weekly May 15, 2023, Issue 858
ACM Awards Reactions
The 58th Academy of Country Music Awards aired live from The Star in Frisco, TX last Thursday (5/11), and radio pros were among those watching. Here are their thoughts: KBAY/San Jose APD/afternoon personality Isaac “Brooks” Wenzel: “I watched from home with my roommate’s French Bulldog, Steve. It was much different from being at the show last year in Las Vegas! I was excited to see Dolly’s performance – I’m so intrigued by her upcoming rock album – but Lainey Wilson pretty much owned the show. The Isaac “Brooks” Wenzell video packages they ran for the Entertainer of the Year nominees was helpful in building the anticipation and showcasing why each was deserving in different ways. I also appreciated the efforts to appeal to all audiences in the world of country music, but I wanted to hear Luke Combs sing ‘Fast Car.’ The production itself was great, and I’m glad they chose a smaller venue. My personal hot take is that streaming services are the way to go for awards shows moving forward. After being spoiled by the two-hour broadcasts of the Bob Pickett ACMs, this past year’s CMAs felt more dragged out thanks to the commercial breaks. And yes, I’m aware of the irony of that statement coming from someone who works in commercial radio!” KVET/Austin afternoon personality Bob Pickett: “Am I the only one who thought it was too short? But there was one miss for me. Please show the names and station call letters of the ACM Radio Awards winners. It was nice that the ACM honored Jenny Law the past by mentioning previous winners in the categories, and it was cool seeing Waylon Jennings’ guitar back in the Lone Star state being put to great use by Keith Urban during the opening. I’m a true country boy, but I’m telling you, any time Ed Sheeran wants to sing on a country show, please let him. Hell, I’ll even do the paperwork to make him an honorary Texan! Finally, Garth and Dolly were the perfect pairing of two legends and Hall of Famers. Please sign them to a long-term deal!” (continued on page 9)
Rock And A Heart Place: Elektra/WMN’s Bailey Zimmerman (c) backstage at the iHeartCountry Festival with The Core‘s Chief Zaruk, iHeart‘s Rod Phillips and Gator Harrison and the label‘s Kristen Williams.
Country’s Top Billing Stations
Revenue for Country stations rebounded from post-pandemic lows in 2022, but are still below the levels seen prior to Covid’s onslaught, according to data provided to Country Aircheck by BIA. Revenue for the top 10 stations was up 1.2% from 2021, though only four stations topped the $10m mark, down from five the previous year; in 2018 a dozen Country stations saw eight-digit revenue totals. iHeartMedia placed three stations in the top 10, with Audacy and Beasley each placing two. The top five stations remained unchanged from 2021, with Audacy KILT/Houston repeating as the format’s top biller with $16.6 million in local advertising revenue in 2022, up 3% from $16.1m in 2021 and $14.0m in 2020, though it is still below the $18.5m reported in 2018. Audacy WUSN/Chicago kept its second-place position with $14.0m, up 2% from 2021’s $13.7m, while Beasley WXTU/Philadelphia held on to third with just over $12.0m.
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