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DAILYBUZZ February 29, 2024, Issue 2

A&O&B: Apps, Digital And ... Beyoncé

Expressing the message “country music is really hot, don’t screw it up” in the form of some well-chosen emojis, consultants Becky Brenner and Kenny Jay got the 30th Albright & O’Malley & Brenner Pre-CRS Seminar started with some laughs Wednesday morning (2/28) at the Omni Nashville Hotel. They shared the results of their latest “RoadMap” study of country listeners, where the key takeaway was that “the new battle” for listeners “is on a phone home screen.” Noting that country fans who use streaming services to listen to music on their phones has risen from 69% in 2022 to 79% this year, Jay said that home screen is “the No. 1 preset battle … your app needs to be there.” Brenner said 52% of those surveyed have downloaded a station app, adding, “That’s great, but we need more.” Among the ways to increase that number is to make sure station apps work consistently. Jay joked that when a station’s over the air stream goes down, there are “bells, whistles, nuclear codes and people running around” to fix it, but when an audio stream goes offline, it’s often met internally with a shrug. In addition to stressing that this needs to be treated with the same urgency, they also recommended boosting the stream’s functionality with “seamless ad injections” and creating more app engagement, such as contesting. Among the study’s other findings, Facebook remains the “cume leader” for country among social media platforms. Yet Brenner noted that stations should be making better use of their email databases in their digital plans as well, since a high percentage of listeners still use email. But she cautioned stations to make sure their emails “provide value.” Concert tickets remain the most coveted contest prize in this year’s study, followed by $1,000, $500, backstage passes and gas gift cards. Morning shows – particularly their humor – remain important, with 58% of

A&O&Bey: A&O&B‘s Jaye Albright, Nashville Harbor‘s Greylan James, A&O&B‘s Becky Brenner, Kenny Jay, and Nashville Harbor‘s Ryan Dokke at the consultancy’s 30th seminar Wednesday (2/28). those surveyed reporting that they listen to their favorite station in AM drive five days a week; 91% answered affirmatively when asked if their favorite morning show had made them laugh in the past week. Joined by A&O&B founding partner Jaye Albright, the consultants also discussed music, with Jay joking that the traditional CRS first day greeting of “When did you get in” has been replaced this year by, “Are you playing Beyoncé?” Noting that the singer’s new country offerings may not be in Country radio’s gold libraries down the road, Albright, said, “Long-term, we don’t need to be the format that’s playing Beyoncé, but it’s news right now.” Agreed Brenner, “It’s a novelty song, but you have to play it.” Jay concurred on the buzz-worthiness of “Texas Hold ‘Em,” even while noting that for the client stations that have researched the song already, “It’s the most hated