Artist & Industry News

Kenny Chesney, the East Tennessee songwriter/stadium-sized superstar, has spent the last several weeks working on some very personal projects that break ground. The high impact, positive energy performer, and eight-time Entertainer of the Year will kick things off with a stop at NBC’s “TODAY” on Thursday, Jan. 16 during the 8 a.m. hour. Beyond whatever big news the generational icon...

Just four years since 19x Billboard Music Awards-winner and two-time GRAMMY nominee Morgan Wallen's record-breaking blockbuster Dangerous: The Double Album (Big Loud / Mercury / Republic) debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, the 30-song centerpiece took the crown as Billboard's Top Album of the 21st Century, Wallen's third studio album One Thing At A Time also arrives at No....

Veteran music agent Lance Roberts joins WME as a Partner in its Country music division, based in Nashville. Roberts brings with him more than 30 years of experience and notable artists, including Chris Janson, Craig Morgan, Easton Corbin, Ian Munsick, Parmalee and Sammy Kershaw. "Lance is known in our industry as an agent with a keen eye for talent and...

Phase Management is proud to unveil its evolution into Phase Entertainment Group, marking a significant expansion in its scope and influence within the music industry. Headed by multi-award winning industry veteran Jeff Ojeda, this transformation introduces a broader array of services, including Management, Agency, Sync Licensing, and Label Services, solidifying the company’s position as a premier partner for artists seeking...

Rising star Dylan Marlowe, a Sony Music Nashville and Play It Again Music artist,  earned his very first No. One single at country radio this week with “Boys Back Home” feat. Dylan Scott (Columbia Nash/Curb/PIA) reaching the top of the MediaBase Country chart. Marlowe penned the track with Seth Ennis and Joe Fox, with Fox also producing the track. The song, recently certified gold...

Rising star and Fayetteville, GA native Zach John King is hitting the ground running this year, today sharing that he has signed with label Sony Music Nashville. King shared his excitement for the announcement, stating “I’m so dang grateful to be with such a stellar team. They’ve been there since day one and have been behind some of my favorite artists of all time....

Milly Olykan has joined Live Nation’s Concert Division as Senior Vice President of Artist Development & Global Touring. Olykan will help to guide the development of the company’s Country and Americana strategy worldwide and work closely with the company's global promoters to identify new touring opportunities, foster relationships with the artist community and drive the their growth internationally. She comes...

CRS 2025 will conclude on a high note with “The Conversation: Eric Church & Jelly Roll,” a highly anticipated session bringing together two of country music’s most compelling voices for an intimate, unscripted discussion. Taking place on Friday, February 21, 2025, this grand finale session will feature Eric Church, a modern-day icon of country music, and Grammy-nominated  Jelly Roll, an...

Field & Stream Music Fest unveils its star-studded lineup for the experiential event taking place October 3-5, 2025 in Winnsboro, South Carolina. Co-produced by Field & Stream, with key investors Eric Church, Morgan Wallen and Southern Entertainment, this premier event will bring together the best of country music and outdoor adventure for an unforgettable weekend. Pre-sales begin tomorrow, January 9...

AEG Presents has appointed Weston Hebert as Vice President of Global Touring. Based out of the company’s Nashville office, he will be responsible for driving touring strategies and initiatives across the global market. He will report to President of Global Touring, Rich Schaefer. Herbert's career began at WME in Nashville, focusing on international expansion of the agency’s Country Touring business....

Fresh off an extraordinary year of record-breaking achievements, Bailey Zimmerman is thrilled to announce the dates for his Summer 2025 New To Country Tour, kicking off in Indianapolis on June 6, 2025. Following his sold-out, 30+ city international headline trek, RELIGIOUSLY. THE TOUR, Zimmerman will continue to electrify audiences as he brings his dynamic live show to 16 amphitheatres across...

19x Billboard Music Awards winner and two-time 2025 GRAMMY nominee Morgan Wallen surprises fans with an unexpected release, “Smile,” originally teased on Wallen's Instagram and TikTok. Listen here and watch the official music video, directed by Justin Clough, here. Written by Wallen, Rocky Block, John Byron, Ernest Keith Smith, Ryan Vojtesak and Luis Witkiewitz, “Smile” is a continuation of a theme set by previous releases,...

2024 has been a record year for The Neal Agency, a boutique entertainment agency founded by Austin Neal. The company signed eight new clients, added 11 employees, secured 76 brand partnerships and launched Sticks Management. Additionally, 2,444,636 tickets were sold and 1,161 shows were played.

Jon Pardi has made a tradition of his spirited big band holiday run, this year hitting the stage for five festive THE CHRISTMAS SHOW dates. Pardi delivered the perfect holiday celebration backed by a 13-piece band including twin fiddles and a horn section.  The lively set list included a mix of holiday classics like “Please Come Home for Christmas” and...

Eight months ago, red dirt country riser Hudson Westbrook was breaking cattle to earn a living, enrolled as a freshman at Texas Tech University. Now he’s Billboard’s December Country Rookie of the Month, topping countless Artists to Watch lists for 2025, playing sold out headlining shows, performing on the official 2024 National Finals Rodeo pre-show, and crossing over 100 million...

Sony Music Publishing Nashville and Electric Feel Publishing have partnered to sign Eddie Eberle of Eddie And The Getaway to a global publishing agreement. The singer-songwriter and producer’s work spans country, pop-punk and rock, among other genres. As an act, Eddie And The Getaway has amassed almost 500,000 monthly listeners over the past year and a half. “I couldn’t be...

Tape Room Music celebrates an extraordinary year as its writers dominate the Mediabase and Billboard Most-Heard Songs of 2024. With contributions from Ben Johnson, Brad Clawson, Casey Brown, Hunter Phelps, Taylor Phillips, Wyatt McCubbin, Zach Crowell and founder Ashley Gorley, Tape Room’s team continues to shape the sound of modern country music. “This was an amazing year for the Tape...

Big Loud Partner and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer Craig Wiseman received an honorary degree during The University of Southern Mississippi's fall 2024 commencement ceremony today on the Hattiesburg campus. The Hattiesburg-native was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa. “It's an honor to recognize Craig Wiseman, whose talent has shaped the heart and soul of country music,” said...

Lakeview concluded their first European tour on Monday, December 9. The country-rock duo headlined eight shows, of which five were sold out. The tour included stops in Scotland, England, Germany and the Netherlands and featured special guest Pip Marsh.

Warner Chappell Music (WCM) and Ned Cameron have signed a global publishing deal with rising producer and songwriter HALLIE, whose dynamic range spans pop, country, rock, hip-hop, and K-pop. HALLIE shared: “I’m thrilled and honored to begin this journey with Ned Cameron and Warner Chappell. Beyond grateful for Ned and Spencer Nohe for giving me this opportunity, and I’m really...

Rising artist Sam Stoane signs with Wasserman Music for global booking representation. Stoane is represented at Wasserman by Matt Runner, Lenore Kinder, Jonathan Levine and managed by Jensen G. Sessums at Cypress MGMT. “We are honored that Sam chose us to be a part of her team and upcoming journey. Her voice and ability to tell a story through her...

Lainey Wilson has renewed with Sony Music Publishing Nashville, extending their partnership that first began in 2017. “I couldn’t be happier to continue my partnership with Sony Music Publishing. I’ll always be a songwriter first and I appreciate having such a supportive team that agrees it all starts with the songs,” shares Wilson. Wilson has earned nine ACM awards, nine...

Rising Interscope/UMG Nashville/Music Soup songwriter and artist Vincent Mason announces his debut headlining Hell Is A Dance Floor Tour, starting in 2025. The eight-date tour run hits major cities including Chicago, Dallas, Houston, and Athens in his home state of Georgia. Majority of the dates completely sold out during the presale, with the remaining selling out during the first hour...

The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum celebrated the opening of its newest exhibition, Rosanne Cash: Time Is a Mirror. The exhibit explores Cash’s more than 40-year journey as an artist, songwriter and storyteller, and how she has embodied both tradition and innovation across her musical career. It runs through March 2026 and is included with museum admission. The...