Spotify’s Hot Country Playlist Celebrates Five-Year Anniversary

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Spotify is celebrating the five-year anniversary of its Hot Country Playlist today (Nov. 24). Since the launch of the playlist in 2015, it has amassed 6 million followers and has seen more than 5 billion streams.

“Spotify has always been thrilled to partner with the country music community and as the genre has grown worldwide over the past five years, we have been honored to play a part in connecting fans with their favorite artists,” said John Marks, Head of Country Music at Spotify. “When we launched Hot Country, our collective goal was to showcase the biggest country hits on Spotify and to be a destination of discovery for country music fans, offering them engaging ways to hear new artists as well as established stars and icons of the genre and we have worked diligently to ensure that Hot Country is a destination today for all things country.”

This month, Spotify is celebrating the five-year anniversary by highlighting some of the artists who have risen to the upper echelons of the playlist:

Maren Morris has been the most-streamed female country artist on the Hot Country Playlist and has consistently ranked in the Top 10 for the most-streamed country artists in 2018-2020. Dan+Shay had the top-streamed country track both in 2019 (“Tequila”) and 2020 (“10,000 Hours,” with Justin Bieber).

Florida Georgia Line has been a fan favorite and remained in the top five for most-streamed country artists since 2015, ranking at number one in 2017 and 2018.

Additionally, Brooks & Dunn saw their streams rise 40% after being added to the Hot Country playlist.

“Working closely and collaboratively with the country community has been a top priority for us and we have continuously looked for opportunities to support artists as well as the industry, whether it is providing a platform for exciting new faces in country music or partnering with legends to help connect with a new generation of fans. From launching our enhanced video content to hosting exclusive live events to giving artists creative freedom to conceptualize fan experiences that both the artists and fans can enjoy, we have been privileged to work with some of the most amazing artists and look forward to continuing to be a trusted partner for the country music community in the years to come,” Marks added.

Amy Grant, Vince Gill To Return With Ryman Christmas Residency In 2021

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Vince Gill and Amy Grant. Photo: Robby Klein.

Amy Grant and Vince Gill will return in 2021 with their Christmas at the Ryman residency.

Tickets for the 12-date concert run will go on sale on Friday, Nov. 27 at ryman.com and will again feature matinee performances of the long-running show. Openers for all of the dates will be announced at a later date.

The husband and wife duo’s previous Ryman shows have brimmed with Christmas favorites such as “Let It Snow,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Tennessee Christmas,” “O Holy Night” and “O Come All Ye Faithful.”

“None of us could have ever predicted a year like this one and the holidays are going to look a lot different because of it. While Vince and I are disappointed we can’t be with you all this year, we are thrilled to be able to return to Ryman Auditorium for the holidays in 2021,” Grant says. “It is such a special time of year for us and our family, and these shows have become a holiday tradition for us!”

Ryman Auditorium strictly complies with safety regulations that include socially-distanced seating, mandatory masks for all guests and staff and enhanced cleaning practices.

2021 Amy Grant & Vince Gill – “Christmas at the Ryman” Dates
Monday, December 13 – 7:30pm
Tuesday, December 14 – 7:30pm
Wednesday, December 15 –7:30pm
Thursday, December 16 – 7:30pm
Saturday, December 18 – 3:00pm and 7:30pm
Sunday, December 19 – 3:00pm and 7:30pm
Tuesday, December 21 – 3:00pm and 7:30pm
Wednesday, December 22 – 3:00pm and 7:30pm

Southern Word, BMG Launch New Youth Music Industry Fellowship Program

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Southern Word and BMG are launching a youth fellowship aimed at engaging Nashville area college and high school youth in the music industry and critical conversations about music culture.

Five Music Industry & Culture (M.I.C.) Fellows will train in both nonprofit and music administration over the course of 24 weeks, putting their learning into action by developing and tracking their own music projects and by supporting Southern Word’s community programs and events. Fellows will be offered a stipend for participation, and Middle Tennessee youth ages 14-22 interested in applying for the M.I.C. Fellowship should complete the following application by Monday, Dec. 7 at southernword.org/2020-mic-fellowship.

The M.I.C. Fellowship evolved out of a program Southern Word has been developing over the past two years, training youth on the fundamentals of non-profit administration. Since 2008, Southern Word has supported the growth of leading young writers and music producers through its in-school and out-of-school programs. In addition to building skills as artists, the program provides youth with the tools to create, manage, market, and track the projects they produce in a way that develops transferable skills for any career path.

“We understand that culture is a huge driver in shaping the desires and actions of young people,” said Southern Word Executive Director Benjamin Smith. “In addition to teaching necessary skills in the classrooms and community spaces, we are excited to partner with BMG to build a youth programmatic opportunity as well as explore how we can market positive identities and narratives to young people in a way that leads them to healthy, sustainable lives.”

“When young people think of the music industry, they usually just think about the artists and maybe artist management,” said Thalia Ewing, BMG Senior Manager of Mechanical Licensing. “We want to introduce them to the wide range of other professional roles that exist in a music company. At the same time, we want to have critical conversations about the role that music culture plays in their lives and the lives of those around them. We want this exposure and these conversations to inspire them to attend and complete college as a way of achieving their goals and dreams.”

Industry Ink: Lady A, Chris Tomlin, Russell Dickerson, MTSU Panel, YEP Mixer

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Lady A, Chris Tomlin, Russell Dickerson Share Opry Stage

Lady A and Chris Tomlin. Photo: courtesy Grand Ole Opry LLC/Chris Hollo, photographer

Country trio Lady A, alongside Chris Tomlin and Russell Dickerson, performed on the Opry over the weekend. Their performances aired during the Opry’s one-hour TV broadcast, Opry Live, on Circle. Both Lady A and Dickerson appear on Tomlin’s new album, Chris Tomlin & Friends, which includes 13 tracks featuring Chris with many of today’s biggest country artists. Lady A’s set included “Who You Are To Me,” the five-week No. 1 Billboard Christian Airplay single from Tomlin’s album “Who You Are To Me” was penned by Tomlin and Lady A’s Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood.

 

MTSU To Host Nashville’s Female Musicians In Online Music Panel Discussion

The Center for Popular Music is hosting an online panel discussion on Tuesday, Nov. 24 at noon, with Ellen Angelico, a multi-instrumentalist and touring/ session musician, Megan Coleman, a drummer, DJ and songwriter, and Judy Rodman, a singer-songwriter, producer, author and vocal coach. Tiffany Minton, the center’s graduate assistant who created and is compiling “The Women Musicians in Nashville Oral History Project,” and MTSU history professor and ethnomusicologist Kristine McCusker will talk with the women as part of a new oral history project by the Center for Popular Music at Middle Tennessee State University.

 

YEP Nashville Teams With Los Angeles Chapter For Virtual Mixer

The Young Entertainment Professionals’ Nashville Chapter teamed up with the Los Angeles Chapter for a virtual Zoom Mixer on Thursday, Nov. 19. During the mixer, board members and ambassadors were able to network and connect by splitting off into breakout rooms. The non-profit networking group for the entertainment industry strives to create an environment for the betterment of its members through networking events, showcases, mentorship and educational development. YEP has over 38,000 members across all social media platforms and currently has chapters in both Nashville and Los Angeles.

ERNEST Enters Top 5 On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart

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ERNEST. Photo: Delaney Royer

With cuts such as “More Than My Hometown” (Morgan Wallen), “Big, Big Plans” (Chris Lane), and “Breaking Up Was Easy In The 90’s” (Sam Hunt), ERNEST steps into the top five on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart this week. Josh Osborne remains at No. 1 for the second week.

Randy Montana moves up to the No. 2 spot with “Pretty Heart” (Parker McCollum), “Better Together” (Luke Combs), and “We Didn’t Have Much” (Justin Moore). Ross Copperman shifts up to No. 3, and Hillary Lindsey remains at No. 4.

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.

New Livestream Documentary To Highlight Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

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Dolly Parton. Photo: Rob Hoffman

The story behind Dolly Parton‘s Imagination Library will be highlighted in the free, one-night-only, livestream world premiere event The Library That Dolly Built, which will stream exclusively on Facebook on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. ET.

The screening will be followed by a conversation and live acoustic performance from Parton. Viewers can tune in to the live screening and conversation on FB.ME/dollysimaginationlibrary and ImaginationLibrary.com. In addition, the European premiere will be Thursday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. GMT, and the Australian premiere will be Friday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. AEDT. The documentary was made possible by Dollywood and Abramorama in association with The Dollywood Foundation.

Parton created the Imagination Library in 1995 to help inspire a love of books and reading in young children; the initiative has since expanded into a global endeavor and recently gifted its 150 millionth book. The program currently sends books to 1.7 million children around the world each month. Earlier this year, Parton launched a weekly bedtime reading series, “Goodnight With Dolly,” which aired across Facebook and YouTube, earning over 15 million views. On Dec. 11, the film and the conversation with Parton will be released nationwide as a Watch Now @ Home Cinema Release, and in early 2021 across multiple digital platforms.

Parton said, “I am so excited that we can finally tell the whole story of the Imagination Library. It is certainly not just about me. Our story is the story of children, of families and communities who all share the dream to inspire kids to love to read and to love to learn. My hope is this documentary will encourage more towns, more states and even more countries to jump onboard. One thing is for sure, I think this is the best investment I have ever made!”

The Library That Dolly Built, directed and produced by journalism professor and director of Land Grant Films Nick Geidner, and narrated by Danica McKellar, goes behind the scenes of Parton’s Imagination Library, to show how one of the most famous and beloved performers in the world has partnered with thousands of local community organizations to develop an efficient and effective program for spreading the love of reading. Imagination Library started as a gift for the children in Parton’s hometown, Sevierville, Tennessee, and is now active in all 50 states, and five countries, gifting 1.7 million free, age-appropriate books to children every month. The film also provides a glimpse of the profound impact the Imagination Library has on the people through original interviews with authors, policymakers, Imagination Library staff, recipients, and the legend herself, Dolly Parton. Woven throughout the film is a biographical sketch of Parton, featuring rare photos and films from her childhood. Unlike most biographies of Parton, it doesn’t focus on her music. Instead, it demonstrates that at every point in her career, any time she has had success, Parton has come back to Sevierville to give back to her people.

Weekly Register: Chris Stapleton’s ‘Starting Over’ Debuts At No. 1

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Chris Stapleton. Photo: Becky Fluke

Chris Stapleton debuts at No. 1 on the country albums chart with his latest, Starting Over, which moved 103K in total consumption, according to Nielsen. Luke Combs‘ What You See Is What You Get is at No. 2 with 42K in total consumption this week, followed by Dolly Parton‘s A Holly Dolly Christmas at No. 3 with 22.3K and Carrie Underwood‘s My Gift at No. 4 with 21.7K. Combs’ This One’s For You is at No. 5 with 19K.

This week’s top country debuts include Luke Bryan‘s Walmart exclusive #1s Volume 1, which earns 5.9K album only, landing at No. 31. Kameron Marlowe‘s EP debuts at No. 67 with 3.4K in total activity.

Combs has this week’s top country streaming song, with “Forever After All” earning 9 million streams this week. Morgan Wallen‘s “More Than My Hometown” is at No. 2 with 7.7 million streams. Chris Stapleton‘s “Starting Over” is at No. 3 with 7.5 million streams, followed by Gabby Barrett‘s “I Hope” at No. 4 with 7.4 million streams. Combs rounds out the Top 5 with another track, “Better Together,” earning 6.6 million streams.

Stapleton has this week’s top country debut with “You Should Probably Leave” landing at No. 21 on the country on-demand audio streaming chart with 4 million streams.

Guitar Center Files For Bankruptcy Due To Pandemic Struggles

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Instrument retailer Guitar Center, Inc. has filed a petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 in bankruptcy court.

As announced on Nov. 13, Guitar Center has secured new financing to implement its financial restructuring plan, which is supported by its equity sponsor, a fund managed by the Private Equity Group of Ares Management Corporation, new equity investors Brigade Capital Management and a fund managed by The Carlyle Group, as well as supermajorities of its noteholder groups. The Plan provides for a comprehensive transaction that will deleverage the Company’s balance sheet, enhance financial flexibility and provide additional liquidity to continue to support its vendors, suppliers, and employees.

The Plan will reduce debt by nearly $800 million and is supported by up to $165 million in new equity investments from a fund managed by the Private Equity Group of Ares Management Corporation, a fund managed by the Carlyle Group and Brigade Capital Management. Guitar Center has negotiated to have a total of $375 million in Debtor-In-Possession (“DIP”) financing provided by certain of its existing noteholders and ABL lenders. In connection with the Plan, the Company currently intends to raise $335 million in new senior secured notes. UBS Investment Bank will serve as the lead placement agent in connection with this effort. The move is intended to allow Guitar Center and its related brands (including Music & Arts, Musician’s Friend, Woodwind Brasswind and AVDG) to continue normal operations while the transaction is implemented.

Guitar Center has been in business for over 60 years, but was forced to close many locations in March during the COVID-19 lockdowns across the nation, and struggled to keep sales up as the economy tanked during the pandemic.

Ron Japinga, CEO of Guitar Center, said, “This is an important and positive step in our process to significantly reduce our debt and enhance our ability to reinvest in our business to support long-term growth. Throughout this process, we will continue to serve our customers and deliver on our mission of putting more music in the world. Given the strong level of support from our lenders and creditors, we expect to complete the process before the end of this year.”

Dan+Shay, Kane Brown, Maren Morris, Blake Shelton Earn American Music Awards Wins

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Dan+Shay. Photo: Emma McIntyre for AMA/Getty Images for dcp

Dan+Shay, Kane Brown, Blake Shelton and Maren Morris were among the winners at Sunday’s (Nov. 22) American Music Awards.

Duo Dan+Shay earned three awards including Favorite Duo or Group—Country, Favorite Song—Country and Collaboration of the Year, for “10,000 Hours” with Justin Bieber. With the latter win, the duo became the first ever country artists to take home the all-genre Collaboration of the Year title. They also performed their current Top 10 (and climbing) track “I Should Probably Go To Bed.”

Brown took home the Favorite Country Artist—Male honor while Morris was named Favorite Country Artist—Female. Shelton earned Favorite Album—Country for Fully Loaded: God’s Country.

A full list of winners is below:

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Justin Bieber
Post Malone
Roddy Ricch
Taylor Swift (WINNER)
The Weeknd

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Lewis Capaldi
Doja Cat (WINNER)
DaBaby
Lil Baby
Roddy Ricch
Megan Thee Stallion

COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion, “WAP”
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch, “Rockstar”
Dan + Shay with Justin Bieber, “10,000 Hours” (WINNER)
Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande, “Rain On Me”
Megan Thee Stallion ft. Beyoncé, “Savage Remix”

FAVORITE SOCIAL ARTIST
BTS (WINNER)
Billie Eilish
EXO
Ariana Grande
NCT 127

FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEO
Doja Cat, “Say So”
Future ft. Drake, “Life Is Good”
Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande, “Rain On Me”
Taylor Swift, “Cardigan” (WINNER)
The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights”

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – POP/ROCK
Justin Bieber (WINNER)
Post Malone
The Weeknd

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – POP/ROCK
Dua Lipa
Lady Gaga
Taylor Swift (WINNER)

FAVORITE DUO OR GROUP – POP/ROCK
BTS (WINNER)
Jonas Brothers
Maroon 5

FAVORITE ALBUM – POP/ROCK
Harry Styles, “Fine Line” (WINNER)
Taylor Swift, “Folklore”
The Weeknd, “After Hours”

FAVORITE SONG – POP/ROCK
Lewis Capaldi, “Someone You Loved”
Dua Lipa, “Don’t Start Now” (WINNER)
Post Malone, “Circles”
Roddy Ricch, “The Box”
The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights”

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – COUNTRY
Kane Brown (WINNER)
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST- COUNTRY
Gabby Barrett
Miranda Lambert
Maren Morris (WINNER)

FAVORITE DUO OR GROUP – COUNTRY
Dan + Shay (WINNER)
Florida Georgia Line
Old Dominion

FAVORITE ALBUM – COUNTRY
Luke Combs, “What You See Is What You Get”
Blake Shelton, “Fully Loaded: God’s Country” (WINNER)
Morgan Wallen, “If I Know Me”

FAVORITE SONG – COUNTRY
Dan + Shay with Justin Bieber, “10,000 Hours” (WINNER)
Maren Morris, “The Bones”
Blake Shelton (duet with Gwen Stefani), “Nobody But You”

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – RAP/HIP-HOP
DaBaby
Juice WRLD (WINNER)
Roddy Ricch

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – RAP/HIP-HOP
Cardi B
Nicki Minaj (WINNER)
Megan Thee Stallion

FAVORITE ALBUM – RAP/HIP-HOP
Lil Baby, “My Turn”
Lil Uzi Vert, “Eternal Atake”
Roddy Ricch, “Please Forgive Me For Being Anti Social” (WINNER)

FAVORITE SONG – RAP/HIP-HOP
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion, “WAP” (WINNER)
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch, “Rockstar”
Roddy Rich, “The Box”

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – SOUL/R&B
Chris Brown
John Legend
The Weeknd (WINNER)

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – SOUL/R&B
Jhene Aiko
Doja Cat (WINNER)
Summer Walker

FAVORITE ALBUM – SOUL/R&B
Doja Cat, “Hot Pink”
Summer Walker, “Over It”
The Weeknd, “After Hours” (WINNER)

FAVORITE SONG – SOUL/R&B
Chris Brown ft. Drake, “No Guidance”
Summer Walker, “Playing Games”
The Weeknd, “Heartless” (WINNER)

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – LATIN, PRESENTED BY CHEETOS
Bad Bunny (WINNER)
J Balvin
Ozuna

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST- LATIN, PRESENTED BY CHEETOS
Becky G (WINNER)
Karol G
Rosalía

FAVORITE ALBUM – LATIN, PRESENTED BY CHEETOS
Anuel AA, “Emmanuel”
Bad Bunny, “Las Que No Iban A Salir”
Bad Bunny, “YHLQMDLG” (WINNER)

FAVORITE SONG – LATIN, PRESENTED BY CHEETOS
Bad Bunny “Vete”
Black Eyed Peas x J Balvin, “RITMO (Bad Boys for Life)”
Karol G & Nicki Minaj, “Tusa” (WINNER)

FAVORITE ARTIST – ALTERNATIVE ROCK
Billie Eilish
Tame Impala
Twenty One Pilots (WINNER)

FAVORITE ARTIST – ADULT CONTEMPORARY
Lewis Capaldi
Jonas Brothers (WINNER)
Maroon 5

FAVORITE ARTIST – CONTEMPORARY INSPIRATIONAL
Lauren Daigle (WINNER)
For King & Country
Kanye West

FAVORITE ARTIST – ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC (EDM)
Kygo
Lady Gaga (WINNER)
Marshmello

FAVORITE SOUNDTRACK
“Birds of Prey: The Album” (WINNER)
“Frozen 2”
“Trolls: World Tour”

Songs Revealed For Upcoming ‘CMA Country Christmas’ Special

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If you’re having trouble getting in the Christmas spirit this year, CMA has you covered with the upcoming CMA Country Christmas special airing on ABC on Nov. 30.

The show, hosted by husband and wife team, Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins, will include plenty of holiday favorites, tapping into the nostalgia and magic of the holiday season with performances from Kelsea Ballerini on the playful “Santa Baby,” Gabby Barrett on “The First Noel,” Lady A on “Wonderful Christmastime” and “Little Saint Nick,” Little Big Town on “Christmas Time Is Here,” Tim McGraw on “It Wasn’t His Child,” and Darius Rucker with Lindsey Stirling on the reverent “What Child Is This?”.

With a nod to the present, the special also includes three world TV premieres from Dan + Shay singing “Christmas Isn’t Christmas,” Florida Georgia Line performing “Lit This Year,” and Thomas Rhett singing “Christmas In The Country.”

This year’s show, filmed without a live audience for the first time and executive produced and written by Robert Deaton and directed by Paul Miller, is staged in an intimate, at home setting as a throwback to classic holiday specials of the past.