2022 MusicRow Awards Category Profile: Breakthrough Artist-Writer Of The Year

/by

Following the announcement of this year’s nominees for the 34th MusicRow Awards, we take a look at the MusicRow Breakthrough Artist-Writer of the Year category. The Breakthrough Artist-Writer of the Year is voted by MusicRow’s subscribed members to honor a Nashville songwriter and recording artist who, for the first time, wrote or co-wrote a Top 10 song during the eligibility period of June 1, 2021 to May 31, 2022.

The winners of this year’s honors will be announced online on all MusicRow platforms on Tuesday, August 30. Presenting Sponsor of the 2022 MusicRow Awards is City National Bank.

Click here to see the full list of MusicRow Awards nominees.

Winners are determined solely by MusicRow Magazine subscribed members. Voting is now open and closes on July 29 at 5:00 p.m.

To receive a ballot to vote in the MusicRow Awards, become a MusicRow member here.

Priscilla Block is a co-writer on her first hit single, “Just About Over You,” along with Emily Kroll and Sarah Jones. The moody break-up track went viral at the end of 2020, landing Block a publishing deal with Warner Chappell and recording contract with UMG Nashville. She released her major label debut album, Welcome To The Block Party, in early 2022. With 12 tracks all co-written by Block, the charming singer-songwriter has been making a mark with songs such as “My Bar,” “Thick Thighs,” “I Bet You Wanna Know” and “Peaked In High School.” Block scored her first No. 1 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart with “Just About Over You” in August. Block is also nominated for Breakthrough Artist of the Year this year at the MusicRow Awards.

BRELAND, also known as “The Pen Point Guard,” has been disrupting writer rooms in Nashville for the past few years with his genre-bending sound. First making waves with his Platinum debut “My Truck,” BRELAND has impressed industry members with his boundless creativity on songs such as “Cross Country,” “Throw It Back (feat. Keith Urban),” and “Praise The Lord (feat. Thomas Rhett).” He signed his first ever publishing deal with Reservoir in early 2021, and subsequently scored his first No. 1 with his collaboration with Dierks Bentley and HARDY on “Beers On Me.” BRELAND recently announced that his Bad Realm Records / Atlantic Records / Warner Music Nashville debut album, Cross Country, is coming this fall.

Martin Johnson comes to country music with an impressive resume of pop success. As frontman of the pop-punk band Boys Like Girls, Johnson penned the bands hallmark songs such as “The Great Escape,” “Thunder,” and “Love Drunk.” With his new wave alternative project The Night Game, he released his sophomore album Dog Years in 2021. Johnson, a Warner Chappell writer, also has co-written songs for Jason Derulo, Flo Rida, Gavin DeGraw, Avril Lavigne, and more. He broke through as a hit country songwriter this year with Lady A’s No. 1 hit “Like A Lady” and Elle King’s chart-topper with Miranda Lambert, “Drunk (And I Dont Wanna Go Home).” Johnson’s country credits also include songs recorded by Dan + Shay, Hunter Hayes, and Warren Zeiders.

John Morgan hit a double this year, scoring his first two hit songs in MusicRow‘s qualification period. Morgan first hit the top of the charts with Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood’s “If I Didn’t Love You” in October of 2021; he was back again in May of 2022 with Aldean’s “Trouble With A Heartbreak.” Morgan impressed Aldean so much that the country star signed him to his newly-formed publishing company, Triple Play Music, and his record label imprint with BBR Music Group, Night Train Records. Morgan has released a sampling of his own music with “Coldest Beer in Town” in 2021 and “Right In The Middle” in 2022.

Elvie Shane broke onto the scene with the tender tribute to his step-son, “My Boy.” Since its release, “My Boy” took on a life of its own, from going viral on TikTok, hitting the top of the country charts, and being certified Platinum. Shane released his debut full length album, Backslider, on Wheelhouse Records in October of 2021. The Warner Chappell and Rome Phrey writer co-wrote 14 of the album’s 15 songs. Shane’s new single from Backslider, “County Roads,” was one of the most added songs at country radio upon its debut and continues to climb. Shane is also nominated for Breakthrough Artist of the Year this year at the MusicRow Awards.

Lainey Wilson brought her signature “Bell Bottom Country” to her studio album Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’ in early 2021 via Broken Bow Records. With Wilson as a co-writer on all tracks, the album produced her breakout hit “Things A Man Oughta Know.” The tune took off, hitting the top of the charts, being certified Platinum, and winning Song of the Year at the 2022 ACM Awards. Likewise, Wilson has become an industry favorite, being named to multiple Artist to Watch lists. In early 2022 Wilson rang the bell at the top of the charts again, this time alongside Cole Swindell for their fiery duet, “Never Say Never.” The Sony Music Publishing writer is currently climbing the charts again with her new single “Heart Like A Truck,” a song she co-wrote with Trannie Anderson and Dallas Wilson. The singer-songwriter took home the Discovery Artist of the Year at last year’s MusicRow Awards, and is also nominated for Breakthrough Artist of the Year this year.

Jon Pardi Reveals Details Behind Upcoming ‘Mr. Saturday Night’ Album

/by

Capitol Records Nashville’s Jon Pardi has revealed the track list for his upcoming fourth studio album, Mr. Saturday Night, as well as released the record’s title track. The full project is set for release on Sept. 2.

Written by Benjy Davis, Reid Isbell and Joe Ragosta, “Mr. Saturday Night” is a neon-tinged play on words. The track juxtaposes the life of the party with the desolate guy who goes home to face what he’s lost.

YouTube video

“I feel like everybody wants to be Mr. Saturday Night at one point on the weekend and have a good time,” the multi-Platinum singer-songwriter shares. “But then you hear the song and—the way it’s so well written—it’s a sad song, but you don’t go there right away, because it’s also a fun song. That’s the thing about ‘Mr. Saturday Night,’ it’s more than meets the eye. It’s all fun until you get to the chorus.”

Tapping some of Nashville’s most in-demand songwriters, Pardi has teamed up again with Bart Butler and Ryan Gore to produce Mr. Saturday Night. Including the top 10-and-climbing single “Last Night Lonely,” the album boasts 14 songs and follows Pardi’s ACM and CMA Album of The Year-nominated Heartache Medication.

Mr. Saturday Night Track List:
1. “Mr. Saturday Night” (Benjy Davis, Reid Isbell, Joe Ragosta)
2. “Fill ‘Er Up” (Jon Pardi, Ross Copperman, Brice Long)
3. “Last Night Lonely” (Jimi Bell, Joe Fox, Dylan Marlowe)
4. “Neon Light Speed” (Andy Albert, Josh Dorr, Paul DiGiovanni)
5. “New Place To Drink” (Jon Pardi, Jessie Jo Dillon, Luke Laird)
6. “Your Heart Or Mine” (Bart Butler, Justin Ebach, John Pierce)
7. “Santa Cruz” (Jon Pardi, Luke Laird)
8. “Longneck Way To Go” (Midland featuring Jon Pardi) (Rhett Akins, Jess Carson, Cameron Duddy, Ashley Gorley, Mark Wystrach)
9. “Raincheck” (Will Bundy, John Edwards, Michael Tyler)
10. “Workin’ On A New One” (Jon Pardi, Rhett Akins, Luke Laird)
11. “Hung The Moon” (Will Bundy, John Morgan, Jameson Rodgers)
12. “The Day I Stop Dancin’” (Bart Butler, Justin Ebach, Josh Thompson)
13. “Smokin’ A Doobie” (Jon Pardi, Rhett Akins, Luke Laird)
14. “Reverse Cowgirl” (Zack Dyer, Joe Fox, Jared Scott)

*Produced by Bart Butler, Ryan Gore and Jon Pardi

July’s CRS360 Webinar Series To Explore ‘How Country Radio Can Save Itself’

/by

The next installment of CRS360, “How Country Radio Can Save Itself,” is set for Wednesday, July 27 at 1 p.m. CT.

Panelists Fletcher Brown, Diane Dahlstrom, Jimi Jamm, Ray Mariner, Billy Ray McKim, Mike McVay, and Monta Vaden, with John Shomby serving as moderator, will explore “How Country Radio Can Save Itself.”

Throughout the conversation, they will challenge radio to think differently, reassess the industry’s strengths, and discuss how radio can remain relevant in a challenging media environment. The webinar was born from the success of “How Country Radio Can Save Itself,” a session held during CRS ’22.

“This conversation started at CRS when John Shomby threw down the gauntlet to country radio, but it didn’t end there,” shares CRS Executive Director RJ Curtis. “Dozens of CRS attendees volunteered to be part of an industry-wide think tank. These pros from all segments of the industry have been brainstorming since February and are ready to share some of what they’ve identified as success opportunities for the format we all care about.”

To register to attend the July edition of the CRS360 webinar series, sign up here.

Kolby Cooper Set to Release ‘Boy from Anderson County to the Moon’ In August

/by

Kolby Cooper. Photo: Gabriel Muniz Photography

Kolby Cooper is set to release his debut full-length album, Boy From Anderson County To The Moon, via BBR Music Group/Wheelhouse Records/Combustion Music on Aug. 19.

Featuring tracks from his EP Boy From Anderson County, the new project also includes the steel-guitar slice of resentment of “Good For You” and the pathos of his debut single “Excuses.” Overall, six new songs make up the second half of Boy From Anderson County To The Moon.

“Boy From Anderson County To The Moon means so much to me,” says Cooper. From the top to the bottom, each song is on here for a reason, and I couldn’t be more proud of it! I hope that when the fans listen to it, they hear how much work and how much of me went into this thing!”

Cooper will make his Grand Ole Opry debut on Sept. 10, and is currently on the road opening for Koe Wetzel on select dates.

Boy From Anderson County To The Moon Track List:
1. “Are We On Fire” (Kolby Cooper, Jordan Walker)
2. “Excuses” (Kolby Cooper, Brett Tyler, Jordan Walker)
3. “Breaking News” (Kolby Cooper, Troy Verges, Jake Mitchell)
4. “Storm’s Coming” (Kolby Cooper, Brett Tyler, Ross Cooperman, Michael Hardy)
5. “Woke Up Hungover” (Kolby Cooper, Hunter Phelps, Brent Anderson)
6. “Stars Fall Down” (Kolby Cooper, Jordan Walker, Jacob Davis)
7. “Way To Go” (Kolby Cooper, Mike Walker, Josh Jenkins)
8. “Just A Door” (Kolby Cooper, Jordan Walker)
9. “This Song Don’t Make No Sense” (Kolby Cooper, Jordan Walker, Matt McKinney)
10. “Her Favorite Songs” (Kolby Cooper, Jordan Walker, Jacob Davis)
11. “Good For You” (Kolby Cooper, Jameson Rodgers, Brent Anderson)
12. “Boy From Anderson County” (Kolby Cooper, Jordan Walker)
13. “To The Moon” (Kolby Cooper, Thomas Archer, Jordan Walker, Ray Fulcher)
Produced by Philip Mosley

First Ever Lucktoberfest Set For October

/by

Tanya Tucker is set to headline a night of the inaugural Lucktoberfest, a ten-day community celebration outside of Austin in Willie Nelson’s Luck, Texas. The festivities are slated for Oct. 28-Nov. 6.

Other headliners include Orville Peck, Los Lobos, Sasami, Fantastic Negrito, Paul Cauthen’s Big Velvet Revue, Bob Schneider, Alex Meixner, and Matthew Logan Vasquez. More than 20,000 guests will converge for music, food, and artisan experiences.

Each night will have a specific theme, including an Outlaw Masquerade Ball, Luck-Oktoberfest, a Día De Los Muertos Experience, The Black Opry Revue, a Luck Night Market, and more. Passes are on sale now, with daily passes available for purchase beginning July 25. For a full list of daily activities and ticketing information, click here.

YouTube video

“Lucktoberfest is a 10 day celebration of everything we love about Texas; from the music to the food and everything in between,” notes Luck Presents founder Matt Bizer. “Luck at its core is all about community, where everyone can come as they are. By collaborating with an amazing and diverse group of local and national curators, we are celebrating Texas by holding space for people to be themselves and share their incredible talents. Bring a little of yourself to Luck this year, and take a little bit of Luck with you on your way out!”

Lucktoberfest benefits the Central Texas Food Bank through the Luck Family Foundation, where $1 from each ticket sold goes directly to provide at least 100,000 meals with this year’s program. The Food Bank provides food and grocery products through a network of nearly 300 Partner Agencies and nutrition programs, serving nearly 60,000 people every week.

Love And Theft Release ‘Better Off,’ Their First New Collection In Seven Years

/by

Love and Theft. Photo: Chase Lauer

Nearly seven years since their last release, country duo Love and Theft have shared their new full-length project Better Off via global music provider ONErpm.

Comprised of Eric Gunderson and Stephen Barker Liles, the pair have returned with a six-song EP which they wrote and produced themselves. For Better Off, they pulled from their classic rock and gospel influences, leaning into the sounds of The Eagles, The Beatles, The Doobie Brothers and The Gaither Vocal Band.

The EP’s title track was co-written with Jared Mullins and Christopher Stevens. Bridging the gap between the sound Love and Theft is known for and where the duo’s music is headed, “Better Off,” is an acoustic guitar-driven track. The project also includes the ’80s-influenced “Accidentally on Purpose,” mid-tempo pop rockers “Anyway” and “Tell Me What It Feels Like,” and more.

Founded in 2006, Love and Theft spent their first five years as a trio, releasing top 10 single “Runaway” in 2009. After becoming a duo in 2011, they released their second album, featuring No. 1 “Angel Eyes.” The Platinum-selling duo has notched six top 25 radio singles and more than a million followers on social media.

Better Off Track List:
1. Accidentally On Purpose (Bree Doster, Eric Gunderson, Stephen Barker Liles)
2. Better Off (Eric Gunderson, Jared Mullins, Stephen Barker Liles)
3. Anyway (Eric Gunderson, Jared Mullins, Stephen Barker Liles)
4. Downhill (Stevie Monce, John Satterfield, Eric Gunderson, Stephen Barker Liles)
5. Mirror, Mirror (Bree Doster, Eric Gunderson, Stephen Barker Liles)
6. Tell Me What It Feels Like (Miro Goto, Eric Gunderson, Stephen Barker Liles)

AIMP Nashville To Host ‘A Conversation With Marc Rucker From SoundExchange’

/by

The AIMP Nashville chapter will be hosting a special in-person event, “A Conversation with Marc Rucker From SoundExchange,” next Tuesday (July 26) at 11:30 a.m. CT in the SESAC office in Nashville.

The event will feature a conversation between Rucker (Manager, Industry Engagement at SoundExchange Nashville) and Tim Hunze (VP of Publishing, Big Machine Music), who will talk all things SoundExchange, including the launch of many new tools for publishers.

SoundExchange collects and distributes digital performance royalties on behalf of over 260,000 creators and has paid nearly $9 billion in distributions to date. The organization distributes royalties to creator groups, advocates for fair pay across platforms, and creates systems that improve how the industry operates.

The event is free for AIMP members and $20 for non-members, with registration available here.

The New York Chapter will also host a special webinar on Tuesday at 11 a.m. CT entitled “An Update from the Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC).” The MLC CEO Kris Ahrend will give an overview of how The MLC serves music publishers and other rightsholders and give an update on the organization’s work to date, including its distribution of more than half a billion dollars in royalties to its members.

The webinar is free and open to the public with registration.

Song Suffragettes Cross The Pond For First UK Tour

/by

The Song Suffragettes are embarking on their first-ever international tour this October, featuring artists Carter Faith and Kalie Shorr from the U.S., Robyn Ottolini from Canada, and Twinnie from the United Kingdom.

The UK Tour will be part of Country Music Week in the UK presented by AEG Presents and SJM Concerts, the team behind C2C: Country to Country Festival. Tickets are on sale now and available here.

In over eight years, Song Suffragettes has become known for its efforts to combat widespread gender disparity throughout the music community. Through its weekly show at Nashville’s The Listening Room Cafe, Song Suffragettes has showcased over 350 talented females, 26 of whom have gone on to secure record deals and more than 50 who have landed publishing deals.

Song Suffragettes UK Tour Dates:
October 21 – Glasgow, Scotland – Òran Mór
October 22 – London, England – Bush Hall
October 23 – Manchester, England – Band On The Wall

Kelsea Ballerini To Launch ‘Heartfirst Tour’ This Fall

/by

Kelsea Ballerini

Kelsea Ballerini has announced she’ll return to the road on her intimate “Heartfirst Tour” for 10 nights this fall.

The headline trek kicks off Sept. 24 at the iconic Radio City Music Hall in New York, and includes stops in Denver, Boston, Kansas City, Atlanta, and more through Oct. 14.  Local and AEG pre-sales commence next Thursday (July 28), with public on-sale beginning July 29.

The dates will support Ballerini’s fourth studio album, Subject To Change, due out Sept. 23. She paved the way for the record with “Heartfirst,” which has already amassed over 50 million streams. As “Heartfirst”continues its climb at country radio, Ballerini also released a new song, “Love Is A Cowboy,” last week.

“Heartfirst Tour” Dates:
09/24 New York, NY Radio City Music Hall
09/25 Boston, MA Roadrunner
09/28 Washington, DC The Anthem
10/01 Rosemont, IL Rosemont Theatre
10/03 Denver, CO Mission Ballroom
10/06 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theatre
10/09 Kansas City, MO The Midland Theatre
10/11 Atlanta, GA The Eastern
10/13 Philadelphia, PA The Met
10/14 Mashantucket, CT Premier Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino

Jackson Dean Earns MusicRow No. 1 With Debut Record

/by

Big Machine Records artist, Jackson Dean, occupies the No. 1 position this week on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart with “Don’t Come Lookin’.” Dean signed his deal in August of 2020 and this is his first release at radio. 

“Don’t Come Lookin’,” which he co-wrote the with Luke Dick, appears on his debut album, Greenbroke. It also was featured on the soundtrack for Netflix’s The Ice Road and in an episode of Paramount Network’s Yellowstone.

In June, Dean made his Grand Ole Opry debut noting, “I’ve been dreaming about this night for a long time. I know how many people have stood in this circle and who all has performed here, and it’s an absolute honor to do the same.”

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