CMA Fest's Spotify House aims to deliver 'best-in-class' experience for the fans

Spotify's 2019 CMA Fest "Spotify House" takeover at Lower Broadway's Ole Red notably served as a platform for Lil Nas X – an Nashville pop outsider – to stand alongside Billy Ray Cyrus and lead a capacity crowd in a wild celebration of country and rap's unlikely partnership, grooving down the "Old Town Road."

Three years later, the stakes are higher for both the need and expectations of Ole Red's Spotify House at the forthcoming 49th CMA Fest.

"We arrived in Nashville with a bang in 2018 and 2019, so we feel the pressure to continue to meet that expectation this year," says Alison Junker, Artist and Label Partnerships Manager for Spotify Nashville. "Shows and festivals are back as country music as a lifestyle has returned. Fans are overwhelmed with emotion and crowds are loving story songs. It's exciting to see how the country music fanbase has reacted to the songs and artists we've curated."

Spotify's top five country artists were streamed over 40 billion times in 2021, and 250,000 country music fans are expected to be at CMA Fest 2022 June 9-12. So Ole Red – a 26,000-square-foot multilevel venue at 300 Broadway – is adequate space for an event emerging as the epicenter of the genre during CMA Fest weekend.

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Recent country chart-toppers like Ashley McBryde, Nelly, Darius Rucker, Cole Swindell and Lainey Wilson will join emerging and veteran stars like Ingrid Andress, Ashland Craft, Mickey Guyton, Midland and over 50 more on the main stage as well as a "Fresh Finds" rooftop space for emerging independent artists.

Rachel Whitney, Spotify Nashville's head of editorial, notes the genre's 40% boost in listenership on the platform in the past three years. This has been keyed by a spike in interest in Spotify's Hot Country, '90s Country, Party Cove and Next From Nashville curated playlists. Their listenership growth keyed mainstream conversations regarding the genre's ability to weather the lack of live events in 2020.

In the past 18 months, that expansion has spread across Spotify's relaunched, indie-specific Fresh Finds program, plus Frequency Country, celebrating country artists of color, and Country Latino, celebrating Hispanic talent in country music.

Spotify's success and growth in country music helps create a foundation for artists to find and grow their fan bases, Whitney says.

"It’s our goal to continue delivering best-in-class listening experiences, and make sure our listeners always know they’ll discover new artists alongside their favorite songs," she adds.

“Ole Red is excited to host a unique fan experience with Spotify House during CMA Fest that will allow country music fans from the US and beyond to intimately connect with an exciting array of the most talented and original artists of all levels," notes Ole Red's director of artist relations, Jordan Pettit.

The Spotify House activation will serve as an in-person extension for thousands of DSP users to discover songs and artists for the first time via the playlists and personalized recommendations and by listening to their new favorite song or album via social media links.

Artists breaking out as pop-country performers because of increased visibility at the house should occur.

Like Lil Nas X, an artist like Jelly Roll – a recent rock radio chart-topper and country radio crossover success story – can cross genres and fanbases seamlessly. His appearance at Spotify House is notable. It continues Spotify's role as a groundbreaking portal that sets sustainable trends for country music backed up by data.

"Data about our listeners' habits heavily influence our lineup," Junker says about the artist whose singles like "Son of a Sinner" and "Save Me" have become platform favorites. "If people want to hear Jelly Roll, then it is our job to reflect that in our lineup. Up-and-coming artists develop quickly when Spotify's users engage with their music. So we want to feed the consumer and service their demands."

CMA Fest's Saturday afternoon Chevy Riverfront Stage at Riverfront Park lineup includes BRELAND, Lauren Alaina and Priscilla Block. The proof of how quickly an artist can emerge from viral streaming acclaim to top-tier genre success is notable.

"We can't hide our data, and giving talented artists greater opportunities because of data isn't new," Junker says. "However, when an artist is popping off on a playlist like Hot Country or Fresh Finds, the influence is direct."

She adds: "Spotify's part of an evolving conversation in country music, and the fans and the industry have responded positively to (Spotify's) role in that conversation. At CMA Fest, Spotify House will continue to create major and memorable social media conversations soundtracked by country songs."

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: What to expect at CMA Fest's Spotify House at Ole Red Nashville