NuVoodoo, in partnership with CRS, will present its latest research study on country music and country radio at CRS 2025 on Feb. 20. The study, “The Country Fan – Reviewing, Retaining, and Recruiting Your Listeners” was sourced from a nationwide survey of 1,500 country music fans and analyzed their perceptions, behaviors and preferences with respect to the genre.

The research will explore topics such as how country music fans feel about the genre in its current form, where and how they are listening to country music, the sources they rely on to stay informed about the music they love, and how they view country radio in 2025.

In addition to the survey, NuVoodoo has conducted one-on-one interviews with fans to personalize the data. The presentation will also include new music testing results on over 400 country tracks from a sample of over 700 country music fans. This sampling will offer insights into which songs resonate with listeners most and which they deem the most authentically country.

Carolyn Gilbert, CEO of NuVoodoo, shares, “What do they think? How do they feel? About Country radio? About Country music? We asked a lot of questions, and we have answers. We look forward to seeing you at CRS.”

On-site registration for CRS 2025 will begin Feb. 19, for the walkup rate of $799. Visit www.CountryRadioSeminar.com for more details.

David Field

Audacy’s David Field will be stepping down from his position of President/CEO, as well as a member of the Board of Directors. Current Board member Kelli Turner will serve as interim President/CEO, starting immediately.

“David has left an indelible mark on the industry, growing Audacy from a few small radio stations into a scaled multi-platform audio content and entertainment powerhouse,” shares Michael Del Nin, Chairman of the Board. “He has built a great company with leading positions across the country’s largest markets and an outstanding portfolio of exclusive, premium audio content. Under David’s dedicated leadership, Audacy has been positioned for long-term success, and we look forward to working with Kelli and the entire team as the company begins its next exciting chapter.”

“Since I joined Audacy, then Entercom, we have grown from $10 million in revenues with 10 niche radio stations into a $1.2 billion, multi-platform audio leader with one of the country’s two scaled radio broadcast groups, one of the largest podcast networks and the unrivaled top position in sports audio,” says Field. “Audacy recently completed a very successful 2024, delivering industry-leading EBITDA growth of more than 70% through the third quarter and significant revenue share gains across our radio and digital businesses. With the company in a strong competitive and financial position, now is the optimal time to pass the baton to new leadership. I am deeply proud of our extraordinary team and everything we have accomplished for our listeners, customers, partners, and communities. The company is in great hands, and I look forward to seeing the next chapter of Audacy’s success.”

Turner has been a member of the Audacy Board since September 2024. She has also served on the boards of several advertising and music technology companies, including DoubleVerify, Downtown Music Holdings and Central European Media Enterprises Ltd. Most recently, she was the Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer at Sun Capital Partners, a private investment firm. Before joining Sun Capital Partners, she was the President and Chief Operating Officer of SESAC Holdings. Her experience spans executive roles across the investment and media sectors, including positions at RSL Group, Martha Stewart Living, Time Warner, Allen & Company and Citigroup. Turner holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School.

The Board has begun the search for a permanent CEO. Field will remain with the company in a new role as Special Advisor to the CEO and the Board.

Pictured (L-R): Dustin “Catfish” Fuqua, Aden Wood, Ryan Laslie, Jacob Ty Young, Colby Clark and Dwight McGlynn. Photo: Kevin Pohle

Kentucky six-piece band Ole 60 made their Grand Ole Opry debut this weekend, exactly 365 days after making their debut as a band to a crowd of 100 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

The band thrilled the Opry crowd with performances of “Thoughts of You” from their November-released second EP, Songs About You, and the song that ignited the band’s rapid rise, “Smoke & A Light,” from their debut EP, Three Twenty Four.

Ole 60 makes their Grand Ole Opry debut. Photo: Kevin Pohle

“We’re Ole 60 from Hawesville, Kentucky. This weekend marks one-year since our first weekend out on the road, and if you’d have told us back then we’d be making our Opry debut a year later, we’d have called you crazy,” lead singer Jacob Ty Young shared from the stage. “We see a lot of familiar faces out in the crowd tonight, we can’t thank y’all enough for coming out and watching us. It’s pretty cool to see, I think our whole hometown’s here. Thank y’all so much.”

Ole 60 will embark on their nearly sold-out spring headline “Outta My Way Tour” this weekend in Boston (Jan. 30), New York (Jan. 31) and Raleigh (Feb. 1). See full dates here.

Alison Smith. Photo: JC Olivera for BMI

After nearly 40 years with BMI, Alison Smith, Executive Vice President and Chief Distribution & Publisher Relations Officer, announced today (Jan. 28) that she will retire from the company at the end of March.

Smith joined BMI in 1985 as a temporary worker in the company’s Nashville office. She went on the spend her entire career at the organization, working in multiple departments and taking on increasing responsibility throughout her tenure.

“This has by far been the hardest decision I have ever had to make in my career. I love BMI, I love my BMI family, and in some ways can’t imagine not being here,” Smith shared in a company-wide memo announcing the news. “That said, after many months of contemplating what my future may hold, I concluded that it is time to spend more time with my family and friends while I am still relatively young and can enjoy life away from BMI.”

In his own memo, BMI President and CEO Mike O’Neill said, “I have known Alison since I began working at BMI 30 years ago, and she has been a colleague, partner, advisor and friend to me every day that I have been here. Alison is part of the fabric of BMI, and she has helped us become the company we are today. She has touched so many lives in an indelible way, not just internally at BMI but also within the larger music community. She will be missed.”

O’Neill also announced that Smith will continue to support BMI as a strategic advisor for the next two years, and that Nashville-based Shouvik Das, SVP of Distribution, Publisher Relations & Administration Services, will assume oversight of that department, reporting directly to him.

“Over the past few years, Shouvik has played an increasingly important role within that team, becoming more involved with the strategic operations of that group. I have full faith in his leadership and vision moving forward.”

Cody Alan and Kane Brown at SiriusXM Studios. Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images for SiriusXM

SiriusXM has unveiled The 615 Studio Sessions, a new series set to broadcast on SiriusXM’s The Highway. The program will showcase live performances and Q&A segments featuring country music artists.

SiriusXM and Pandora’s The 615 Studio Sessions, presented by Wayfair, will offer fans and SiriusXM subscribers an exclusive VIP experience. Attendees will have the chance to enjoy live, intimate performances and interviews with country music artists at SiriusXM’s Nashville Skyline Studio, the company’s broadcast and performance space. Wayfair will also provide memorable moments like artist meet-and-greets, exclusive giveaways, photo ops and more.

To launch the series, Kane Brown joined The Highway host Cody Alan last Wednesday (Jan. 22) for an exclusive Q&A, offering fans a behind the scenes glimpse into his creative process and the inspiration behind his new album, The High Road. SiriusXM subscribers in attendance also got a first listen to the album.

SiriusXM subscribers and Pandora will receive exclusive invites and chances to attend The 615 Studio Sessions throughout 2025.