Issue 619 - September 17, 2018

Page 1

September 17, 2018, Issue 619

Real Talk: Fantasy Label Draft ‘18

Six years ago, the Fantasy Label Draft was created as a lighthearted way for radio pros to chat about artists and label execs. This year, things got a lot. more. serious. From an almost unhealthy obsession with beer and possible expansion of the David Friedman Rule, to data-heavy analysis from erstwhile co-commissioner Gregg Swedberg, 2018 is highstakes and no-holds-barred. Read on. First, the team owners in their (randomly assigned) draft order: WNCY/Green Bay’s Charli McKenzie, KMLE/Phoenix’s Alana Lynn, WEBG/Chicago’s Lance Houston, Gregg Swedberg WNSH/New York’s John Foxx, KFRG/Riverside’s Scott Ward and KWJJ/Portland’s Toni Marie. Until now, scoring has come down to the highly scientific and proprietary CET process, which stands for “Chuck’s Eyeball Test.” Last year however, noted iHeart/Minneapolis station exec and radio quant/guru Swedberg began questioning the methodology. Despite his heresy, the proposed refinements (more on that later) contributed to and confirmed the decision regarding 2017’s winner: WIL/St. Louis’ Danny Montana with Taylor Swift, Sam Hunt, Old Dominion, Kane Brown, Scott Borchetta and Steve Hodges. As Swedberg noted, even Montana’s long shot pick of Swift semipanned out. No, she didn’t jump back over the fence into country as he hoped, but she did win a CMA award for Song of the Year (“Better Man”). See that draft here. And now, on with 2018. (continued on page 5)

First Round In Order

TEAM MCKENZIE

TEAM LYNN

TEAM HOUSTON

TEAM FOXX

TEAM WARD

TEAM MARIE

Under My Bump-Brella: Capitol’s Carrie Underwood at WNSH/New York’s Cry Pretty Release Party. Pictured (l-r) are the station’s John Foxx, the label’s Chris Schuler and Annie Sandor, the station’s Mike Allen, Underwood, Cumulus’ Charlie Cook, WNSH’s Katie Neal and Capitol’s Bobby Young.

NSHoF 2018 Inductee: Ronnie Dunn

Spotlighting one inductee each week leading up to the Oct. 28 Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala begins with Ronnie Dunn. Best known as half of the most successful duo in country music history, he got started gigging in Oklahoma clubs where the songs he wrote went to become chart-topping country classics – among them “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” “Neon Moon,” “Hard Workin’ Man” and “She Used To Be Mine.” I became a songwriter out of necessity. I moved from Texas to Oklahoma in the ‘80s in Ronnie Dunn lieu of coming to Nashville, because Nashville really intimidated me. Tulsa had a thriving music community at the time. I realized early on that nothing was going to happen unless

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Issue 619 - September 17, 2018 by Country Aircheck - Issuu