. Lindsay Ell

Steve Earle & The Dukes To Release Album Of Songs Written By Justin Townes Earle

Steve Earle & The Dukes. Photo: Jacob Blickenstaff

Steve Earle & The Dukes announced today (Sept. 16) that they will be recording an album of songs written by late singer-songwriter Justin Townes Earle, with 100% of artist advances and royalties going toward a trust for Justin’s daughter, Etta St. James Earle.

Earle revealed he expects the album to be recorded in October, and released in January 2021, close to what would have been Justin Townes Earle’s 39th birthday. More details on the project will be released at a later date.

Justin Townes Earle, son of Steve Earle, died last month at the age of 38. He released his debut EP, Yuma, in 2007, followed by the full-length project The Good Life the next year. In 2009, he issued Midnight at the Movies and was named Emerging Artist of the Year at the 2010 Americana Music Awards; the album was also nominated for Album of the Year and he garnered an AMA Artist of the Year nomination. He released Harlem River Blues in 2010, and produced 2012’s Unfinished Business by Wanda Jackson. He continued with 2012’s Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now, 2014’s Single Mothers, 2015’s Absent Fathers and 2017’s Kids in the Street.

Phil Wickham Celebrates Gold Certification For "Living Hope"

Pictured (L-R): Mike Moseley, Jeff Moseley, Kai Elmer, Abby Young, James Rueger, Phil Wickham, Dan Michaels, Dana Salsedo, Darren Elrod, Talia Clifford, Sarah Shinn, Melissa Dikau

Phil Wickham‘s “Living Hope” was recently certified Gold by the RIAA, and FairTrade Services celebrated the achievement with Wickham in Nashville.

“Living Hope,” the 2019 GMA Worship Song of the Year winner, was a Top 10 radio hit and has been a staple in churches across the world, currently No. 7 on the CCLI chart. “Living Hope” was co-written with Bethel Music’s Brian Johnson, who also co-penned Wickham’s new single “Battle Belongs.”

“It is always an honor to partner with great artists who produce great art,” said FairTrade Services’ Jeff Moseley. “Phil fits that bill and adds a layer of impact that has a broad reach. We wholeheartedly congratulate Phil on this recognition of the impact he and this song have had.”

“Living Hope may be my favorite song I’ve ever written,” said Wickham. “I still get excited to sing it in a set. What an honor it is to write and sing a song about Jesus that others around the world have made their own. Incredible to see it become a certified Gold song.”

‘Nashville Sunday Night’ Series Returns Via Pay-Per-View

WRLT Lightning 100.1 FM and 3rd & Lindsley have hosted the weekly Nashville Sunday Night series from the iconic venue together since 1996, and have recently added the leading music platform for live concert streams and recordings, nugs.net, to the partnership to bring back Nashville Sunday Night via weekly Pay-Per View.

Artists such as Sturgill Simpson, Black Pumas, Lord Huron, and Gary Clark Jr. have played the series to name a few, and 21-year-old Blues and guitar phenom, Christone “KINGFISH” Ingram is set to play for a virtual audience Sunday, Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. CT.

“We’ve been waiting over 20 years for an opportunity like this,” said Dan Buckley, WRLT Lightning 100.1 FM’s Program Director. “To finally bring Nashville Sunday Night in color to a world wide audience is a dream come true!”

3rd & Lindsley’s owner, Ron Brice said, “As we approach our 25th year partnering with WRLT Lightning 100.1 FM for Nashville Sunday Night, we could not be happier about having nugs.net now in the family and part of Nashville Sunday Night.”