April 29, 2025 News@CountryAircheck.com

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Schultz Moves On: ShowOps SVP/Marketing & Industry Relations, Live Events Chad Schultz has departed the tech music startup after a year-and-a-half and is seeking his next opportunity. Schultz's prior stops include 12 years at Warner Music Nashville, where he rose to VP/Radio & Streaming Marketing (CAT 4/1/22). Reach him here.

Reve-News: Spotify reported revenue of €4.19 billion (approximately $4.77b) for Q1 2025, up 15% year-to-year. Ad-supported revenue increased 8% to €419 million ($477m). Total monthly average users grew to 678 million, up 10% year-to-year, while premium subscribers increased 12% to 268m. See the complete earnings release here.

Universal Music Group reported revenue of €2.901 billion (approximately $3.3b) for Q1 2025, a 9.5% year-to-year increase in constant currency. EBITDA for the quarter grew to €661 million ($752m), up 10% in constant currency. Recorded music revenue was €2.24b ($2.55b), up 10.3% year-to-year. "Our strong results – and our confidence about the future – reflect the execution of our strategic plan," says Chairman/CEO Sir Lucian Grainge. Full release here.

Special Delivery: Compass Media Networks is producing a special three-hour edition of Y’all Access With Kelly Sutton for the 60th Academy of Country Music awards, featuring nominee and performer previews and highlights, and interviews from past ACMs. The special has six local minutes per hour, is inventory free and available to air May 3 through 8. Contact Doug Ingold for more details here.

Tour Support: Maddox Batson's I Need A Truck Tour kicks off Sept. 7 in Richmond, VA and wraps Nov. 2 in Birmingham. Joining on select dates are Ashley Anne, Ryder Grimes and Kate Greene; tickets here Friday (5/2).

Mark Chesnutt kicks off his nearly 40-date Redemption Tour May 3 in Forney, TX. Tickets here.

Big Sixty: The ACM awards gear up for their 60th anniversary, and Country Aircheck dives in with a special collection of photos and behind-the-scenes stories dating back to the first Academy of Country & Western Music awards in 1966. Plus, get a sneak peek of next week's festivities with ACM CEO Damon Whiteside. And John Morgan shares stories behind his new album Carolina Blue. It's all in Monday's (4/28) Country Aircheck Weekly.

Out Of The Bluefield: First Media WHKX & WKQX/Bluefield, WV was named Radio Station of the Year, Ranked Markets, at the West Virginia Broadcasters Association (WVBA) 2025 Excellence In Broadcasting Awards.

Stories Of The Week: Search for news and people in the archives at countryaircheck.com.

Leslie Fram launched consulting firm FEMco.
WZZK/Birmingham PD/midday host Mike "Sandman" Sanders exited.
Chronicle: Elizabeth Murphy.

Bits & Pieces: Dierks Bentley will headline Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4 in downtown Nashville. Additional performers include Russell Dickerson and Niko Moon.

To mark Mental Health Awareness Month, Beasley's Community of Caring initiative is airing PSAs, interviewing experts and sharing content on its stations throughout May.

Children's book Dolly Parton's Billy The Kid Dances His Heart Out will be available Dec. 2; pre-order here.

Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for April 28, according to Mediabase 24/7.

MORGAN WALLEN/I'm The Problem (Big Loud) 4466 points
BLAKE SHELTON/Texas (Wheelhouse) 4335 points
JASON ALDEAN/Whiskey Drink (Macon Music/Broken Bow) 3528 points
ZACH TOP/I Never Lie (Leo33) 3479 points
MEGAN MORONEY/Am I Okay? (Columbia) 2925 points

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for April 27-28 compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase 24/7.

BLAKE SHELTON/Texas (Wheelhouse) +2107 points
RILEY GREEN/Worst Way (Nash. Harbor) +892 points
COREY KENT/This Heart (Combustion/RCA) +774 points
MORGAN WALLEN/Just In Case (Big Loud) +667 points
ZACH TOP/I Never Lie (Leo33) +523 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (4/30): Chris Deaton (King Calaway), Ashland Craft, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Robert Reynolds, Tyler Wilkinson, Steve Amari, Dana Burwell, Tom Casey, Jaymie Gordon, John St. John, Dave Kirth, Toni Marie, Joe Schuld, Chuck Rhodes, Jordan Pettit, Brinson Strickland, Sharla McCoy.

Tube Check Tonight (4/29): Tucker Wetmore, Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC).

Tube Check Tomorrow (4/30): John Morgan, Live with Kelly & Mark (syndicated); The Grand Ole Opry's Dan Rogers, The Kelly Clarkson Show (syndicated).

Walker, Texas Rager: The KKBQ/Houston team at the Kickstart Kids Boots & Black Belts Gala and Chuck Norris 85th Birthday Celebration. Pictured (l-r) are Matthew Shelton, Katelyn Maida, Erica Rico, Gena Norris, Norris, Matthew Barker and Lauren "Lo" Sessions.

Ink 182: Valory's Brantley Gilbert (in hat) with WGNA’s Matty Jeff, WKLI’s Pete Kelly and the label's Don Gosselin (l-r) at the Albany stop of The Tattoos Tour.

Women In Stem: Tracy Lawrence with his new distribution team (Stem's Courtney Daly, Alison Junker and Kristin Graziani, l-r) at Stagecoach.

Star Buck: KUZZ/Bakersfield's Class of 2025 plays Buck Owens' Crystal Palace. Pictured (back, l-r) are the station's Mike Bell, Records Nashville's George Birge, Lyric Ridge/BMG/Stoney Creek's Drew Baldridge, Back Blocks/EMI's Tucker Wetmore, the station's Kenn McCloud, MCA's Vincent Mason and B-Dub Radio's Bryan "B-Dub" Washington; (front, l-r) the station's Ness Heraldez, Records Nashville's Jamice Jennings, Stoney Creek's Matt Vieira, EMI/Mercury's Briarman Whitfield, the station's Brent Michaels and MCA's David Friedman.

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