Virgin Music Group Acquires Downtown, Pieter van Rijn Tapped As COO

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Pictured (L-R): JT Myers, Pieter van Rijn and Nat Pastor. Photo: Damon Casarez.

Virgin Music Group (VMG) has acquired Downtown Music Holdings LLC (Downtown).

Pieter van Rijn has been appointed Chief Operating Officer of VMG, having been CEO of Downtown since last year. He will report to co-CEOs Nat Pastor and JT Myers and will continue to be based in Amsterdam.

“Pieter’s appointment signals our intent to bring these businesses together thoughtfully and strategically,” shares Pastor. “This is about making both Virgin Music Group and Downtown even better — preserving their distinct strengths while increasing the investment, technology and global resources available to independent entrepreneurs. Pieter’s experience and leadership make him the right person to help guide us forward.”

“This combination enhances the choice, service and global reach available to the independent community,” adds van Rijn. “I’m grateful to Justin and Andrew for their vision in building Downtown, and to Nat and JT for their trust as we enter this next chapter. Our focus is clear: strengthen what makes both companies special and deliver even greater value to the entrepreneurs we serve.”

Downtown Founder Justin Kalifowitz is stepping away from the company. Andrew Bergman, previously Chairman of Downtown, will transition into a senior advisory role. Initially established in 2007, Downtown collectively serves over 5,000 business clients and more than four million creators in 145 countries. Today, the company has core divisions across Artist & Label Services, Distribution, and Music Publishing. The company’s portfolio of businesses includes FUGA, Downtown Artist & Label Services, CD Baby, Downtown Music Publishing and Songtrust.

“I’m extremely proud of the culture we created, grounded in trust, long-term partnership and the constant pursuit of excellence,” says Bergman. “Pieter van Rijn epitomizes that culture and watching my friend grow into such an exceptional leader has been extremely gratifying. Justin and I look forward to cheering on Nat, JT, Pieter and the combined teams as they continue to create new opportunities for the global music community.”

“Today recognizes the extraordinary company the Downtown team has built,” adds Myers. “Justin’s pioneering spirit — and the leadership of Andrew, Pieter and colleagues worldwide — created an organization defined by its powerful belief in independent creators. We deeply respect what this team has built and are committed to backing it, protecting what makes Downtown successful, and expanding opportunities for the global independent community.”

Austin Snell To Hit The Road On ‘Home Sweet Hell’ Tour

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Austin Snell. Photo: Josef Lloyd

Austin Snell is set to hit the road this spring on the “Home Sweet Hell Tour.”

Kicking off April 10 in Las Vegas, Nevada, the 10-date run will make stops in California, Utah, Colorado and more. Tickets are on sale now.

Snell released his EP of the same name in August. On February 27, he’ll release new track “Circles,” with more music set for release later this year. Inspired by the sounds of Nickelback, Three Doors Down, Alan Jackson and Keith Whitley, the Georgia native has shared stages with Jason Aldean, Brantley Gilbert, Warren Zeiders, Kolby Cooper and more.

“Home Sweet Hell Tour” Dates:
4/10: Las Vegas, NV – Stoney’s Rockin’ Country
4/11: Anaheim, CA – House of Blues
4/12: Florence, AZ – Country Thunder Arizona
4/16: Paso Robles, CA – Cal Coast Beer
4/17: Clovis, CA – Two Ravens Brewery
4/18: Oakdale, CA – Dying Breed Brewing
4/21: Salt Lake City, UT – Soundwell
4/23: Grand Junction, CO – Warehouse 25 Sixty-Five
4/24: Denver, CO – Grizzly Rose
4/25: Colorado Springs, CO – The Whiskey Rose

DISClaimer Single Reviews: Emily Ann Roberts Delivers A ‘Delightful Listening Experience’

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The male country-music superstars have their day today, but none of them claimed a DISClaimer award.

Luke Combs, Vince Gill, Russell Dickerson, Ray Stevens and Rodney Atkins all issued worthy new singles this week. But the female voices were just as captivating. Add Ella Langley, The Band Perry, Disc of the Day winner Emily Ann Roberts and DISCovery Award winners The Burnett Sisters Band to your playlists pronto.

EMILY ANN ROBERTS / “Whipped”
Writers: Emily Ann Roberts/Jeremy Spillman/Trent Willmon/Ryan Beaver; Producer: Brandon Hood; Label: RECORDS/Sony
– Wonderfully playful and smartly rocking. He’s a man’s-man, but she’s in charge. “Got me wrapped around his finger/But he don’t know I’ve got the upper hand.” A delightful listening experience. This gal is batting a thousand—every single is a gem.

VINCE GILL / “Down at the Borderline”
Writers: Vince Gill/Liz Rose; Producer: Vince Gill; Label: MCA
– Gill takes a trip to Louisiana in this rump-shaking, Cajun-flavored tempo tune. The whole track is a rollicking ride, and Lainey Wilson is on board with a lively vocal harmony. Get up and and dance.

RUSSELL DICKERSON / “The Roses”
Writers: Russell Dickerson/Michael Hardy/Chase McGill/Jordan Schmidt; Producers: Russell Dickerson, Josh Kerr; Label: Triple Tigers
– The high-energy showman proves his mettle as a balladeer with this ultra-romantic, piano ode to love and commitment. Beautifully done.

LUKE COMBS / “Be By You”
Writers: Dan Alley/Sam Banks/Nick Walsh; Producers: Luke Combs, Jonathan Singleton, Chip Matthews; Label: Sony
– A gently swaying hammock of sound cushions a softly caressing vocal performance. Soothing, sweet, and dreamy.

THE BURNETT SISTERS BAND / “Blaming You”
Writer: Gail Ann Amundsen; Producers: none listed; Label: Pinecastle
– This group’s Easy Come, Easy Go album is No. 1 in the bluegrass charts. This fiddle-led waltz is the collection’s lovely latest single. The tune really comes alive on the triple-harmonized choruses. Bluegrass purists beware, the sound includes steel guitar. The rest of us are going to smile and sway along.

ELLA LANGLEY / “Be Her”
Writers: Ella Langley/Jordan Schmidt/Smith Ahnquist/Michael Hardy; Producers: Ella Langley, Miranda Lambert, Ben West; Label: SAWGOD/Columbia
– Enchanting. A delicious pop confection that’s sweet in all the right places. She’s yearning for self acceptance as she counts down all the markers of confidence and truth.

RED CLAY STRAYS / “If I Didn’t Know You”
Writers: Drew Nix/Natalie Hemby; Producer: Dave Cobb; Label: HBYCO/RCA
– The redemptive power of True Love infuses this somber ballad. The band marches to a slow, deliberate stomp while the vocalist rips into the lyric.

RODNEY ATKINS / “The Years Are Short”
Writers: Casey Beathard/Monty Criswell; Producers: Ted Hewitt, Brandon Hood, Rodney Atkins; Label: Curb
– A tender, affecting meditation on fatherhood. Country-music wisdom, found in three chords and the truth.

THE WAR AND TREATY / “If This Day”
Writers: Diane Warren; Producers: Desmond Child, Marti Frederiksen, Leslie Greif; Label: MCA
– Goose bumps all over. These twin towering infernos of vocal power bring gospel intensity to a meaningful message: If this was the last day of your life, would you be proud of what you’ve left behind? The track comes from The Gray House TV soundtrack. The limited series launches on Feb. 26.

LEE BRICE / “Country Nowadays”
Writers: Lee Brice/Matt Alderman/Nate Kenyon; Producers: none listed; Label: Curb
– Whining about how difficult it is to have values and morals these days. Puh-leeze.

THE BAND PERRY / “Psychological”
Writers: Ciara Park/Grace Tyler/Colton Venner; Producers: Dann Huff, Scott Borchetta, Jimmy Harnen; Label: Nashville Harbor
– This act is now a duo (Kimberly Perry & Johnny Costello), with no brothers in sight. The comeback single is a well written ditty — the boyfriend drives her so crazy that he makes her going psycho, logical. Definitely worth your spins.

RAY STEVENS / “Savannah”
Writer: Nick Sibley; Producer: Ray Stevens; Label: Curb
– Stevens surrounds his crooning with a synth-y, big-band arrangement on this ode to a city in his home state of Georgia. Old-school pop that goes down smoothly.

ATLUS / “Spare Key”
Writers: Atlus/Rian Ball/Nick Boyd; Producers: Andrew Baylis; Label: BBR/BMG
– The verses are delivered in intimate, conversational fashion. Then he unleashes a fiery, anguished shout as he confronts his devastated relationship. They were dreaming of moving in together, until she suddenly split, leaving him just the spare key he’d once given her. You’ll hang on every line.

Colby Lee Swift Inks With BMG & WME

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Pictured (L-R): Chris Oglesby (BMG), Lance Roberts (WME), Colby Lee Swift, Amy Hendon Scott (BMG), Alex Luebbert (WME), Bobby Walkup and Trippy Phillips (Hollow Point Management). Photo: Terry Wyatt

Colby Lee Swift has signed a worldwide publishing deal with BMG, and with WME for booking.

Born and raised on a ranch in Midfield, Texas, Swift’s single “John Deere Rust” hit Texas Radio in June 2025, following fan favorites “Chaser,” “Money to Drank,” “Heartbreak Hangover” and “The Barn.” Inspired by the sounds of George Strait and John Conlee, Swift has been working closely with multi-instrumentalist and producer Brent Rader and is gearing up to release new music soon.

“Ever since I met Amy and started working with BMG they have made me feel right at home and have connected me with some of the best songwriters in Nashville,” shares Swift. “I’m looking forward to this next chapter in my career.”

“I’m thrilled to be working with Colby Lee Swift,” says Amy Hendon Scott, BMG Creative Director. “It is great to have an artist who lives the stories they sing. His timeless vocal, genuine spirit, and story driven songs capture a beautiful tension between long days of ranch work and late nights creating music. We are excited to join forces with the amazing team at WME, who share the vision and love for Colby. Big things to come!”

“Colby Lee Swift represents country music at its core. He sings songs he genuinely believes in, with a traditional sound and honesty that can’t be manufactured,” shares WME’s Alex Luebbert. “We’re excited to work together and partner with BMG, who shares that belief.”

“Getting to work with WME was really a right place at the right time kind of thing,” adds Swift. “Working with Lance, Alex, Ryan, and Joey Lee has been a blessing and I could not ask for a better team in my corner. I’m excited to see what 2026 has in store. And my management team, Bobby Walkup and Trippy Phillips, have been with me through thick and thin. It’s been a journey and they have always been there to guide me in the right direction. Bobby helps me on the social media part of things and we write a lot together. Trippy is great at connecting the dots behind the scenes. Everybody knows their role and that is why we make a great team.”

BMI Spark Welcomes Four New Partners

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BMI has announced an expansion of its BMI Spark program through new partnerships with Musiversal, Songstats, Sound Credit and Sweetwater. The program, available through BMI’s online service portal, provides special discounts on music creation tools, career insights, educational resources and more.

These new offers include access to Musiversal, where creators can skip the waitlist and receive 50% off their first month of recording sessions with session musicians, songwriters and producers. Members will receive 15% off any Songstats subscription plan with real-time data tracking across various platforms. Finally, the program features three free months of the collaborative suite Sound Credit Pro, alongside discounts and specialized BMI bundles from Sweetwater covering music production, guitar accessories and more.

More information about Spark is available here.

Kane Brown To Open Bar On Lower Broadway

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Kane Brown is partnering with Detroit-based Elia Group to open Kane Brown’s On Broadway this summer.

The venue will be located in Nashville’s Lower Broadway district in the historic building that previously housed The Valentine.

“We’ve really taken our time developing the bar. We wanted to make it a place that stands apart from everything else on Lower Broadway. I wanted to build a place that I want to hang out at, my friends want to hang out at and will be an unforgettable experience for anyone who visits. Nights in Nashville are about to hit a little bit different,” says Brown.

The multi-story venue will offer a full-scale live music stage on the main floor, mezzanine area, rooftop bar and more.

“Our partnership with Kane Brown marks a defining moment for Elia Group and for the city of Nashville,” adds Zaid Elia, Founder & CEO of Elia Group. “He is a visionary artist who has continually redefined boundaries while remaining deeply rooted in authenticity—a philosophy that mirrors our own approach to hospitality at the highest level. For Elia Group, this collaboration represents the latest milestone in our longstanding and unwavering commitment to Nashville. It underscores our sustained investment in transformative, iconic properties; in immersive, thoughtfully curated design; and in guest experiences that celebrate the city’s rich heritage while actively shaping its vibrant future. We are honored to partner with an artist of Kane Brown’s stature to bring to life a project that is unmistakably Nashville: bold in vision, warm in spirit and unforgettable in every detail.”

Elia Group has plans to open multiple hospitality venues in Nashville over the next three years.

Megan Moroney & Others Honored At She Is The Music’s ‘Women Sharing The Spotlight Event’

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Syvlia Rhone, Alicia Keys and Megan Moroney. Photo: Emma McIntyre

She Is The Music honored multi-Platinum hitmaker Megan Moroney and industry icon Sylvia Rhone at the second annual “Women Sharing The Spotlight” event at Delilah in Los Angeles on Feb. 18.

The powerful evening also celebrated a group of impactful women in the music industry, each of whom shared their spotlight with another woman in the business. Superstar and SITM co-founder Alicia Keys spoke to the spirit of opening doors and lifting others up, saying, “Tonight’s event is about being able to say wait, I do have this position and I can open the door. It’s one thing when you’re banging on a door to be let in, and it’s another thing when someone opens the door and says ‘come in and join me.’”

Keys then introduced Moroney as the Artist Spotlight, saying, “Megan and her team are breaking new ground with achievements in an industry where female-led teams are still the exception rather than the norm. We are so honored to have her and her team with us tonight.”

“Thank you to She Is The Music for this honor.,” said Moroney. “I think sometimes we’re taught—subtly or not—that there’s only room for a few women at the top. But music and creating art isn’t a competition for oxygen. I’m positive that when one of us wins, it stretches the ceiling higher for the next girl watching.”

Co-founded by Keys, UMPG Chairman & CEO Jody Gerson, recording and mix engineer Ann Mincieli and UTA’s co-Head of Music Sam Kirby Yoh, SITM is dedicated to increasing the number of women working in music.

Fourth Annual ‘Groceries with Dignity & Comedy Without’ The Store Benefit Set For April

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Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams-Paisley will host the fourth annual “Groceries with Dignity & Comedy Without” with Brad Paisley & Friends on April 19, at Zanies in Nashville, benefiting The Store.

Tickets will be avalible Friday (Feb. 20).

The Store, co-founded by Brad and Kimberly, is a nonprofit organization that offers a free, referral-based grocery store to families and individuals in need across Middle Tennessee. Earlier this year, The Store officially opened its second location on the campus of TriStar Centennial Medical Center, part of HCA Healthcare. Last year, the organization served 2200 families.

The previous Zanies events raised $500,000 dollars for The Store and featured comedians Nate Bargatze, John Crist, Henry Cho, actress Bonnie Hunt, Kevin Nealon, Dusty Slay, The Groundlings, and Aaron Webber with comedic music performances by Brad, who also emceed the evenings.

Summerfest 2026 Lineup To Include Garth Brooks, Post Malone, Jelly Roll, Many More

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Photo: Courtesy of Summerfest

Summerfest has announced the lineup for this year’s three-weekend festival in Milwaukee on June 18-20, June 25-27, and July 2-4.

Garth Brooks will kick off two nights at the event with concerts at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater, the festival’s largest stage, on June 16-17. Additional artists set to perform at the 23,000‑seat Amphitheater include Megan Moroney, Don Toliver with SahBabii, Che, SoFayGo, sosocamo, Chase B, and Lelo, Carín León, Ed Sheeran with Myles Smith and Arron Rowe, Cody Johnson with Jessie Murph, Post Malone with Carter Faith, Muse, Alex Warren, and Jelly Roll with Tyler Hubbard.

Across the festival grounds stages, featured performers include Megadeth, Louis Tomlinson, Subtronics, Tucker Wetmore, Ella Mai, Sean Paul, Hot Mulligan, Halestorm, Spoon, Echo & The Bunnymen, Styx, Charlie Wilson, Father John Misty, Audrey Nuna, Flo Rida, Sam Barber, Marcus King Band, The Revivalists, Whiskey Myers, Grouplove, The Roots, KALEO, Nate Smith, flipturn, Third Eye Blind, Russell Dickerson, David Lee Roth, Gene Simmons Band, Pepper, Christopher Cross, Candlebox, Goldfinger, Cameron Whitcomb, Holly Humberstone, Jonah Kagen, Rev Run of Run DMC, The Mountain Goats, Mariachi Sol De Mexico, The Family Stone, State Champs, Evan Honer, and many more.

“As an independent music festival, we are thrilled to deliver this one-of-a-kind lineup that features an incredible mix of genres and artists,” says Sarah Pancheri, President and CEO of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. “We’re excited to welcome fans from around the globe to celebrate and create memories that only live music can provide.”

To purchase tickets and view the full festival lineup, including artist dates, stage locations, and performance times, visit Summerfest.com.

Ground Control Business Management Acquires Wiles + Taylor & Co.

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Ground Control Business Management has acquired Nashville’s Wiles + Taylor & Co.

Founded in 1986 by the late Gary Smith, Wiles + Taylor provides business management services tailored to the financial and operational needs of the music industry, advising clients on complex touring structures, global revenue tracking and accounting, royalty income and catalog transactions, and insurance and risk considerations tied to touring.

Wiles + Taylor will continue operating in Nashville, adding approximately 65 employees to Ground Control.

“Joining Ground Control helps us scale and continue growing without compromising our culture,” says Dwight Wiles, president of Wiles + Taylor. “As touring and global revenue streams grow more complex, artists need advisors who understand both the details and the broader strategy. This partnership gives us additional infrastructure to keep serving our clients’ evolving needs while preserving continuity for our talented team.”

Rob Taylor, vice president of Wiles + Taylor, adds, “We were deliberate in selecting a partner aligned with our values and long-term vision. Ground Control shares our commitment to culture, leadership development, and client service. Together, we can elevate and empower our next generation of leaders and ensure long-term stability as we grow.”

“Supporting top-tier artists and their teams has been central to Ground Control’s mission for years, and this partnership accelerates what we can deliver,” shares Chris Bucci, chief executive officer of Ground Control. “Wiles + Taylor adds a high-caliber team on tour operations, royalty administration, and the real-world complexity behind modern music income. Together we can offer a more seamless model with precision at scale and with the discretion and high-touch service our clients expect.”