Reba McEntire hosts the 59th ACM Awards.
The 59th Academy of Country Music Awards took place Thursday night (May 16) at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
Lainey Wilson was crowned ACM Entertainer of the Year, her first time receiving the honor. Chris Stapleton led the night in total wins with four awards, followed by Wilson with three wins, and Luke Combs and Jordan Davis with two wins.
Lainey Wilson performs at the 59th ACM Awards.
Music icon Reba McEntire hosted the two hour show that featured 18 performances from 19 artists, along with several collaborations. She kept things lighthearted and funny during her opening remarks, often highlighting the popularity of country music at the moment.
“From Mother Maybelle to Cowboy Carter, country music is so big in 2024 that there’s room for everybody,” she said. “We all love country [music] and we all are country. We’re keeping the circle unbroken, but growing it to even bigger and better.”
Wilson kicked off the night’s music with a cover of “God Blessed Texas” before transitioning into an exciting performance of her new single “Hang Tight Honey.” Jelly Roll continued the party with a performance of an unreleased song “Liar.”
Post Malone performs at the 59th ACM Awards.
The first award presentation, for Song of the Year, came swiftly. It went to Davis’ “Next Thing You Know,” co-written by Davis, Chase McGill, Greylan James and Josh Osborne.
Davis thanked the songwriting community for embracing him when he accepted. McGill and James stood grinning widely behind him, embracing each other. “I love songwriting because of songs that have won Song of the Year,” Davis said.
In one of the night’s best musical moments, Kelsea Ballerini was joined by folk-pop artist Noah Kahan for a mashup of her “Mountain With A View” and his “Stick Season.” It was the first of many successful collaborations throughout the show.
The next ACM Award went to Dan + Shay for Duo of the Year. The two thanked their families and teams and shared that despite their journey of highs and lows, “the one thing that has remained the same is the love and support from the country music community.”
Greylan James, Chase McGill and Jordan Davis win the award for Song of the Year at the 59th ACM Awards.
For the next award, Old Dominion took home their seventh consecutive win for ACM Group of the Year, tying Rascal Flatts for the most consecutive wins in the category.
Speaking of groups, sister duo Tigirlily Gold gave a warm performance of “I Tried A Ring On.” The sisters, who were crowned New Duo or Group winners earlier in the week, hugged each other with excitement after they wrapped up their ACM Awards debut.
After another musical highlight of the night, a performance of Cody Johnson‘s touching “Dirt Cheap,” viewers heard some new music. Thomas Rhett excited the crowd with his new song “Beautiful As You” and Miranda Lambert set the stage ablaze with the television premiere of her new single, “Wranglers.”
Noah Kahan and Kelsea Ballerini perform at the 59th ACM Awards.
Georgia native Kane Brown sang a soulful rendition of Ray Charles’ classic “Georgia on My Mind,” which Charles performed on the ACM Awards stage 40 years ago. Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani only had eyes for each other as they sang their latest duet “Purple Irises.”
About mid-way through the show, the party subdued for a tribute to the late, great Toby Keith. His close friend and fellow Okie Shelton spoke about the icon before introducing Jason Aldean to perform one of Keith’s biggest hits. Aldean did an excellent job with a reverent version of “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” with accompaniment from a small string section. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room as pictures of Keith took over the screens.
Geoff Sprung, Brad Tursi, Matthew Ramsey and Trevor Rosen of Old Dominion win the award for Group of the Year at the 59th ACM Awards.
Stapleton was presented with Male Artist of the Year. Wilson got emotional as she accepted Female Artist of the Year. She thanked McEntire and all of the other women in country music who paved the road before her.
Another highlight of the night came when Stapleton and surprise guest Dua Lipa shocked the audience with an unexpected performance of “Think I’m In Love With You.” The exceptional singers, complete with Morgane Stapleton‘s signature harmonies, sounded perfect together on the funky song.
Wilson earned her next trophy alongside Jelly Roll for Music Event of the Year with “Save Me.” Jelly shared how important the song was to him and his “high school friend” David Ray Stevens who he wrote it with.
Chris Stapleton and Dua Lipa perform at the 59th ACM Awards.
Soon came Post Malone‘s highly-anticipated ACM Awards performance. The Texas-bred artist proved his country cred with a performance of “Never Love You Again” before thrilling the crowd with the history-making “I Had Some Help.”
Before he left the stage, McEntire joined him for a few acoustic verses of the Allman Brothers Band‘s “Ramblin’ Man,” in tribute to the band’s recently-passed Dickey Betts. Malone gushed at McEntire and the country music community’s acceptance of him, often bowing his head in gratitude and respect.
Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney of Dan + Shay win the Duo of the Year award at the 59th ACM Awards.
In another sweet moment, the son and widow of the late Country Music Hall of Famer Charley Pride appeared to present the ACM Album of the Year award. Rozene and Dion gave the honor to Stapleton for Higher.
With his co-producers wife Morgane and Dave Cobb behind him, he shared, “We do our best to make an album that’s a complete body of work. I hope that’s what this means.” Morgane added, “I am so proud every day to get to work with the love of my life… I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.”
Avril Lavigne and Nate Smith perform at the 59th ACM Awards.
After Parker McCollum performed his ACM Award-winning “Burn It Down,” the fire moved over to the big stage with a fun collaboration from New Male Artist of the Year winner Nate Smith and pop icon Avril Lavigne. The two traded verses and smirks on Smith’s “Bulletproof.”
The award of the night, Entertainer of the Year, went to Wilson. She was emotional when she accepted the trophy.
“I remember being a little girl and I would open my window, climb out on our roof and count the stars. I’d see the planes flying over my little town of 200 people. I would dream about being up there in one of those planes,” Wilson shared. “The funny thing is that I still feel like that little girl. I still climb out on the roof and look at the stars—but I feel more eye-level with them now.”
For the last performance of the night, McEntire set the stage on fire and brought the house down with her new single “I Can’t” backed by a 20-person choir. She revealed that she would be back to host the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards next year, which is sure to be a historic night.
Music Business Association Concludes Music Biz 2024
/by Madison HahnenKeynote Conversation With John Josephson, CEO, SESAC Music Group. Photo: Jason Mallory
The Music Business Association wrapped the Music Biz 2024 Conference yesterday (May 16) at the JW Marriott Nashville.
The fourth and final day of programing included panels featuring industry executives from SESAC, Downtown Music Holdings, Warner Music Group and more. Attendees also finished out their week long learning in topic focused tracks “Past, Publish, Future,” “Backstage 2.0,” “Disrupting The Norm” and more. They also hosted “Women in the Room: Music Biz Leadership Roundtables.”
Robert Levine of Billboard hosted a keynote conversation with SESAC Music Group CEO John Josephson. During the session, Josephson spoke about licensing, rights management and future trends in the publishing space.
Presented by the Music Business Association and the National Museum of African American Music, the “Are We Supporting Our Most Important Resource?” panel spoke on the increase of post-pandemic DEI initiatives and why the industry should continue to foster well-being in the workplace by supporting the needs of their people. Panelists included Sandye Taylor of BMI, Natoya Brown of Universal Music Group and Ryan Butler of The Recording Academy.
Ryan Butler (The Recording Academy) and Natoya Brown (UMG) in the “Are We Supporting Our Most Important Resource?” panel. Photo: Jason Mallory
Female executives from Symphonic Distribution, Vevo, Universal Music Group, Spotify, BMI and more shared their stories to help create an inclusive environments for women and other marginalized groups within the music industry during the “Women In The Room: Music Biz Leadership Roundtables.”
“Women In The Room: Music Biz Leadership Roundtables.” Photo: Jason Mallory.
The “Syncing Soundscapes: Exploring Music’s Role in Gaming Evolution” panel explored new ways music is integrated and licensed across various game formats, as well as how the usage of music is impacting the gaming industry. Tom Riley of Songtradr, Bradley Patter of Kobalt Music, Alex Malcolm of Warner Music Group and Melissa Rassas Bortnick of Epic Games all took part in the conversation.
“Syncing Soundscapes: Exploring Music’s Role in Gaming Evolution” panel. Photo: Jason Mallory
Music Biz 2025 will take place May 12-15, 2025 at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia.
Hardy Drops New Track ‘Psycho’ From Upcoming Album ‘Quit!!’
/by Lorie HollabaughHardy. Photo: Robby Klein
Hardy continues to crank out new music, debuting latest track “Psycho” today (May 17). The song will be featured on his upcoming album, Quit!!, out July 12 via Big Loud Rock.
Hardy’s “Truck Bed” recently hit No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay and Mediabase Country charts—marking his first solo Billboard Country Airplay and Mediabase Country No. 1, fifth No. 1 as an artist and 14th chart-topper as a songwriter.
He performed at Stagecoach last month, and is set to make more festival appearances this summer. Hardy will also kick off his headlining “Quit!! Tour,” which includes two back-to-back nights at Red Rocks Amphitheatre and a return to his home state of Mississippi for his first-ever stadium show.
Cody Johnson Tops MusicRow Radio Chart With ‘Dirt Cheap’
/by LB CantrellCody Johnson has nabbed his fifth No. 1 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart with his moving ballad “Dirt Cheap.”
The tune, written solely by Josh Phillips, appears on Johnson’s 2023 album Leather. The singer performed the touching tune on the ACM Awards on Thursday night (May 16).
“Dirt Cheap” currently sits at No. 16 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart and No. 13 on the Mediabase chart.
Click here to view the latest edition of the MusicRow Weekly containing the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart.
The 59th ACM Awards Focuses On Fun Collaborations & Cultural Moments [Recap]
/by LB CantrellReba McEntire hosts the 59th ACM Awards.
The 59th Academy of Country Music Awards took place Thursday night (May 16) at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
Lainey Wilson was crowned ACM Entertainer of the Year, her first time receiving the honor. Chris Stapleton led the night in total wins with four awards, followed by Wilson with three wins, and Luke Combs and Jordan Davis with two wins.
Lainey Wilson performs at the 59th ACM Awards.
Music icon Reba McEntire hosted the two hour show that featured 18 performances from 19 artists, along with several collaborations. She kept things lighthearted and funny during her opening remarks, often highlighting the popularity of country music at the moment.
“From Mother Maybelle to Cowboy Carter, country music is so big in 2024 that there’s room for everybody,” she said. “We all love country [music] and we all are country. We’re keeping the circle unbroken, but growing it to even bigger and better.”
Wilson kicked off the night’s music with a cover of “God Blessed Texas” before transitioning into an exciting performance of her new single “Hang Tight Honey.” Jelly Roll continued the party with a performance of an unreleased song “Liar.”
Post Malone performs at the 59th ACM Awards.
The first award presentation, for Song of the Year, came swiftly. It went to Davis’ “Next Thing You Know,” co-written by Davis, Chase McGill, Greylan James and Josh Osborne.
Davis thanked the songwriting community for embracing him when he accepted. McGill and James stood grinning widely behind him, embracing each other. “I love songwriting because of songs that have won Song of the Year,” Davis said.
In one of the night’s best musical moments, Kelsea Ballerini was joined by folk-pop artist Noah Kahan for a mashup of her “Mountain With A View” and his “Stick Season.” It was the first of many successful collaborations throughout the show.
The next ACM Award went to Dan + Shay for Duo of the Year. The two thanked their families and teams and shared that despite their journey of highs and lows, “the one thing that has remained the same is the love and support from the country music community.”
Greylan James, Chase McGill and Jordan Davis win the award for Song of the Year at the 59th ACM Awards.
For the next award, Old Dominion took home their seventh consecutive win for ACM Group of the Year, tying Rascal Flatts for the most consecutive wins in the category.
Speaking of groups, sister duo Tigirlily Gold gave a warm performance of “I Tried A Ring On.” The sisters, who were crowned New Duo or Group winners earlier in the week, hugged each other with excitement after they wrapped up their ACM Awards debut.
After another musical highlight of the night, a performance of Cody Johnson‘s touching “Dirt Cheap,” viewers heard some new music. Thomas Rhett excited the crowd with his new song “Beautiful As You” and Miranda Lambert set the stage ablaze with the television premiere of her new single, “Wranglers.”
Noah Kahan and Kelsea Ballerini perform at the 59th ACM Awards.
Georgia native Kane Brown sang a soulful rendition of Ray Charles’ classic “Georgia on My Mind,” which Charles performed on the ACM Awards stage 40 years ago. Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani only had eyes for each other as they sang their latest duet “Purple Irises.”
About mid-way through the show, the party subdued for a tribute to the late, great Toby Keith. His close friend and fellow Okie Shelton spoke about the icon before introducing Jason Aldean to perform one of Keith’s biggest hits. Aldean did an excellent job with a reverent version of “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” with accompaniment from a small string section. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room as pictures of Keith took over the screens.
Geoff Sprung, Brad Tursi, Matthew Ramsey and Trevor Rosen of Old Dominion win the award for Group of the Year at the 59th ACM Awards.
Stapleton was presented with Male Artist of the Year. Wilson got emotional as she accepted Female Artist of the Year. She thanked McEntire and all of the other women in country music who paved the road before her.
Another highlight of the night came when Stapleton and surprise guest Dua Lipa shocked the audience with an unexpected performance of “Think I’m In Love With You.” The exceptional singers, complete with Morgane Stapleton‘s signature harmonies, sounded perfect together on the funky song.
Wilson earned her next trophy alongside Jelly Roll for Music Event of the Year with “Save Me.” Jelly shared how important the song was to him and his “high school friend” David Ray Stevens who he wrote it with.
Chris Stapleton and Dua Lipa perform at the 59th ACM Awards.
Soon came Post Malone‘s highly-anticipated ACM Awards performance. The Texas-bred artist proved his country cred with a performance of “Never Love You Again” before thrilling the crowd with the history-making “I Had Some Help.”
Before he left the stage, McEntire joined him for a few acoustic verses of the Allman Brothers Band‘s “Ramblin’ Man,” in tribute to the band’s recently-passed Dickey Betts. Malone gushed at McEntire and the country music community’s acceptance of him, often bowing his head in gratitude and respect.
Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney of Dan + Shay win the Duo of the Year award at the 59th ACM Awards.
In another sweet moment, the son and widow of the late Country Music Hall of Famer Charley Pride appeared to present the ACM Album of the Year award. Rozene and Dion gave the honor to Stapleton for Higher.
With his co-producers wife Morgane and Dave Cobb behind him, he shared, “We do our best to make an album that’s a complete body of work. I hope that’s what this means.” Morgane added, “I am so proud every day to get to work with the love of my life… I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.”
Avril Lavigne and Nate Smith perform at the 59th ACM Awards.
After Parker McCollum performed his ACM Award-winning “Burn It Down,” the fire moved over to the big stage with a fun collaboration from New Male Artist of the Year winner Nate Smith and pop icon Avril Lavigne. The two traded verses and smirks on Smith’s “Bulletproof.”
The award of the night, Entertainer of the Year, went to Wilson. She was emotional when she accepted the trophy.
“I remember being a little girl and I would open my window, climb out on our roof and count the stars. I’d see the planes flying over my little town of 200 people. I would dream about being up there in one of those planes,” Wilson shared. “The funny thing is that I still feel like that little girl. I still climb out on the roof and look at the stars—but I feel more eye-level with them now.”
For the last performance of the night, McEntire set the stage on fire and brought the house down with her new single “I Can’t” backed by a 20-person choir. She revealed that she would be back to host the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards next year, which is sure to be a historic night.
BREAKING: The MLC Sues Spotify
/by LB CantrellThe Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) has taken legal action against Spotify in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. The action seeks recovery of unpaid royalties due under the compulsory mechanical blanket license obtained by Spotify to reproduce and distribute musical works in the United States via its consumer music streaming platform.
The action states that, beginning in March 2024, Spotify asserted that its Premium Individual, Duo and Family subscription streaming plans were now Bundled Subscription Offerings because those plans included access to audiobooks. According to The MLC’s suit, applying the rate formula applicable to Bundled Subscription Offerings results in a reduction of the Service Provider Revenue that Spotify reports, which results in an underpayment of royalties.
The MLC believes that Spotify’s position does not comply with applicable law and regulations. The company has statutory authority to address Spotify’s noncompliance with its royalty payment obligations. The MLC is taking legal action to enforce these obligations and ensure that Spotify pays all royalties due from its use of songs on Premium plans.
“The MLC was designated by the Register of Copyrights to administer the blanket license and is the only entity with the statutory mandate to collect and distribute blanket license royalties and take legal action to enforce royalty payment obligations,” says Kris Ahrend, The MLC CEO. “The MLC takes seriously its legal responsibility to take action on behalf of our members when we believe usage reporting and royalty payments are materially incorrect.”
Click here to see a copy of the complaint.
In response to the legal action, NMPA President & CEO David Israelite shares, “We applaud The MLC for standing up for songwriters and not letting Spotify get away with its latest trick to underpay creators. The MLC is tasked with challenging services who falsely report royalties, and we commend their swift action.
“The lawsuit sends a clear message that platforms cannot improperly manipulate usage—in this case unilaterally redefining services as a bundle—in order to devalue music. We strongly support the MLC and will continue to pursue justice.”
NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison shares, “The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) believes that the lawsuit the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) filed against Spotify for underpaying mechanical royalties to songwriters is based on a correct interpretation of the streaming service eliminating standalone music subscriptions and only offering ‘bundles’ that pair music and books. Because bundles pay less to American songwriters, the loophole will result in Spotify reducing compensation to them by $150 million each year as founder Daniel Ek cashed in a reported $180 million in stocks over recent months—$118 million in proximity to the bundling move.”
He adds, “This scheme could set songwriters back to a situation worse than before the Copyright Royalty Board trial that resulted in a record percentage increase from streaming companies. Spotify’s history speaks for itself when it comes to failing to value the creators whose creations are the foundation of their product.”
In a statement, Spotify says, “The lawsuit concerns terms that publishers and streaming services agreed to and celebrated years ago under the Phono IV agreement. Bundles were a critical component of that settlement, and multiple DSPs include bundles as part of their mix of subscription offerings. Spotify paid a record amount to publishers and societies in 2023 and is on track to pay out an even larger amount in 2024. We look forward to a swift resolution of this matter.”
This is a developing story.
BREAKING: 2024 ACM Award Winners Unveiled [Full List]
/by Liza AndersonCountry music artists, songwriters, industry professionals and fans came together in Frisco, Texas for the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards on Thursday night (May 16).
Lainey Wilson was the night’s big winner. The superstar was named Entertainer of the Year, Female Artist of the Year and earned Music Event of the Year alongside Jelly Roll for their collaboration “Save Me.” Chris Stapleton was honored as Male Artist of the Year in addition to Artist-Songwriter of the Year, which he won prior to the ceremony, and awarded Album of the Year for Higher.
Dan + Shay took home Duo of the Year, and Old Dominion claimed their seventh consecutive Group of the Year title. The Song of the Year honor went to Jordan Davis‘ “New Thing You Know,” and Luke Combs‘ rendition of “Fast Car” was recognized as Single of the Year.
Ahead of the special event, the New Artist of the Year winners were revealed. Megan Moroney was crowned New Female Artist of the Year, Nate Smith was awarded New Male Artist of the Year, and Tigirlily Gold was named New Duo or Group of the Year. Additionally, Jessie Jo Dillon scored the Songwriter of the Year title, and Parker McCollum‘s “Burn It Down” music video won Visual Media of the Year.
The full list of winners for the 59th annual ACM Awards is below:
MAIN AWARDS:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Jelly Roll
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson — WINNER
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Kelsea Ballerini
Ashley McBryde
Megan Moroney
Kacey Musgraves
Lainey Wilson — WINNER
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Luke Combs
Jelly Roll
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton — WINNER
Morgan Wallen
DUO OF THE YEAR
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay — WINNER
Maddie & Tae
The War And Treaty
GROUP OF THE YEAR
Flatland Cavalry
Lady A
Little Big Town
Old Dominion — WINNER
Zac Brown Band
NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Kassi Ashton
Ashley Cooke
Hannah Ellis
Kylie Morgan
Megan Moroney — WINNER
NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ernest
Kameron Marlowe
Dylan Scott
Conner Smith
Nate Smith — WINNER
NEW DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
Neon Union
Restless Road
Tigirlily Gold — WINNER
ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
– Gettin’ Old – Luke Combs
Producer: Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton, Luke Combs
Record Company-Label: River House Artists / Columbia Nashville
– Higher – Chris Stapleton — WINNER
Producer: Chris Stapleton, Dave Cobb, Morgane Stapleton
Record Company-Label: Mercury Nashville
– Leather – Cody Johnson
Producers: Trent Willmon
Record Company-Label: CoJo Music LLC / Warner Music Nashville LLC
– One Thing At A Time – Morgan Wallen
Producers: Joey Moi, Cameron Montgomery, Charlie Handsome, Jacob Durrett
Record Company-Label: Big Loud Records / Republic Records / Mercury Records
– Rolling Up the Welcome Mat (For Good) – Kelsea Ballerini
Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Alysa Vanderheym
Record Company-Label: Black River Entertainment
SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
– “Burn It Down” – Parker McCollum
Producer: Jon Randall
Record Company-Label: MCA Nashville
– “Fast Car” – Luke Combs — WINNER
Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton
Record Company-Label: River House Artists / Columbia Nashville
– “Last Night” – Morgan Wallen
Producer: Joey Moi, Charlie Handsome
Record Company-Label: Big Loud Records / Republic Records / Mercury Records
– “Need A Favor” – Jelly Roll
Producer: Austin Nivarel
Record Company-Label: Stoney Creek Records / BMG Nashville
– “Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis
Producer: Paul DiGiovanni
Record Company-Label: MCA Nashville
SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
– “Fast Car” – Luke Combs
Songwriters: Tracy Chapman
Publishers: Purple Rabbit
– “Heart Like A Truck” – Lainey Wilson
Songwriters: Dallas Wilson, Lainey Wilson, Trannie Anderson
Publishers: Sony / ATV Countryside; Songs of Riser House; Songs of Wild Cat Well Music
– “Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis — WINNER
Songwriters: Chase McGill, Greylan James, Jordan Davis, Josh Osborne
Publishers: Family Farm Songs; Hold On Can I Get A Number 1 Music; Songs of Universal Inc.; Anthem Music Publishing
– “The Painter” – Cody Johnson
Songwriters: Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins, Ryan Larkins
Publishers: Big Music Machine; BMG Platinum Songs US; Nashblonde Music; Pompano Run Music; Songs for Ellie May; Sony / ATV Tree Publishing; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Group; Well That Was Awkward Music
– “Tennessee Orange” – Megan Moroney
Songwriters: Ben Williams, David Fanning, Megan Moroney, Paul Jenkins
Publishers: 33 Creative; Bone Bone Creative; Sony / ATV Tree Publishing
MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
– “Can’t Break Up Now” – Old Dominion, Megan Moroney
Producers: Brad Tursi, Geoff Sprung, Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, Whit Sellers, Ross Copperman, Kristian Bush
Record Company-Label: Three Up Three Down, LLC / Columbia Nashville
– “Different ‘Round Here” – Riley Green (feat. Luke Combs)
Producer: Dann Huff
Record Company-Label: Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment
– “I Remember Everything” – Zach Bryan (feat. Kacey Musgraves)
Producer: Zach Bryan
Record Company-Label: Belting Bronco Records / Warner Records, Inc
– “Man Made A Bar” – Morgan Wallen (feat. Eric Church)
Producer: Joey Moi
Record Company-Label: Big Loud Records / Mercury Records / Republic Records
– “Save Me” – Jelly Roll (with Lainey Wilson) — WINNER
Producers: Zach Crowell, David Ray Stevens
Record Company-Label: Stoney Creek Records / BMG Nashville
VISUAL MEDIA OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
– “Burn It Down” – Parker McCollum — WINNER
Producers: Christen Pinkston & Wesley Stebbins-Perry
Director: Dustin Haney
– “Human” – Cody Johnson
Producer: Christen Pinkston &Wesley Stebbins-Perry
Director: Dustin Haney
– “In Your Love” – Tyler Childers
Producer: Kacie Barton, Whitney Wolanin, Nicholas Robespierre, Ian Thorton, Silas House
Director: Bryan Schlam
– “Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis
Producer: Jamie Stratakis
Director: Running Bear (Stephen Kinigopoulos, Alexa Stone)
– “Tennessee Orange” – Megan Moroney
Producer: Lauren Starr, Saul Levitz, Laura Burhenn
Director: Jason Lester
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Jessie Jo Dillon — WINNER
Ashley Gorley
Hillary Lindsey
Chase McGill
Josh Thompson
ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Zach Bryan
Ernest
Hardy
Chris Stapleton — WINNER
Morgan Wallen
Nashville Takes Over Texas For ACM Awards Week 2024
/by Madison HahnenLainey Wilson & Jelly Roll. Photo: Catherine Powell
A multitude of country singers, songwriters and industry professionals have been partying in Texas for ACM Week, leading up to tonight’s (May 16) 59th annual ACM Awards.
On Wednesday (May 15), the Grand Ole Opry hosted the “Opry NextStage Live From Texas” at the Lava Cantina in Frisco. The sold-out show was hosted by Jelly Roll, who is nominated for four awards tonight. The event featured performances from Anne Wilson, Chase Matthew, Ella Langley, Flatland Cavalry, Madeline Edwards and Wyatt Flores, all of whom are members of this year’s Opry NextStage class.
Opry NextStage alums Restless Road and Tenille Townes also performed. As did Lainey Wilson, who notched four nominations this year.
Pictured (L-R, Back Row): Colton Pake and Zach Beeken of Restless Road, Chase Matthew, Wyatt Flores, Jelly Roll, Jason Albers, Celto Cordero & Reid Dilllon of Flatland and Ian Munsick. (L-R, Front Row): Garrett Nichols (Restless Road), Ella Langley, Madeline Edwards, Anne Wilson, Wesley Hall, Adam Gallegos & Jonthan Saenz of Flatland and Tenille Townes. Photo: Catherine Powell
Tuesday night (May 14) brought the 2024 Billboard Country Power Players Awards at Gilley’s in Dallas. The event honored influential players in country music. Wilson was presented with the Record Breaker award, newly-crowned New Male Artist of the Year Nate Smith earned the Rookie of the Year honor, Linda Martell received the Legend Award, Groundbreaker went to The War & Treaty and Big Loud’s Seth England was honored with Executive of the Year.
“As country music reaches new heights in popularity, we were thrilled to bring this event to Dallas for the first time celebrating the biggest power players in country music,” said Melinda Newman, Executive Editor of Billboard, West Coast and Nashville. “It’s our privilege to highlight the tremendous talent in this genre and celebrate it alongside one of the biggest weeks in country music history.”
Additional celebrations were in store for Shaboozey for hitting No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Chart with “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” and WME’s Jay Williams with the Billboard Country Power Players’ Choice Award.
Ashley Gorley & Nate Smith. Photo: Gilbert Flores
Also on Tuesday night, Parker McCollum, who already won an ACM award this year for Visual Media of the Year, hosted a pre-party at The Lincoln Experience Center in Frisco. Attendees heard performances from McCollum, Scotty McCreery and Hannah Ellis.
“If someone had told me years ago that I would be celebrating my own collection with Lucchese alongside two ACM nominations in my very own backyard of Texas, I would not have believed it,” said McCollum. “It’s so humbling to be doing what I love with the people I love, and my Lucchese family has played a significant role in making that happen.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Breland hosted the first ever “Charley Pride Celebration of Inclusion Brunch” at the Omni PGA Frisco Resort in Frisco. The inaugural event celebrated 16 honorees for their work championing diversity in country music.
Breland. Photo: Courtesy of SSM&L
The class of honorees included Alice Randall, Alicia Warwick, Armand Hutton, Dion Pride & Mrs. Rozene Pride, Kortney Toney, Reyna Roberts, Rissi Palmer, Shannon Sanders, The War and Treaty, Tiera Kennedy, Wendy Moten and Willie “Prophet” Stiggers.
Sanders took the stage to honor Pride and his family, including his son Dion and widow Rozene.
The 59th ACM Awards will stream live on Thursday, May 16. Hosted by Reba McEntire, the show will feature live performances from Jason Aldean, Kane Brown, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Post Malone, Parker McCollum, Thomas Rhett, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson and more. See a full list of nominees here.
Willie & Annie Nelson To Release Cannabis Cookbook
/by Lorie HollabaughWillie Nelson and his wife Annie are sharing some of their favorite cannabis-infused recipes in their new cookbook, Willie & Annie Nelson’s Cannabis Cookbook: Mouthwatering Recipes And The High-Flying Stories Behind Them, set for release on Nov. 12 via Gallery Books.
Drawn from meals the couple has enjoyed on tour, at their ranch, at home and in their favorite cities, the recipes are accompanied by the country legend’s personal food-related stories.
Co-authored by David Ritz, Mia Tangredi and Chef Andrea Drummer, the cookbook includes dishes ranging from buffalo wings to chocolate cake and fried chicken as well as a chapter dedicated to cannabis-infused base ingredients, such as cannabutter, finishing oil, simple syrups, sugars, salts and tinctures. It also provides a comprehensive guide for both novice and experienced cannabis consumers.
“Over a lifetime of study, I learned that pot is more than pleasure. Its positive properties are limitless,” writes Willie in the cookbook. “It’s a blessing and a blast. It’s good fuel. Together with Chef Drummer, one of the most celebrated cannabis chefs, and my wife, Annie, the most celebrated chef in our home, I’m excited to help you to cook up a whole mess of wholesome meals.”
Music Biz 2024 Day Three Includes Bizzy Awards, Metadata Summit, More
/by Madison HahnenPortia Sabin. Photo: Jason Mallory
The Music Business Association continued Music Biz 2024 with a busy day three on Wednesday (May 15). Attendees were treated to more roadshow panels, tracks, the Metadata Summit and more throughout the day. At night, the industry gathered for the 2024 Bizzy Awards.
The Metadata Summit kicked off its 13th year with the keynote session “Collaboration on a Global Scale: Metadata Solutions to Increase Efficiency Worldwide.” In a conversation led by Susan Butler of Music Confidential, Mark Krajewski from PRS for Music, Declan Rudden from CISAC and Kim Beauchamp from Universal Music Group explored how to increase metadata efficiency worldwide. They also introduced a new plan to issue provisional ISWC codes to improve the speed and permanence of linking recording data to work data.
Metadata Summit – Keynote Session – “Collaboration on a Global Scale: Metadata Solutions to Increase Efficiency Worldwide.” Photo: Jason Mallory
Continuing the metadata day, Caroline Champarnaud from SACEM, Paul Gills from SoundExchange/SX Works, Mick Hayes from ICE, Harmen Hemminga from Downtown Music Group, Abby North from North Music Group, Alan Jennings from Amazon and Melanie Santa Rosa from Word Collections joined OpenPlay’s Jonathan Bender for a panel discussion regarding the plan introduced during the keynote session.
Metadata Summit – “Practitioners Perspective: Power Users’ Plans & Building Support Infrastructure.” Photo: Jason Mallory
Metadata was not the only topic explored throughout the day. Back on the theme of AI from the previous days, Andrea Gleeson of Tunecore moderated the AI Keynote Interview “Artificial Intelligence, Concrete Results: Music’s Next Uncharted Frontier,” featuring Meng Ru Kuok of BandLab Technologies.
“Artificial Intelligence, Concrete Results: Music’s Next Uncharted Frontier” – Keynote Conversation. Photo: Jason Mallory
In keynote conversation “The Greatest Good: Social Impact Is Good for Business,” Founder & President of Hopeless Records Louis Posen sat down with singer-songwriter Lachi of RAMP. The two explored Posen’s career journey, as well as The Hopeless Foundation, a 501C3 nonprofit organization focused on connecting music to important causes and initiatives.
“The Greatest Good: Social Impact Is Good for Business” – Keynote Conversation. Photo: Jason Mallory
Florian Drücke of Bundesverband Musikindustrie e.V., Steven Frank of SiriusXM, Priyanka Khimani of Khimani & Associates, Morgan Hayduk of Beatdapp and Dan Runcie of Trapital sat down for a panel conversation around the topic of fraud in the music industry. In the “31 Flavors of Fraud: The 2024 Version” panel, they talked about their own personal experiences with fraud and how you can protect yourself from it.
“Music Security Summit: Tackling Fraud in All Forms – 31 Flavors of Fraud: The 2024 Version.” Photo: Jason Mallory
Day three wrapped up with the 2024 Bizzy Awards dinner, hosted by Gina Miller, SVP & GM of MNRK Music Group. Award recipients include Cameo Carlson of mtheory, Larry Miller of New York Univeristy, Dae Bogan of The MLC and more. Click here for a full recap of the event.
Members of The MLC at the 2024 Bizzy Award Winners. Photo: Jason Mallory
Other day three panels included “SoundCloud’s Secret Sauce: The Behind-The Scenes of a Viral Track,” “Hit-making in 2024: Unique Journeys to the Top of the Charts” and more. Tracks for day three included “Glocals Only,” “Let’s Talk Physical,” “Streaming 2.0” and more.
Music Biz 2024 will conclude today (May 16) with panels featuring executives from SESAC, D Tour, Downtown Music and more. Tracks for the final day of programming include “Past, Publish, Future,” “Backstage 2.0,” “Disrupting The Norm” and more. The final day will also feature “Women in the Room: Music Biz Leadership Roundtables.”
BMI’s ‘Rooftop On The Row’ Series Showcases Jackson Dean & Mae Estes
/by Liza AndersonJackson Dean performing at BMI’s “Rooftop On The Row” series event. Photo: Aubrey Wise for BMI
BMI showcased Big Machine Label Group artists Jackson Dean and Mae Estes for its second “Rooftop On The Row” event of the year on Tuesday (May 14).
Mae Estes performing at BMI’s “Rooftop On The Row” series event. Photo: Aubrey Wise for BMI
Stormy weather did not impede the performances as over 500 industry professionals gathered at BMI’s Nashville office for live music and drinks provided by the evening’s sponsors Delta Air Lines, ONErpm, Texas Roadhouse, Topo Chico, White Claw and Gallagher Insurance.
After a set from DJ Smoke, BMI’s Mason Hunter welcomed Estes to the stage. The emerging songstress belted her breakout tune “Thinkin’ Bout Cheatin,'” along with her new single “What I Shoulda Done,” before closing with a unique rendition of Jessie J’s hit “Bang Bang.”
It was then Dean’s turn to take the mic. The rising singer-songwriter started his set with “Trailer Park” before moving into “Big Blue Sky” and “Heavens To Betsy.” Keeping the everyone on their feet for over an hour, he treated the crowd to tracks like “1971” before capping the night off with his chart-topper “Don’t Come Lookin’.”
Presented by George Dickel, the “Rooftop On The Row” series will return on July 16 with Ella Langley and Redferrin, followed by Josh Ross and Lauren Watkins on Aug. 13. The final event on Sept. 17 will officially kick off AmericanaFest. Those set to perform will be announced soon.
Pictured (L-R): BMI’s Clay Bradley, Nina Carter, Leslie Roberts, Jackson Dean, Mae Estes, BMI’s MaryAnn Keen, Claire Dodelin and Josh Tomlinson. Photo: Aubrey Wise for BMI