CRS 26 is in the books and after making a strong impression last year, I wondered if the second time would be as impressive. It was even better. Between the attendance, access, passion, and connections, it’s a great week with a ton to gain if you work in the music or radio business. But there’s also so much happening that it’s impossible to take it all in, even with Stephanie Eads and I attending different events.
Last year when I traveled to Nashville, I didn’t know what to expect. Barrett Media was unknown to many in the music industry so my top priority was getting to know people and just observing. This year, we had a lot more relationships and a better gameplan. We even brought Dylan Barrett to capture Top 20 reactions and produce some video showcasing what makes the week great. Stay tuned to our social media pages for more on that soon.
Because there’s so much to unpack, I’ve split my feedback into four categories: Performances, Sessions, Meetings, and Misses. I am beyond impressed by the work RJ Curtis and the CRS team does to bring this event to life in the room, throughout the city, and across social media. The relationship between the Country Music industry and Country radio is unique and special. I hope all involved understand and appreciate what they have. These events don’t exist in other formats. It’s a great week in one of America’s best cities (Nashville), and I’ll be back for CRS 27 on March 17-19, 2027. To catch up on what you missed, click here to view all of the sessions.
The Performances
- Bailey Zimmerman played the Totally Private show for Audacy at the Hard Rock Cafe on Tuesday night. Stephanie Eads and I were fortunate to have a front row seat for it. Bailey’s energy, likeability, and connection with the crowd made the event a hit for all in attendance. Turning the event into a promotional opportunity for listeners was smart. The winners were from Detroit and were into the show from start to finish. My thanks to Suzanne Wolfe, Fred Bennett, Andrea Burtscher and Katie Neal for the hospitality including the studio tour afterwards. Katie’s set is very comfortable and the fireplace adds a nice touch. I can not confirm or deny that I signed the Katie Neal bathroom journal.
- B-Dubs‘ Suite Sounds event on Wednesday night was one of my favorites of the week. Matt Cooper and Aaron Watson both sounded great and set the tone for a fantastic evening. But the performance LOCASH delivered showcased why they’re one of Country radio’s most fun, and entertaining bands. If you haven’t seen them and get a chance to catch them live, don’t pass it up. It’s nonstop energy, fun, laughs, great songs, and just an overall, good time.
- BMG knocked it out of the park with Jason Aldean‘s #1 hits celebration. Stephanie, Dylan and I were in front of the stage, debating turning in early because we were physically exhausted. But the lights went on, Blake Shelton appeared, and we stuck it out, and were glad we did. The decision to bring all of the songwriters who helped Aldean on stage for a group photo was classy. The surprise performances by Alabama and Travis Tritt were excellent, but the highlight was the Florida Georgia Line reunion. Let’s hope that isn’t a one time deal.
- Big Loud did an excellent job showcasing their artists during the week. I stopped by the Big Loud room multiple times to catch live performances and conversations with Hardy, Ashley Cooke and Stephen Wilson Jr.. This photo by Grover Collins during the week certainly stood out. Dave Kirth and his team couldn’t have been more accommodating. I appreciated the hospitality.
- The MCA showcase at the Ryman Auditorium was once again spectacular. Keith Urban, Brothers Osborne, Parker McCollum, Vince Gill, and Tyler Hubbard were outstanding, but I personally enjoyed Kassi Ashton. Before playing the song Bitches, Ashton said ‘this is not going to play on your station but I’d be willing to bet this will play in your house‘. Her swagger, sound, and command of the room stood out. Also making a strong impression was Miranda McDonald. Her quick wit, candor, self-deprecation, and clever writing makes the introductions fun and original. It’s easy to focus on the music and artists but the right host matters. McDonald has nailed it every time I’ve been in attendance.
The Sessions
- I saw Joe D’Angelo speak in 2022 about Xperi‘s approach to measurement, and was an early believer. Since then, Xperi has gotten stronger as prior methods lose steam and radio groups seek new ways forward. Juan Galdamez spoke at CRS this year on behalf of Xperi and was great. He shared that over 6 million vehicles in the US now supply radio consumption data to Xperi’s DTS AutoStage. That represents 12 automotive brands from 302 markets with data available to stations within hours. I hope the advertising industry is paying attention. Many across radio are already sold.
- Hal Rood and Kevin Cassidy of Strategic Solutions Research did a marvelous job with their case study for the Country format. The session highlighted the reasons to promote being human, the deep connection the format has with its audience especially the lyrics, radio’s need to focus better on streaming, and why new country isn’t exactly the answer for growing the audience. Cassidy pointed out that 70% of those surveyed wanted a mix of new and older songs. Only 24% wanted new country, and only 6% wanted classic country. The survey was part of a a two-phase study that included 1,500 people.
- I enjoyed Mojo‘s participation in the session Pitch Please: Everyone is in Sales. I even joked with him afterwards that he spoke in soundbites to make my job of quoting him easier. He shared a few gems that every talent should steal. They included, If you are a talent and you don’t have endorsements it’s not because your sales team didn’t sell you, it’s because you didn’t sell you, and It used to be ‘what does the job pay’ but now it’s ‘what can I make the job pay’? Mojo also covered why unscheduled calls or facetimes with clients go further than prepackaged videos and last attempt calls to save business. He reminded the room ‘don’t just be the closer for the client, be the person that opened the door too‘.
- AI was a regular topic on Friday and I thought Phil Becker‘s session provided great takeaways. Too many industry pros focus on the AI on-air threat and ignore how it can help other areas of their business. That’s a huge mistake. Becker shared specific examples of apps and what they provide, prompts he uses to create memorable content, and explained how brands can use them to elevate performance and user experience. His key points centered around understanding that AI is a tool to help.
- Speaking of Phil Becker, his session with Woody, Katie Neal and Greg Beharrell was fantastic. Why Playing it Safe is the Death of Your Radio Career had great organization, production, and props thanks to collaboration with Jimmy Steal’s Collective Heads. Woody’s Dear PD letter was something every programmer should read. Katie’s remarks about programmers being risk-averse was one I connected with. She shared how John Foxx risked his career and handled the noise in NYC after putting her on the air when she was working in the sales department. The session produced regular laughter thanks to Greg Beharrell’s unique commentaries and his exceptional chemistry and timing with Becker. Adding to the fun was an air horn for calling out cliches, and confetti to signal the end. It was the most entertaining session of CRS 26.
The Meetings
- Meeting new people is one of the best parts of CRS, and Stephanie and I had the pleasure of grabbing lunch on Friday with Kevin Herring and Raffaella Braun of Triple Tigers. As many across the Country format already know, they are awesome people who work with some incredible artists. As someone who appreciates attention to detail, I loved their choice of featuring two Ella Langley ‘Choosin’ Texas’ hats, one in Longhorns colors and the other in Aggies colors. It’s the little things like that which stand out. Kevin’s Jerky Boys impression of Sol Rosenberg is pretty strong too. Just a great conversation with two quality people who know and love the industry.
- Speaking of meeting new people, Stephanie, Dylan and I had the pleasure of meeting Brent Smith of Shinedown. That was my personal highlight. I’ve loved the band for over 20 years and have seen them live 6-7 times. I had no idea Brent was at CRS nor did I expect him to be. When Stephanie has her people juice (Tequila) though, she makes a lot of friends. Fortunately she met Stephanie Hagerty, who was awesome, and granted access to one of rock’s best vocalists. I’ve always appreciated how Brent has spoken up for radio and the role it has played in Shinedown’s success. He couldn’t have been cooler. I’ve already told Steph, we’re attending Shinedown’s July 18th show in Albany, NY.
- It was great catching up with Maynard, Phil Becker, Mike Preston, Alissa Pollack, Greg Beharrell, Greg Clancy, Mark Starling, Ashley Wilson, Nathan James, Jeff Kapugi, Mike Moore, Brian Michel, Travis Daily, Chuck Armstrong, Greg Strassell, Julie Talbott, Mike McVay, Peter Tripi, Heidi Raphael, Bud Walters, Dana Withers, Tim Satterfield, Angie Ward, Katie Miller and many others during our four day stay. Given the access to Country radio’s key decision makers, every upcoming country radio talent should be here. Talent in this business is important but it’s also subjective. One PD sees trash where another sees treasure. If you package skill and strong relationships, you’ll likely go further. But that requires knowing people beyond an email address and social media profile. Face time at shows like this is invaluable for career advancement.
The Misses
- CRS received great sponsorship support and attendance from Radio Networks/Vendors (ex:Harker Bos Group, Neil Wilson Voiceovers, Premiere/Compass/Infinity/Skyview Networks, Benztown) and the Music industry but where were the radio companies and their top executives? Some groups held offsite private events, which is great, but why wouldn’t iHeart, Audacy, Cumulus, Hubbard, Cox, Connoisseur, Townsquare, SiriusXM and others have a strong marketing presence here? A few groups even had format program directors not attend or cut trips short. That’s like not sending a sports programmer to the Super Bowl. It’s short sighted.
- Adding to the first point, Big Loud, Curb, Big Machine, MCA, BMG, Triple Tigers, Sony and Warner all sponsored CRS. Other artist management groups did too. Radio can’t ask the music industry for bigger shows, stronger access to artists, and first dibs on new releases, and then not support events that matter to them. Too often the radio industry shoots itself in the foot by not marketing itself. If you don’t promote your business to existing partners, future partners, and current/future employees, you’ve only got yourself to blame when negative perceptions become reality.
- I know the Bones family have a new addition so attending this year wasn’t possible for one of Country radio’s biggest stars. However, I didn’t see Bobby Bones at CRS last year either. Given that he’s Nashville based, I was surprised by that. If you’ve ever seen Bobby speak publicly, he’s great. Whether his absence is his own choice or the agenda committee’s, I hope that changes next year. Country radio’s most popular personality should be involved in the format’s biggest event.
- There were informative sessions for radio professionals, conversations with artists about their music, AI tips, fantastic research, broader discussions, and amazing performances, but not everything between radio and the music industry is stellar. I heard more candor and open examination of issues between programmers and music executives last year. We need more of that. Growing each other’s businesses comes from a deeper understanding of what’s holding each side back.
- Many have political opinions but I’m a believer that there’s a time and place for everything. This is a Music/Radio conference not a showcase for personal agendas. Out of respect, I’ll pass on calling someone out by name but an early morning networking meeting shouldn’t start with a commentary on women being superior to men and explaining that the world would be a better place and we wouldn’t be at war if women ran the country. Why create division with anyone when people are there to unite?
- Barrett Media had a steady presence at CRS, but a dedicated staff member is needed to capture what’s happening on-site in real time. I will make sure next year’s coverage of the show is even stronger for our readers.
Closing Comments
CRS is a great event. What RJ Curtis and his team do for the industry is important. It deserves radio’s full support. On a personal note, I appreciate all of the positive feedback on what we’re doing at Barrett Media. It’s easy to view stats that show people click your content but when you hear people express which stories resonated, and offer ideas and opinions on how to make it better, it shows they’re paying attention.
The hardest thing about covering music radio is that I want it to rival our sports and news coverage and be 10 years mature despite being less than 2 years old. We are not in this space to exist, we’re in it to make a mark. But just as you learn when building radio brands or launching artists, steps have to be taken before you can run. I’d love to hire more people to strengthen our coverage but we have to be smart, not reckless with our growth plan. I want to cover these industries for years to come, and that requires patience. The more we build relationships and trust, produce quality original content, create ideas that celebrate, educate and challenge the industry, work with the right partners, and hire staff who can make a difference, the better we’ll be in the long run. It just takes time.
That said, we’ve assembled a strong group of Music Radio writers at Barrett Media. They know the game, the players involved, and offer exceptional, unfiltered opinions and insights based on years of experience. We also highlight professionals across the industry and try to provide a deeper understanding of who they are, what they’re about, where they’ve been, and how they see the business evolving. As we grow, you’ll see the content get richer, deeper, and bigger. This is a long-term play for us, not a quick detour into new territory.
My focus now shifts to building the Barrett Media Audio Summit June 30-July 2, 2026 in New York City. This is our first show that includes a full day of music radio. If you work in the music/radio industry, I hope you’ll join us. Tickets can be purchased here.
In addition, after 13 interviews, I’m narrowing our search for a new Music Radio Editor to 4 finalists this week. The talent pool is strong, which is both exciting and challenging. I’m hoping to hire someone in April to make our music radio coverage stronger.
Finally, I’m looking for a weekly Country Radio columnist. If you have format experience, strong writing skills, know and enjoy what we do, and can offer opinions and insights that challenge and educate format pros, email me at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
CRS 26 may be over but I’m already looking forward to CRS 27. You should be too! Country radio is the focal point of the conference, but the event offers something to everyone regardless of format. All you need is a ticket and an open mind. You’ll gain plenty and find it to be worth your time.
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Jason Barrett is the Founder and CEO of Barrett Media. The company launched in September 2015 and has provided consulting services to America’s top audio and video brands, while simultaneously covering the media industry at BarrettMedia.com, becoming a daily destination for media professionals. Prior to Barrett Media, Jason built and programmed 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He was also the first sports programmer for SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, which later became 97.5 The Fanatic. Barrett also led 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY, and worked on-air and behind the scenes at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years at ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT producing ‘The Dan Patrick Show’ and ‘GameNight’. JB can be reached on Twitter @SportsRadioPD or by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
