Country
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WME has acquired Austin, Texas-based True Grit Talent Agency, signing its entire roster including Cody Jinks, Charles Wesley Godwin, Whitey Morgan and the 78’s, Ward Davis, Dexter and The Moonrocks, Bart Crow and Mitchell Ferguson.
True Grit’s team, including agents Mike Krug, Carrie Creasey and Shelby Vanek, have also joined WME and will continue to work out of Austin.
“We are very excited that what we do caught the eye of a company like WME,” Krug said in a statement. “We are proud of all we have built here in Austin and know that joining WME will create exponentially more opportunities for our clients.”
“We’ve long admired the business and roster that True Grit has developed, and we are excited to bring their artists and the team into the WME family and expand WME’s footprint in Austin,” Jay Williams, WME Partner and Nashville office co-head, added in a statement.
The move deepens WME’s presence in Texas, following its acquisition of Red 11 Music earlier this year.
Jinks, known for songs including “Loud and Heavy” and “Hippies and Cowboys,” has been opening shows on Eric Church’s Outsiders Revival Tour. Jinks will headline Red Rocks Amphitheater this fall, and will be among the openers on Luke Combs’ Growing Up and Getting Old Tour next year. Meanwhile, Big Loud artist Godwin is gearing up for the release of his album Family Ties next month, and is opening shows on Zach Bryan‘s Burn, Burn, Burn Tour; Godwin also recently inked a publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music.
WME represented all three headliners at Stagecoach in 2023; in 2022, WME clients represented over 60% of all headlining slots at the top-country music festivals. Meanwhile, the company’s country music clients have earned the most categories at the ACM Awards and CMA Awards for multiple years.
In Miley Cyrus‘ new video series inspired by her introspective single “Used to Be Young,” the pop star says she’s “looking back on my life and sharing untold stories.”
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Cyrus launched the series on Saturday (Aug. 26) with clips on TikTok, where it seems she’ll be posting all the “Used to Be Young” content.
“Sometimes it feels like my life started when Hannah Montana was born,” she wrote in a caption. “But before Hannah there was Miley. My fantasy was to light up the world with laughter, music & iconic moments that last beyond my lifetime. Decades later I continue to fulfill my purpose because of the love provided by my fans. This series ‘Used To Be Young’ is inspired by my new single. Looking back on my life & sharing untold stories from 1992 until now. Let’s start at the beginning…. Forever, Miley.”
In the first of three short videos posted on TikTok Saturday, Cyrus explains, “I am going to start at the beginning of my life in 1992 until now in 2023 and we’re gonna go through the last 30 years,” and jokes, “I got nowhere to be, b—-.”
In a second TikTok clip, she scrolls through a list of the Top 100 Country Songs in 1992, the year she was born and when dad Billy Ray Cyrus had a hit with “Achy Breaky Heart.”
“My dad grew up the opposite of me,” she said. “So I think that’s where me and my dad’s relationship to fame and success is wildly different. Him feeling loved by a big audience impacted him emotionally more than it ever could me. When he feels special or important it’s like healing a childhood wound, and I’ve always been made to feel like a star. It makes me emotional.”
She added, “I do have a lot of great memories singing music with my dad, and learning and absorbing, and I think I can see my wheels turning in watching his voice and the way that he’s using the instrument. I will say that I feel vocally my dad was underappreciated.”
And in a third clip unveiled on Saturday, Miley watches old footage of Billy Ray talking about his daughter, saying that he foresaw her “destiny to bring a lot of hope to the world. She loves to dance, and the more people clap for her, the more she’ll dance.”
“I’m just grateful that that was projected in the universe before I even could fathom what that meant,” Miley said.
These clips were released online following Cyrus’ Endless Summer Vacation: Continued (Backyard Sessions) special that premiered this week on ABC and Hulu. Follow her on TikTok to continue to watch the “Used to Be Young” series as she posts more videos.
“Used To Be Young” marks the 30-year-old superstar’s first new music since the release of Endless Summer Vacation, which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in March.
Anthony Oliver Music’s viral hit “Rich Men North of Richmond” arrives on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart (dated Sept. 2) at No. 45. In the tracking week ending Aug. 24, the song, released Aug. 11 (after the singer-songwriter had previewed it on TikTok), drew 2 million audience impressions, up 294%, according to Luminate.
The single, which the Farmville, Va.-based artist (born Christopher Anthony Lunsford) solely wrote, marks his first chart entry. On the Aug. 26-dated charts, “Richmond” launched at No. 1 on the all-genre, multimetric Billboard Hot 100, as well as Hot Country Songs. He became the first artist with no prior chart history in any form to soar in at the summit of each survey.
The former factory worker’s song, a lightning rod for media coverage from both left- and right-leaning media outlets and pundits (and which sparked the opening talking point in the first Republican presidential primary debate on Wednesday, Aug. 23), drew 17.5 million streams and sold 147,000 downloads in the U.S. in the tracking week ending Aug. 17.
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In the past week, many media outlets have been wondering if country radio would get behind the breakout hit. Although the song is not being promoted to radio, at least yet, one programmer giving avid support is Bo Matthews, program director at Alpha Media’s KBAY, San Jose, Calif. It “simply sounds great on the radio,” he tells Billboard. With 32 plays, “Richmond” was the Country Airplay-reporting station’s 16th most played song Aug. 18-24.
“We haven’t gotten any negative feedback for playing it, and I think we are merely meeting the expectations of our listeners,” Matthews muses. “In fact, I have been impressed and proud of the positive feedback we’ve received from people in the industry and the record community expressing their thanks that we’re supporting it. Finally, it’s obvious that radio listeners are becoming the real gatekeepers for the music we decide to play.”
The first Republican debate on Wednesday night (Aug. 23) kicked off with a question about this week’s Billboard Hot 100 chart topper, Oliver Anthony Music’s “Rich Men North of Richmond.”
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“As we sit here tonight, the No. 1 song on the Billboard chart is called ‘Rich Men North of Richmond.’ It is by a singer from Farmville, Virginia, named Oliver Anthony. His lyrics speak of alienation, a deep frustration with the state of government and of this country,” co-moderator Martha MacCallum said to the candidates. “Washington D.C. is about 100 miles north of Richmond,” she continued. “Why is this song striking such a nerve in this country right now?”
On Friday (Aug. 25), Anthony himself took to YouTube to share his thoughts about his whirlwind success, and about how his song has made its way into political discussions. “The one thing that has bothered me is seeing people wrap politics up into this,” the singer said in the 10-minute clip. “It’s aggravating seeing people on conservative news trying to identify with me like I’m one of them.”
He continued, “It seems like certain people want to ride the attention of this song to make their own selves relevant, and that’s aggravating as hell. The other thing that I find aggravating is, well, it was funny seeing my song at the presidential debate, because I wrote that song about those people. For them to sit there and listen to that, that cracks me up.”
Anthony explained that “Rich Men” has “nothing to do with Joe Biden, and it’s a lot bigger than Joe Biden,” before doubling down that the songs are written about “those people on that stage” and other politicians.
“I hate to see that song being weaponized,” he added. “That s— has got to stop.”
Anthony’s breakout viral hit “Rich Men North of Richmond” debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. Among other chart achievements for the singer-songwriter, he’s the first artist ever to launch atop the list with no prior chart history in any form.
Watch his full video response below.
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Three weeks ago virtually no one knew who Oliver Anthony was. But in the 18 days since radiowv published a video of the Virginia singer/songwriter performing his everyman anthem “Rich Men North of Richmond” to YouTube, he has become a household name.
Not only has “Rich Men North of Richmond” soared to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 — making him the first artist to debut at No. 1 with no prior chart history — he has become so ubiquitous that Wednesday night’s Republican presidential candidate debate included a question about the song.
Propelled by the right’s embrace of the song because of its themes about working class people’s struggle, unfair taxation and its dismissive tone about “obese” people on welfare, “Rich Men North of Richmond” has become a touchstone for the country’s divisiveness and a rallying cry for the disenfranchised.
Though labels and booking agencies are clamoring to get into business with Anthony — one record executive told Billboard, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like this before” — Anthony has said he is in no rush to sign any deal. His co-manager, Draven Riffe, told Billboard that they planned to “take it slow” while surveying potential offers and also expressed a desire to do as much as they can on their own.
While Anthony plots his next move in hopes of turning a runaway hit into a lasting career, Billboard asked a number of top country executives what advice they might offer to help the newcomer navigate his way onward and through the feeding frenzy.
Jon Loba, president, BMG Nashville president: “Not that he needs advice from me, but my guidance would be, stay true to yourself and authentically who you are. Early on, it’s obvious that’s exactly what he is doing, which impresses me as much as his music. While different sides of the political spectrum are celebrating or roasting him, he doesn’t let any side take ownership of who he is and what he stands for. He is not afraid to say he is middle of the road and hopes for unity, which in this day and age can be a risky proposition.”
Tim Wipperman, managing director, ONErpm Nashville: “There is no reason for him to give away ownership of his intellectual property in a traditional deal. That is the annuity for him and his family. We have deal structures that have all the benefits of worldwide scale in the digital realm without the encumbrances of a corporate box. Keep your ownership, and don’t trade that for a big advance.”Derek Crownover, partner and vice chair, music Industry, Loeb & Loeb: “Songs and lyrics on controversial topics and particular viewpoints, whether it’s love, alcohol, religion or politics, are age old. The song and the passion Oliver is delivering through his vocals are speaking loudly to a group obviously; however, there is also the new viral phenomenon of curiosity, which the media is helping to fuel. So there is some uplift that’s there too. It seems Oliver did a lot of this on his own, so he should preserve the rights he has as best he can. Maybe a record distribution deal and a publishing admin deal to help him collect the money on those songs he put out and then a go-forward [publishing deal] with more investment to build off his platform.”
Jay Turner, program director, Sunny 102.5 Country, Santa Maria, Calif.: “A guy like Oliver Anthony could make as much money as he needs the rest of his life without ever sitting down with William Morris or CAA or Universal Music or Sony. He doesn’t need a deal with Red Light to manage him, he doesn’t need a deal with William Morris to book him…. He would be wise to do that, but he doesn’t have to do it. If [he does sign a deal], he would be very wise to enlist somebody to help him dot the i’s and cross the t’s. Will he? I don’t know. He’s going to have a lot coming at him real fast.”
Tracy Gershon, co-founder, Northern Lights Music/Shero Consultants: “Oliver Anthony’s success speaks to the shifting power from the gatekeepers to the fans. His authenticity and independence has resonated, and whomever he picks for his team needs to honor this.”
Chris Kappy, chief navigation officer, Make Wake Artists: “Fans. First.”
Scott Stem, manager (Scotty McCreery), Triple 8 Management: “It’s important that Oliver knows who he is as a person and an artist and stays true to his vision, while also continuing to evolve as all artists do. He needs to surround himself with people he can trust to have his back, who will help him grow from a momentary phenomenon to an established artist. He should be wary of anyone wanting to work with him who doesn’t feel genuine to him. While I think it would be good for him to chat with any legitimate label, publisher and concert promoter that wants to meet with him, he should take some time, learn his options, and determine what fits best with his personal and artistic goals. He can’t wait forever and miss this moment, but he doesn’t have to make snap decisions either. He should put some money where his mouth is and partner with an existing charitable organization or create his own foundation to help find solutions and make life better for those folks he sings about. He will make mistakes, as everyone does, but he can learn from them and move forward — and perhaps not be photographed eating a fudge round.”
John Shomby, owner/CEO, Country Radio’s Coach: “I would tell him, ‘Dude, this might be your 15 minutes of fame right here, so take advantage of it and perform in front of people as much as you can. Use the digital services and radio as much as you can. What do you want?’ If he says, ‘I want to make a lot of money,’ then, OK, sign with a label. But if he says, ‘I just want to do my music,’ then I’d tell him to stay in the independent music mode and not change anything because he’s done so well doing it this way… There’s a possibility that he signs a big label deal and then falls flat on his face; that’s what I’d be concerned about if I were his manager. I would say let the 15 minutes of fame go away and then see what happens from there… I think this guy is genuine, everybody’s trying to paint him into a corner. That’s another thing I would be real careful about: who we put him in front of. I would not send him to any political rallies. I wouldn’t do any of that.”
Jacquelyn Marushka, founder, Marushka Media: “With respect for Mr. Anthony, and because I am not a professional musician or songwriter but I greatly appreciate those with this gift, I’d humbly encourage him to keep writing and singing about what moves him and about what’s true to him. I’d further encourage him to be true to himself no matter what. His honesty translates in his voice; a quality that connects with listeners. Finally, if he decides to dive into the business, I’d recommend he vet partnerships very carefully and find a brilliant attorney, business manager … and a protective and savvy publicist … hint hint.”
Assistance provided by Jessica Nicholson and Steve Knopper.
Jason Aldean, who recently notched his first Billboard Hot 100 hit with the controversial song “Try That in a Small Town,” is gearing up to release his 11th studio album, Highway Desperado, on Nov. 3.
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The project marks Aldean’s first since his double album, Macon, Georgia, which released in 2021 and 2022. The new set is spearheaded by songs including “Small Town,” “Tough Crowd” and a newly released track, “Let Your Boys Be Country.”
Overall, the project takes its inspiration from the 46-year-old entertainer’s hard-charging touring lifestyle and loyal fanbase he’s amassed over nearly three decades of touring and performing. The rest of 2023 will find Aldean on the road on his Highway Desperado Tour.
“I think when I look back on it, I built my career early on my live show, and have been on the road touring since I was 18 years old,” Aldean said in a statement. “For us, touring is our favorite part. Getting on the bus and going town to town and playing our shows and doing our thing and seeing the fans … the title for the tour and album was really inspired from that,” shared Aldean.
“Try That in a Small Town” marked a new high for Aldean on the Hot 100, besting a previous top seven song placement with 2011’s “Dirt Road Anthem,” which was written and previously recorded by Brantley Gilbert and Colt Ford. Since issuing his debut single “Hicktown” in 2005, Aldean has earned 25 No. 1 Country Airplay hits.
Three-time ACM entertainer of the year winner Aldean had a hand in writing three of the new album’s 14 songs, and he reunites with his longtime producer Michael Knox on the project. Aldean is a co-writer on “Hungover in a Hotel,” “Breakup Breakdown” and the album’s title track. He also reunites with several of his longtime writers, with Kurt Allison and Tully Kennedy each contributing to a dozen of the song’s 14 tracks, John Morgan writing eight songs on the album and Neil Thrasher and Jonathan Edwards each contributing to four tracks.
Jason Aldean ‘Highway Desperado’
Courtesy Photo
See the full tracklist for Highway Desperado below:
“Tough Crowd”
“Let Your Boys Be Country”
“Knew You’d Come Around”
“Hungover In a Hotel”
“Try That In a Small Town”
“Whiskey Drink”
“Whose Rearview”
“I’m Over You”
“Rather Watch You”
“Breakup Breakdown”
“Get Away From You”
“Changing Bars”
“From This Beer On”
“Highway Desperado”
Country music is having a major moment in 2023, with country songs making history by holding down the top three slots on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. During a recent interview with Tetris Kelly for Billboard News, three-time Grammy winner Tim McGraw offered his thoughts on country music topping the all-genre chart, as a further evolution of the genre’s continued growth.
“I love it. The more we can bring to the party, the better,” McGraw said, referencing the Hot 100 success of Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town,” Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” and Luke Combs’ “Fast Car”; since this interview was filmed, another country song — Oliver Anthony Music’s “Rich Men in Richmond” — skyrocketed straight to No. 1 on the chart. “Country music has consistently grown, for a long time. When new people discover it, and they find out — if they didn’t think they liked it, then they will hear something and all of a sudden they will discover other people. I think for a long time, the country music industry fought that — fought the crossover idea, or the idea that other people are listening to their music or other stations are playing their music.”
He noted that his wife, fellow artist Faith Hill, was on the receiving end of that mind-set when her songs “Breathe” and “The Way You Love Me” reached the top five on the Hot 100 in the early aughts. “I mean, my wife got the brunt end of that quite a bit when she was having a lot of crossover success. In my mind, I think you miss the point when you feel that way, because not only is it good for the artist that that happens to, but it’s good for all the other artists as well.
“As an artist, you just make your music and it lands where it lands and you take the consequences of it, either way,” he added. “I can’t speak to what other artists do when they’re making music; what I can say is I’ll let my music…and the kind of messages I put out, speak for itself.”
McGraw does just that with the music he’s recently released, including “Standing Room Only” and “Hey Whiskey” from his upcoming album Standing Room Only, out Friday.
Speaking with Billboard News, McGraw recalled the inspiration for one of the songs on the album, which he wrote, called “Nashville, California; LA, Tennessee.” The song is inspired by his eldest daughter Gracie’s move to Los Angeles.
“I have this 19-year-old Cadillac Escalade that I can’t get rid of,” McGraw laughs. “We call it the Griswold Family cruiser. I’d ripped all the seats out of it and loaded all of Gracie’s stuff into it. Her and I did a road trip from Nashville to L.A. to move her out there. We spent about four days traveling, staying in great spots and doing carpool karaoke, singing songs together. She’s a fantastic singer. We got to L.A. late at night, movin’ her into her place, moving boxes in. By that time, she was ready to get rid of me. Finally she said, ‘Daddy, you have to go,’ so I gave her a big hug and I just cried like a baby.”
In addition to his album, McGraw is gearing up for his Standing Room Only Tour, which will launch in 2024 and feature opener Carly Pearce. McGraw says the tour will be “probably one of the biggest productions we’ve ever had.”
“I’m pretty excited to have all the bells and whistles,” he says. “It’s fun for me. I like to put on a show for everybody else, but that stuff up there is fun for me as well.”
Watch his full interview in the video above.
Sandbox Entertainment Group’s estate management division, Sandbox Succession, is now representing the Loretta Lynn estate, it was announced Thursday (Aug. 24).
The division will manage the Country Music Hall of Famer’s estate, in partnership with the Lynn family, in areas including film, TV, theater, music recordings, licensing and more.
Led by Jason Owen, Sandbox Entertainment oversees the careers of artists including Kelsea Ballerini, Faith Hill and Little Big Town. Sandbox Succession, which launched in 2021, manages the estates of Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, the Carter Family and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty.
“Loretta Lynn is the original Queen of Country music, and it is a true privilege that her family has entrusted Sandbox Succession to preserve her precious legacy,” Sandbox Entertainment CEO Owen said of Lynn, who died on Oct. 4, 2022, at age 90.
“We are happy to partner with Sandbox Succession to not only represent but also perpetuate the amazing legacy of our mother’s career,” added the Lynn family.
“With Sandbox Succession, we strive to place our clients at the intersection of historical importance and cultural relevance,” added Sandbox Succession president Josh Matas. “We are thrilled to apply our proven strategies to bring Loretta Lynn to new audiences and celebrate her further with existing fans.”
Following Lynn’s passing in 2022, Sandbox Productions and CMT gathered artists to celebrate Lynn’s life and career with a public memorial service, titled Coal Miner’s Daughter: A Celebration of the Life and Music of Loretta Lynn. The service aired on CMT from Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House.
Sandbox Succession also recently revealed Johnny Cash: The Official Concert Experience, a tour that features video footage of Cash from episodes of The Johnny Cash TV Show with the accompaniment of a live band and vocalists. Also in the works are a documentary on the life of June Carter Cash and a television series honoring Petty’s racing legacy.
For nearly four decades, Billboard Boxscore has tracked the top tours, and touring artists, in the music industry, across various musical genres. The 2023 Billboard Boxscore Mid-Year report, which was led by pop star Harry Styles, whose Love on Tour trek grossed $138.6 million and sold 1.2 million tickets across 38 shows between Nov. 1, […]
It’s (red carpet) official! Billy Ray Cyrus and fianceé Firerose made their red carpet debut — country style — at the 2023 Academy of Country Music Honors in Nashville on Wednesday night (Aug. 23). The couple stepped out in casual looks, with Cyrus wearing a black T-shirt and jeans, a gray denim button-up shirt and […]