Keep Sweet: CRS 2023 and its Digital Music Summit opened the event at 8am this morning (3/13) with the "Sweet Streams (Are Made Of These)" soup-to-nuts overview of music services. Spotify Head/Editorial, Artist & Label Partnerships Rachel Whitney, Pandora Head/Country Programming Johnny Chiang and Amazon Music Head/Country Michelle Tigard Kammerer detailed their respective platforms' tools for independent artists, the role of playlisting in marketing, how DSPs use data and more. "There is a certain amount of gut," Whitney said as the panel drew to a close. "We really spend time listening to the music."

Ten Speed: Here are select Nielsen Audio Continuous Diary Measurement (CDM) ratings for January 2023 (three-month rolling average, 10/13-2/1) compared with November and December. Ranks (in parentheses) are among subscribers. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

Map Co: Moderator Cameo Carlson (CEO mTheory) suggested the Covid shutdown pushed digital marketing years forward as a tool for reaching country consumers during Monday's "Flex Ability: Marketing Without A Map." Q Prime Head/Digital Doug Phillips, WMN SVP/Artist Development Clark Mims Tedesco and Sandbox Head/Digital Lucia Kaminsky shared their on-the-fly adjustments to project rollouts for Ashley McBryde, Ingrid Andress and Kelsea Ballerini, respectively. They also discussed how those adaptations have persisted post-pandemic. For instance, Phillips pointed to the benefits of Covid experimentation saying, "We're more comfortable putting out weird things."

Hall Aboard: As reported via Breaking News, longtime WHN/New York MD Pam Green; late Billboard Chart Mgr. Wade Jessen; Apple Music Global Head/Radio & Music Programming Charlie Morgan; voiceover and imaging artist John Willyard; former WUSN/Chicago on-air talent Trish Biondo; and WDXB/Birmingham morning host “Dollar Bill” Lawson are the 2023 Country Radio Hall of Fame inductees. They will be celebrated and inducted at the Country Radio Hall Of Fame Induction And Dinner July 10 at the Virgin Hotel in Nashville. Congratulate Green here, Morgan here, Willyard here, Biondo here and Lawson here.

Ring The Belmont: Spotify/Nashville Head/Artist & Label Partnerships Brittany Schaffer has been named Dean of Belmont University's Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business. She replaces the recently retired Doug Howard. "I am honored to help steward the Curb College into its next chapter, focusing on how we continue to be radical champions for our campus community, city and industry," Schaffer says. She joined Spotify in 2017 (CAT 12/7/17) from Loeb & Loeb; she starts at Belmont May 1. At Spotify, no word on plans for the open position.

Map-etizer: Key takeaways from the Albright & O'Malley & Brenner "Roadmap 2023" presentation included the continued rise of smart speakers, and a surprising find with 54% of 18-24s open to paying a subscription to listen to a commercial-free stream of their favorite station. Only 21% of 25-54s were open to the concept.

Also during A&O&B's 29th Annual Pre-CRS Seminar this morning, BMLGR’s Shane Profitt played a two-song set followed by a surprise appearance by Chris Janson. Girlilla Marketing Managing Dir. Stevie Escoto and WYCT/Pensacola, FL Sr. Marketing Consultant Taska Rockett-King discussed tactics for successful digital marketing, with the latter imploring stations, “Don’t plug and play – you have to keep the creative fresh.”

Triple 8 Management Dir./Brand Partnerships & Sponsorships Ben Hutto discussed integrating artists with brands, and WQLK/Richmond, IN MM Amy Dillon wrapped the session detailing the station's “Loot Boot” scavenger hunt, saying it wasn’t so much about the cash prize. "It became a real family activity – it was something to engage with together,” she said. For the full "Roadmap 2023" presentation, contact A&O&B here. Get a complete rundown of the event in tomorrow's CRS Daily Buzz.

Finders Speakers: UMGN Dir./Data Analytics & Research Kristen Reed; Crowd Surf co-founder Jade Driver; WMN Sr. Mgr./Analytics Addison Nunes; and ACM VP/Marketing, Digital Strategy & Engagement Rory Levine for a conversation centered on today’s music discovery methods. “Reach Out: Meeting Listeners Where They Are” was moderated by outgoing Pandora Head/Country Music Beville Dunkerley, who walked panelists through non-traditional listening sources including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and streaming services.

The average country music fan is spending 56 hours per month listening to music, but Gen Z (ages 11-28) spend 63. For Millennials (ages 27-42), 24% of monthly music consumption comes from AM/FM radio, 19% from audio streaming and 18% from video streaming. Among discovery methods on the rise are television shows and movies, where 62% of country fans report finding new music.

Chason' You: Nightscape VP/Events Chason Goodwin has joined Grayscale Marketing as VP/Strategic Growth. "[Chason's] 15 years of experience in event operations, branding, sales, marketing and activations bring a wealth of value to our team," says VP/Communications Jason Zinser. Goodwin has overseen events for the Super Bowl LI Halftime Show, Sony Music Nashville, Capitol Records, The Tennessee Titans and more. Reach him here.

Radio Beat The Video Star: Research released by Westwood One today revealed that for the first time, radio has a greater reach than TV among Persons 18-49, according to Nielsen's Total Audience Report. AM/FM radio's weekly reach stands at 83%, compared to live and time-shifted TV, which has fallen to 59%, down from 82% just five years ago. Details here.

Contact Update: Townsquare/Albany Dir./Production Cameron Coats has left his post after less than a year (CAT 4/27/22) to join Radio Ink Magazine and can now be reached here.

ICYMI: Jo Dee Messina performed "Heads Carolina, Tails California" on NBC's Today (3/13). 

Singer/songwriter Chance Peña signed with ONErpm.

Laura Veltz partnered with American Songwriter to launch a new podcast, Songwriter Soup. Season one guests include Luke Dick, Luke Laird, Lori McKenna, Jimmy Robbins and Andy Albert; listen to the premiere episode here. 

Chronicle: Peg Broadcasting WOWF/Crossville, TN MM Jeff Shaw passed away March 11 at the age of 58. Shaw had served as MM for the cluster since Jan. 2000 following time in Tupelo, MS; Selma, AL; and Nashville. The family will receive friends March 14 from 9-11am CT at Memorial Visitation in the chapel of Bilbrey Funeral Home (75 E. Adams Street, Crossville, TN 38555). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Revolution Church Building Fund (228 Interstate Drive, Suite 131, Crossville, TN 38555) or to Adopt-A-Golden Nashville. Complete obituary here.

Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for the week ending March 11, according to Mediabase 24/7.

1. LUKE COMBS/Going, Going, Gone (River House/Columbia)
2. BAILEY ZIMMERMAN/Rock And A Hard Place (Elektra/Warner/WEA)
3. LAINEY WILSON/Heart Like A Truck (Broken Bow)
4. JASON ALDEAN/That's What Tequila Does (Macon Music/Broken Bow)
5. MORGAN WALLEN/Thought You Should Know (Big Loud)

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for March 12 compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase 24/7. 

1. TIM MCGRAW/Standing Room Only (Big Machine) +547 points
2. MORGAN WALLEN/One Thing At A Time (Big Loud) +466 points
3. KASSI ASHTON/Drive You Out Of My Mind (Interscope/MCA) +262 
4. MORGAN WALLEN/Last Night (Big Loud) +261 points
5. MEGAN MORONEY/Tennessee Orange (Arista) +234 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (3/14): Kristian Bush, Michael Martin Murphey, Sam Cerami, Mark Pucci, Candy Cullerton.

All Dawgs Go to Heaven: Sony Music Nashville hosts Pre-RS last night (3/12) at Dawghouse. Pictured (l-r) are the label's Mallory Michaels, Westwood One’s Jackie Stevens, the label's Lauren Thomas, Westwood One’s Elaina Smith, the label's Lauren Longbine, WUSN/Chicago's Marci Braun and the label's Ali O’Connell.

The Bell Of The Ball: Beasley/Philadelphia VP/MM Joe Bell celebrates 50 years in broadcasting during a surprise ceremony Friday (3/10).

Loan Wolf: WTHT/Portland, ME's 18th annual Wolf Cares For Kids radiothon sets a new record with $503,298 raised for for the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital. Pictured (l-r) are the station's Andy Austin, Michelle Taylor, Amy Ryan and Chris Clare.