Tag: Country Music

Spotify’s RADAR Program Returns With RADAR US and Announces Zach Bryan as First Country Artist

May 17, 2022

Spotify’s RADAR US program, an extension of Spotify’s global artist development program, announces its first-ever RADAR US country artist, Zach Bryan. Since launching in 2020, Spotify’s RADAR program has remained committed in supporting artists on their paths to superstardom, helping rising talent at all stages of their development and strengthening their connection to audiences. 

Zach has an enthusiastic fan base on Spotify, with his hit single “Heading South” helping put him on the map. His highly anticipated third album arrives May 20. Why, then, does he feel the same way about his career now as he did when he wrote music for fun on his days off in the military?

“I started writing songs, and I accidentally blew up. I’m so blessed and honored to be a musician because so many people aspire to be in the position I’m in their entire lives. And not a morning goes by that I don’t think about that,” Zach told For the Record. “But also, that switch has not happened yet. I’m still not sure what I want to do with the rest of my life.”

Just one year after he was honorably discharged from the United States Navy, and two years after he was featured on Spotify’s Indigo playlist, Zach is now Spotify’s first-ever RADAR US country artist.

“We saw that our listeners were responding to Zach early on with his stripped-down, salt-of-the-earth sound and honest lyrics. In 2020, he was one of our key artists for the launch of our Indigo playlist and has been a top performer there ever since,” said Rachel Whitney, Head of Editorial, Nashville. “It has been incredible to see his growth over the past two years. His talent is undeniable, and his new music has already begun to reach chart-topping status. This is just the beginning, and we’re so excited to introduce him to a broader fan base through our RADAR US program.” 

As part of RADAR US, artists receive a mixture of Spotify’s best-in-class editorial; on-platform and out-of-home marketing support, like dedicated RADAR social content capturing the many sides of artists, including acoustic performances and short-form videos; a feature in the RADAR US playlist; and an opportunity to collaborate with Spotify on a number of Fans First experiences such as exclusive live rooms with top fans on Spotify Live.

For the Record caught up with Zach to learn more about his life as an emerging artist. 

From your first experiences with a guitar to now, how has your approach to songwriting changed or stayed the same?

What’s interesting is that my approach to songwriting hasn’t changed even remotely, but my life experience has been amplified times 40. As a kid, you don’t have too much to sing about. But as an adult, things get a lot darker for everybody, and things also get a lot happier. When you grow up, everything grows up around you. So, I don’t think that my approach to songwriting is different. I think that the more I did it, the better I got at it. And the more life I lived, the more I had to write about. So it’s all part of the beautiful evolution of how most things go in life.

Which artists have inspired you the most?

So, I actually have some authors—Jack Kerouac and John Steinbeck. The way they described things in their books, it taught me how to describe everything. I read a lot growing up, and those were the two guys I always leaned on. Musically, I’d say Tyler Childers and Jason Isbell. But I also have a lot of other favorites, like John Vincent III and John Moreland out of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Those are simple guys; they’re guys who have guitars and just like to write.

How does it feel to see the growth of your music with Spotify?

Spotify has been really, really good to me in every phase of this process. It’s weird to watch the progression from the first record, when Spotify was first on my side, to now, when they’ve selected me to be their RADAR artist. I feel like I have someone in my corner. So it’s really, really incredible.

I’m also really thankful for the first fans who listened to my music because without them, I wouldn’t be here at all. I sometimes feel like I’m a vessel, like the experiences and words just come through me. They’re not from me, and that’s why making music is just so strange for me. It’s such a blessing to be the guy who gets to do it.

Any advice for fellow emerging artists?

Don’t settle. For anything. Ever, in life and in music. Go to where you’re most happy. Stay there. If your intentions are good and you don’t settle and you want to see the best in everyone around you, you can’t fail. A rising tide raises all ships. That’s how it should be.

What message do you have for your fans?

I love them so much. At the end of the day, for me, it’s all about that one person who hears the song. So, I just want them to know that I’m a human being, and I’m trying my best for the sake of them. We’re all living this life together and trying our absolute damnedest to be better people every day. That’s really important to me. The humanity of all of it is the most important thing.

 

Fans can catch Zach on a billboard in New York City starting May 17. Keep getting to know him and his fellow RADAR artists by listening to Spotify’s RADAR US playlist. 

Spotify Brings Fans an Exclusive Digital Experience for Maren Morris’s New Album

March 25, 2022

Photo credit: Harper Smith

Country-crossover star Maren Morris’s career has been rising since the release of her first hit single, “My Church.” In recent years, the singer-songwriter has gained a wide spectrum of new fans with tracks like “The Middle” (with Zedd) and “The Bones” (with Hozier), as well as from being a member of alt-country supergroup The Highwomen. Now, the Texas native is back with an album that serves as a love letter to the most important people in her life.

Humble Quest chronicles different parts of Maren’s story—from her rise to fame to the struggles she’s faced. Each song follows the artist on a “quest” to discover what it means to be humble and to let go while practicing self-care along the way.

To celebrate the album, Spotify and Maren teamed up to create “Humble Quest Cards,” which were written by Maren and designed in partnership with illustrator and frequent Maren collaborator Danielle Noel. The digital experience challenges fans to do one “humble quest” per day and pairs each action with a corresponding song off Maren’s new album. The concept is to inspire a way for fans to experience the album while also creating new adventures for themselves—from being a tourist in their own city to taking the scenic route home. 

New Book by Nashville Broadcast Personality Cody Alan Uses Country Songs To Tell the Story of His Life

November 4, 2021

CMT producer and host Cody Alan is used to being behind the mic, interviewing the country genre’s top artists about their shared passion—country music. But next week, the South Carolina native will be turning the focus on himself, using his words in a new way and telling his own story in his music-infused memoir, Hear’s The Thing.

“I can’t help but think how much better the world would be if we were to listen to each other, listen to ourselves, and listen to our hearts and our intuition,” he explained. “That has guided my life. One of the main points of the book is that this can guide yours too.”

Ahead of Hear’s The Thing’s release on November 9, For the Record heard from the soon-to-be author about the book, his life’s journey, and the passion for country music that threads the two together. 

How did you get inspired to write your memoir, Hear’s The Thing?

I’ve been able to interview, I think, almost every country music artist simply because of the work I have done for CMT for so long on television and radio. I get to do the kind of interviews that still blow my mind with people like Dolly Parton and some of the greats like Loretta Lynn and George Strait, Garth Brooks—and then with the new crop of country artists, from Luke Bryan to Carrie Underwood, to Keith Urban, Luke Combs, and beyond. So having these stories over the years with so many of these people made me think, oh, maybe I could share these stories. They might be fun for people to read about. 

And then I came out [as gay] in 2017 and I realized that I had sort of an interesting spot in country music, being different than most everybody else. And that perspective could also be helpful for people to hear or read about or learn from.

You’ve hosted so many interviews and conversations with people from across country music. How did that experience translate into writing?

Writing is a lot more difficult for me. I’m much better on air. If I have bullet points rather than sentences, I don’t have to read word for word. On the radio, you learn to think on your feet and everything happens spontaneously. So that has helped me as a conversationalist. But when it comes to writing a book, of course, we all know it’s words and punctuation marks and paragraphs and getting all of that right. 

And so that was challenging because it just wasn’t my usual way of doing things. But over time I got a little better at it. And like I said, it took years and years and years to turn the book into what it is now. And with all those challenges came a lot of learning and growth to create a book that I’m so thrilled with. It has not only been a labor of love for me, but it’s made up of words that I’m really proud of that I think are gonna help a lot of people.

How did music come into your creative process? Was there anything in particular you played while planning or writing the book? 

Country music is a soundtrack to so much of my life. I can relate back to my earliest memories of hearing country music played at my house in South Carolina growing up. My mom made breakfast every single morning—every single morning!—while country music was coming out of the speakers on the radio in the kitchen. And so I completely relate the smells of breakfast being made to the sounds of country music. And then throughout my life, it’s always been one of those things I fell back on.

When I divided up the chapters for the book, I wanted each to have the lyric of a song that related to that chapter. So for one chapter you have Carrie Underwood’s “Love Wins,” and it says that “through anything that love can conquer.” And another chapter where I talk about coming out a little more poignantly, I quote from a Luke Bryan song, which says that we should all “love who we love.” And throughout the book there are moments like that where I’ve got songs leading the way as you’re diving into the chapter.

I’m a pure music person; I love music. It drives everything that I do and certainly was a driving factor in the book.

In our recent Spotify: Discover This episode on Country music, BRELAND and Lily Rose spoke about being minorities within the genre. How have you noticed the country scene change in recent years to open to more types of individuals?

I love Lily Rose. What a great musician and artist. I’ve had a couple conversations with her myself and I dig her stuff so much. There has been, over the past couple of years, just a new openness and inclusivity that didn’t exist before. I came out in 2017. There’s been tremendous change since then. When I came out there just weren’t a lot of people who were gay and making country music. And so it was a bit scary to speak up, to be completely honest. But since then, there’s been this flurry of people, including chart-topping artist TJ Osborne of Brothers Osborne finding his way and speaking his truth. And how powerful is it when you have someone with his success represent? 

And I’ve seen more of that happening—and not just among the LGBTQ individuals but also with African Americans. There’s BRELAND, there’s Mickey Guyton, Jimmie Allen. You see this flurry of activity where diversity is being celebrated in country music, and I think it’s an awesome thing. There’s a real outcry now among many people to show that country music is not what you think it is. It is open. It is free. And it’s more diverse than it ever has been. And it’s I think opening doors for a lot of people who are different; I think that’s a beautiful thing and I invite it and I love it.

Tell us about the playlist you made to support your book launch. There’s country music—but also Madonna, Panic! At The Disco, Lizzo, and other surprises. 

Every song means something to my life. For example, Keith Urban wrote the forward for my book, which was a big freaking deal for me because, like, it’s Keith Urban! I could make you a playlist complete of Keith Urban songs and each one would have meaning to me—that’s the type of impact he’s had on my life. So I knew I needed to include a few songs from him, including “Somebody Like You.”

“High Hopes” by Panic! At The Disco—no one can not smile when they hear that song. It’s a jam. It’s probably one of my most-played songs on Spotify. Anytime I need a lift up, I play that song and feel better. And it reminds me where I came from and that if you believe in something, it can come to pass. I talk about that in the book. I believed a kernel of truth that I could be on TV, and that somehow blossomed into reality. That song reminds me of that.

I grew up in the ’80s so Madonna was the ’80s to me. I can’t not have Madonna on a playlist of my life. The video for “Express Yourself” . . . there were men hammering, like in a factory or something. As a questioning gay boy trying to understand myself, that helped me understand that I wasn’t like the other boys. There’s something groundbreaking about that video. 

I wanted to include The Chicks and “The Long Way Around” because they had so much to do with my Texas time. I feel like so much of my life has been taking the long way around and making the choice that other people would not. When I left South Carolina, I was the first in my family to leave the zip code. I decided to go my way differently and take the long way around, and it certainly led to lots of great things. But at first it was a little scary. 

But making those different choices led me to lots of happiness and led my family to eventually see that taking a long way around is not a bad thing. It’s actually often the way you have to go in order to find yourself and your dreams.

Dive into the songs that have meant the most to Cody’s life in his “Hear’s The Thing” playlist.

All-Stars Shania Twain, Lauren Alaina, and Lily Rose Join BRELAND in the Debut Episode of ‘Spotify: Discover This’

October 18, 2021

Country artists and fans can attest that over the last 50 years the genre has grown remarkably. It’s something we’re exploring in Spotify: Discover This, one of our three expanded company news podcasts that’s dedicated to sharing fresh insights on music, podcasting, cultural moments, and trends. And in our inaugural episode, we’re getting a little bit country. 

Twenty-six-year-old artist BRELAND, known for his viral hit “My Truck,” joins us from the road to guest host and explore the evolving sound.

“We look at [the ’90s] as the golden age of country music, but I think we’re in a golden age of country music right now,” the singer shares in the episode. “We have to respect what came before us to be able to have context for moving forward. And I think being able to honor that history is so significant, and this is a really great time to do it.”

Together, BRELAND and his four guests offer an expert overview of the genre’s history and recent trends. Artist Lauren Alaina kicks off the conversation by unpacking the meaning of success and giving BRELAND some hilarious tips on pre-show prep. Spotify’s Head of Artist and Label Partnerships in Nashville, Brittany Schaffer, also digs into an unexpected trend: the rise of nostalgic ’90s songs.

Of course, no country conversation would be complete without the one and only Shania Twain. The icon’s ’90s hits have been included in the recent resurgence thanks to a wave of enthusiastic Gen Z listeners. The singer joins the episode to reflect on her expanding audience and changes she’s seen in the genre over the years.

“In my experience, every genre of music evolves over the decades and that goes for country music as well,” Shania shares with BRELAND. “ . . . I’m just really proud and happy to have been a part of that. I like to go with the change, and I like to be part of the change.”

Lily Rose, one of 2021’s fastest-rising stars, concludes the episode with a look to the future, examining modern-day success in the industry and growing diversity and representation in Nashville.

Don’t miss a moment. Buckle up and accompany BRELAND on a unique tour of today’s country music on “Expanding the Sound of Country Music.” And stay tuned for the premiere of Spotify: Mic Check on October 21 and the relaunch of Spotify: For the Record on October 28.

Spotify’s Latest Digital Experience and Singles Are a Celebration of ’90s Country Music Nostalgia

September 21, 2021

Nineties country music gave us power anthems like “Man! I Feel Like A Woman” and seven hit-filled albums from the legendary Reba McEntire, and it made stars out of the young duo Brooks & Dunn. As listeners return to these classic songs, albums, and moments in droves, Spotify has decided to honor them with an interactive microsite, Spotify Singles, video content, and more.

These days, the timeless songs and stories behind ’90s country music have found a new generation of ears: Gen Z.

To celebrate this resurgence, today we launched a campaign highlighting the staying power of our country catalog while also promoting the next generation of emerging country stars who are inspired by those that came before them.

Head to our 90s Country Digital Experience to reconnect with your old country favorites and discover the classic songs that shaped the genre’s sounds of today. Enter into an interactive experience by answering ’90s-inspired questions like “Who’s riding shotgun?” and “How big is your hair?” Then select an iconic artist (perhaps Shania Twain or Alan Jackson) as your copilot and choose your hairstyle, whether that’s a mullet or a head full of curls. Once you’re done, the site will analyze your responses and generate your top ’90s country albums as well as a personalized playlist.

Catch Country Music Radio Host Graham Bunn in a New Podcast From Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings

October 21, 2020

What do you get when you combine southern charm, country music, and intimate conversations with industry greats? Country Shine with Graham Bunn, a brand-new podcast from Spotify and Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings—and the first series in a new podcast development deal between the two. 

Hosted by country music radio and TV host veteran Graham Bunn and cohost and sports reporter Camryn Irwin, Country Shine with Graham Bunn will be the ultimate destination for fans of country music twice a week. On Tuesdays, listeners will be invited into intimate conversations with Graham and Camryn about the latest stories coming out of Nashville and what the industry is buzzing about. On Fridays, Graham opens up his rolodex and sits down with today’s favorite country artists, including Kip Moore and Brett Young, taking listeners behind the mic with country music royalty and up-and-comers alike.

Tune in for unfiltered conversations with some of his closest friends in music, with topics ranging from their personal lives, relationships, and inspirations to never-before-shared secrets. The show, produced by SB Projects and OBB Sound, proves to be a celebration of country music and storytelling.

“As an early investor in Spotify many years ago, we’ve collaborated closely with the entire team and have watched as they continue to trailblaze the industry,” says Ithaca Holdings Chairman and Country Shine with Graham Bunn Executive Producer Scooter Braun. “We look forward to creating some incredible shows and couldn’t have picked a better series to kick things off than with Country Shine with Graham Bunn. Graham is a true talent, and his connections in the country music community are unapparelled. This is a can’t-miss show.”

Host Graham Bunn will bring his years of hosting country radio, unique ability to personally connect with artists, and insightful takes on country musicians and songs to the show. Also add his connection with country music fans, rising artists, and industry greats like Shania Twain, Travis Tritt, and Jake Owen.

“As the leading global audio platform, Spotify is thrilled to announce our partnership with SB Projects,” says Liz Gateley, Spotify’s Head of Creative Development. “Spotify has long enjoyed collaborating with Scooter and his team, and we are excited to see how their portfolio will grow and shape the intersection of music and podcasts, starting with their first Spotify exclusive, Country Shine with Graham Bunn.”

Country Shine with Graham Bunn will debut new episodes twice a week exclusively on Spotify starting Tuesday, October 27. Catch the trailer below.

Country’s Storied Roots Meets Contemporary Talent in Spotify’s Latest Playlist, Indigo

March 31, 2020

In recent years, country music has evolved. There are now many artists pushing the boundaries of what the genre means—while at the same time carrying on the traditions of detailed storytelling, organic instrumentation, and production stylings that have long defined country music. To celebrate those songs, Spotify is launching a new playlist called Indigo, available today.

Indigo is a new playlist of contemporary country music that encapsulates the time-honored music style. For some, it may evoke flashbacks to the breakout of country in the ’70s and ’80s, when Willie Nelson, Gram Parsons, Merle Haggard, and Emmylou Harris first had their moments.

The goal of the Indigo playlist is to help widen the playing field for artists who span country subgenres from pop and Americana to bluegrass but stick close to country’s roots in some of their songs. Indigo is the place to celebrate the work of those artists. From mainstream superstars like Kacey Musgraves to risk-takers redefining success like Tyler Childers and burgeoning songwriters like Orville Peck, the artists on the playlist are nothing if not diverse.

Spotify and Country Music Icon Reba McEntire Announce New Podcast Launching in Early 2020

October 29, 2019

One of country music’s iconic superstars, Reba McEntire, is partnering with Spotify to launch a new original podcast in early 2020. Fans worldwide can tune in to hear Reba’s trademark wit and wisdom as she and expert guests share honest, comedic takes on struggles we all face when it comes to confronting life’s challenges, making good decisions, and creating happiness around us. In a nutshell, it’s Reba’s interpretation of ‘living your best life.’ 

With her new show, Reba will be joining the growing list of names (lookin’ at you Kevin  Bacon), opinion makers (Bill Simmons) and musicians (Midland) who have created podcasts exclusively for Spotify. 

“I am so excited to be partnering with Spotify on my new podcast and I’m even more excited to be connecting with my fans in a way I haven’t done before,” says Reba. “I’m looking forward to sharing some of what I’ve learned from my own life challenges and hopefully learning more along the way. Spotify is the perfect platform to share this journey with my fans, old and new!”

One of the most successful female recording artists in history, McEntire has sold over 56 million albums worldwide and is a member of the Grand Ole Opry, Country Music Hall of Fame and Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame. She has won 15 American Music Awards, 16 ACM Awards, nine People’s Choice Awards, six CMA Awards, three GRAMMY® Awards, an ACM Career Achievement Honor, was a 2018 Kennedy Center Honors recipient, and is one of only four entertainers in history to receive the National Artistic Achievement Award from the U.S. Congress.

And she’s not slowing down. This year, she released her new studio album Stronger Than the Truth to rave reviews and received the Artist of a Lifetime award at the 2019 CMT Artists of the Year ceremony. On November 13, she will co-host the 53rd Annual CMA Awards with Carrie Underwood and Dolly Parton. 

“We are so honored that one of country music’s most beloved stars, Reba McEntire, has chosen to launch her podcast exclusively on Spotify next year,” says Brittany Schaffer, Head of Artist & Label Marketing for Spotify Nashville. “We are all longtime fans of Reba’s extraordinary music, her career, and her razor sharp insights, and are certain that fans will absolutely love hearing a strong female icon like Reba share her advice and personal thoughts on all!” 

Spotify is dedicated to collaborating with artists in the country music space, from legends to rising stars. So stay tuned for the launch date and more details—and in the meantime, tune in to Reba’s newest album.

Spotify and Midland Launch New Original Podcast

September 25, 2019

Country music’s rich and colorful history is front and center in the new original podcast series Set It Straight with Midland. The premier episode drops today, September 25, exclusively on Spotify. 

The GRAMMY®-nominated trio Midland has always drawn inspiration from country music’s past. Their new podcast series takes that interest one step further, exploring the genre’s strange, shocking and surprising stories. The question is: are the stories true? Or just tall tales? In each of the season’s 10 episodes, Midland dives into a different one, debates its veracity, and then invites in a special guest who can (hopefully!) set the record straight. 

The podcast’s guests are as impressive as they are diverse. The lineup ranges from ten-time GRAMMY nominee Tanya Tucker, who was (allegedly) booed off the Grand Ole Opry stage in 1978 for dressing her all-male band in women’s clothes, to acclaimed songwriter Earl Bud Lee who (it’s rumored) sold the rights to his biggest song, Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places,” to settle a bar tab.  21-time nominated, multiple GRAMMY Award winner Dwight Yoakam​ joins an episode to discuss if the incendiary lyrics of Buck Owens’ biggest hit, “Streets of Bakersfield,” were actually written about Buck himself.

The season opens with Midland speaking with veteran record producer, tour manager and author Phil Kaufman. The topic? The group digs into the truth about the corpse of Phil’s former client, Gram Parsons, which was stolen from Los Angeles Airport under strange circumstances.

“Much of the inspiration behind Midland comes from our country music heroes and the legacy they’ve left for us to learn from,” says the band. “Their tall tales are things of lore, and we are taking on the immense challenge of uncovering the truth and setting their stories straight. You won’t believe your ears. Hope you guys enjoy our brand new podcast, Set It Straight on Spotify.” 

Spotify is dedicated to collaborating with artists in the country music space and providing its fans with prime audio content, including premium podcasts that listeners love. 

Catch the Set It Straight with Midland trailer below, or dive right into the premiere episode here. 

Ken Burns ‘COUNTRY MUSIC’ Enhanced Playlist Experience Comes to Spotify

September 10, 2019

The influence of country music on America cannot be understated. Understanding the impact of the historic genre is the driving force of renowned filmmaker Ken Burns’s much-anticipated new documentary film, COUNTRY MUSIC. To welcome the film, Spotify and Burns have created the Ken Burns Country Music Enhanced Playlist Experience, available now on Spotify. 

The epic documentary, which plows through decades of country music in an eight part, 16-hour film, was directed by Ken Burns and produced by long-time collaborators Dayton Duncan and Julie Dunfey. The documentary will broadcast live on PBS and be available for streaming on PBS.org starting September 15. Until then, country music fans can head to Spotify for a musical introduction to the documentary.

First, check out the Ken Burns Country Music Enhanced Playlist Experience, which includes 48 songs from the official Country Music – A Film By Ken Burns (The Soundtrack). The experience also includes outtakes from the film’s interviews with artists such as Jack White, Dolly Parton, and Dwight Yoakam, sharing their favorite country song of all time, with each clip providing a new understanding and appreciation for the simple purity of each hit’s lyrics.  

Additionally, at the start of the experience, enjoy interview footage with Ken Burns himself answering questions about country music history from today’s emerging artists. And as you make your way chronologically through the audio tracks, enjoy a journey through country music history, with videos from Burns providing context for each new time period you come across. 

“Our Country Music film took eight years to make,” says Burns. “It’s an intimate look at the power of music and songwriting and tries to weave together personal stories with a larger American story that touches on race, class, geography, and women’s issues. But it never loses sight of the music. Spotify has helped us rethink how to share this music. The new playlists are the perfect complement to the film and allow for a truly immersive experience. We’re very excited to release them timed to the film’s broadcast.”

In addition to the Country Music Enhanced Playlist Experience, starting on September 10 listeners can head to the Country Music Hub to experience even more of country music’s impact.

Whether your favorite is from the past year or a past decade, tune into the Ken Burns Country Music Enhanced Playlist Experience playlist for a celebration of the historic genre.

https://open.spotify.com/user/spotify/playlist/37i9dQZF1DXaCbW1zSZOp0?si=zuNaLYJpS8G7XuGW4oZSJw

Spotify Celebrates the Best of Country Music at CMA Fest 2019

June 11, 2019

The Country Music Association’s CMA Fest in Nashville, TN, is country music’s biggest annual gathering. This past weekend, Spotify returned to Ole Red in Nashville for the second consecutive year to celebrate at CMA Fest with “Spotify House.” The weekend was jam-packed with country music, good food, drinks, and much more. Surprise performances, podcast announcements, and even a boxing class made the gathering truly unforgettable. Check out the highlights below.

Day 1: Brunch, Midland Podcast + “Old Town Road”

Day 1 at CMA Fest opened with a welcome brunch and panel discussion featuring Spotify’s Head of Artist & Label Marketing, Nashville, Brittany Schaffer, Spotify’s Global Head of Communications, Dustee Jenkins, and country trio Midland. Trisha Yearwood, Little Big Town and Rascal Flatts joined in on the fun with surprise performances, followed by a set from newcomer-turned-country-star Lil Nas X. Plus, Spotify announced an exclusive new podcast with Midland.

The new podcast is “a discovery and an adventure, jump on board… but get life insurance first.” —Midland Lead singer Mark Wystrach

Spotify House Brings Together The Hottest Lineup at Nashville’s CMA Fest 2019

May 22, 2019

The Country Music Association’s CMA Fest in Nashville, TN is country music’s biggest annual gathering. This year, Spotify is back at the fest with a stellar lineup to satisfy every country music fan’s cravings.  

From Thursday, June 6 to Sunday, June 9, Spotify will return to Blake Shelton’s and Opry Entertainment Group’s restaurant and music venue, Ole Red, to host ‘Spotify House’ complete with an exceptional lineup of emerging artists, established stars, country music icons and special surprise guests throughout the weekend. The curated set is a collaboration between Spotify, The Grand Ole Opry, and Ole Red.  

The Spotify House daytime schedule will run from 11:30am to 7:00pm. Nightly headlining shows and late-night jam sessions will be scheduled from 7:30pm to 2:00am. All shows will be open to the public and space will be limited to first-come, first-served.

Spotify House will bring together a remarkable group of artists to celebrate everything country, from the sound to the ability to connect the past, present, and future of the country music community. Spotify continues to offer fans and artists truly unique experiences and showcases a deep commitment to country music and its dedicated fans, through both live performances of established country stars, or helping fans discover new and unexpected talent.

Spotify House 2019 lineup highlights will include:

  • Breakout music star Lil Nas X, who took the music world by storm with his country chart-topping hit “Old Town Road,” will perform during CMA Fest at the new Spotify House nighttime rooftop series.
  • Returning headliners, rollicking country trio Midland, who will perform songs from their hit debut album On the Rocks (Big Machine Records), alongside new material from their upcoming second album, including the new single “Mr. Lonely.”
  • Country music legend and ten-time Grammy nominee Tanya Tucker, who will thrill fans with an headlining appearance.
  • ACM Award winners and CMA Award nominees Old Dominion, who will bring their trademark blend of old-fashioned country music and rock n’ roll grit.
  • Talented singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist, five-time Grammy nominee, and CMA Award winner Hunter Hayes returning as a headliner for the second year in a row.
  • American Idol runner-up and CMA Award nominee Lauren Alaina as a headliner.
  • 2019 CMT Music Award-nominated country music duo Maddie & Tae, who are currently on tour opening for Carrie Underwood’s Cry Pretty Tour 360.

Other standouts acts including Chris Young, Morgan Evans, Tenille Townes, Emily Ann Roberts, Mitchell Tenpenny, Filmore, James Barker Band, Cassadee Pope, and many more.

For full schedule and lineup updates at Ole Red visit https://olered.com/nashville/spotify/.

Get ready for CMA Fest with the Ole Red playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/user/spotify/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX6HIvDVo75RY?si=rfHFkYKjRzmTHcbJY8Xnbw