Austin Snell Signs Record Deal, Named First Country Artist To SiriusXM’s Artist Accelerator Program [Exclusive]

Country riser Austin Snell has been named the first country artist to be selected as a part of SiriusXM’s Artist Accelerator program, which aims to develop and break new artists by leveraging the combined audience of the company’s flagship premium subscription service, SiriusXM, and its ad-supported streaming service, Pandora. Snell became the latest SiriusXM’s the Highway’s Highway Find, which serves as the channel’s vessel to bring country artist discovery to its listeners.

Pictured (L-R, front row): Taylor Aretz (WMN), Genevieve Thompson (Mick Management); (L-R, middle row): Lynn Oliver-Cline (River House Artists), Lance Houston (River House Artists), Stephanie Davenport (WMN), Snell, Cris Lacy (WMN), Patrick Sabatini (WMN); (L-R, back row): Zebb Luster (River House Artists), Grant Gravitt (Mick Management), Matt Cottingham (Lewis Brisbois). Photo: Alan Poizner

A native of Dudley, Georgia, Snell moved to Nashville in May of 2022. He quickly began making waves, releasing “Excuse the Mess” in September of the same year. The track amassed more than 1 million streams in its first week out. He followed the breakout hit with a cover of Cassadee Pope’s “Wasting All These Tears” before releasing his own “Get There First” on Jan. 27. Since his first release in September, Snell has generated more than 7 million Pandora Streams.

Snell coins his unique blend of rock and country “grunge country,” which appears to be a hit as his songs have accumulated over 35 million streams since September of 2022.

Snell shares, “It is a dream come true to be supported by SiriusXM and Pandora, I grew up listening to music on these platforms. I am extremely grateful to be included in their Artist Accelerator program.”

SiriusXM’s support began while Snell was still an independent artist, but it was also announced that River House Artists and Warner Music Nashville have signed Snell as the first artist co-signed via the joint venture between the two entities.

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“Watching Austin craft his sound and unique style over these past few years has been an honor. He truly knows who he is as an artist and musician,” says Zebb Luster, GM of River House Artists. “He has a natural ability to follow his own instincts that have musically set him apart. I’m so thankful to have the opportunity to work alongside Warner, just as Lynn Oliver-Cline and Cris Lacy envisioned this partnership thriving.”

DISClaimer Single Reviews: Women Of Country Music Own The Genre

Ashley McBryde. Photo: Katie Kauss

International Women’s Day occurred yesterday, so it’s fitting that the women of country music owned their genre in today’s DisClaimer.

Hitting it out of the park were Megan Moroney, Priscilla Block, Ashley McBryde and Kelsea Ballerini. The last two finished in a neck-and-neck finish for the Disc of the Day award with McBryde getting the edge because her track is a bona fide single, while Ballerini’s is a stunning TV performance. In any case, all four of these women are the Future.

That said, the DisCovery Award goes to a male singer-songwriter, Big Loud’s Larry Fleet.

JUSTIN MOORE / “Stray Dog”
Writers: Paul DiGiovanni, Randy Montana, Jeremy Stover, Justin Moore; Producesr: Jeremy Stover, Scott Borchetta; Label: Big Machine
– The duet with Priscilla Block remains the single. This is the title tune of the new album that contains it. It’s an “outlaw” anthem about being a free-spirit renegade. Electric guitars scream and drums pound, but it’s still as country as grits.

JOHN CARTER CASH / “Garden of Stone”
Writers: John Carter Cash; Producer: none listed, Label: JCC
– Somber, stately and meditative, this atmospheric ballad muses on death and the passage of time. Yet there is something warm and comforting about it. Cash’s soft, evocative delivery gets right up next to you.

ASHLEY McBRYDE / “Light on in the Kitchen”
Writers: Ashley McBryde/Connie Harrington/Jessi Alexander; Producer: Jay Joyce; Label: Warner Music Nashville
– Life advice, set to rippling guitars, shuffling percussion and tinkling mandolin. The singer carries strength and love with her everywhere, thanks to the support and wisdom of mama. Immensely tender and wonderfully listenable. I believed every word, and that’s the mark of a great country record.

RODNEY CROWELL, JEFF TWEEDY / “Everything at Once”
Writers: Rodney Crowell/Jeff Tweedy; Producer: Jeff Tweedy; Label: New West
– A gentle, hooky country rocker with an irresistible groove. The lyric asks us to stay sane in a world gone mad, or at least that’s what I got out of it. I do know one thing, if I made a record, I’d want Tweedy in the producer’s chair. A dandy listening experience.

WILLIE JONES / “No Tellin’”
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Label: Sony
– It’s an invitation to a fling between two folks who are cheating on their significant others. With the assurance that they’ll keep it on the down low. The mood is country, the beats are hip hoppy and a melody is kind of suggested.

DAILEY & VINCENT / “If I Die A Drinkin’”
Writers: Vince Gill/Ashley Monroe; Producers: Paul Worley; Label: BMG
– The duo’s Let’s Sing Some Country! album finds them wandering off the bluegrass path and exploring honky-tonk territory, especially on this steel-soaked ballad. As always, Jamie Dailey’s vocal performance is simply breathtaking. He is one of the greatest country singers of this generation. This album is essential.

PRISCILLA BLOCK / “Couple Spring Breaks Back”
Writers: Priscilla Block/Randy Montana/Chris La Corte; Producers: Robbie Artress, Justin Johnson, Jake Curry; Label: UMG/InDent Records
– She recalls a happy drunken affair when they were young and free. The nostalgia is brilliantly conveyed in this extremely well written lyric. The oomphy production is a plus, as is her soaring delivery.

WILLIE NELSON / “I Don’t Know a Thing About Love”
Writers: Harlan Howard; Producers: Buddy Cannon; Label: Legacy
– Willie turns 90 next month, yet he’s still as vital a record maker as ever. His new album is I Don’t Know a Thing About Love, a tribute to the works of his songwriting contemporary Harlan Howard. Its title tune was a chart topper for Conway Twitty in 1984. Willie sounds totally at ease amid a stellar production of steel and thump in his remake. This is beyond cool.

MEGAN MORONEY / “Lucky “
Writers: Megan Moroney/Casey Smith/Ben Williams/David Mescon; Producer: Kristian Bush; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– This sprightly, barroom romp is the title tune of Megan’s debut album. It’s a two-stepper with a clever countrified take on loose morals. I have loved everything I have heard by this woman, and this is no exception

LARRY FLEET / “Daddy Don’t Drink”
Writers: Larry Fleet/Derek Bahr/Luke Laird; Producers: Joey Moi; Label: Big Loud Records
– Exquisitely written and sung with conviction. Daddy doesn’t drink anymore because the birth of his son turned his life around. Every line is a gem. Three chords and the truth, indeed.

PARKER McCOLLUM / “Rest of My Life”
Writers: Parker McCollum; Producers: Jon Randall; Label: MCA Nashville
– McCollum goes to the dark side in his scary, troubling video for this song about drug addiction. His depth as a writer seems to increase with every release. He’s an important artist. Lend him your ears.

KELSEA BALLERINI / “Penthouse”
Writers: Kelsea Ballerini/Alysa Vanderheym; Producers: Kelsea Ballerini/Alysa Vanderheym; Label: Black River Entertainment
– Ballerini’s appearance on Saturday Night Live last weekend was a triumph. On this post-divorce ballad she unveiled a dramatic, torchy side to her talent. Performing it with stark piano accompaniment, she owned the spotlight like never before. The song contains the line that named her new EP and its film short, Rolling Up the Welcome Mat.

My Music Row Story: Big Loud’s Stacy Blythe

Stacy Blythe

The “My Music Row Story” weekly column features notable members of the Nashville music industry selected by the MusicRow editorial team. These individuals serve in key roles that help advance and promote the success of our industry. This column spotlights the invaluable people that keep the wheels rolling and the music playing.

Leading Big Loud Records in achieving 14 No. 1 singles in seven years of business, Stacy Blythe is a vital part of the ever-changing game of radio promotion, storming right out of the gate in 2015 with the label’s first-ever single release, and driving it to the top of the charts for then-newcomer Chris Lane’s Gold breakout, “Fix.” As SVP of Promotion, she spearheads a team of 10, securing and maximizing airplay for the label’s roster, including Morgan Wallen, Jake Owen, Lauren Alaina, Hardy, MacKenzie Porter, Ernest, Hailey Whitters, Ben Burgess, Larry Fleet, Lily Rose, Ashley Cooke and Jake Worthington.

Blythe has contributed to the Big Loud roster earning multiple Gold, Platinum, and multi-Platinum certifications and accounting for more than 17 billion global streams to date, making Big Loud Records the Billboard Hot Country Songs label of the year for the last two years. The Pittsburgh native is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) with other notable career stops at Category 5 Records, 1720 Entertainment and Stoney Creek Records.

Blythe will be honored as part of the current class of MusicRow’s Rising Women on the Row on March 23. For more details about the class and the event, click here.

MusicRow: Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a really small town north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I lived there until I moved to Nashville when I was 19. I’ve now been in Nashville as long as I was there, so Nashville also feels like home. I graduated in a class of 150 students, so the move to Nashville was a big deal.

I started college up there at Grove City College. I went there for two years. I knew I wanted to move to Nashville and that I wanted to be in the business, so I started exploring music business programs, but ultimately looked at internships here for record labels. At that point in time, they wouldn’t even consider you unless you were working towards a music business degree, so I had to transfer. I transferred to MTSU.

Photo: Courtesy of Stacy Blythe

How did you know you wanted to be in the music business?

I knew from a very young age. My parents were both very musical—they sang in church. That was really the start of music for me; being involved in singing and music in church. I fell in love with Randy Travis at a really young age and my parents were so great to take me to see him every time he came through Pittsburgh. I started watching what was going on on the side of the stage and just around me. As I got older, I realized that that was someone’s job. That blew my mind that that was even a possibility. At a young age, I knew that I wanted to be involved in music somehow I just didn’t know in what capacity.

What happened when you got here?

I’m a numbers nerd. I love math and Excel spreadsheets make me very happy. At the time I wanted to be in sales, putting CDs on shelves, so I applied for a sales internship at Sony. They had all of those spots full and Jordan Pettit called me and said, “Hey, there’s nothing in sales, but there is an opportunity in radio promotion if you’d be interested in that.” I didn’t even know that radio promotion was a thing. I grew up listening to country radio but I never put it together that it was someone’s job to get that music on the radio. So I interned at Sony with Jordan. He was probably the first person that I met that was incredibly impactful as far as my path and where I went from there.

Everything that they were doing [in that department] was so outside of my comfort zone. I did not want to be loud. I wanted to be behind a computer just doing my thing. I would listen to Bill Macky and Larry Pareigis on the phone. Listening to their conversations, I thought, “Man, how amazing is it that they’re making such an impact on an artist’s career.” There were some regionals there at the time and I would really just listen to what’s going on. That’s when I began to think maybe this was something that I could do. Bill really believed in me. I think he believed in me more than I believed in myself, and I just kind of fell into the path.

Photo: Courtesy of Stacy Blythe

What happened after that internship?

I graduated and my first job out of college was working as a studio assistant for a songwriter in town. I worked out of his home studio. It was great but definitely a stepping stone for me. One day, Bill Macky walks into the studio. We hadn’t seen each other since the internship and he said, “What are you doing here? I’ll call you this week.” He was on his path from Sony to his next opportunity and he called me and said, “Hey, I’m, I’m going to this start-up label, Category 5 Records, would you be interested in being my promotion coordinator?” It was an instant “Yes.” It was my dream opportunity to work with him.

Category 5 had some rocky times and Bill went to another company called 1720 Entertainment and took me with him there. He eventually promoted me to Northeast Regional. We worked with an artist named Rissi Palmer there. We have so many great memories from that period of time. She was the first Black woman to chart a country song since Dona Mason in 1987, so we were making history there and Rissi just became such a great friend.

What was next?

1720 Entertainment started to end. Then Broken Bow launched Stoney Creek and I went over there to be the Northeast Regional. We were working Megan Mullins and Ash Bowers. I was there for a good period of time and then Big Machine launched Republic Nashville. I got a call one day that they were hiring a Southeast Regional and asked if I would be interested in it. I was like, “I don’t know if this Pittsburgh girl can survive in the south.” I remember walking into WKXC in Augusta and Chris O’Kelley gave me the biggest hug and I was amazed at how they skipped business pleasantries and went straight to fast friends in the south.

I was there for about six years. It was such an important time in my career. We were launching Florida Georgia Line and The Band Perry. We did so many cool things with Martina McBride and Eli Young Band.

Photo: Courtesy of Stacy Blythe

How did you get to Big Loud?

While I was working with FGL, I met Seth England, who was managing them at the time. In 2015, Seth called me and said, “Big Loud is going to start a label. Would you be interested in coming over here to run the promo team?” That was a big jump. He sent me what ended up being Chris Lane‘s very first EP. I got three songs in and I called him back and said, “I’m in.” So in 2015, I came to Big Loud. We built this team and the rest is history.

I came on as national and then in 2018, we were growing and we knew that we needed help. We started to have some success with Morgan Wallen‘s “Up Down” and there was just a lot going on. We knew that we needed another body so that’s when we started the search for a national and they elevated me to VP. Beyond that, we kept growing. We went from working two or three records at a time to working five or six. So then we elevated Tyler Waugh to National, Ali Matkosky to VP and me to SVP. Now we’re in a really great place where everything feels like a well-oiled machine. So much has happened in seven years, we’re so blessed.

What do you remember about the early days of Big Loud?

When we were going for No. 1 on “Up Down” with Morgan, we were in a really tight race with Warner and Blake Shelton. It was the first at Big Loud for me as a leader that was that close. Saturday night, a bunch of my friends from other labels came to my house. We were FaceTiming programmers, everyone brought wine. Having that support from my friends, who are also competitors, was so special. We were all one family. That night is one of my favorite memories from the beginning of this.

Photo: Courtesy of Stacy Blythe

What is the most fulfilling part of what you do?

Watching an artist’s dreams come true. Watching an artist have their first charted single or have their first No. 1. All of those little moments that we get to be a part of are so incredible. It’s so special to be a small part of someone’s big dream.

You will be honored as one of MusicRow‘s Rising Women on the Row later this month. What has your experience been like as a woman in the industry?

When I started, there were not a lot of women on the radio promotion side at all. Especially in leadership positions. Now, there are so many and that makes me so happy. We have a team of 10 total here on our promo team and three are men. We’re 70 percent female on this team and I know you wouldn’t have found a team when I started that was that heavily female. That made it a little bit more intimidating when getting into the field, but I think of all of these strong women like Kristen Williams, Katie Dean and Cindy Mabe that are all leading teams now and so impactful.

At Big Loud, we have a female head of marketing, a female running the publishing company, a female head of international and myself. Seth, Joey [Moi] and Craig [Wiseman] really empower females. They have never made any of us feel lesser than.

Nominees Revealed For 2023 CMT Music Awards

CMT has revealed the nominees for the entirely fan-voted 2023 CMT Music Awards. Hosted by 2023 nominees Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini, the show airs live from Austin, Texas’ Moody Center on Sunday, April 2, 2023 (8:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on CBS and will be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.

Lainey Wilson leads the nominations this year with a total of four, including Video of the Year, Female Video of the Year, Collaborative Video of the Year and CMT Performance of the Year. Following Wilson with three nods are Cody Johnson, first-time nominee Jelly Roll and co-host Brown.

For the night’s top honor, Video of the Year, 16 acts are represented, including Ballerini, Brown and his wife Katelyn, Wilson, Johnson, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Elle King and Dierks Bentley, Gabby Barrett, Hardy and Lainey Wilson, Jimmie Allen, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Luke Bryan, Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Walker Hayes, and Ashley McBryde with Caylee Hammack, Brandy Clark and Pillbox Patti.

Underwood adds 2 nominations to her tally this year. She is the most awarded artist in CMT history with a total of 25 wins and is also slated to perform. There are also 21 first-time nominees represented in the group.

For the first time, CMT is dividing its Breakthrough Video of the Year category into Male and Female lists. This year’s Breakthrough Female nominees include Avery Anna, Kylie Morgan, MacKenzie Porter, Megan Moroney, Morgan Wade and Tiera Kennedy. Bailey Zimmerman, Corey Kent, Drake Milligan, Jackson Dean, Jelly Roll and Nate Smith will compete in Breakthrough Male.

The nominees for the 2023 CMT Music Awards include:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video of the year; awarded to the artist (male, female, group/duo or collaboration). Top 6 nominees, from the first round of voting, will be announced on March 27. The final 3 nominees, from the second round of voting, will be announced on show day, April 2. Final voting will be determined via social media and announced as the final category during the live show.
Ashley McBryde, Caylee Hammack, Brandy Clark & Pillbox Patti – “Bonfire At Tina’s”
Blake Shelton – “No Body”
Carrie Underwood – “Hate My Heart”
Cody Johnson – “Human”
Elle King feat. Dierks Bentley – “Worth A Shot”
Gabby Barrett – “Pick Me Up”
HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson – “wait in the truck”
Jimmie Allen – “Down Home”
Kane Brown & Katelyn Brown – “Thank God”
Keith Urban – “Wild Hearts”
Kelsea Ballerini – “HEARTFIRST”
Little Big Town – “Rich Man”
Luke Bryan – “Country On”
Luke Combs – “The Kind Of Love We Make”
Morgan Wallen – “You Proof”
Walker Hayes – “AA”

FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a female artist; awarded to the artist.
Carly Pearce – “What He Didn’t Do”
Carrie Underwood – “Ghost Story”
Gabby Barrett – “Pick Me Up”
Kelsea Ballerini – “HEARTFIRST”
Lainey Wilson – “Heart Like A Truck”
Maren Morris – “Humble Quest”
Miranda Lambert – “Actin’ Up”

MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a male artist; awarded to the artist.
Bailey Zimmerman – “Rock and A Hard Place”
Cody Johnson – “Human”
Cole Swindell – “She Had Me At Heads Carolina”
Jelly Roll – “Son Of A Sinner”
Kane Brown – “Like I Love Country Music”
Luke Combs – “The Kind Of Love We Make”
Morgan Wallen – “Wasted On You”

GROUP/DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a duo or group; awarded to the artists.
Dan + Shay – “You (Performance Video)”
Lady A – “Summer State Of Mind”
Little Big Town – “Hell Yeah”
Parmalee – “Take My Name”
The War And Treaty – “That’s How Love Is Made”
Zac Brown Band – “Out In The Middle”

BREAKTHROUGH FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from a female artist’s major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist.
Avery Anna – “Narcissist”
Kylie Morgan – “If He Wanted To He Would”
MacKenzie Porter – “Pickup”
Megan Moroney – “Tennessee Orange”
Morgan Wade – “Wilder Days”
Tiera Kennedy – “Found It In You”

BREAKTHROUGH MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from a male artist’s major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist.
Bailey Zimmerman – “Fall In Love”
Corey Kent – “Wild as Her”
Drake Milligan – “Sounds Like Something I’d Do”
Jackson Dean – “Don’t Come Lookin’”
Jelly Roll – “Son Of A Sinner”
Nate Smith – “Whiskey On You”

COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from a collaboration; awarded to the artists.
Elle King feat. Dierks Bentley – “Worth A Shot”
HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson – “wait in the truck”
Ingrid Andress with Sam Hunt – “Wishful Drinking”
Kane Brown & Katelyn Brown – “Thank God”
Midland feat. Jon Pardi – “Longneck Way To Go”
Russell Dickerson feat. Jake Scott – “She Likes It”
Thomas Rhett & Katy Perry – “Where We Started”

CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Musical performance on a television show, series or variety special on CMT; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo).
Black Pumas & Mickey Guyton – “Colors” (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
Chris Stapleton – “Whenever You Come Around” (from CMT Giants: Vince Gill)
Cody Johnson – “‘Til You Can’t” (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
Cole Swindell & Lainey Wilson – “Never Say Never” (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
Darius Rucker – “Let Her Cry” (from CMT Storytellers)
Emmy Russell & Lukas Nelson – “Lay Me Down” (from Coal Miner’s Daughter: A Celebration of the Life & Music of Loretta Lynn)
Keith Urban – “Wild Hearts” (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
LeAnn Rimes with Ashley McBryde & Carly Pearce – “One Way Ticket” (from CMT Crossroads: LeAnn Rimes & Friends)
The Judds – “Love Can Build A Bridge” (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
Wynonna Judd & Brandi Carlile – “The Rose” (from Naomi Judd: A River of Time Celebration)

CMT DIGITAL-FIRST PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Musical performance from a production, series or livestream created for CMT digital / social channels; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo).
Charley Crockett – “Time of the Cottonwood Trees“ (from CMT Campfire Sessions)
Chris Young – “Gettin’ You Home” (from CMT Stages)
Ingrid Andress – “Wishful Drinking” (from CMT Studio Sessions)
Jelly Roll – “Son of A Sinner” (from CMT All Access)
Megan Moroney – “Tennessee Orange” (from CMT Viral To Verified)
Scotty McCreery – “Damn Strait” (from CMT Campfire Sessions)

Lineup Announced For CMA Fest’s 50th Anniversary

Keith Urban, Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Lainey Wilson and more are among the star-studded initial lineup announced for CMA Fest’s upcoming 50th anniversary festival set for June 8-11 in Nashville.

Nissan Stadium will host an array of stars each night, including Jason Aldean, Jimmie Allen, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Combs, Dan + Shay, Jordan Davis, Hardy, Tyler Hubbard, Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Ashley McBryde, Tim McGraw, Old Dominion, Jon Pardi, Carly Pearce, Urban, and Wilson.

“We are so excited to celebrate the 50th anniversary of CMA Fest this year!” says Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “A lot has changed since our early days of Fan Fair, but all these years later, the heart of the festival remains that special connection between the fans and the artists. We are truly grateful to everyone who has supported us throughout the years, and we look forward to celebrating this milestone with all of our attendees in June. Stay tuned for much more!”

In addition to the mainstage performances, the special Platform Stage in the center of Nissan Stadium returns this year and will feature Ashley Cooke, Dalton Dover, Megan Moroney, Ian Munsick, Rvshvd, Nate Smith, Alana Springsteen and Hailey Whitters.

The Chevy Riverfront Stage offers a packed lineup for fans each day with artists including Lauren Alaina, Ingrid Andress, Priscilla Block, Tyler Braden, Breland, Jackson Dean, Travis Denning, Madeline Edwards, Morgan Evans, Corey Kent, Maddie & Tae, Kameron Marlowe, Chase Matthew, Drake Milligan, Cooper Alan, Niko Moon, Parmalee, MacKenzie Porter, Jameson Rodgers, Dylan Scott, Elvie Shane, Conner Smith, Nate Smith, Matt Stell, and more.

Hitting the Dr Pepper Amp Stage at Ascend Park will be A Thousand Horses, Avery Anna, Rodney Atkins, Blanco Brown, Craig Campbell, Mackenzie Carpenter, Callista Clark, Tyler Farr, Love and Theft, Alexander Ludwig, Dylan Marlowe, Chrissy Metz, David Nail, Frank Ray, Seaforth, Shenandoah, Caitlyn Smith, The Frontmen, The Red Clay Strays, Uncle Kracker, Chancey Williams, Rita Wilson, and more.

The Chevy Vibes Stage at Walk of Fame Park will feature performances from Tyler Booth, Dillon Carmichael, Carter Faith, Ryan Griffin, Chapel Hart, Home Free, Kat & Alex, Tiera Kennedy, Brett Kissel, Jerrod Niemann, Catie Offerman, Meghan Patrick, Kimberly Perry, Shane Profitt, Tyler Rich, Dylan Schneider, Canaan Smith, Noah Thompson, Thompson Square, Kasey Tyndall, Georgia Webster, Anne Wilson and more.

The stacked lineup of artists set to take the Maui Jim Reverb Stage at Bridgestone Plaza includes Justin Champagne, Ben Chapman, Kyle Clark, Abbey Cone, Taylor Edwards, Drew Green, Jonathan Hutcherson, Willie Jones, Bryan Martin, Chase McDaniel, Madeline Merlo, Patrick Murphy, Neon Union, Griffen Palmer, Pillbox Patti, Peytan Porter, Brandon Ratcliff, Austin Snell, Tigirlily Gold, Anna Vaus, Lathan Warlick, Lauren Watkins, and Sam Williams, among others.

While a limited number of Four-Night Stadium Passes are currently on sale, fans can access a variety of new ticket options starting today at 10 a.m. CT at CMAfest.com/tickets.

Outdoor daytime stages are free and open to the public, and additional stage lineups—including Ascend Amphitheater, Fan Fair X activities inside Music City Center and more—will be announced in the coming weeks.

Kelsea Ballerini Makes Big Leap On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart

Kelsea Ballerini

Kelsea Ballerini jumps onto the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart at No. 12 this week with the impact of her new EP, Rolling Up The Welcome Mat.

In addition to “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too)” from her 2022 Subject To Change album, Ballerini co-wrote “Blindsided” and “Penthouse” from Rolling Up The Welcome Mat and wrote “Mountain With A View” alone.

Morgan Wallen remains in the No. 1 position this week with eight currently charting songs. The top five also includes Ashley Gorley (No. 2), Zach Bryan (No. 3), Luke Combs (No. 4) and Michael Hardy (No. 5).

The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital download track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.

Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.

LAST DAY: Rising Women On The Row Tickets Close Friday

Tickets for MusicRow‘s Rising Women on the Row breakfast will close Friday (March 10) at 5 p.m. The annual event will take place March 23 at the Omni Nashville Hotel, beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Presenting sponsors for this year’s Rising Women on the Row are City National Bank and Loeb & Loeb.

The 10th annual celebration will honor the 2023 class of Rising Women on the Row honorees, which include Big Loud’s Stacy Blythe, Neon Coast’s Martha Earls, WME’s Beth Hamilton, RIAA’s Jackie Jones, Spotify’s Brittany Schaffer and Sony Music Publishing’s Anna WeisbandRead about the honorees here.

River House Artists President & Founder, Lynn Oliver-Cline, will be the featured speaker at the event. Attendees will be treated to insights from Oliver-Cline during an on-stage interview with MusicRow Owner/Publisher Sherod Robertson.

Tickets are now closed and will not be sold at the door. For any questions regarding the event, contact LB Cantrell at lbcantrell@musicrow.com.

Lineup Revealed, Passes On Sale For Tin Pan South 2023

The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), in partnership with Regions Bank, has announced the lineup and released passes for Tin Pan South, taking place Tuesday, March 28, through Saturday, April 1, 2023.

Now in its 31st year, Tin Pan South will take place over ten stages across Music City, including 3rd & Lindsley, Analog at Hutton Hotel (stage presented by Musicnotes), The Bluebird Cafe (stage presented by Amazon Music), Commodore Grille, Cross-Eyed Critters Watering Hole (stage presented by Tennessee Entertainment Commission), Hard Rock Café Nashville, The Lounge at City Winery (stage presented by Recording Academy Songwriters & Composers Wing), The Listening Room (stage presented by Visit Music City), Live Oak and The Vinyl Lounge (stage presented by Nashville Scene).

The lineup is live on tinpansouth.com. Featuring everyone from Hall of Fame hitmakers to up-and-comers, over 400 songwriters are scheduled to perform.

Passes are $145 for NSAI members and $175 for the general public. There will be a cash line at every show for those looking to attend on an individual basis. Availability will be based on venue capacity and admission is not guaranteed.

ASCAP, BMI and SESAC will all be showcasing their writers on Tuesday night of the festival, and The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum returns with a show of legends on The Amazon Music Stage at The Bluebird Cafe. As previously announced, Austin’s award-winning listening room, The Saxon Pub, is participating in the festival this year as part of an exchange with The Bluebird Cafe and NSAI, and fans surely won’t want to miss the benefit show for The Store at 3rd and Lindsley on Friday.

Additionally, Tin Pan South has started a new partnership with Amazon Music, who has curated the shows at The Bluebird Cafe on March 29. The evening will feature Warner Music Nashville and Amazon Music Breakthrough Artist to Watch, Madeline Edwards, performing with Grammy-nominated songwriter Laura Veltz and other special guest collaborators.

“We’re delighted to work with NSAI to present an incredible evening of music this year, and to be able to curate a lineup of talented songwriters and artists for the iconic Bluebird Cafe stage,” says James Duffett-Smith, Director, Content Acquisition and Global Head of Music Publishing, Amazon Music.

NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison adds, “NSAI is excited to work with Amazon Music for Tin Pan South and is pleased to explore possibilities such as this to benefit the songwriters we serve.”

Passes for Tin Pan South 2023 are available for purchase here.

Bailey Zimmerman Earns Second No. 1 On MusicRow Radio Chart

Bailey Zimmerman. Photo: Spidey Smith

Bailey Zimmerman tops the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart for the second time with “Rock and A Hard Place.”

The tune was written by Heath Warren, Jacob Hackworth and Jet Harvey, and appears on Zimmerman’s first full-length release, Leave The Light On. The project became the most-streamed all-genre debut of 2022 upon release as well as the biggest streaming country debut of all time.

Having earned more than 1.4 billion career streams to date, Zimmerman ranked as Billboard’s 2022 No. 2 Top New Country Artist and No. 4 Top New Artist across all genres. He was the only country artist in 2022 to receive two Platinum certifications from the RIAA, beginning with his No. 1 debut single “Fall In Love,” the fastest debut single to reach No. 1 at country radio since 2015.

Click here to view the latest edition of The MusicRow Weekly containing the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart.

DISClaimer Single Reviews: Brad Paisley Delivers ‘Country Stardom At Its Finest’

Country music is dealing with some ear-opening romance reality this week.

Jon Pardi, Ingrid Andress, Kip Moore and Allie Colleen all approach the topic of love with various kinds of creativity. All are well worth your spns.

There’s no denying the topicality and artistry of Brad Paisley, who earns the Disc of the Day with his excellent Ukraine-benefit single.

There’s also no denying the stupendous pleasure that comes with hearing a terrific new band. That would be The Shootouts, who captivated my brain and are taking home this week’s DisCovery Award.

SAM WILLIAMS / “Tilted Crown”
Writers: Luke DickSam Williams/Scooter Carusoe; Producer: Luke Dick; Label: Mercury Nashville
– Williams current single/video is a melodic, wistful ballad that finds him coming to grips with his family legacy. It has a troublesome ache, but a peaceful resolution. Plenty of emotion, plenty of hooks. A winner.

TYLER HUBBARD / “Small Town Me”
Writers: Chris LaCorte/Tyler Hubbard; Producer: Jordan Schmidt/Tyler Hubbard; Label: EMI Nashville
– Kinda beefy and anthem-like, it has a certain drive and oomph that make it sound like more than a simple ode to simple living. This guy has the goods.

RUSTY TRUCK / “Be on My Side”
Writers: Mark Seliger/Michael Duff; Producer: Larry Campbell; Label: Downtown
– Beautifully sung and produced, but I don’t hear a hit in this arty, meandering song.

MORGAN WALLEN / “Thought You Should Know”
Writers: Nicolle Galyon/Miranda Lambert/Morgan Wallen; Producer: Joey Moi; Label: Big Loud
– The song’s lyric scans awkwardly, and it seems to slip out of meter here and there. But the missing-mama sentiment rings true, as does the overall vibe of redemption. He can do better, and has.

CAITLYN SMITH / “The Great Pretender”
Writers: Caitlyn Smith/Bob DiPiero/Joe Clemmons; Producer: Caitlyn Smith; Label: Monument
– Nicely done. It’s about smiling on the outside, but crying on the inside. Her slightly cracked and broken vocal delivery is right on the money. The ballad’s simple, echoey, acoustic production is perfect for the mood. I’m in.

BRAD PAISLEY / “Same Here”
Writers: Brad Paisley/Lee Thomas Miller/Taylor Goldsmith; Producer: Luke Wooten/Brad Paisley; Label: EMI
– Released on the first anniversary of the terrible Ukraine invasion, this yearning ballad is awash in nostalgia, longing and reflection. The third verse addresses our brothers overseas who pray for peace and freedom. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy makes a moving cameo vocal appearance, and proceeds will benefit Ukrainian relief efforts. This is country stardom at its finest.

KASSI ASHTON / “Drive You Out of My Mind”
Writers: Kassi Ashton/Travis Wood/Todd Clark; Producers: Luke Laird/Todd Clark/Kassi Ashton; Label: MCA Nashville
– Ashton rocks out on this hit-the-road, tempestuous tempo tune. Splendidly rhythmic.

KIP MOORE / “Damn Love”
Writers: Jason Gantt/Jaren Johnston/James McNair; Producers: Kip Moore/Jaren Johnston; Label: MCA
– Yes, yes. This delightful pile driver captures everything there is to love about this artist—the passionate attitude, the raspy/urgent voice, the hooks-a-plenty melody, the fiery energy. His best yet.

INGRID ANDRESS / “Treated Me Good”
Writers: Ingrid Andress/Sam Ellis/Derrick Southerland; Producers: Ingrid Andress, Sam Ellis; Label: Warner
– She says a heartache farewell to a lover with tender good wishes. The excellent production builds admirably as she unspools her conflicting emotions. Her penetrating delivery of the drum-beat choruses is especially gripping.

JON PARDI / “Your Heart or Mine”
Writers: Bart Butler/Justin Ebach/John Pierce; Producers: Bart Butler, Ryan Gore & Jon Pardi; Label: Capitol Nashville
– The sound of hot romance. Kinda moody and bluesy, the atmospheric steady stomper is undeniably ear catching. I think this thing has legs.

THE SHOOTOUTS & ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL / “One Step Forward”
Writers: Allen Moss; Producers: Ray Benson, Sam Seife; Label: Soundly
– This Akron, Ohio band’s new album, Stampede, features appearances by Marty Stuart, Jim Lauderdale, Buddy Miller and Raul Malo. This delightful track is a collaboration with the legendary band led by the record’s producer, Ray Benson. It’s a super swinger with western jazzbo vibes that are bound to charm yer ears. Tune in for some hot picking, too. Yowza!

ALLIE COLLEEN / “Honest Man”
Writers: Allie Colleen/Kate Hasting/Vinny Vincent/Lance Carpenter; Producer: Joe Costa; Label: AC
– A powerfully strummed rhythm guitar backs her solid vocal of this expertly written exploration of true love. Wonderfully melodic and highly listenable. Heartily recommended.