Save The Music, formerly VH1 Save the Music, the nationwide nonprofit supporting music education in over 285 school districts, has launched a new chapter after separating from Paramount Global and becoming a fully independent entity.
Save The Music will continue to focus on its mission of ensuring every student in every school has the opportunity to make music, by supplying schools with instruments and technology, offering teacher training and support, and funding and bringing together community-based music organizations.
As part of the transition, Save The Music has introduced a $10 million endowment fund, with nearly $4 million already raised. This endowment will secure the organization’s long-term sustainability and continued support for music education, helping future generations of students access the transformative power of making music. Although the formal partnership with Paramount is concluding, the relationship will persist, as the company has committed an initial six-figure donation to the fund.
This milestone signifies the completion of a process that started in 2019 when the organization rebranded, dropping the VH1 name as part of a strategy to lessen reliance on a single funding source and adopt a more diversified approach to financial support. Over the past five years, Save The Music has attracted a diverse group of funders, with 95% of the budget in 2024 coming from community-based foundations, individual donations, and contributions from the music industry.
Notable funders include major labels, talent agencies, Live Nation, AEG Presents, Amazon, TikTok and Meta. In 2021, Save The Music was awarded a $2 million grant, the largest in the organization’s history, from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.
“Going independent is a huge step forward for us – and the culmination of a five-year effort from our team, partners, and boards,” says Executive Director Henry Donahue. “In every school I visit – from the Bronx to Miami, Philadelphia to Los Angeles, Detroit to Columbus, Memphis to New Orleans – I find that the music room is a special place. The students are excited to be there, and they are creative, thoughtful, and optimistic in a way that should give us all hope for the future.”
Save The Music has also bolstered its artist partnerships, guided by internal leadership and the Save The Music Advisory Board. Mmembers of the board include Eric Wong (President of East West Records & Head of Global A&R at Warner Recorded Music), Caroline Abs (Head of Marketing for Sony Latin-Iberia Region), Jonathan Azu (Founder & CEO of Culture Collective), and Gurj Bassi (Head of Music Marketing & Partnerships at SiriusXM), among others.
Recent Artist Ambassador campaigns have been spearheaded by Ed Sheeran, Becky G and Jelly Roll. Save The Music has also partnered with Breland, Brittney Spencer, Young The Giant, Tank (of Tank and The Bangas), Durand Bernarr, Lawrence (the band), Chelsea Cutler, Rainbow Kitten Surprise and Infinity Song.
To celebrate the new chapter, Save The Music has brought together a lineup of artists for an exclusive giveaway campaign on the Propeller platform. Now through the end of February, fans can bid on over a dozen one-of-a-kind auction prizes from artists like Sabrina Carpenter, The War and Treaty, Denzel Curry, GHOST, Common x Pete Rock, Patti LaBelle, Blake Shelton and more. Proceeds from the auction will go directly toward funding the creation of new music programs nationwide, as Save The Music enters its next era as an independent organization. The auction items can be viewed here.
Since its founding, Save The Music has invested over $75 million in more than 2,800 school music programs. In just the last five years it has doubled the number of schools it reaches, funding more than 600 new programs in cities like New York, Newark, Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Nashville and Columbus; along with major regional initiatives in West Virginia and the Mississippi Delta.
Shaboozey Breaks Record For Most Weeks At No. 1 On Radio Songs Chart
/by Madison HahnenShaboozey. Photo: Daniel Prakopcyk
Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” extends its reign to a 27th week at No. 1 on Billboard’s Radio Songs chart, surpassing The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” to claim the record for the longest time spent at No. 1 in the chart’s history.
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” previously spent a record-tying 19 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, which factors in streaming, airplay and sales, starting in July of last year.
The track remains at No. 1 on the Radio Songs chart with an audience of 63.3 million for the week of Jan. 24-30, remaining mostly steady from the previous week, according to data from Luminate. The chart tracks all-format airplay across over 1,000 monitored radio stations. KDHT (Hits 95.7) in Denver has played the song the most, with over 4,000 spins to date.
“A Bar Song (Tipsy),” released via American Dogwood/EMPIRE with country radio promotion by Magnolia Music, topped the Country Airplay chart for seven consecutive weeks starting last August, marking the longest No. 1 streak for a debut single. It also continues to make history, remaining in the top 10 for a record-extending 31st week.
The song also made history as the first to break into the top five on Country Airplay, Pop Airplay and Adult Pop Airplay, where it spent two weeks at No. 1 on each chart, as well as Rhythmic Airplay, where it peaked at No. 3.
“There were many, many doubters of our ability to work this record at radio,” EMPIRE COO Nima Etminan shared to Billboard. “The industry loves telling independents that there’s a ceiling to what they can do on their own, and this was no different. We were told it can’t be done, and, as we like to do, we proved them wrong. We’ve assembled a fantastic team that we had full faith in – and they delivered.”
Weekly Register: Kane Brown Debuts At No. 2 On Country Albums Chart
/by John Nix ArledgeKane Brown
Morgan Wallen stays at the top of the country albums and streaming songs charts this week, according to Luminate data. His 2023 One Thing At A Time album amassed 41K in total consumption (774 album only and 52 million song streams). Wallen’s newest track “Smile,” remains atop the songs chart with 13 million streams adding to 80 million total.
Also on the albums chart, Kane Brown debuts at No. 2 with The High Road earning 40k in total consumption, Wallen at No. 3 with Dangerous: The Double Album with 31K in total consumption, Post Malone‘s F-1 Trillion with 25K and Jelly Roll‘s Beautifully Broken with 19K.
On the songs chart, Shaboozey maintains the No. 2 position with “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” earning 12.5 million streams adding to one billion, Wallen’s “Love Somebody” climbs to No. 3 with 11 million, Post Malone’s “I Had Some Help” drops to No. 4 with 11 million streams, and Sam Barber and Avery Anna‘s “Indigo” claims 8.6 million.
Country Music Hall Of Fame & Museum Names New Troubadour Advisory Council Members, Leadership Team
/by Lorie HollabaughThe Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Troubadour Advisory Council, comprised of a team of dedicated young leaders in the Nashville community, has named its 2025 members and leadership team.
The 2025 Leadership Team:
Elizabeth Lombardi, Chair (Executive, Business Affairs, Music Touring, Creative Artists Agency)
Zach Farnum, Vice-Chair (Owner, 117 Entertainment)
Nina Jenkins Fisher, Vice-Chair (Senior Director, Creative, Jody Williams Songs)
Brenden Oliver, Vice-Chair (Director of Awards Stewardship, Country Music Association)
The Troubadour Advisory Council’s 2025 members:
Scott Adkins (President/CEO, Adkins Publicity)
Karli Berman (Teacher, Metro Nashville Public Schools)
Christopher Beverly (Senior Business & Entertainment Attorney, Shields Construction Law, PLLC)
Kasey Cleckler (Owner, Executive + Performance Coach, Cape + Anchor)
Katie Cline Moore (Business Manager, Cline Co Business & Financial Management)
Emily Dryburgh (A+R, Creative Director: Raven Entertainment and Co-Founder: Young Music City + RNBW Queer Music Collective)
Taylor Edwards (Associate Portfolio Manager, AllianceBernstein)
Alex Hall (Recording Artist, Monument Records)
Brittney Hitch (Contract & Booking Manager, Bridgestone Arena)
Cody Kirby (Associate Counsel, Parallon – An HCA Affiliate)
Nathan Pyle (Director of Operations, Songfluencer)
Carter Robinson (SVP Financial Advisor, Music Entertainment & Sports Group, Pinnacle Financial Partners)
Molly Shehan (Partner, Milom Crow Kelley Beckett Shehan PLC)
Casey Thomas (VP, Marketing & Commercial Partnerships, Monument Records)
Josh Tomlinson (Director – Creative, BMI)
Max Vanberg (Country Music Agent Trainee, William Morris Endeavor – WME)
The Troubadour community of young members enjoy quarterly networking events at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. They connect with other like-minded professionals, ages 21-45, and play a part in supporting the museum’s educational mission. Troubadour membership directly supports the museum’s next generation of local visitors, providing free general admission to youth ages 18 and under from Davidson County and bordering counties.
Save The Music Becomes Independent & Unveils $10 Million Endowment Fund
/by Lorie HollabaughSave The Music, formerly VH1 Save the Music, the nationwide nonprofit supporting music education in over 285 school districts, has launched a new chapter after separating from Paramount Global and becoming a fully independent entity.
Save The Music will continue to focus on its mission of ensuring every student in every school has the opportunity to make music, by supplying schools with instruments and technology, offering teacher training and support, and funding and bringing together community-based music organizations.
As part of the transition, Save The Music has introduced a $10 million endowment fund, with nearly $4 million already raised. This endowment will secure the organization’s long-term sustainability and continued support for music education, helping future generations of students access the transformative power of making music. Although the formal partnership with Paramount is concluding, the relationship will persist, as the company has committed an initial six-figure donation to the fund.
This milestone signifies the completion of a process that started in 2019 when the organization rebranded, dropping the VH1 name as part of a strategy to lessen reliance on a single funding source and adopt a more diversified approach to financial support. Over the past five years, Save The Music has attracted a diverse group of funders, with 95% of the budget in 2024 coming from community-based foundations, individual donations, and contributions from the music industry.
Notable funders include major labels, talent agencies, Live Nation, AEG Presents, Amazon, TikTok and Meta. In 2021, Save The Music was awarded a $2 million grant, the largest in the organization’s history, from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.
“Going independent is a huge step forward for us – and the culmination of a five-year effort from our team, partners, and boards,” says Executive Director Henry Donahue. “In every school I visit – from the Bronx to Miami, Philadelphia to Los Angeles, Detroit to Columbus, Memphis to New Orleans – I find that the music room is a special place. The students are excited to be there, and they are creative, thoughtful, and optimistic in a way that should give us all hope for the future.”
Save The Music has also bolstered its artist partnerships, guided by internal leadership and the Save The Music Advisory Board. Mmembers of the board include Eric Wong (President of East West Records & Head of Global A&R at Warner Recorded Music), Caroline Abs (Head of Marketing for Sony Latin-Iberia Region), Jonathan Azu (Founder & CEO of Culture Collective), and Gurj Bassi (Head of Music Marketing & Partnerships at SiriusXM), among others.
Recent Artist Ambassador campaigns have been spearheaded by Ed Sheeran, Becky G and Jelly Roll. Save The Music has also partnered with Breland, Brittney Spencer, Young The Giant, Tank (of Tank and The Bangas), Durand Bernarr, Lawrence (the band), Chelsea Cutler, Rainbow Kitten Surprise and Infinity Song.
To celebrate the new chapter, Save The Music has brought together a lineup of artists for an exclusive giveaway campaign on the Propeller platform. Now through the end of February, fans can bid on over a dozen one-of-a-kind auction prizes from artists like Sabrina Carpenter, The War and Treaty, Denzel Curry, GHOST, Common x Pete Rock, Patti LaBelle, Blake Shelton and more. Proceeds from the auction will go directly toward funding the creation of new music programs nationwide, as Save The Music enters its next era as an independent organization. The auction items can be viewed here.
Since its founding, Save The Music has invested over $75 million in more than 2,800 school music programs. In just the last five years it has doubled the number of schools it reaches, funding more than 600 new programs in cities like New York, Newark, Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Nashville and Columbus; along with major regional initiatives in West Virginia and the Mississippi Delta.
Neon Union Share The ‘Good Years’ On Debut Album
/by Lorie HollabaughRed Street Records’ country duo Neon Union released their debut album, Good Years, last Friday (Jan. 31).
Good Years features previously released tracks “Alright Where She Left Me,” “How Ya Don’t” and the band’s debut single, “‘Bout Damn Time,” along with with new tracks such as “Clean Hands” and “Fall For Me.” Writers contributing to the project include Danny Myrick, Bobby Pinson, Phil Barton, Tyler Hubbard and more, with Dann Huff and Jay DeMarcus leading the production, along with contributions from Brandon Hood.
“This album is full of experiences and memories of all the Good Years in the rearview,” says Neon Union’s Andrew Millsaps. “We hope everyone connects with these songs as much as we do. Here’s to all the Good Years to come!”
“What an incredible experience it’s been bringing this project to life,” shares DeMarcus. “The talent that Andrew (Millsaps) and Leo (Brooks) bring to the table is beyond compare. I can’t wait for country listeners to get their hands on Good Years!”
Good Years Track List:
1. “Alright Where She Left Me” (Andrew Millsaps, Leo Brooks, Brandon Hood, Bob DiPiero)
2. “Golden Rules” (Josh Miller, Chris LaCorte, Thomas Archer)
3. “Fall For Me” (Bobby Pinson, Ben West, Justin Wilson)
4. “Bout Damn Time” (Tyler Hubbard, Michael Hardy, Hunter Phelps, Bobby Pinson)
5. “Made in Mexico” (Leo Brooks, Andrew Millsaps, Aaron Benward, Bobby Pinson)
6. “How You Don’t” (Jake Rose, Chris DuBois, Zach Kale)
7. “Good Years” (Leo Brooks, Andrew Millsaps Aaron Benward, Danny Myrick)
8. “Luck Don’t Live Around Here” (Kelley Lovelace, Chris DeStefano, Neil Thrasher)
9. “Clean Hands” (Tom Douglas, Brett Taylor, Blake Griffith)
10. “Helluva High” (Andrew Millsaps, Leo Brooks, Phil Barton)
11. “Ain’t That The Truth” (Andrew Millsaps, Leo Brooks, Bobby Hamrick)
12. “This Side Of The Dirt” (Hunter Phelps, Nicolette Hayford, Ben Johnson, Jerry Flowers)
Jason Scott Signs With Big Yellow Dog Music
/by Madison HahnenPictured: (L-R, front row): Carla Wallace, Jason Scott and Brannen Carter. (L-R, middle row): Jacee Badeaux, Alex Stefano and Alana Morgan. (L-R, back row): Kerry O’Neil and Mark Noel
Jason Scott has signed a publishing deal with Big Yellow Dog Music.
Scott, a native of Oklahoma City, is the lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter for Leo33 band Jason Scott & The High Heat. Their 2022 debut album Castle Rock received acclaim from NPR, BBC Radio and others. Scott’s music connects deeply with listeners through his storytelling and his mix of heartland rock and southern soul. The band’s live shows at festivals such as Stagecoach and Born & Raised Festival have further cemented their reputation.
“We’re so excited to work with Jason Scott,” shares Carla Wallace, Co-Owner and CEO of Big Yellow Dog Music. “His music is a perfect fit for our brand, and we love his musical authenticity.”
“From the moment I met the Big Yellow Dog team, I knew they were passionate about the music I was making,” recalls Scott. “I’m so proud to partner with such an elite team to help further the creative vision of my music and songs.”
The band dropped their High Country Heat EP late last year, with the single “If We Make It To The Mornin’” now rising on the Americana charts. They’re currently on tour with Blackberry Smoke and will also be performing at festivals like Extra Innings, Jackalope Jamboree and more throughout the year.
Jason Scott & The High Heat are represented by Mark Noel at Triple 8 Management, with booking handled by Jonathan Levine, Lenore Kinder and Tommy Alexander at Wasserman Music.
MTSU Honors Grammy-Nominated Alums At L.A. Reception
/by Lorie HollabaughJessi Alexander, Middle Tennessee State University President Sidney A. McPhee and Dean of the College of Media and Entertainment Beverly Keel. Photo: Andrew Oppmann
Middle Tennessee State University gathered alumni, supporters and friends on Feb. 1 in Los Angeles to honor its six former students with nominations in the 2025 Grammy Awards.
Six MTSU-trained professionals received eight Grammy nominations this year, including singer-songwriters Jessi Alexander (two nominations) and Jaelee Roberts, and audio production engineers Brandon Bell, Jason Hall (two nominations), Bobby Holland and Jimmy Mansfield.
At Saturday’s event, MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee and Beverly Keel, dean of the College of Media and Entertainment, named Alexander an honorary professor in the Recording Industry Department. A former College of Media and Entertainment student, Alexander earned two nominations: one for Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical, (based on a selection of songs written and co-written), and another for Best Song Written for Visual Media for her work on “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma” by Luke Combs.
First-time Grammy nominee Roberts, a 2023 commercial songwriting alumna, was presented with a certificate during the event recognizing her nomination as part of the group Sister Sadie for Best Bluegrass Album.
Multiple-winner and nominee Bell, a 2004 Department of Recording Industry alum, captured another Grammy for his mixing work on Billy Strings Live Vol. 1, which won for Best Bluegrass Album. Strings captured the same award in 2021.
The number of MTSU-connected Grammy winners since 2001 currently stands at more than 20 recipients, with nearly 50 Grammys, including nine repeat winners in categories from classical, pop, rock, country, gospel and rap.
NMPA Takes Action Against Spotify For Unlicensed Music In Podcasts
/by LB CantrellThe National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) has launched a takedown campaign against Spotify for allegedly hosting unlicensed music in podcasts. Over 2,500 instances of infringement have been identified, with more to follow, according to the organization.
This move follows a May 2023 cease-and-desist letter NMPA sent to Spotify regarding the issue.
NMPA President & CEO David Israelite says, “Spotify has thousands of unlicensed songs in its podcasts, which it has done nothing to remedy. This takedown action comes as no surprise, we have warned of this issue for some time.
“Podcasts are a growing source of revenue for songwriters and publishers, and it is essential that podcasts provide lawfully produced entertainment. This is not hard to do, and Spotify knows, and has known, how to fix this problem for their users. We hope podcast hosts will stand up for their fellow creators and demand that Spotify do better.
“Spotify will stop at nothing to undervalue songwriters on behalf of its bottom line. Look no further than its recent bundling scheme and its ill-conceived appeal of songwriters’ rate increase in CRB III. We will not stop until the platform fixes its podcast problem, and all other areas where songwriters are not earning what they deserve.”
“The Nashville Songwriter Association International (NSAI) applauds The National Music Publisher Association’s (NMPA) take down action against Spotify for unlicensed music contained in podcasts on their platform,” shares Bart Herbison, NSAI Executive Director. “The giant streaming service’s continuing disregard to properly compensate songwriters and composers is again evident in their failure to license these songs. Spotify was warned of this situation nearly a year ago, yet failed to remedy it. To suggest that this action is in response to the recent decision in the MLC lawsuit dismisses the fact that they are illegally using music copyrights.”
The takedown program includes 19 NMPA member publishers including ABKCO, Anthem Entertainment, Big Machine Music, BMG, Concord Music Publishing, Downtown Music Publishing, Hipgnosis Songs Group, Kobalt, Mayimba Music, peermusic, Primary Wave Music, Reservoir, The Royalty Network, Inc., Sony Music Publishing, Spirit Music Group, Ultra Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music and Wixen Music Publishing.
A Spotify Spokesperson shared the following statement with MusicRow, “This is a weak reaction to the judge dismissing the MLC’s lawsuit. Last summer, the NMPA claimed that there were unlicensed works in podcasts on Spotify. The fact that the NMPA waited months, despite multiple written requests by Spotify for details, which they never bothered to answer, to report these episodes only further emphasizes that this is a press stunt. Platforms like Spotify, which are home to millions of pieces of UGC content, regularly receive takedown requests, and, as always, we will act promptly and, where appropriate, remove the episodes in question.”
Spotify confirmed it had since received the list of URLs from the NMPA and is investigating the takedown requests; the initial hundred or so include shows from The New York Times, Slate and iHeart.
Gavin Adcock Announces New ‘Need To’ Single, Tour
/by Lorie HollabaughGavin Adcock. Photo: Ash Summerford
Gavin Adcock is releasing his new single, “Need To,” this Friday (Feb. 7), and has announced he’ll embark on his new “Need To” tour beginning in May.
Ticket pre-sales begin tomorrow (Feb. 4) and general public on-sale is set for this Friday (Feb. 7.) Fans can purchase tickets here.
Adcock’s album, Actin’ Up Again, was crowned the largest major-label country debut from a solo male artist released in 2024, with more than 15 million on-demand U.S. streams during release week, and was also 2024’s top streaming major-label debut across the genre.
With the success of Actin’ Up Again, Adcock has aggressively zigzagged across the country on multiple headlining tours including the “Monster Energy Outbreak Tour Presents: Gavin Adcock,” boasting 31 sold-out dates, along with his current 30+ date “Actin’ Up Again (Again) Tour,” which is completely sold out as well. Adcock has released multiple singles, collectively amassing over 600 million U.S. streams including the fan-favorite “A Cigarette,” which raked in 110 million+ alone.
“The Need To Tour” Dates:
Here’s the formatted version for easy readability:
May 2 – Brandon, MS – Brandon Amphitheater
May 10 – North Charleston, SC – Firefly Distillery [Currently on-sale]
May 17 – Nashville, TN – Pinnacle [Currently on-sale]
May 24 – Grant, OK – Choctaw Casino-Stage 271 [Currently on-sale]
June 6 – Sylvania, OH – Centennial Terrace [Currently on-sale]
June 13 – Crown Point, IN – Bulldog Park [Currently on-sale]
July 24 – Clarksburg, WV – The Clarksburg Amphitheater
August 21 – Wichita, KS – WAVE
August 22 – Colorado Springs, CO – Ford Amphitheater
August 23 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex – Rockwell
August 28 – Richmond, VA – Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront
August 29 – Salem, VA – Salem Civic Center
September 11 – Independence, MO – Cable Dahmer Arena
September 12 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
September 14 – St. Louis, MO – The Factory at The District
September 25 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater
September 26 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
September 27 – Buffalo, NY – The Outer Harbor
October 3 – Wilmington, NC – Live Oak Bank Pavilion
October 4 – St. Augustine, FL – St. Augustine Amphitheatre
October 17 – Athens, GA – Classic Center Arena
Christian Hayes Makes Grand Ole Opry Debut
/by Lorie HollabaughChristian Hayes makes his Grand Ole Opry debut. Photo: Hunter Hart
Capitol Records artist Christian Hayes made his Grand Ole Opry debut on Saturday night (Feb. 1.)
Pictured (L-R, back row): Ryan Hofstetter (WME); Taylor Dempsey (Rivida); Jon Folk (WME); Christian Hayes; Reed Moncier, Shaina Botwiin (Capitol Records), Roxy King (UMPG) and Aaron Dombey (Capitol Records); (L-R, front row): Hannah Ferrell (Capitol Records); Ebie McFarland (Essential Broadcast Media); Sam Breslin (Capitol Records); Becky Sake (Capitol Records); Helena Capps (Wildrose Projects); James Brown; Emilia James (ASCAP) and Cyndi Forman (UMPG). Photo: Hunter Hart
Hayes took the hallowed stage donning a Schott leather jacket designed by Dixon and Jack embroidered with artwork inspired by his debut EP, Last I Love You and inscripted with his nickname “The Lullaby Kid,” and performed two songs: “Home Sweet Home” and “LILY.”
“LILY” (an acronym for “Last I Love You”) struck a chord with listeners and became a viral hit, with global streams past the six million mark. Last I Love You fuses Americana and folk while bouncing between campfire ballads, cinematic soundscapes and rowdy barn-burners. A veteran of the US Navy Reserve, Hayes began applying the discipline of his military training to his work as a songwriter, amassing more than 900 original songs by his mid-twenties. Five of those songs appear on Last I Love You.