Kenny Chesney Earns 33rd Chart-Topper With ‘Take Her Home’

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Photo: Courtesy of Warner Music Nashville

Kenny Chesney has extended his own record for the most No. 1s on the Billboard Country Airplay chart with his 33rd chart-topper, “Take Her Home,” which recently landed at No. 1 on the Mediabase chart as well.

“It’s an amazing feeling, hearing the people singing it back to us,” says Chesney. “It reminds you how these songs really do hold pieces of actual lives inside them, how deeply people feel these records; they’re more than hits. But when you get that call, and they tell you it’s No. 1, you realize how many people are seeing themselves on the radio. To me, that’s why I started doing this.”

The hitmaker has also broken his previous attendance records at almost ever stadium on his “Sun Goes Down 2024 Tour.” His performance at Chicago’s Solider Field on Saturday (June 15) saw almost 2,000 more people than his prior best.

“It’s been the most amazing summer,” he notes. “No Shoes Nation has always been this passionate, insane country without borders with people who come together, raise our pirate flag and enjoy life in ways that inspire me. I didn’t know you could have some of the responses we’ve had on this tour, and just when you think it can’t get any louder or more heartfelt, Chicago happens.”

The journey will run through Aug. 25, wrapping with a three-night stand at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

ACM Announces Special Award Winners & ACM Honors Hosts

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The Academy of Country Music has announced the Special Award winners for the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards. The winners will be celebrated alongside the recipients of the ACM Industry and Studio Recording Awards, which will be presented by Tyler Hubbard, during the 17th Annual ACM Honors. Hosted by Carly Pearce and Jordan Davis, the ceremony will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 21 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.

“I’m thrilled to return to host ACM Honors for the fourth year in a row,” says Pearce. “It’s always an unforgettable night that I look forward to, and I’m excited to have Jordan joining me this year!”

“I’ve performed at ACM Honors for the past two years and love that the show celebrates the behind-the-scenes titans in this industry as well as so many of the artists I’ve looked up to for years,” Davis adds. “I’m really honored to join Carly as host this year and excited for what will be a great night.”

Lainey Wilson will receive this year’s ACM Triple Crown Award following her win for ACM Entertainer of the Year last month. By claiming that title along with ACM New Female Artist of the Year at 57th ACM Awards and her first ACM Female Artist of the Year at the 58th ACM Awards, Wilson qualified for the Triple Crown Award, which only nine other artists have received. She is the first solo woman to be honored with the award in a three-year span as well as the first act since The Chicks to qualify in that timeframe. Wilson has also been chosen as the recipient of the ACM Milestone Award, which honors the contributions of longtime ACM Awards Director & Producer Gene Weed. This award is presented to a country music artist, duo/group or industry leader for a specific, unprecedented or outstanding achievement in the field of country music during the preceding calendar year.

Tony Brown and Trisha Yearwood will both be presented with the ACM Icon Award. The award honors the contributions of Cliffie Stone, who was known for his work as producer as well as his country music career, and is presented to a country music artist, duo/group or industry leader who, throughout their career, has advanced the popularity of the genre through their contributions in multiple industry facets. Throughout his storied career, Brown has played piano with Elvis Presley and Emmylou Harris in addition to playing as a part of the TCB Band. He has also produced over 100 No. 1 country hits for Yearwood, Reba McEntire, George Strait and more. The former President of MCA Nashville has previously won seven ACM Awards, including Producer of the Year. Yearwood emerged as one of the top country voices in the ’90s, winning ACM New Female Vocalist of the Year in 1991 and winning ACM Female Vocalist of the Year in 1997. Along with a win for ACM Video of the Year in 2016, she has taken home three ACM Awards over the course of her career thus far.

Shannon Sanders has been named this year’s ACM Lift Every Voice Award recipient. Presented for the first time last year, this award recognizes a country music artist, duo/group, industry leader or affiliate/partner who plays a pivotal role in elevating underrepresented voices throughout the genre, transcending demographics and geography. The nominee for this category is proposed by the rising leaders of ACM’s LEVEL UP: Lift Every Voice professional development and enrichment program. Sanders is a respected member of Nashville’s music industry with multiple awards under his belt as a songwriter, producer and musician. He currently works as Executive Director, Creative at BMI, and serves on the ACM Board of Directors as well as chairs the ACM Lifting Voices Council.

Luke Bryan will take home the ACM Lifting Lives Award, which honors the contributions of business manager and past ACM Lifting Lives President Gary Haber. This award is presented to a country music artist, duo/group or industry professional who is devoted to improving lives through the power of music, possesses a generous spirit and is committed to serving others. The recipient is voted on by the ACM Lifting Lives Board of Directors. The three-time ACM Entertainer of the Year winner has 30 No. 1 singles and ten total ACM Awards under his belt. Along with his music, Bryan is known for his philanthropic efforts, including his annual “Farm Tour.”  Son of a peanut farmer, he brings his shows to farms across the country to honor the hard work. Since the tour’s inception in 2009, Bryan has awarded over 80 scholarships, and raised enough money alongside sponsors to donate more than eight million meals.

Walt Aldridge and Alan Jackson will both receive the ACM Poet’s Award, which presented to a country music songwriter for outstanding and longstanding musical and/or lyrical contributions throughout their career, with special consideration given to a song or songs’ impact on the culture of the genre. Aldridge has amassed over 20 Gold and Platinum RIAA certifications. He has been named one of Billboard’s top writers of the year twice and has written hits for Ronnie Milsap, Earl Thomas Conley, Travis Tritt and Heartland. An accomplished musician, singer and producer, Aldridge spent nearly 20 years in Muscle Shoals working at Fame Recording Studio. Jackson is a 20-time ACM Award winner, a Country Music Hall of Fame member and a Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee. He has sold nearly 60 million albums worldwide and charted 50 top-10 hits and 35 No. 1s.

These honorees join the previously-announced ACM Artist-Songwriter of the Year, Chris Stapleton, and ACM Songwriter of the Year, Jessie Jo Dillon.

Tickets for the 17th Annual ACM Honors will be available to ACM A-List Newsletter subscribers and ACM members through an exclusive presale beginning this Thursday (June 20), with general sales starting this Friday (June 21), through AXS. For more information, click here. Performers will be announced in the coming weeks.

BREAKING: Sony Music Nashville Elevates Lauren Thomas

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Lauren Thomas

Sony Music Nashville has elevated Lauren Thomas to Senior Vice President, Promotion.

Thomas most recently served as Vice President, Columbia Promotion. She joined Sony Music Nashville in October 2009, and has held various roles on the Promotion team during her tenure while scoring nearly 80 No. 1 records. For the past year two years, Thomas has overseen the promotional efforts for the Columbia Nashville roster and staff. She has led chart-toppers for Old Dominion, Megan Moroney and Mitchell Tenpenny as well as multiple hits for Luke Combs.

Most recently, Thomas and her team landed Combs his 18th consecutive No. 1 record. She also played a part in the overall Sony Music Nashville team earning three debut No. 1 records on the country charts in just five months. Prior to joing the label, Thomas spent five years at KMLE-FM in Phoenix.

In her new role, she will oversee the day-to-day promotional operations of the RCA and Columbia imprints. Thomas will continue to report to Executive Vice President, Promotion Steve Hodges, working with him across the roster on all national promotional strategies and initiatives.

“For the past nine years I have watched LT grow and develop into a strong team leader and industry power player. Her passion and work ethic are infectious and second to none,” says Hodges. “I’m very proud to see her rise with this well-deserved promotion to Senior Vice President as she continues to step up and help the overall Sony national representation while continuing to lead the Columbia team.”

SOLID Raises Over $15,500 At Annual Music Row Madness Event

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Music Row Madness 2024 Photo: Morgan Jergens

The Society of Leaders In Development raised $15,614 at its annual Music Row Madness event. The proceeds from this friendly bowling competition, held at Eastside Bowl, support SOLID Shares Partners Brooklyn Heights Community Garden, Hope On the Row, Musicians On Call, Nashville Launch Pad and Special Olympics Tennessee.

“This year marks the fourteenth year of our Music Row Madness fundraising event,” shares SOLID President Rio Van Risseghem. “Our organization takes great joy in choosing our annual SOLID Shares partners, and I am especially excited by the diversity of non-profit missions we are supporting both in financial assistance and volunteer hours. Our Community Outreach Chairs Guy Evans and Becky Parsons have been integral in keeping members engaged with our SOLID Shares partners, and have also done an amazing job rallying the support of our wider music community.”

In addition to Music Row Madness, SOLID hosted its annual Student Scholarship Competition, recognizing outstanding music business and marketing students. This year’s competition tasked students with creating a campaign for artist Sam Williams. The winning team received prize money, and all participants were given a professional development toolkit.

“It was such an incredible experience to get to be a part of the SOLID Marketing Plan Competition for college students in Middle Tennessee,” says Williams. “I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of creative ideas expressed and professionalism executed by the students. Some of the ideas shared within the projects are planning to be incorporated within our album release timeline for this upcoming year. I am so thankful and excited to connect with young minds and to have shared a reciprocal motivating experience. Seeing the students excited about my project makes me more thrilled to deliver it to the world! I hope to maintain some of the relationships with members in SOLID and am excited for their futures in the music industry!”

Ricky Young Signs With Warner Chappell Music

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Pictured: (L-R): Warner Chappell’s Benji Amaefule, Taylor Phillips, Ricky Young, Warner Chappell’s Ben Vaughn and BMI’s MaryAnn Keen. Photo: Courtesy of Warner Chappell Music

Singer-songwriter Ricky Young has signed a global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music.

The South Carolina native moved to Nashville in 2011 after working with producer Nick Autry. He aims to encapsulate the soul of country music as his songwriting skills continue to evolve. Young’s credits include Lee Brice’s “I Carry It With Me” and Bubba Sparxx’s “Baby Wussup,” among others. He has also toured with superstar Luke Combs in addition to opening for established artists such as Luke Bryan and Darius Rucker.

Performances Revealed For ‘CMA Fest’ Concert Special

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The Country Music Association has revealed 30 performances set to be featured in the CMA Fest television concert special. Hosted by Jelly Roll and Ashley McBryde, the special will air Tuesday, June 25 at 7 p.m. CT on ABC and next day on Hulu.

Filmed during the 51st annual CMA Fest, the three-hour event will include performances by Jelly Roll, McBryde, Kelsea Ballerini, Big & Rich, Clint Black, Brothers Osborne, Luke Bryan, Terri Clark, Jordan Davis, Jackson Dean, Billy F Gibbons, Hardy, Cody Johnson, Little Big Town, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Parker McCollum, Megan Moroney, Jon Pardi, Carly Pearce, Post Malone, Shaboozey, Blake Shelton, Brittney Spencer, The War And Treaty, Thomas Rhett, Keith Urban, Gretchen Wilson, Lainey Wilson and Bailey Zimmerman.

“Stepping onto the stage in front of 50,000 people to host CMA Fest at Nissan Stadium in my hometown in Nashville was indescribable,” shares Jelly Roll. “The magnitude of the moment really hit me, to be across the street from the juvenile detention center I was in and to now be on stage hosting—how do you describe being in the same exact place while being in a place that couldn’t be more different, at the same time.”

“When my buddy Jelly Roll and I walked out into this massive crowd and felt the electric energy for the first time, it felt important,” says McBryde. “We were nervous! But it also felt good, because at the root of it all, it’s just me and my pal cutting up, only we’re doing it on national television for CMA Fest.”

Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival Wraps 2024 Event

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Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival 2024. Photo: Charles Reagan

Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival wrapped its 2024 event over the weekend in Manchester, Tennessee. The annual festival took place June 13–16, and featured an array of acts across multiple genres.

Post Malone and Billy Strings perform during Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival 2024. Photo: Pooneh Ghana

Fans filled The Farm for the four-day function on Thursday (June 13). Acts such as Chapel Hart, Matt Maltese, Say She She, Eggy and more entertained the crowd on the Centeroo stages and around the Outeroo campgrounds before opening headliner Pretty Lights took the What Stage that evening to play a range of tunes including Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” and Pink Floyd’s “Goodbye Blue Sky.” Post Malone headlined the What Stage on Friday night (June 14), performing hits “Better Now,” among others. Following “Rockstar,” he brought Billy Strings for two songs during his set, while the Which Stage radiated energy emitted by Maggie Rogers and T-Pain, among others.

Saturday (June 15) featured Which Stage performances by Reneé Rapp, Melanie Martinez and more as well as an Other Stage set by Diplo, This Tent performance by Sean Paul and That Tent appearance by Tanner Usrey, along with many others. Talent including Jon Basiste and Cage The Elephant set the tone on the What Stage before the Red Hot Chili Peppers took over. After rocking out, the group invited all attendees to a Waffle House afterparty. Chappell Roan graced the Which Stage on Sunday (June 16) with tracks from her new album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, followed by Charles Wesley Godwin, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit and others, while Galantis and more hit The Other Stage. Despite a rain delay, Carley Rae Jepsen jammed out with fans on the What Stage, incorporating her 2012 smash “Call Me Maybe” into her set. Megan Thee Stallion was up next and reportedly brought the heat with “Hot Girl Summer” and a cover of Cardi B’s “Wap,” before headliner Fred Again closed out the festival.

Red Hot Chili Peppers headlining Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival 2024. Photo: Josh Brasted

Jake Owen Presented With Pandora Billionaires Plaque

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Jake Owen with his Pandora Billionaires Plaque

Country music star Jake Owen was presented with a celebratory plaque from Pandora honoring his two billion streams on the platform. This award came as Owen kicked off SiriusXM’s CMA Fest party during The Highway’s Music Row Happy Hour at Margaritaville on June 6.

The hardware was presented by SiriusXM/Pandora’s Johnny Chiang, VP Music Programming, Country, Alina Thompson, Associate Director, Strategy & Operations/Artist & Industry Relations, Victoria Alfonso, Coordinator, Artist & Industry Relations, and The Highway Hosts Ania Hammar and Ashley Till. The artist boasts an array of Gold and Platinum albums, billions of streams across multiple platforms and ten No. 1 songs, including “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” “Made For You,” and “I Was Jack (You Were Diane).”

“It’s truly an incredible feeling to reach two billion streams on Pandora,” expresses Owen. “Knowing that our music is resonating with so many people is deeply gratifying. As artists, we simply hope to connect with listeners, and seeing this kind of support is humbling and heartwarming.”

“We are thrilled to congratulate Jake on this remarkable achievement,” says Chiang. “Reaching over two billion spins on Pandora is a testament to Jake’s incredible talent and the deep connection he has with his fans. Everyone at SiriusXM Pandora looks forward to celebrating many more successes with him.”

Additionally, Owen is currently preparing to hit the road with duo Dan + Shay on “The Heartbreak On The Map Tour,” which kicks off July 18 in Cincinnati, Ohio and continues through the United States until the end of September.

Priscilla Block To Begin New Era Of Music This Friday

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Priscilla Block will kick off a new era of music this Friday (June 21) with the release of her new EP, PB2, via Mercury Nashville.

Block first announced the news during her CMA Fest fan club party, and shared a preview of the project’s accompanying visualizers. The five-song EP features already-released track “Hey Jack,” and her current radio single “Good On You,” which has amassed over 14 million streams.

“It’s been a while leading up to this next era for me and I’m so excited it’s finally here,” shares Block. “I wanted to drop three songs that showcase three different sides of me as an artist. ‘Apartment’ is my vulnerable, heart-on-my-sleeve side. ‘Bad Guy’ is the sassy anthem that I want to dance to all night long in a club. ‘Hell Out of a Hometown’ is the country girl inside of me that’s always evolving. This is the start of an ongoing story so make sure y’all pay close attention. Here’s to PB2!”

Coming off of her headlining “Hey Jack Tour,” Block will continue touring throughout the year and open for Jon Pardi on his “Mr. Saturday Night Tour.” She is also set to make festival appearances at Country Thunder Bristol, Windy City Smokeout, Crossroads 41 Festival and among more.

PB2 Track Listing:
1. “Good On You”
2. “Hell Out Of A Hometown”
3. “Bad Guy”
4. “Hey Jack”
5. “Apartment”

Trent Fisher Inks With Dream 3 Publishing & Kobalt

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Pictured (L–R): Dream 3’s Laurel Kittleson-Cobb, Greg Hill, Kobalt’s Kevin Lane, Dream 3’s Emily Olson and Trent Fisher

Trent Fisher has inked an exclusive publishing agreement with Dream 3 Publishing and Kobalt.

The California native was born into a football family. He eventually walked onto the team at Auburn University, while also playing music and leading worship at church on Sunday mornings. Fisher moved to Nashville in 2017 and worked various jobs, but remained committed to developing his songwriting skills. He began teaching history and psychology at his former high school in 2019, and had his first cut with Pryor & Lee’s “Good Ol’ Dogs and God” in 2021.

Fisher joins Ben Caver, Jon Stark and Dawson Edwards on the Dream 3 roster.

“So many people around town know and love Trent, but not many know what an incredible songwriter he is,” says Emily Olson, Partner & Creative Director, Dream 3 Publishing. “He’s been quietly writing amazing songs and working at his craft over the years. We are so excited to help take him and his songs to the next level, and for him to be a part of the Nashville songwriting community.”

“It’s an honor to join the team at Dream 3. Not only do Greg [Hill], Laurel [Kittleson-Cobb] and Emily bring a wealth of experience from different facets of the industry, they’re also incredible people who have felt like family since our first meeting,” shares Fisher. “I want to thank them for believing in me and for the love and support they’ve shown my family and I since day one.”