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The CEO of Sony Music Publishing Nashville brought an indie attitude and entrepreneurial background to one of Music Row's majors--and reinvented what a country hit can sound like ONE DAY [...]

In just a few years, he has gone from TikTok star to bona fide hit-maker--and as he scales the charts, he's learning how to sustain success, too WHEN BAILEY ZIMMERMAN [...]

MARION KRAFT VIVIDLY recalls one meeting at Sony Nashville in 2007--early in her days as a manager for then-rising star Miranda Lambert. Joe Galante, who ran the label at the [...]

AS CM A FEST gears up to welcome visitors from around the world to downtown Nashville June 8-11, the enduring festival will celebrate 50 years of bringing together country music [...]

Red Clay Strays was performing at small clubs and festivals around the Southeast. 'We were playing honky-tonks [with] no stability, chasing the dream,' says guitarist/vocalist/harmonica player Drew Nix, acknowledging in [...]

The artists behind the genre's biggest hits followed their own paths--and ended up achieving crossover enormity SOMETHING UNUSUAL happened at the 2023 Country Music Association (CMA) Awards: A song written [...]

The article from Billboard magazine titled "GENRE NOW." features three young artists breaking out in the music industry with unique sounds and approaches. BigXtha-Plug, a rapper from Dallas, has gained recognition for his soulful production and booming flows, drawing comparisons to The Notorious B.I.G. Zach Top, a country artist from Washington, is leading a neo-traditional revival with his distinct twang and old-school country music inspirations. Xavi, a Mexican American singer-songwriter, is pioneering a new subgenre called tumbados románticos by blending corridos tumbados with sad sier-reño melodies. Each artist brings a fresh perspective to their respective genres and is making waves in the music industry. [Extracted from the article]

The artists topping the genre's charts--and climbing the Hot 100--this past year did so with the help of producers encouraging influences from way outside Nashville ZACH BRYAN'S 'Something in the [...]

The article features Seth England, partner and chief executive officer (CEO) at entertainment company Big Loud. A background is provided on the education and earlier career of England in the music recording and publishing industry. It highlights the growth of Big Loud through an artist-development approach, England's expertise in connecting people on the business side of things including between manager and artist, and expansion in Australia and the United Kingdom.

In August 2021, Christian singer-songwriter Katy Nichole posted a snippet on TikTok singing lyrics from a recent writing session. The clip went viral--earning 1.9 million views to date --but presented [...]

When Kelsea Ballerini launched her career, she made a promise to herself: include one solo write on every album. As she readies her fourth full-length, Subject to Change, out Sept. [...]

While performing at a music festival in her hometown of Floyd, Va., in 2018, singer-songwriter Morgan Wade managed to get one of her CDs into the hands of Sadler Vaden, [...]

Jimmie Allen didn't technically release a new album in 2021, but his Rolodex still grew significantly: The country singersongwriter welcomed Monica and Babyface on the deluxe edition of last year's [...]

Anne Wilson grew up in Kentucky playing piano and dancing ballet but never considered singing--she dreamed of becoming an astronaut. That changed in 2017. when her older brother, Jacob, died [...]

The article features the top executives in the music industry who propelled their companies to new heights amidst the challenges. Among them are pop singer Taylor Swift, who was named as the 2023 Person of the Year, Universal Music Group (UMG) chairperson Lucian Grainge, Sony Music Group chairperson Rob Stringer, and Live Nation Entertainment president Michael Rapino.

This section presents views of several 2024 Grammy Award nominees on the significance of Grammy Awards. Topics discussed include the need for the community of artists to acknowledge each other's achievements according to singer Jon Batiste, the appreciation expressed by musician Dan Wilson for the work of both songwriters and artists, and the rewarding feeling associated with winning a Grammy Award described by record producer Mark Ronson.

The article reports on the album "Now and Then" by the Beatkes which made its debut on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at the seventh spot for the week ended November 18, 2023. It also presents the Billboard 200 with "1989" by Taylor Swift on the top spot, Global 200 with "Standing Next to You" by Jung Kook on top spot, Artist 100 with Jimmy Buffet on the seventh spot, and Top Holiday Albums with "Christmas" by Cher on the sixth spot.

The article announces that singer Bailey Zimmerman has received the 2023 Country Rookie of the Year award from the journal.

UTA Nashville agents Curt Motley and Nick Barnes were instrumental in producing the NBC special "Toby Keith: American Icon" to honor the late country music star. The special drew 4.7 million viewers and resulted in a significant increase in Keith's streams. Motley and Barnes also discussed their work at UTA Nashville, including their efforts to help country artists expand their careers beyond touring and their success in the Christian music genre. They also mentioned the growing popularity of country music streaming globally and the advantages of launching tours abroad for newer artists. The agents acknowledged the rising costs of touring but expressed optimism that the market will eventually stabilize. [Extracted from the article]

An interview with Americana Music Association executive director Jed Hilly is presented. Topics discussed include the origins of the Americana Music Association, its role in expanding the roots and Americana recognition at the Grammy Awards, and the celebration of contemporary artists' musicianship and artistry at the Americana Music Honors & Awards.

The article features the top 100 Executive of the Year in the music industry for 2023. These include Rimas Entertainmen co-founder/chief executive officer (CEO) Noah Assad, Universal Music Group chairman/CEO Lucian Grainge, Sony Music Group chairman Rob Stringer, Live Nation president/CEP Michael Rapino, Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, Apple Music vice president Oliver Schusser and Azoff Co. chairman/CEO Irving Azoff.

The article in Billboard features an interview with Zach Top, discussing the creation of his song "I Never Lie" from his debut album Cold Beer & Country Music. Top collaborated with Carson Chamberlain and Tim Nichols on the song, which stands out for its traditional country sound with steel guitar. The song has resonated with fans, becoming a hit and reaching No. 21 on Hot Country Songs, marking Top's first entry on the Hot 100 chart. Top recalls the moment he realized the song was a hit during live shows, where fans knew every word and reacted enthusiastically to the opening riff. [Extracted from the article]

Contemporary Christian music/gospel has experienced significant growth in the first half of 2024, with consumption increasing by 8.9%, more than double the industry average. This rise is particularly evident on Spotify, where the genre has grown by 30% in the United States and globally over the past year. The genre's popularity is expanding beyond the United States, with promising growth in markets such as Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, the Philippines, India, Indonesia, and Germany. The increase in consumption can be attributed to a new generation of social media-savvy fans and artists who are attracting new listeners and breaking down barriers to expressing faith. The top five contemporary Christian music/gospel acts for the first half of 2024 were Elevation Worship, Lauren Daigle, Phil Wickham, Hillsong Worship, and Brandon Lake. The genre's success is also attributed to its diverse musical styles and collaborations with secular artists. [Extracted from the article]

The article presents a brief profile of American singer-songwriter Kassi Ashton who signed with the music labels Universal Music Group Nashville and Interscope Records and mentions topics including Ashton's musical foundation, her discovery and the release of her debut album "Made From the Dirt."

An interview with Marion Kraft, founder of ShopKeeper Management, and her longtime superstar client, country music singer-songwriter Miranda Lambert, is presented. Topics covered include how lessons from Marion's work with artists like Mary J. Blige and The Chicks were brought to managing Miranda's career, how their communication style evolved as a team and the secret to their long-term working relationship.

The article features the executives who are power players of the music industry in 2022. Mike Curb, chairman of Curb Records and Word Entertainment has continued having success in both the contemporary Christian and country genres. The union of BMG and BBR Music Group continues to yield great success five years after. Interviews with Katie McCartney, general manager of Monument Records, and Damon Whiteside, chief executive officer of Academy of Country Music, are presented.

The article presents "Billboard's" 2022 40 Under 40 that honors successful young music executives in the U.S. They include Shauna Alexander, Toby Andrews, and Andrew Asare. Also mentioned are Ryan Beuschel, Alexis Brown, Darcy Brown, Laura Carter, Michele Cranford, Patch Culbertson, and Briana Cheng.

The article presents "Billboard's" 21 Under 21, honoring young musicians under the age of 21 in the U.S. in 2022. They include Olivia Rodrigo, BoyWithUke, and Eslabon Armado. Also mentioned are Lil Tecca, Angela Aguilar, The Kid LAROI, Billie Eilish, Callista Clark, 347aidan, Tiago PZK, and NLE Choppa.

The article reports that BTS and Coldplay's collaborative single "My Universe" has topped the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of October 9, 2021.

The article features country-pop singer-songwriter Dasha, highlighting the success of her song "Austin" from her second album "What Happens Now?"

The article reports that singer Brenda Lee's classic Christmas single, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," originally released in 1958, ranked No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 record chart in the U.S., for the week of December 9, 2023.

An interview with country music singer Nate Smith is presented who discusses his music "World on Fire" which ranked No. 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 record chart in the U.S., for the week of December 9, 2023.

Interviews with the nominees for the 65th annual Grammy Awards including authors/songwriters Amy Allen, Tobias Jesso Jr., Nija Charles, and Laura Veltz are presented. They talk about how they have learned about their nominations and their feelings when they learned about it. They explain how the songwriter of the year category will affect the music industry. They present their plans for the event.

An interview with American country musician Megan Moroney is presented, wherein she talks about what surprised her about the longevity of her song "Tennessee Orange," the interaction of the fans with the song since its release in September 2022, and her future plans following the release of her debut album "Lucky," opening for Brooks & Dunn and headlining shows in the fall.

The article reports on the success of the song "In Jesus Name (God of Possible)" by Christian singer-songwriter Katy Nichole which set records on Billboard's Hot Christian Songs and Christian Airplay charts as of October 8, 2022.

The article describes how country singer Bailey Zimmerman co-wrote his song "Fall in Love" with Austin Shawn and Gavin Lucas.

The article focuses on singer-songwriter Morgan Wade, with topics that include her early life and career, her breakout hit "Wilder Days," and her deal with Sony Music Nashville's Arista Nashville in August 2021.

The article profiles Anne Wilson, an American Christian musician and songwriter.