STATE OF THE STATE: BBR MUSIC GROUP
If you need evidence of Jon Loba’s success as founder/head of Broken Bow and topper at BMG Nashville, look no further than his recent elevation to president of Frontline Recordings, North America at parent company BMG. Loba’s shop received16 RIAA certifications last year, six of which were multiplatinum. His artists Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson were two of the biggest recent breakthrough acts in country; both earned multiple Grammy noms, with Wilson winning Country Album and Jelly contending for BNA.
Jelly’s Whitsitt Chapel album is closing on 600k ATD; he collected 527m+ U.S. streams and scored smashes with “Need a Favor” (150m+ streams) and “Save Me” f/Wilson (171m+ streams). His“Son of a Sinner,” along with “Favor” and “Save Me,” Wilson’s own “Heart Like a Truck” (2m YTD ATD; 275m U.S. streams) and “Watermelon Moonshine” (nearly 1.4m ATD; 179.5m+ streams) were Country #1s, while Wilson’s Grammy-winning Bell Bottom Country is at 560k ATD. She also shared a #1 as feature on HARDY’s monster “wait in the truck.” She garnered 812m+ U.S. streams overall last year.
Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town (180m streams, nearly 1.7m ATD), another Country #1, was among the most talked-about songs of the year; Aldean racked up about 1.86b U.S. streams in 2023. Dustin Lynch’s Blue in the Sky has amassed 171k+ in ATD (and he notched 522m+ streams and enjoyed a #1 with “Stars Like Confetti”), while Parmalee’s For You 2 has surpassed 150k (“Girl in Mine” hit #1).
Look for new releases from Lainey, Jelly, Pamalee, Elvie Shane (Damascus, due 4/19) and Chayce Beckham this year.
New signings inspiring much anticipation include American Idol finalist Haven Madison, erstwhile Runaway June lead vocalist and hit songwriter Naomi Cooke Johnson and trio The Frontmen, featuring members of Restless Heart, Lonestar and Little Texas.
