CMT has revealed the nominees for the entirely fan-voted 2023 CMT Music Awards. Hosted by 2023 nominees Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini, the show airs live from Austin, Texas’ Moody Center on Sunday, April 2, 2023 (8:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on CBS and will be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.
Lainey Wilson leads the nominations this year with a total of four, including Video of the Year, Female Video of the Year, Collaborative Video of the Year and CMT Performance of the Year. Following Wilson with three nods are Cody Johnson, first-time nominee Jelly Roll and co-host Brown.
For the night’s top honor, Video of the Year, 16 acts are represented, including Ballerini, Brown and his wife Katelyn, Wilson, Johnson, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Elle King and Dierks Bentley, Gabby Barrett, Hardy and Lainey Wilson, Jimmie Allen, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Luke Bryan, Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Walker Hayes, and Ashley McBryde with Caylee Hammack, Brandy Clark and Pillbox Patti.
Underwood adds 2 nominations to her tally this year. She is the most awarded artist in CMT history with a total of 25 wins and is also slated to perform. There are also 21 first-time nominees represented in the group.
For the first time, CMT is dividing its Breakthrough Video of the Year category into Male and Female lists. This year’s Breakthrough Female nominees include Avery Anna, Kylie Morgan, MacKenzie Porter, Megan Moroney, Morgan Wade and Tiera Kennedy. Bailey Zimmerman, Corey Kent, Drake Milligan, Jackson Dean, Jelly Roll and Nate Smith will compete in Breakthrough Male.
The nominees for the 2023 CMT Music Awards include:
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video of the year; awarded to the artist (male, female, group/duo or collaboration). Top 6 nominees, from the first round of voting, will be announced on March 27. The final 3 nominees, from the second round of voting, will be announced on show day, April 2. Final voting will be determined via social media and announced as the final category during the live show.
Ashley McBryde, Caylee Hammack, Brandy Clark & Pillbox Patti – “Bonfire At Tina’s”
Blake Shelton – “No Body”
Carrie Underwood – “Hate My Heart”
Cody Johnson – “Human”
Elle King feat. Dierks Bentley – “Worth A Shot”
Gabby Barrett – “Pick Me Up”
HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson – “wait in the truck”
Jimmie Allen – “Down Home”
Kane Brown & Katelyn Brown – “Thank God”
Keith Urban – “Wild Hearts”
Kelsea Ballerini – “HEARTFIRST”
Little Big Town – “Rich Man”
Luke Bryan – “Country On”
Luke Combs – “The Kind Of Love We Make”
Morgan Wallen – “You Proof”
Walker Hayes – “AA”
FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a female artist; awarded to the artist.
Carly Pearce – “What He Didn’t Do”
Carrie Underwood – “Ghost Story”
Gabby Barrett – “Pick Me Up”
Kelsea Ballerini – “HEARTFIRST”
Lainey Wilson – “Heart Like A Truck”
Maren Morris – “Humble Quest”
Miranda Lambert – “Actin’ Up”
MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a male artist; awarded to the artist.
Bailey Zimmerman – “Rock and A Hard Place”
Cody Johnson – “Human”
Cole Swindell – “She Had Me At Heads Carolina”
Jelly Roll – “Son Of A Sinner”
Kane Brown – “Like I Love Country Music”
Luke Combs – “The Kind Of Love We Make”
Morgan Wallen – “Wasted On You”
GROUP/DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a duo or group; awarded to the artists.
Dan + Shay – “You (Performance Video)”
Lady A – “Summer State Of Mind”
Little Big Town – “Hell Yeah”
Parmalee – “Take My Name”
The War And Treaty – “That’s How Love Is Made”
Zac Brown Band – “Out In The Middle”
BREAKTHROUGH FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from a female artist’s major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist.
Avery Anna – “Narcissist”
Kylie Morgan – “If He Wanted To He Would”
MacKenzie Porter – “Pickup”
Megan Moroney – “Tennessee Orange”
Morgan Wade – “Wilder Days”
Tiera Kennedy – “Found It In You”
BREAKTHROUGH MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from a male artist’s major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist.
Bailey Zimmerman – “Fall In Love”
Corey Kent – “Wild as Her”
Drake Milligan – “Sounds Like Something I’d Do”
Jackson Dean – “Don’t Come Lookin’”
Jelly Roll – “Son Of A Sinner”
Nate Smith – “Whiskey On You”
COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from a collaboration; awarded to the artists.
Elle King feat. Dierks Bentley – “Worth A Shot”
HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson – “wait in the truck”
Ingrid Andress with Sam Hunt – “Wishful Drinking”
Kane Brown & Katelyn Brown – “Thank God”
Midland feat. Jon Pardi – “Longneck Way To Go”
Russell Dickerson feat. Jake Scott – “She Likes It”
Thomas Rhett & Katy Perry – “Where We Started”
CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Musical performance on a television show, series or variety special on CMT; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo).
Black Pumas & Mickey Guyton – “Colors” (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
Chris Stapleton – “Whenever You Come Around” (from CMT Giants: Vince Gill)
Cody Johnson – “‘Til You Can’t” (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
Cole Swindell & Lainey Wilson – “Never Say Never” (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
Darius Rucker – “Let Her Cry” (from CMT Storytellers)
Emmy Russell & Lukas Nelson – “Lay Me Down” (from Coal Miner’s Daughter: A Celebration of the Life & Music of Loretta Lynn)
Keith Urban – “Wild Hearts” (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
LeAnn Rimes with Ashley McBryde & Carly Pearce – “One Way Ticket” (from CMT Crossroads: LeAnn Rimes & Friends)
The Judds – “Love Can Build A Bridge” (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
Wynonna Judd & Brandi Carlile – “The Rose” (from Naomi Judd: A River of Time Celebration)
CMT DIGITAL-FIRST PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Musical performance from a production, series or livestream created for CMT digital / social channels; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo).
Charley Crockett – “Time of the Cottonwood Trees“ (from CMT Campfire Sessions)
Chris Young – “Gettin’ You Home” (from CMT Stages)
Ingrid Andress – “Wishful Drinking” (from CMT Studio Sessions)
Jelly Roll – “Son of A Sinner” (from CMT All Access)
Megan Moroney – “Tennessee Orange” (from CMT Viral To Verified)
Scotty McCreery – “Damn Strait” (from CMT Campfire Sessions)
Hannah Babitt Launches Babz Nashville
/by Lorie HollabaughHannah Babitt, Founder & CEO of the management company Babz, has opened Babz Nashville, a second home for the boutique firm that launched in Los Angeles in 2020.
Since January 2022, Babz has consulted for Big Machine Music, and worked with crossover songwriters Laura Veltz, Sara Davis and Geoff Warburton, among others. BABZ also consults with Barry Weiss on his Records label, a Sony Music venture.
Prior to launching Babz, Babitt managed producers at This Is Noise Mgmt. She has also held positions at Pulse Music Group and began her career at The Artists Organization.
“As we celebrate the third anniversary of Babz, we’re thrilled to be a hub for the creation of pop music in both L.A. and Nashville with our immensely talented songwriters, producers and the community around us,” says Babitt. “As fierce advocates for music creators, the Babz team has immense respect for the Nashville songwriting community and looks forward to continuing to forge relationships between L.A. and Music City. It is a crucial moment for Babz to contribute to the pop marketplace via the collaborations between the Nashville talent and our relationships in L.A.’s pop artist and songwriting community as we simultaneously expand our producer and songwriter roster.”
Babz’s roster of songwriters and producers has expanded over the past three years, and includes Nashville-based songwriter and producer Alex Hope, Grammy-winning producer and songwriter Nick Monson, producer and songwriter Leroy Clampitt, songwriter Madi Yanofsky, Nashville-based songwriter Konrad Snyder and L.A.-based Jesse Fink. Babitt will oversee the company in both Los Angeles and Nashville, with Jacklyn Figueiredo and Eden Lytle based in Los Angeles.
K-Love Fan Awards Weekend To Feature Events With TobyMac, Chris Tomlin, More
/by Lorie HollabaughDetails have also been revealed for some of the weekend’s events, including the Friday night kick-off concert, which will be headlined by TobyMac, and will also feature Colton Dixon, Katy Nichole and Blessing Offor. The Sunday morning worship service will be led by Chris Tomlin and speaker David Nassar.
Tickets for the 2023 K-LOVE Fan Awards Weekend are on sale now, with travel packages still available at klovefanawards.com.
Zach Bryan & The Lumineers To Headline Pilgrimage Festival In September
/by Lorie HollabaughKevin Griffin posing in front of The Nashville Sign. Photo: Danielle Del Valle
The Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival revealed the lineup for the upcoming annual event taking place Sept. 23-24 at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm in Franklin, Tennessee.
The Lumineers and The Black Crowes are set to headline Saturday night, while Zach Bryan and Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats will close out Sunday’s performances.
Also on the bill for the festival, now in its ninth year, are The Head And The Heart, Yola, Better Than Ezra, James Bay, Hailey Whitters, Boy Named Banjo, Ashley McBride, Margo Price, Luke Grimes, Ian Munsick, The War And Treaty, Patrick Droney and more.
The lineup was unveiled on The Nashville Sign, an iconic local billboard towering above Nashville’s “Gateway to Midtown” (the corner of Broadway and West End) that highlights major events and reflects the spirit of Music City. Festival producer Kevin Griffin was on-site to help share the news, which was also livestreamed in WSMV’s Wednesday morning broadcast.
Along with tons of music, the festival also highlights area creators of all kinds including chefs, artisans, jewelers, brewers and more at the Americana Music Triangle Experience, Makers Village, Craft Beer Hall and additional spaces for attendees to experience.
Tickets for the 2023 festival go on sale tomorrow (March 9) and include two-day General Admission, two-day VIP, single-day General Admission, single-day VIP and parking passes. They will be available at 10 a.m. CT at PilgrimageFestival.com.
Lineup Announced For Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley At CRS
/by Lorie HollabaughThe evening will feature a diverse group of songwriters and artists as they come together to perform some of their biggest hits and will include Rhett Akins, Randy Montana, Hunter Phelps, Bryan Simpson, Jeffrey Steele, Anthony Smith and MaRynn Taylor.
Hosted by Fitz of Country Top 40 with Fitz, the event will also feature Radio Ink’s presentation of its Top Country PD Awards throughout the night.
“The talent lineup for this year’s ‘Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley’ is truly remarkable,” says Fitz. “We are excited to bring together some of the most talented songwriters and artists in country music for a night of incredible performances. This event has become one of the most highly-anticipated events of CRS, and we can’t wait to see everyone there.”
Nominees Revealed For 2023 CMT Music Awards
/by LB CantrellCMT has revealed the nominees for the entirely fan-voted 2023 CMT Music Awards. Hosted by 2023 nominees Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini, the show airs live from Austin, Texas’ Moody Center on Sunday, April 2, 2023 (8:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on CBS and will be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.
Lainey Wilson leads the nominations this year with a total of four, including Video of the Year, Female Video of the Year, Collaborative Video of the Year and CMT Performance of the Year. Following Wilson with three nods are Cody Johnson, first-time nominee Jelly Roll and co-host Brown.
For the night’s top honor, Video of the Year, 16 acts are represented, including Ballerini, Brown and his wife Katelyn, Wilson, Johnson, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Elle King and Dierks Bentley, Gabby Barrett, Hardy and Lainey Wilson, Jimmie Allen, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Luke Bryan, Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Walker Hayes, and Ashley McBryde with Caylee Hammack, Brandy Clark and Pillbox Patti.
Underwood adds 2 nominations to her tally this year. She is the most awarded artist in CMT history with a total of 25 wins and is also slated to perform. There are also 21 first-time nominees represented in the group.
For the first time, CMT is dividing its Breakthrough Video of the Year category into Male and Female lists. This year’s Breakthrough Female nominees include Avery Anna, Kylie Morgan, MacKenzie Porter, Megan Moroney, Morgan Wade and Tiera Kennedy. Bailey Zimmerman, Corey Kent, Drake Milligan, Jackson Dean, Jelly Roll and Nate Smith will compete in Breakthrough Male.
The nominees for the 2023 CMT Music Awards include:
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video of the year; awarded to the artist (male, female, group/duo or collaboration). Top 6 nominees, from the first round of voting, will be announced on March 27. The final 3 nominees, from the second round of voting, will be announced on show day, April 2. Final voting will be determined via social media and announced as the final category during the live show.
Ashley McBryde, Caylee Hammack, Brandy Clark & Pillbox Patti – “Bonfire At Tina’s”
Blake Shelton – “No Body”
Carrie Underwood – “Hate My Heart”
Cody Johnson – “Human”
Elle King feat. Dierks Bentley – “Worth A Shot”
Gabby Barrett – “Pick Me Up”
HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson – “wait in the truck”
Jimmie Allen – “Down Home”
Kane Brown & Katelyn Brown – “Thank God”
Keith Urban – “Wild Hearts”
Kelsea Ballerini – “HEARTFIRST”
Little Big Town – “Rich Man”
Luke Bryan – “Country On”
Luke Combs – “The Kind Of Love We Make”
Morgan Wallen – “You Proof”
Walker Hayes – “AA”
FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a female artist; awarded to the artist.
Carly Pearce – “What He Didn’t Do”
Carrie Underwood – “Ghost Story”
Gabby Barrett – “Pick Me Up”
Kelsea Ballerini – “HEARTFIRST”
Lainey Wilson – “Heart Like A Truck”
Maren Morris – “Humble Quest”
Miranda Lambert – “Actin’ Up”
MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a male artist; awarded to the artist.
Bailey Zimmerman – “Rock and A Hard Place”
Cody Johnson – “Human”
Cole Swindell – “She Had Me At Heads Carolina”
Jelly Roll – “Son Of A Sinner”
Kane Brown – “Like I Love Country Music”
Luke Combs – “The Kind Of Love We Make”
Morgan Wallen – “Wasted On You”
GROUP/DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a duo or group; awarded to the artists.
Dan + Shay – “You (Performance Video)”
Lady A – “Summer State Of Mind”
Little Big Town – “Hell Yeah”
Parmalee – “Take My Name”
The War And Treaty – “That’s How Love Is Made”
Zac Brown Band – “Out In The Middle”
BREAKTHROUGH FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from a female artist’s major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist.
Avery Anna – “Narcissist”
Kylie Morgan – “If He Wanted To He Would”
MacKenzie Porter – “Pickup”
Megan Moroney – “Tennessee Orange”
Morgan Wade – “Wilder Days”
Tiera Kennedy – “Found It In You”
BREAKTHROUGH MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from a male artist’s major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist.
Bailey Zimmerman – “Fall In Love”
Corey Kent – “Wild as Her”
Drake Milligan – “Sounds Like Something I’d Do”
Jackson Dean – “Don’t Come Lookin’”
Jelly Roll – “Son Of A Sinner”
Nate Smith – “Whiskey On You”
COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from a collaboration; awarded to the artists.
Elle King feat. Dierks Bentley – “Worth A Shot”
HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson – “wait in the truck”
Ingrid Andress with Sam Hunt – “Wishful Drinking”
Kane Brown & Katelyn Brown – “Thank God”
Midland feat. Jon Pardi – “Longneck Way To Go”
Russell Dickerson feat. Jake Scott – “She Likes It”
Thomas Rhett & Katy Perry – “Where We Started”
CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Musical performance on a television show, series or variety special on CMT; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo).
Black Pumas & Mickey Guyton – “Colors” (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
Chris Stapleton – “Whenever You Come Around” (from CMT Giants: Vince Gill)
Cody Johnson – “‘Til You Can’t” (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
Cole Swindell & Lainey Wilson – “Never Say Never” (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
Darius Rucker – “Let Her Cry” (from CMT Storytellers)
Emmy Russell & Lukas Nelson – “Lay Me Down” (from Coal Miner’s Daughter: A Celebration of the Life & Music of Loretta Lynn)
Keith Urban – “Wild Hearts” (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
LeAnn Rimes with Ashley McBryde & Carly Pearce – “One Way Ticket” (from CMT Crossroads: LeAnn Rimes & Friends)
The Judds – “Love Can Build A Bridge” (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
Wynonna Judd & Brandi Carlile – “The Rose” (from Naomi Judd: A River of Time Celebration)
CMT DIGITAL-FIRST PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Musical performance from a production, series or livestream created for CMT digital / social channels; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo).
Charley Crockett – “Time of the Cottonwood Trees“ (from CMT Campfire Sessions)
Chris Young – “Gettin’ You Home” (from CMT Stages)
Ingrid Andress – “Wishful Drinking” (from CMT Studio Sessions)
Jelly Roll – “Son of A Sinner” (from CMT All Access)
Megan Moroney – “Tennessee Orange” (from CMT Viral To Verified)
Scotty McCreery – “Damn Strait” (from CMT Campfire Sessions)
Star-Studded ‘Love Rising’ Benefit Concert Announced For March 20
/by Caela GriffinSeveral of Nashville’s biggest names will take the Bridgestone stage for “Love Rising,” a benefit concert for the Tennessee Equality Project, Inclusion Tennessee, OUTMemphis and The Tennessee Pride Chamber.
Set for March 20 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, the evening will feature performances by Sheryl Crow, Maren Morris, Jason Isbell, Hayley Williams, Hozier, Brittany Howard, Brothers Osborne, Amanda Shires, Julien Baker, Joy Oladokun, Yola, Jake Wesley Rogers, Mya Byrne, Allison Russell and the Rainbow Coalition Band, and more.
Tickets go on sale today (March 8) at 10:00 A.M. local time. The net proceeds benefit the above organizations in support of the LGBTQIA+ community. The Looking Out Foundation has pledged support through accepting donations and doubling contributions up to a $100,000 maximum.
“Love Rising” comes on the heels of Tennessee’s most recent anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation. Senate Bill 3 and House Bill 9 ban all performances deemed male or female impersonation otherwise known as “drag” from taking place on any public property in the state, as well as in any location where people under age 18 could be present.
“As a queer, intersectional artist and mother, raising my child in Nashville, it’s important to me to support these wonderful Tennessee LGBTQIA+ advocacy organizations, working so hard to build bridges, reduce harm and promote equality for all Tennesseans,” says Russell. “LGBTQIA+ contributions and creativity are foundational to every genre of modern song and arts performance. I think it speaks volumes that so many in our community are feeling the same call to support, celebrate and uplift!”
“SB3/HB9 and SB1/HB1 are clearly targeted attacks on Tennesseans who haven’t done anything wrong,” says Isbell. “These bills add up to an attempt to eradicate a valuable part of our community and force good people to live in fear. We can’t in good conscience just stand by and let that happen.”
FBMM Promotes Jason Leiss To Business Manager
/by Liza AndersonJason Leiss
Entertainment business management firm Flood, Bumstead, McCready and McCarthy Inc. (FBMM) has promoted Jason Leiss to Business Manager.
Leiss joined the firm directly out of college as an office administrative team member in 2010. Since then, he has worked his way up to his new role as Business Manager, the highest position at FBMM, and earned his Certified Financial Planner certification this year. Passionate about supporting artists and creatives, Leiss’ prior experience as a musician has influenced how he helps his clients today, allowing him to better serve and relate to them.
“Jason has a proven track record of serving his clients well and is highly regarded by his colleagues,” says David Boyer, FBMM Owner & Business Manager. “His strong relationships and industry knowledge make him more than deserving of this promotion.”
In his new position, Leiss will continue to lead a team of five and oversee all business and personal financial facets for his clients, giving them the tools needed to make sound financial decisions for the present and the future. His team often collaborates with clients’ other professional advisers and utilizes FBMM’s range of resources and knowledge to provide fully comprehensive service.
“Jason is the embodiment of our core tenets at FBMM. He always puts his clients first and is committed to their financial well-being,” says Julie Boos, FBMM Owner & Business Manager. “He is a true team player and leverages all the expertise and assets we provide at FBMM to best serve his clients’ needs.”
BMI Announces Lineup For 27th Annual Key West Songwriters Festival
/by Caela GriffinBMI has announced the lineup for the 27th annual Key West Songwriters Festival alongside Rams Head Presents and The Florida Keys Tourist Development Council. Taking place May 3-7, the yearly tradition brings together music lovers and musicians to watch over 250 songwriters perform across the island.
For its 27th year, the festival’s lineup includes Elle King, The Love Junkies (Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna and Liz Rose), Jack Ingram, Jelly Roll, Raul Malo, Michael Ray, Robert Randolph, Rivers Rutherford, Jeffrey Steele, Mitchell Tenpenny and more. Each show features songwriter rounds, during which writers showcase their hits and share the stories behind their biggest songs.
Randolph will take the stage with the Dylan Altman Blues Band and James Slater will perform during Wednesday night’s kick-off party at Ocean Key Resort’s Sunset Pier, followed by performances from Bob DiPiero, Luke Laird and Steele. Jelly Roll will serve as Friday evening’s headliner at Coffee Butler Amphitheater, and Ray will play during Saturday night’s block party. Other featured acts include Ronnie Bowman, Keith Gattis, Kostas, Ella Langley and Emily Shackelton.
Fans can choose from more than 50 shows at venues across the island with over 30 free events. The festival’s ticketed shows include performances at The Key West Amphitheater, The Key West Theater and The San Carlos Institute.
Tickets will be available to purchase on March 9. Proceeds will benefit Michelle’s Foundation, which seeks to help children reach their highest potential as well as the BMI Foundation, which supports the creation, performance and study of music through awards, scholarships and grants.
Big Machine Label Group Announces Streaming Team Promotions & Addition
/by Liza AndersonPictured (L-R, top row): Bekah Digby, Sam Featherstone, Anna Scott Welch; (L-R, bottom row): Courtney Daly, Marie Wapelhorst.
Big Machine Label Group (BMLG) has elevated Courtney Daly, Bekah Digby and Marie Wapelhorst to Director of Streaming positions, as well as Anna Scott Welch to Manager of Streaming, and added Sam Featherstone as Director of Streaming.
Daly has been instrumental in leading digital partnerships and driving streaming consumption for established artists Brantley Gilbert, Lady A, Tim McGraw and more since joining BMLG seven years ago as an intern. The Vanderbilt University graduate oversees YouTube channel growth and engagement on behalf of the entire label group through editorial placement, marketing initiatives and content development.
Since joining BMLG in 2020, Digby has contributed significantly to the growth of rising talent, having secured back-to-back placement on The Pandora Ten with Conner Smith in 2022 and Jackson Dean in 2023 – making them the only country artists featured on Pandora’s all-genre Artist To Watch List two years running. The San Diego State University alum has presented Billionaire Awards to Justin Moore, Eli Young Band, Brett Young and more for achieving over one billion streams on Pandora.
Wapelhorst, who also joined the label group in 2020, has been a crucial team member, spearheading a partnership with Peloton that launched campaigns for Carly Pearce, Florida Georgia Line and Thomas Rhett as well as pairing McGraw with Spotify-exclusive series The Drop In, where he virtually surprised a group of healthcare workers during the pandemic. The Belmont University graduate was also essential in the success of Danielle Bradbery’s hit “Stop Draggin’ Your Boots,” led by placement on Spotify’s Hot Country playlist, which has amassed more than 53 million streams to date.
After joining BMLG in 2021, Welch became an integral part of the music streaming team and will continue cultivating relationships between the label group’s multi-genre artist roster and partners in her new role, working closely with SoundCloud, TouchTunes, TIDAL and more. Prior to BMLG, the Auburn University alum served as the Data & Operations Coordinator at Integrity Music.
Featherstone comes to the label group from Sony Music Entertainment where he served as the Associate Director of Commercial Partnerships. The Middle Tennessee State University graduate has worked with notable acts including Dolly Parton, H.E.R, Kirk Franklin, Maverick City Music, Walker Hayes, Zach Williams and more.
“I’ve been honored to work alongside Courtney, Bekah, Marie and Anna Scott on the Big Machine Stream Team for several years now,” shares Vice President, Digital Consumption Dave Kelly. “Their promotions are all hard earned and well-deserved, plus we’re equally thrilled to welcome Sam to this team of amazing music executives. They all understand the ever-changing landscape that is streaming in 2023. I have full confidence that they will continue to stay on the forefront of all the new and exciting ways to work with our partners exposing the amazing music Scott Borchetta, our A&R team and our artists work so hard to deliver!”
Billboard’s Silvio Pietroluongo Promoted To Exec. VP Of Charts & Data Partnerships
/by LB CantrellSilvio Pietroluongo
Billboard has announced the elevation of Silvio Pietroluongo to Executive Vice President of Charts & Data Partnerships.
Pietroluongo is a 30-year veteran of the Billboard brand. He has led Billboard’s chart operation since 2008 and most recently held the title of Senior Vice President of Charts & Data Development.
Under his guidance, the Billboard charts have evolved to reflect an ever-evolving digital and social media age, optimizing the most comprehensive data sets that accurately and definitively measure the charts.
“Silvio’s contributions to Billboard and its charts is undeniable. Throughout the years, Silvio has been an exceptional operational leader among us and someone whose passion, commitment, and relationships shapes our daily team culture,” shares Mike Van, President, Billboard. “We are beyond thrilled to be able to recognize him and honor his commitment to making the “Billboard Charts” what they are today.”
In his expanded role, Pietroluongo will recruit new data partners for chart inclusion, while working closely with various departments within Billboard and PMC to create content and further business initiatives for the Billboard brand both domestically and globally.