BILLIONAIRES!

Kane Brown's music has already streamed a billion times ... He already has a Platinum album and two number #1s. FGL's "Meant to Be" is over a billion streams. I don't think anyone has a full grasp of a billion anythings. But was the royalty payback on a billion anything worth screaming about?

Garth Brooks told the FanFairX audience he was sticking with Amazon because the physical side pays the songwriters. The record companies want the world to go streaming, then they wouldn't have to mess with terrestrial radio. How will last week's push by Spotify and Pandora turn out? If the bosses force Country to keep moving young, then commercial-free will be the new norm. And you broadcasters will be out of business. Is that not clear? Horse-and-buggy meets the steam engine. I haven't seen a buggy in a long time. Songwriters and broadcasters better understand this game very soon ... It will not have a happy ending.

Just looking unscientifically at the CMA musicgoers last week. Younger for sure ... female for sure. Not sure the average age, but it was a good crowd for the streaming folks. Didn't see a lot of people who would drive a Chevy Truck, sue somebody or go to Cracker Barrel. The new Country audience doesn't seem to be doing anything the generation prior liked to do. The times, they have changed! Chase the cheese or perish. Doing nothing is not going to get it.

Garth will tell us July 9th how we conquer the world. July 9th he will announce a project that's bigger than anything he has ever been a part of ... and he has plans to build something downtown ... not a honky-tonk, but something else ... hmmm, Nashville is honky-tonk crazy with Kid Rock hooking up with Tootsie's for a $20-plus million steakhouse and bar on Lower Broadway and 3rd. No name for it yet.

The amount of money flying around in downtown Nashville is amazing. It's like a big Epcot/Disney. Bars and museums and hotels ... and a few offices/condos.. It's not the downtown anyone around here even recognizes.

Enough has been said about the CMA Music Festival. It's not for everyone, but for the urban festival hardcore, they seemed to be enjoying themselves. Like Luke Combs, I've got voice issues and the crud. Hats off to everyone who tries to survive Country music's biggest week of the year.

The Country tours are almost all going now. Urban starting today in St. Louis and the stadium shows are popping up all over. This weekend, Pop and Country acts are playing stadiums in Houston; Columbus, OH; Cincinnati; Dublin, Ireland; Wembley/London; and Cardiff, Wales (The Stones) ... The concert business right now is huge. Are all the stadiums selling out? NO. Many reasons including ticket prices.

Carly Pearce and 50th Opry show? Kane Brown and Lee Brice in the billion streaming club. Huge accomplishments.

I heard the "Tomato Gate" thing coming back up. Radio still not playing a "good" ratio of male singers to female singers. May actually be worse.

Still thinking about all the visions and voices of CMA Week. If Nashville almost gridlocked during that, get ready for the shutdown for the NFL draft! That's going to be biblical ... trust me on that!!