Artist & Industry News

On October 28, the Country Music Association hosted its inaugural Artist Academy in partnership with Whiskey Jam. The Artist Academy was designed to aid emerging artists with participants selected through an application process. More than 60 artists took part in a full day of programming.

Kameron Marlowe made his Ryman debut on October 26 in Nashville, TN, where he played to a sold-out crowd. Marlowe brought out comedian and online sensation, Justin Danger-Nunley for a shotgun challenge along with giving newcomer, Belle Frantz a moment she will never forget. Marlowe and Frantz surprised fans with a duet of the George Jone’s classic, “The Grand Tour”...

Last night (Oct. 23) Big Loud Texas / Mercury Records singer-songwriter Dylan Gossett headlined his first-ever Ryman Auditorium show to a sold-out crowd on his The Back 40 Tour. The Austin, Texas native was presented with a plaque for his RIAA certified Platinum breakout hit "Coal" before the show. The artist wrote and produced the song himself.

Today, AEG Presents and 15-time Billboard Music Awards-winner, Morgan Wallen, announce that Sand In My Boots 2025 is officially sold out. This took place in a span of two hours following the public on-sale. The three-day festival and beach vacation curated by Wallen debuts May 16-18, 2025, on the idyllic beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama, and will host headliners Post...

Drew Baldridge has released his latest single, “Tough People,” which was written with Adam Sanders, Jordan Walker and Luke Combs. The song marks the beginning of his new partnership with BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville who will provide support for it at country radio. “Tough People,” was released via Stoney Creek Records and will officially go for adds on Nov. 4....

BMI welcomed music collaborators and industry contributors to its Nashville office on Tuesday (10/22) to celebrate CMA New Artist of the Year nominee and Atlantic/Warner Music Nashville artist Bailey Zimmerman and his latest hits, “Where It Ends” and “Religiously.” Both singles hail from his debut album Religiously, which marked the biggest country streaming debut of all time and all-genre debut...

Dylan Marlowe has signed a joint publishing deal with Relative Music Group and Play It Again Music. The Georgia native has been making waves in Nashville due to his clever and authentic lyrics. He earned his first No. 1 as a songwriter with “Last Night Lonely” recorded by Jon Pardi, and currently has his first top 20 and climbing single as...

Hit songwriter David DeVaul has extended his exclusive publishing agreement with Owens Entertainment Group (OEG). DeVaul has played an important role in the development of rising star Wyatt Flores' career. He is a co-writer on several of Wyatt's songs, including his latest release “Oh Susannah”. In addition, David has had songs cut by Andrew Sevener, Sevy!, Kaitlyn Kilian, John Hollier,...

Warner Chappell Music (WCM) and Grammy-nominated and Emmy Award-winning duo, The Warren Brothers, have jointly signed a publishing deal with emerging country music singer-songwriter Preston Cooper. The Ohio native is currently one of the special guests on country music superstar Riley Green’s ‘Damn Country Music’ Tour. He also has new music coming in early 2025. Brett Warren said: “I’ve been making music...

As Morgan Wallen emerged on his “MW” stage for one last show of his One Night At A Time Tour on Saturday night (Oct. 19) at Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium, the CMA Entertainer of the Year nominee concluded a two year, 87-show run – including 51 stadium-plays, plus arenas and amphitheaters across 10 countries and three continents (not including festivals)...

WME has signed singer-songwriter Zach Meadows for exclusive representation. His debut album, Road To Nowhere, was released in August, and Holler Magazine named him a “New and Upcoming Artist You Need To Know.” “I’m so incredibly thankful to have partnered with WME. Since moving to Nashville, I’ve dreamed of the opportunity to reach a larger audience with my music,” said Meadows. “Performing live...

Bailey Zimmerman was surprised with a Pandora Billionaire Plaque earlier this week, marking the achievement of over one billion streams on the platform.

Sony Music Nashville’s Dylan Marlowe reached a new milestone with his single “Boys Back Home” (feat. Dylan Scott) being certified gold by the RIAA, marking his first-ever gold single. Ahead of his Nashville show yesterday, Sony Music Nashville and Play It Again Music surprised Marlowe with a celebratory toast and presented him with a plaque to commemorate the achievement during an...

Rising country star Graham Barham made his Grand Ole Opry debut Tuesday, Oct. 8, earning a standing ovation from the crowd. “I come from a town of 115 people. My father’s a farmer and my mother’s a schoolteacher,” an overwhelmed Barham shared with the audience. “I get to come up here and sing country music under the greatest God, in...

Spanning 28 sold-out dates across the country, Koe Wetzel’s Damn Near Normal World Tourwrapped its U.S. leg emphatically this weekend, bringing the live show praised by the Tennessean for its “mix of reckless abandon and a veteran artist’s knowledge of how to move a crowd to believe in the power of intoxication and sensuality to gratify their wildest dreams every night” to the...

BMI welcomed industry friends to celebrate one of Warner Music Nashville’s most consistent hitmakers Kenny Chesney for his 36th No. One hit “Take Her Home” at BMI’s Nashville location on Monday afternoon (10/14).  Chesney was reunited with songwriters Michael Hardy (BMI), Zach Abend (BMI), Hunter Phelps(ASCAP), and co-producer Buddy Cannon to celebrate the milestone. The lead single from the multi-Platinum entertainer’s...

Warner Chappell Music (WCM) and Southern Pacific Music have signed a publishing deal with folk-pop singer-songwriter Tristan Bushman. Known for his rich voice and soulful melodies, he’s become a highly respected singer-songwriter, musician, and performer, quickly captivating audiences. Bushman’s new solo effort, The Way Things Are Going, is set to be released November 15. "I have been a huge fan...

Chris Blair, Founder & CEO of The Listening Room Cafe, is excited to announce the promotion of  Savannah Norman to Chief of Staff, where she will oversee all day to day operations of the live music venue and restaurant. A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Norman will continue to work closely with the executive team as she transitions...

WME has signed singer-songwriter and music creator Adrien Nunez for exclusive representation. Nunez burst onto the music scene earlier this year with his debut viral hit, “LOW ROAD.” The social media launch accumulated over 50 million views across all platforms in the first weekend and nearly 8 million streams in the first month for the Brooklyn, New York native and former Michigan...

As Morgan Wallen continues to tease time in the studio, and prepares to release fan-demanded new single “Love Somebody” on Oct. 18, the current seven-time CMA Award nominee was recently presented with a 7x Platinum plaque at Neyland Stadium on Sept. 22 for his record-breaking third studio album, "One Thing At A Time," released in March 2023. Since its release, "One Thing...

Luke Combs, Eric Church, Billy Strings and James Taylor will headline “Concert for Carolina,” a special benefit show presented by Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority, on Saturday, October 26 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Tar Heel State is a profoundly special place for all four artists, as it is where Combs,...

Warner Chappell Music (WCM) and LEX Music Group announced today the signing of singer-songwriter Taylor Austin Dye to a global publishing deal. This collaboration aims to cultivate emerging talent and enhance the country music landscape. Taylor Austin Dye, known for her captivating songwriting and unique vocal style, has garnered significant attention in the industry. Her music blends genres, resonating with...

Big Loud Texas' second-ever signing was announced this evening from the Ascend stage in Nashville by Texas-born superstar and label co-founder Miranda Lambertat her inaugural MuttNation Music for Mutts benefit concert: Jake Worthington. Billboard dubs Worthington a “hard-country singer” and Wide Open Country raves the La Porte, Texas-native “is poised to become a leader in traditional Texas country.” “I'm really...

BMI transformed the rooftop of its Nashville location into a backyard barbecue to celebrate independent artist Drew Baldridge and the songwriters behind his groundbreaking No. One hit “She’s Somebody’s Daughter,” on Thursday (10/03). Baldridge made history as the first self-released artist (Lyric Ridge Records) to take the top spot on the Country Aircheck/Mediabase chart on their first No. One. Hosted...