Country Update BILLBOARD.COM/NEWSLETTERS FEBRUARY 1, 2021 | PAGE 1 OF 19 INSIDE BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE [email protected] Combs’ ‘Better’ Trump Vs. Biden: A Pre-CRS Chart Standing >page 4 Management Checklist CRS Builds The United States has a new manager, and it’s a good bet as vp on the board for the Country Radio Seminar, set for Virtual Agenda you’ve noticed. Feb. 16-19. A more forceful CEO can bring quick order to a >page 10 The shift from Donald Trump to Joe Biden is likely the most chaotic organization, though if top-down leadership turns into dramatic transition we’ve seen in style between an outgoing micromanaging, it tends to discourage self-starting employees president and an incoming one in the over the long haul. On the other hand, modern era. Forget about which politi- the collaborative executive may inspire Bowl-ing With cal party they’re affiliated with — their more immediate creativity, only to see Bryan, Church approach to the job is distinctly different: employees eventually begin to wander >page 11 Trump is more of a top-down, my-way- from the mission. or-the-highway kind of boss, while Biden The best managers, notes Shomby, are prefers to manage more collaboratively. able to tailor their approach based on the Given the frequency of job-hopping dynamics within the company, leaning Vince Gill In Two or market changes within the music and toward authoritarian in one period, then Upcoming Albums broadcast businesses, most veterans in tilting toward teamwork when the circum- >page 11 either field have experienced a 180-de- stances change. gree change in their work atmosphere, “Managers you see that are sitting at whether they transitioned to a new com- radio stations or clusters for long periods Makin’ Tracks: pany or had a new GM take over. The way of time,” he says, are “usually the ones McCollum’s their new manager leads has a huge im- who are doing that and doing that well.” ‘Loved’ Rant pact on how employees view their roles. Broadcasters and music industry exec- “You notice it right away,” says consul- utives will have a chance to reexamine and >page 16 SHOMBY tant John Shomby, who spent four years refine their own management approaches as Cumulus director of Nash program- when CRS convenes virtually Feb. 16-19. ming before setting out as an advisor for radio talent and re- Several panels are specifically geared toward management is- Country Coda: cording artists under the billing of “Country’s Radio Coach.” sues, including “ ’Til the Wellness Runs Dry: How to Handle Juice Newton’s “Probably the second or third or fourth day in, it’s ‘Oh, my good- the Anxiety of the Music Business,” “PPP: Post-Pandemic Play- ‘Hurt’ ness, I have a different person here, and I have to do this now book” and “TLC: Talent Loving Coaching.” >page 19 rather than that.’ It changes the way you think.” “If you’re in a leadership position at your radio station, Neither a centralized Trump approach nor a collaborative [those sessions] can help you because you’ll see that other Biden style is necessarily better, says Shomby, who serves people have gone through what you’ve gone through and how BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE FEBRUARY 1, 2021 | PAGE 2 OF 19 they’ve dealt with it,” says Shomby. Americans often learn from others by seeing their own issues mirrored in the national spotlight. The country took COVID-19 more seriously, for example, after actors Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson contracted it last March. Glen Campbell’s struggle with Alzheimer’s disease raised people’s aware- ness of the disorder and their willingness to discuss it. It is likewise easier to identify and evaluate the consequences of a particular management approach by seeing it play out from a distance, whether that’s in the Oval Office or in a stadium. “You see different [management styles] in different sports all the time when a coach with a different philosophy comes in after someone else,” says Shomby. “The New York Giants were a really good football team for quite some time with Tom Coughlin’s style. He was very much a my-way-or-the-highway type of a guy. But that got old after a while, and the team started to lose. They found some- one else who could bring the team together, but it took them a while to do that.” During Apple Music Country’s Jan. 29 edition of Today’s Country Radio The following Trump/Biden management checklist — assembled by the With Kelleigh Bannen, Eric Church chatted about singing at the Super Billboard Country Update and massaged by Shomby — highlights the chasm Bowl and his three forthcoming albums. between the two presidents’ styles, separate from their party affiliations or policy positions. Managers should be able to gauge their own style by looking at the differences between the two leaders, and prospective employees might also benefit from examining particular traits that they desire in a boss when they interview for their next position: • Persona Trump is a bigger-than-life character. Biden is more folksy and grandfatherly. • Messaging Trump is a master at distilling concepts down to short slogans, and he will repeat a message to make it take hold. Biden tends to elaborate more on details and take side trips when explaining a concept. • Workplace culture Trump encouraged competition among team mem- bers on The Celebrity Apprentice, sometimes chiding them for not being more New Warner Music Nashville act Robyn Ottolini paid a visit to WCKN ruthless. Biden has told administration staff that if he sees anyone disrespect Charleston, S.C., as part of her first virtual radio tour. She met with a colleague, he will fire them on the spot. (from left) WCKN afternoon host Hunter Meyer and WMN national • Loyalty Trump famously prioritizes it. Biden does not highlight it. director of radio and streaming James Marsh and Southeast manager • Decision-making Trump trusted his gut instinct first on topics ranging of regional radio and streaming Lou Ramirez. from war tactics to health. Biden is giving his experts more room to speak publicly and has pledged to let science guide policies. • Creating expectations Trump made bold up-front predictions, giving people immediate hope but increasing the likelihood of disappointment. Biden is showing a tendency to make pledges that are more prudent, reducing short-term enthusiasm but improving the chances that he will match or exceed expectations. • Short-term vs. long-term plans Trump’s policies and positions were often presented with a focus on the current moment; Biden usually addresses issues with a nod to the long-term consequences. • Speed Trump removed hurdles to get COVID-19 vaccines approved faster. GRINER KEITH The jury is out on Biden in terms of swift results, though he has been ultra Singer-songwriter Skip Ewing (center) signed a booking deal with quick on executive orders. Kinkead Entertainment. The team includes CEO Bob Kinkead (left) and Go here for details about the CRS agenda. senior vp/head of live performance Greg Scott. DECISIVE INTELLIGENCE. DELIVERED DIGITALLY. CLICK HERE FOR FREE DELIVERY DIGITAL NEWSLETTERS BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE APRIL 13, 2020 | PAGE 4 OF 19 ON THE CHARTS JIM ASKER [email protected] BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE FEBRUARY 1, 2021 | PAGE 4 OF 19 ON STHEa CHARTSmH JIMunt ASKER’ [email protected] Southside Rules Top Country AlbuTwoms; Is Brett ‘Better’ Young Than ‘Catc One:h’-es Combs Fifth TopsAirplay CountryLeader; AirplayTravis Denning And Hot Makes Country History Songs; Swift’s ‘Crime’ Has Radio Partners 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 Luke Combs scores his fourth No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, ‘CRIME’ PAYS Taylor Swift’s “No Body, No Crime,” featuring HAIM (Republic/ earned 46,000 equivalent album units, including 16,000 in album sales, ac- TRY TO ‘CATCH’ UP WITH YOUNG Brett Youngachieves his fifth consecutive which blends airplay, sales and streaming data, as “Better Together” (River MCA Nashville), holds at No. 60 in its second week on Country Airplay, with cording to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. and total Country Airplay No. 1 as “Catch” (Big Machine Label Group) ascends House/Columbia Nashville) ascends 2-1 in its 34th week on the survey 581,000 impressions. The song is her second entry on the chart since last Southside(dated Feb. marks 6). Hunt’s second No. 1 on the summer; the first, “Betty,” rose2-1, to increasing No. 32 in October. 13% to 36.6 “Crime” million is fromimpressions. Swift’s chart and“Better,” fourth the top fifth 10. singleIt follows from freshman Combs’ secondLP LP, What You See Is What December album evermore, whileYoung’s “Betty” firstwas released of six chart from entries, last July’s “Sleep folklore With. - MontevalloYou Get,, was which co-written arrived atby the the summit artist with in NoDan- Isbell and Randy Montana. “Betty” was Swift’s first topout 40 You,” Country reached Airplay No. hit 2 in as December a lead artist 2016. since He vemberThe set2014 holds and reignedat No. 2 foron nineTop Country weeks. To Albums date, 2013,followed after with which the she multiweek fully segued No. to 1s pop. “In Country Case You Montevalloafter 37 weeks has earned at the peak3.9 million with 30,000 units, equivalent with 1.4 programmersDidn’t Know” playing (two weeks, “Crime” June feel 2017), that “Like she’s I still Loved millionalbum in albumunits earned sales.