2 NMW - MAY 3, 2024 Vol. 26 Issue 2
From the Editor’s Desk2024 NMA Winners & New Breaking HitsEditor/PublisherLarry Weirlarry@newmusicweekly.comPaul Logginsploggins@newmusicweekly.comMarketing & SalesMasika Swainmswain@newmusicweekly.comBuck McCoybmccoy@newmusicweekly.comPublicityDebi Feedfee@newmusicweekly.comComputer Development & ManagementMark Miller - Maramil Inc.Published in Nashville, TN U.S.A. New MusicWeekly (NMW) is published weekly on Fridaysincluding specialty issues. Reprints price is $15 perissue. Subscription rates $499/annual. Outside U.S.add $79 (U.S. currency) per year. Complimentaryissues serviced to radio programmers. Subscriptionand circulation inquiries call 310-325-9997. NewMusic Weekly is not responsible for unsolicitedmaterial. All rights reserved. Reproduction in wholeor part without written permission of the publishersis prohibited. The opinions of contributing writers tothis publication do not necessarily reflect the viewsof New Music Weekly (NMW). Copyrighted 2022.Station updates and address changes please sendto staff@newmusicweekly.com5018 Franklin Pike, Nashville, TN 37220Tel: 310.325.9997NewMusicWeekly.comNew Music Weekly, LLCWWe are thrilled to be finally be able to share with you the winners for this year’s big & much anticipated 2024 New MusicAwards. The volume of votes on our website was quite overwhelming and it just underscored how popular and effective ourNew Music Weekly family has become. It has actually been a very satisfying and humbling experience. From the nominationprocess to the final outcome, the NMW subscribers and music fans from all over the USA and around the world had a hand inthis process giving it the best possible outcome. We can only hope that some of your favorites made it into the winner’s circle.A special congratulations to all of the NMA nominees and the winners.MMajor label artists were felt loud and proud with the likes of Taylor Swift, Jack Harlow, Benson Boone among the popwinners to name just a few. In Country we were thrilled to see that Chayce Beckham was lauded for his efforts. The artist whofirst came to use from American Idol is actually from the Bakersfield, California area and it was so nice to see that he is finallygetting the recognition he so deserves. Jason Aldean was also in the winner’s circle thanks to his anthem “Try That In A SmallTown” that truly pulled at the heartstrings of America from coast to coast. What a run many of the above had.IIndependent music artists abound when it came to the winner’s circle. From the likes of Jeremy Parsons, Eileen Carey,John Jurney, Tommy Rice to Cabela & Schmitt to name a few, the support for the indie artists on-line was truly recordbreaking. This was really the ability to showcase the level playing field at New Music Weekly that we have been talking aboutsince we first began our publication. Since that time, hundreds of independent artists and bands have been either winners ornominees for our annual New Music Awards. We applaud all of them for their hard work and dedication.Artists were not the only ones that have been honored for this years NMA Awards. If you take a look at the list ofhonorees on our New Music Weekly website, you can see that numerous stations, music programmers and a solid list ofindustry professionals have been singled out. This group is truly the backbone of our music industry. Many of the radio stationsand programmers singled out are part of a generation that treats the artists and bands equally regardless of major label status orpopularity. We are thrilled to be able to highlight them and give the recognition they so deserve.TThis issue is also about New Breaking Hits & as of this past week there were a number of new singles released bythe majors that really deserve some immediate attention. We have to go back to recent NMA winner Taylor Swift who justreleased a brand new album. With over three hundred million streams so far and counting (is that even possible) the debutalbum features the single “Fortnight” (Republic) with Post Malone that pulled in the most radio support for a new song thatwe have seen so far in 2024. The heat on this one is undeniable and it appears to be headed straight to the top of the charts inrecord time.OOther new breaking hits of note come to us from Sabrina Carpenter who has been on a roll in 24 with her new“Espresso” (Island/Republic) leading the charge. Doja Cat’s back with a solid chart-breaker in “OKLOSER” (RCA). NMAwinner Benson Boone has just released the new and ever powerful “Slow It Down” (Night Street/Warner). Dua Lipa keepssending out hit after hit and has “Illusion” (Warner) out and about for your listening pleasure. Hozier even came back thisquarter with “Too Sweet” (Columbia) that is too good.NNew breaking independents in pop music are out from newcomer Bryan Hawn with “Too Soon” to Country fromNMW favorite Joey Canyon with “Up Yours” (Glo-Dot). Again a major congratulations to all of the New Music Awardwinners. You so deserve the very best. Here at New Music Weekly we continue to “level the playing field” each and every dayand we will continue to support artists and bands from the majors to the independent artist.O N T H E C O V E RSam Roy Hagar also known as the Red Rocker, is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Herose to prominence in the early 1970s with the hard rock band Montrose before launching a successfulsolo career, scoring a hit in 1984 with “I Can’t Drive 55”. He enjoyed further commercial success whenhe replaced David Lee Roth as the lead vocalist of Van Halen in 1985, but left in 1996. He returnedto the band from 2003 to 2005. In 2007, Hagar was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame asa member of Van Halen. His musical style primarily consists of hard rock and heavy metal. Also abusinessman, Hagar founded the Cabo Wabo tequila brand and restaurant chain, as well as Sammy’sBeach Bar rum. His current musical projects include being the lead singer of Chickenfoot and SammyHagar and the Circle. Hagar also is the host of Rock & Roll Road Trip with Sammy Hagar on AXS TV.Growing up, Hagar would pick fruit, deliver newspapers, and mow lawns to earn money. He excelledacademically and discovered music while in high school, teaching himself to play guitar on a $40 instrumentpurchased from a Sears catalog. He fronted his first band, the Fabulous Castilles, when hewas 14 years old. At age 17, Hagar went to San Bernardino and snuck in to see the 1964 US debutof the Rolling Stones at the Swing Auditorium. He also regularly attended concerts by surf guitaristDick Dale at the Riverside National Guard Armory. By the late 1970s, Hagar was enjoying moderatesuccess as a solo artist on Capitol Records under the tutelage of A&R man Carter, with such albumsas Nine on a Ten Scale and hits such as “Red”, which would build his persona and style, leading to hisnickname as “the Red Rocker”. Hagar had become a headlining act in many parts of the United Statesand Europe. In 1987, Hagar had his first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks with “Give toLive” from I Never Said Goodbye, released after which he soon joined Van Halen and the rest is history.NMW - MAY 3, 2024 Vol. 26 Issue 23