Jason Aldean Luke Bryan
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MUSIC CITY IMPACT REPORT success story. Beyond Lady Antebellum, and a no-nonsense, keep-it- a record 34-week run atop contributing three pivotal beyond (Dave Matthews (deceptively)-simple producer. Billboard’s country songs tracks to Keith Urban’s Band, Alabama Shakes, In Americana, he also shines chart. But beyond his ongoing “Ripcord” album — “The Lionel Richie), Capshaw is a — witness Jason Isbell and Hunt collaboration, he’s Fighter” featuring Carrie visionary who built the world’s Sturgill Simpson — and with also had radio success in Underwood, “Sun Don’t Let largest independent artist his own Low Country label, in the past year with Dustin COUNTRY’S Me Down” featuring Pitbull management company, while conjunction with Elektra, he’s Lynch’s “Small Town Boy” and and Nile Rodgers, and “Your also helping launch Bonnaroo, taken on emerging artists, Cole Swindell’s “Middle of a Body” — and launching South by Southwest and ATO too. With another Stapleton Memory,” plus album cuts country breakout Maren Records. He has music venues album due before year’s end, with Florida Georgia Line Morris into orbit, the L.A.- in common with Peters, who his 2015 Grammy nomination and Blake Shelton. Don’t be based Busbee’s resume started out at Charlottesville for producer of the year won’t surprised to see him resume POWER PLAYERS includes credits on songs by Pavilion, moved into social likely be his last. his partnership with Carrie Pink, Christina Aguilera and and alternative marketing and Underwood, who recently The year’s most-consumed Nashville-based artists have a legion Beyonce. eventually took on day-to-day lent a hand to his Honduras of experts behind them in the field, who are stars on their own for Stapleton, along with Hunt. charity. CMT’S ARTISTS OF THE YEAR By HOLLY GLEASON, SHIRLEY HALPERIN, ROY TRAKIN AND CHRIS WILLMAN JASON ALDEAN Country’s Most CAA August. Barry appointed Jack Consumed Artists Scott Clayton, Marc Dennis, Rod White to the city’s Council on The ACM Awards have crowned Aldean enter- Essig, John Huie, Darin Murphy Gender Equality, and every tainer of the year for the past two consecutive The genre’s top acts ZACH CROWELL Record Store Day, you can springs, and he has a good shot at it when the year-to-date by project CAA opened local offices in units Writer, producer find her at Grimey’s, spinning CMAs hand out their version of that pinna- 1991 as a one-man experiment 1. Chris Stapleton her own DJ set. cle award in November. The first three songs 1,066,977 with the late Ron Baird, and DAVE COBB If all Crowell had done was co- ROBERT DEATON from his latest record, “They Don’t Know,” all now sports a five-headed write and produce Sam Hunt’s 2. Zac Brown Band Producer; Founder, Low Country Executive producer, Country Music BRAD BELANGER BOBBY BONES topped the country radio chart, with a fourth, 668,584 leadership team plus a Sound “Body Like a Back Road,” Assn. Awards the album’s title track, looking to follow. And 24,000-sq.- ft. downtown he’d have a 2017 for any of Manager, RLM; owner, Homestead Radio personality, Premiere/iHeart 3. Florida Georgia Line Management he has a touring drawing power as reliable 661,358 Nashville spread with 120 The biggest country act of his contemporaries to envy. Deaton has firmly established How do you win the 2017 as anybody in the genre, which is why he was 4. Sam Hunt employees. Huie, who had the year in sales and streams It easily tops BuzzAngle’s himself as the Ken Ehrlich 624,756 Boutique meets behemoth: CMA Award for national headlining when tragedy befell Las Vegas’ been working at ICM, joined is Chris Stapleton. And country singles so far this of country, being the only 5. Luke Bryan Belanger’s firm hooked up broadcast personality of the Route 91 Harvest Festival. If there was any 622,511 Baird, along with Essig and behind the artist is Cobb, year, and just wrapped up guy the CMAs want to go with Red Light Management year without having anything question of that trauma casting a pall over 6. Keith Urban then Dennis. Clayton came to for their three signature to make Sam Hunt into resembling a traditional him as a performer, it was quickly answered 593,853 aboard in ’94 with Train as primetime specials every a nearly instant country DJ voice? By being serious when he opened “Saturday Night Live” the fol- 7. Jason Aldean his client, looking to diversify year. He recently renewed his superstar with the string of enough to do issues-oriented lowing weekend with Tom Petty’s “I Won’t 516,273 the roster to include pop and contract with the org, which smashes off his debut album, talk show stuff, on hot-button Back Down.” There, like his new single, he was 8. Eric Church rock, signing John Mayer knows he has mercenary 480,963 “Montevallo,” released three topics like underrepresented acting not just as a potential agent of healing and later, Kings of Leon. instincts about what makes 9. Garth Brooks years ago this month. When women in country, or the Las but a potent ambassador for rural America. 463,045 Murphy arrived from William for good television but also Hunt’s sophomore album Vegas shootings, but still Morris in 1998 and is a former can keep up with the most wasn’t near completion in NARVEL BLACKSTOCK funny enough to moonlight Label: Broken Bow Management: Maverick Touring: Kevin Neal, chairman of the Academy of dedicated Opry-holic when it time for a 2017 tour, Belanger with your own standup act WME Publishing: BMG Nashville Publicity: Greenroom PR Country Music. Other major comes to conversing about CEO, Starstruck Entertainment advised the “Take Your Time” and novelty songs. Bones is CAA Nashville clients include classic country. He’s moving singer to take his time. It’s a a crossover artist, too: He’ll country superstars Keith into feature films and, given pause that’s gone virtually BRANDON BLACKSTOCK soon become the youngest Urban, Tim McGraw, Lady his newly signed deal with unnoticed, since the single inductee into the (non- Antebellum, Zac Brown Band, UTA, Nashville may have to Manager, Starstruck Entertainment 10. Johnny Cash “Body Like a Back Road” is country) National Radio Hall stints at MTM Records, Keith Urban are based. Long 462,757 Shania Twain, Dixie Chicks, fight to keep all his attention. easily the BuzzAngle Music Never was a more prescient of Fame. MCA Nashville, DreamWorks an advocate for transitioning 11. Blake Shelton Brantley Gilbert and Kelsea CMT’S ARTISTS OF THE YEAR country song of the year, with move made than when Nashville and Universal Music country stars into mainstream 461,424 Ballerini, as well as Twenty more than twice the sales Narvel Blackstock reopened Nashville, Borchetta launched artists by finding innovative 12. Thomas Rhett One Pilots, the Chainsmokers 458,122 and streams of the closest his management company his own label in 2005. The partnerships — for instance, and Dead & Co. (featuring LUKE BRYAN contender. in 2006 to represent a roster now includes arena Faith Hill’s Cover Girl deal and Mayer). then-midlevel hat act, headliners Florida Georgia Urban’s multi-season stint as Bryan has become quite the TV personal- Blake Shelton. His nearly Line, Brantley Gilbert and a judge on “American Idol” — 1. ity, making the leap from co-host of the ACM uninterrupted streak of No. Thomas Rhett. that their fans can get behind, Awards every spring to a looming stint as 1 country radio singles beats the veteran manager also judge on the resurrected “American Idol.” any other Nashville artist’s — advocates for the ultimate But they do love him on the radio, too: In 13. Miranda Lambert and if Shelton only ranks as SCOTT BORCHETTA fan-to-band engagement: 427,588 BuzzAngle Music’s year-to-date ranking, he is No. 11 on BuzzAngle’s list of touring. the fifth biggest artist overall for music con- President/CEO/founder, Big Machine 14. Brantley Gilbert top acts for the year to date, Label Group 425,775 sumption in 2017, but No. 1 when it comes to that’s because he’s between 15. Kenny Chesney radio spins, with a staggering 760,000 airwave MEGAN BARRY albums and has a side gig The son of a record label 392,235 CORAN CAPSHAW 1. plays in the year’s first three quarters. He’s on NBC’s “The Voice.” A promotion man, Borchetta 16. Tim McGraw also at No. 2 in audio streams, with 501 mil- Mayor of Nashville BOB DOYLE VARIETY.COM 369,114 VARIETY.COM November studio album will has proven to be Music City’s lion. If fellow CMT artists of the year Aldean 17. Little Big Town CLAY HUNT Owner/president; Bob Doyle & Music City has never had a ensure no one forgets Blake’s top power broker, discovering GARY BORMAN 364,411 and Stapleton don’t do a lot of smiling, that’s Associates, Major Bob Music music lover for a mayor quite day job. The Blackstocks Taylor Swift and building OK — Bryan, country music’s friendliest face, Owner/founder, Borman 18. George Strait ZACH PETERS like Barry. Industry boosterism also snagged a new deal with an impressive label empire Entertainment 351,681 has enough grins for all of them. Managers, Red Light Management aside, she’s got good taste, Atlantic for Kelly Clarkson, that includes Big Machine 19. Carrie Underwood RANDY BERNARD 322,321 having spent her birthday Brandon’s wife, who’d long Records, BMLG Records, the He may be headquartered BUSBEE Overseeing a roster that Label: Capitol Nashville Management: KP Entertainment Touring: 20.