We are thrilled to be finally be able to share with you the winners for this year’s big & much anticipated 2024 New Music Awards. The volume of votes on our website was quite overwhelming and it just underscored how popular and effective our New Music Weekly family has become. It has actually been a very satisfying and humbling experience. From the nomination process to the final outcome, the NMW subscribers and music fans from all over the USA and around the world had a hand in this 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.
Major label artists were felt loud and proud with the likes of Taylor Swift, Jack Harlow, Benson Boone among the pop winners to name just a few. In Country we were thrilled to see that Chayce Beckham was lauded for his efforts. The artist who first came to use from American Idol is actually from the Bakersfield, California area and it was so nice to see that he is finally getting the recognition he so deserves. Jason Aldean was also in the winner’s circle thanks to his anthem “Try That In A Small Town” that truly pulled at the heartstrings of America from coast to coast. What a run many of the above had.
Independent 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 record breaking. This was really the ability to showcase the level playing field at New Music Weekly that we have been talking about since we first began our publication. Since that time, hundreds of independent artists and bands have been either winners or nominees 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 of honorees on our New Music Weekly website, you can see that numerous stations, music programmers and a solid list of industry professionals have been singled out. This group is truly the backbone of our music industry. Many of the radio stations and programmers singled out are part of a generation that treats the artists and bands equally regardless of major label status or popularity. We are thrilled to be able to highlight them and give the recognition they so deserve.
This issue is also about New Breaking Hits and as of this past week there were a number of new singles released by the majors that really deserve some immediate attention. We have to go back to recent NMA winner Taylor Swift who just released a brand new album. With over three hundred million streams so far and counting (is that even possible) the debut album features the single “Fortnight” (Republic) with Post Malone that pulled in the most radio support for a new song that we 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 in record time.
Other 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). NMA winner Benson Boone has just released the new and ever powerful “Slow It Down” (Night Street/Warner). Dua Lipa keeps sending out hit after hit and has “Illusion” (Warner) out and about for your listening pleasure. Hozier even came back this quarter with “Too Sweet” (Columbia) that is too good.
New breaking independents in pop music are out from newcomer Bryan Hawn with “Too Soon” to Country from NMW favorite Joey Canyon with “Up Yours” (Glo-Dot). Again a major congratulations to all of the New Music Award winners. You so deserve the very best. Here at New Music Weekly we continue to “level the playing field” each and every day and we will continue to support artists and bands from the majors to the independent artist.