NASHVILLE, TN—
MusicRow, Nashville’s leading music industry publication, held its annual CountryBreakout Awards before a group of radio gatekeepers and
MusicRow Magazine members on Wednesday (Feb. 19) during the 18th Annual Country Radio Meet & Greet and CountryBreakout Awards. This year’s event featured music from
Joe Hanson and
Shane Owens. FirstBank was this year’s Presenting Sponsor.
Held in advance of the 2020 Country Radio Seminar (CRS), the event was again held at The Listening Room Cafe in Nashville. Winners were calculated from spin performance on the CountryBreakout Radio Chart in 2019.
This year’s winners included Male Artist of the Year Luke Combs (River House Artists/Columbia Nashville), Female Artist of the Year Carrie Underwood (Capitol Records Nashville), Group/Duo of the Year Old Dominion (RCA Nashville), Breakout Artist of the Year Riley Green (BMLG Records) and Independent Artist of the Year Smith & Wesley. Capitol Records Nashville was honored with Label of the Year for the 16th year, while Round Hill Music’s Ashley Gorley was named Songwriter of the Year for the third time; Gorley authored nine songs over the past year that hit No. 1 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart. This year’s Reporter of the Year is KBOE’s Steve Shettler.
MusicRow Magazine’s 2020 Country Radio Issue, with MCA Nashville artist Sam Hunt gracing the cover, also released today.
This issue also spotlights YouTube’s Copeland Isaacson and Margaret Hart, takes an inside look at country radio tours with Trea Landon, highlights playlist creation with WCFT’s Shelly Marx and explores artist-led podcasts such as those launched (or in the works) by Midland, Kelleigh Bannen, Reba McEntire and more.
The magazine will be available throughout CRS week at the Omni Nashville Hotel and members will receive their copy of the MusicRow Country Radio issue by mail. To be added to the mailing list and to receive your copy, become a member of MusicRow Magazine at musicrow.com.
2020 MUSICROW COUNTRYBREAKOUT AWARD WINNERS
Male Artist of the Year: Luke Combs
Female Artist of the Year: Carrie Underwood
Group/Duo of the Year: Old Dominion
Breakout Artist of the Year: Riley Green
Independent Artist of the Year: Smith & Wesley
Label of the Year: Capitol Records Nashville
Songwriter of the Year: Ashley Gorley
Reporter of the Year: Steve Shettler (KBOE/Oskaloosa, Iowa)
Single copies of MusicRow’s 2020 Country Radio Issue are available for purchase at musicrow.com for $20, and are included with yearly MusicRow memberships.
Pictured (L-R): MusicRow Chart Director Alex Parry, Smith & Wesley, and MusicRow Publisher/Owner Sherod Robertson. Photo: Steve Lowry
Pictured (L-R): MusicRow Chart Director Alex Parry, KBOE’s Steve Shettler, and MusicRow Publisher/Owner Sherod Robertson. Photo: Steve Lowry
Pictured (L-R): MusicRow Publisher/Owner Sherod Robertson, Ashley Gorley, and MusicRow Chart Director Alex Parry. Photo: Steve Lowry
Pictured (L-R): Kiersten Suarez, Ben Kann, Diane Richey, BMLG’s Michelle Kammerer, MusicRow Chart Director Alex Parry, and MusicRow Publisher/Owner Sherod Robertson. Photo: Steve Lowry
Pictured (L-R): MusicRow Publisher/Owner Sherod Robertson, MusicRow Chart Director Alex Parry, and River House Artists’ Lynn Oliver-Cline. Photo: Steve Lowry
Pictured (L-R): MusicRow Publisher/Owner Sherod Robertson, Capitol Records Nashville’s Bobby Young, and MusicRow Chart Director Alex Parry. Photo: Steve Lowry
Joe Hanson. Photo: Steve Lowry
Shane Owens. Photo: Steve Lowry
