Wednesday marks one of the biggest nights of the year for the Country music industry as The 57th Annual CMA Awards broadcasts live from Nashville. In a year when the genre’s leading men have dominated streaming headlines, it’s female powerhouse Lainey Wilson who leads all artists with nine nominations. Lainey’s up for the night’s top awards including Entertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, and Song of the Year.
Lainey’s had a busy year: her song, “Heart Like a Truck,” was tapped for a national RAM Trucks ad campaign, and more recently, her partnership with Wrangler showcased the brand’s Fall collection. However, you may have also seen her play the part of Abby in season 5 of the megahit TV series, Yellowstone.
Lainey’s role in Yellowstone lines up with a career-altering move in US On-Demand Audio streaming. Her album Bell Bottom Country was released on October 28, 2022, approximately two weeks before the show’s Season 5 premiere on November 13, 2022. By the time the show’s Season 5 first-half finale aired two-and-a-half months later on January 1, 2023 Lainey’s streams were up 129% (week ending 1/5/23 compared to week ending 11/10/22). When comparing the fifteen weeks after the show’s finale to the 15 weeks before the season premiere Lainey’s overall ODA streaming volume was up 257%. (1/6/23-4/20/23 vs. 7/29/22-11/10/22).
According to Luminate Insights consumer research, Lainey’s fans are 20% more likely to discover new music through TV programming than the average US music listener. Luminate’s Artist & Genre Tracker shows additional consumer research areas where the show had an impact on Lainey’s fandom including her growing awareness and likeability among the general population. To note:
As Country music celebrates a year in which the genre is one of the fastest growing in the US, the role of music discovery and increased fandom through new entertainment verticals also provides new opportunities to grow audiences.
