Country Update BILLBOARD.COM/NEWSLETTERS FEBRUARY 22, 2021 | PAGE 1 OF 20 INSIDE BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE [email protected] Taylor Swift’s Country Radio Seminar Addresses ‘Love Story’ Epilogue Page 4 A Virtual Pack Of Problems Country Radio Seminar may have been experienced by radio broadcasts, a larger number than any other single source, CRS Has Tigers attendees in the isolation of their own homes or offices — though when the individual digital platforms — Amazon Music, By The Tail thanks, COVID-19 — but there were plenty of elephants YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify and Pandora — are combined, Page 10 crowding the room. they account for 60% of first-time exposure, more than double The pandemic, for one, reared its head in just about every terrestrial’s turf. The difference is even more pronounced among panel discussion or showcase conversation during the conven- adults aged 18-24, who will be among country’s core listeners tion, held Feb. 16-19. The issue of country’s racial disparities — in the next decade. Brad Paisley On keyed by a series of national incidents since May and accelerated “That hurt our heart a little bit,” said KNCI Sacramento, Jeannie Seely’s Moxie by Morgan Wallen’s use of a racial slur in February — spurred Calif., PD Joey Tack, “but if we don’t hear that, how are we Page 11 one of the most dis- going to adapt?” cussed panels in the Strategies are conference’s history certainly available. as Maren Morris They include better FGL, Johnny Cash and Luke Combs educating listeners Take TPAC Country challenged country about how to find Page 11 to improve its per- their station on digi- formance. And the tal platforms and increasing growth increasing the au- Makin’ Tracks: of digital tools and dience’s use of the competitors argu- station with smart Jon Pardi’s RHETT BERGEN MORRIS ‘Tequila’ Twist ably earned more at- speakers, which are Page 17 tention from broad- now employed daily casters than the actual sound transmitted across their AM and in 39% of homes and accessed at least weekly in 73% of homes, FM signals. many of which no longer own a traditional AM/FM radio. Looming particularly large was a comprehensive research Stations were also encouraged to harness the power of digital Country Coda: study, presented by NuVoodoo, that showed country’s most tools, particularly social media, in building brands and aware- ‘Calling’ Luke Bryan dedicated listeners who consume music do so more frequently ness in consumers’ minds. The array of platforms has become Page 20 online than on traditional radios. daunting — Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, etc. — and Also troubling for the medium is the way fans are exposed to integrating them all with bare-bone staffs is one of the larg- new music: 1 out of 4 listeners hears songs for the first time via est challenges of the 21st century. An out-of-format guest — COURTESYCRS BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE FEBRUARY 22, 2021 | PAGE 2 OF 20 Tino Cochino, the host of Yea Networks’ syndicated top 40 show Tino Cochino Radio — noted that his team has developed a sort of conveyor-belt approach. The crew tapes a weekly podcast of freestyle conversation. The best of that material gets developed into on-air bits, which are then teased and disseminated across socials, often influencing the next freestyle podcast. “It’s a rotating door of content through every platform that we have,” said Cochino. That human-generated content is perhaps radio’s best competitive advan- tage, several panelists noted. Consumers can find new music that has been tailored to their tastes on numerous platforms, but few digital outlets offer the relatability that a well-prepared personality presents. And, as the pandemic has proven, fans aren’t particularly bothered by inter- ruptions from the hosts’ kids or less-than-perfect audio quality. It’s the connec- tion that matters most. “Authenticity of the content is key,” said Elevate Marketing founder/chief Russell Dickerson and contemporary Christian artist Chris Tomlin researcher Nicole Bergen, who used a puzzle to symbolize the jumbled future hosted a virtual believers breakfast on Feb. 18 during Country Radio that radio is facing. Seminar. From left: iHeartMedia/aNashville senior vp programming Radio also would do well to examine the balance of its content. Country Gator Harrison, Tomlin, Dickerson and iHeartCountry digital content fans are pleased overall with the quality of modern country, according to the director Zack Massey. NuVoodoo study, though they would prefer some tweaks. The data suggested fans were more open to hearing new music than expected, and KUZZ Bakers- field, Calif., PD Brent Michaels noted that apps make it easy for the listener to gain knowledge about a song, turning unfamiliar material into a familiar title with just a few clicks. Women and older listeners would prefer less repetition of current hits and more gold titles, though Big Machine GM Clay Hunnicutt, a former programmer, insinuated that a wide mix of eras and classic titles would perform better than a narrow selection. “You don’t want the ‘oh wows’ to turn into ‘oh nos,’ ” he said. Women were also cognizant of the gender imbalance in the music, desiring to hear a more even mix of male and female voices, NuVoodoo Media president Carolyn Gilbert indicated. That male/female split drew less attention this year than Black/white con- troversies. Combs, who was recently disparaged online for photos that featured him with Confederate flag imagery, said during a conversation with NPR con- tributor Ann Powers about race in country music that there “is no excuse” for CRS COURTESY those pictures. He indicated the photos were taken at a time when he saw the SiriusXM host Charlie Monk (center) was surprised with the Country flag as a symbol of Southern pride and not a relic of slavery. He apologized and Music Association’s Joe Talbot Award on Feb. 18 during Country indicated he has “grown a lot as a man.” Radio Seminar as a champion of the genre. He is flanked by CMA “No matter what I thought it meant at the time … I would never want to be CEO Sarah Trahern and Townsquare Media senior vp programming associated with something that brings so much hurt to someone else,” he said. Kurt Johnson. “I want people to be happy, I want people to feel accepted, I want people to feel welcomed by country music and our community.” Morris went even further, maintaining that in failing to promote African American talent, the country industry and its broadcast partners have placed chains on the format’s potential. “By shutting out Black writers and Black artists, you have no idea if you’re shutting out the next hit song,” she said. “Imagine over the last 50 years the songs that we haven’t gotten to hear because we shut the doors in a Black person’s face. We’ve got to change that moving forward.” The virtual nature of this year’s CRS was a significant change, though orga- nizers are optimistic it will be different by 2022, when the convention is slated for Feb. 23-25 at the Omni Nashville Hotel. Many of CRS’ historic features were present, but with minor alterations. Thomas Rhett led “Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley,” a songwriter showcase that used a rural backdrop that Rhett had photographed. Eric Church, Parker McCollum and Lauren Alaina were among the acts on Universal Music Group Nashville’s annual show at the Ryman Auditorium, performing with their backs to the empty seats, allowing the venue’s stained-glass windows to provide the background. The New Faces Show was Tenille Arts (right) chatted with Cumulus host Elaina Smith when she carefully orchestrated to keep the artists and Cumulus personality Elaina Smith performed Feb. 19 at Country Radio Seminar’s New Faces Show. safely distanced. Luke Bryan was surprised with the annual artist humani- tarian award, typically revealed in advance, during the final panel on Feb. 19. Along the way, CRS producers and attendees picked up some new skills and perspectives on their product by holding a virtual edition. That mirrors the music and radio businesses, which are moving with a mix of hope and uncer- tainty into the future. Perhaps that’s a future in which today’s elephants in the room become extinct or are reduced to the size of a mouse. “We need to throw out our 1980s radio playbook about what to do when numbers go up or what to do when numbers go down,” said Cox Media Group Futuri Media partner success consultant Scott Lindy (left) chatted with country format leader Johnny Chiang. “We need to just keep an open mind Instagram head of music partnerships Perry Bashkoff to close a Feb. 18 and be ready to reinvent. Quickly.” Country Radio Seminar panel on 24/7 branding. BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE APRIL 13, 2020 | PAGE 4 OF 19 ON THE CHARTS JIM ASKER [email protected] BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE FEBRUARY 22, 2021 | PAGE 4 OF 20 ON STHEa CHARTSmH JIMunt ASKER’ [email protected] Southside Rules Top Country Albums; BrettSwift’s Young ‘Love ‘Catc Story’h’-es Leads Fifth Airplay LeaHotder; Country Songs Travis Denning For Makes Second History Time; Rucker Hoists Ninth Country Airplay No. 1 Sam Hunt’s second studio full-length, and first in over five years, Southside sales (up 21%) in the tracking week. On Country Airplay, it hops 18-15 (11.9 mil- (MCA Nashville/Universal Music Group Nashville), debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s lion audience impressions, up 16%). Top Country Albums chart dated April 18. In its first week (ending April 9), it Taylor Swift’s rerecording of “Love Story,” dubbed “Love Story (Taylor’s Ver- in October 1958.