Radio Edit | 7.24.23

Fresh off a massive Sofi Stadium show over the weekend, Big Loud Rock’s Lloyd Norman sits down with us to talk all things Big Loud and HARDY’s success across multiple genres

Your boy HARDY has been on an absolute war path this year. From notching #1s at Rock radio to playing stadiums in support of Morgan Wallen. Having been there from the jump, is any of this a surprise to you at all?

HARDY's an incredibly talented and hard working songwriter, artist, and just a great person to get the privilege to work with. Mix that with the team at Big Loud Records, and it's been a lot of fun to watch them kill it. No surprises haha.

With his latest album being split half Rock and half Country, there seems to be a clear intention to reach a wider Rock audience. How does it feel that it seems to be working and why do you think songs like "Jack" are resonating with Rock audiences?

The only real intention is following HARDY's lead when he writes great music. I think JACK resonates because it's a great song and authentic to HARDY. It's an added bonus that he can take music to multiple formats and make fans in country and rock.

Given that HARDY’S previous record catered to a more country audience, did you experience any initial pushback or hesitancy from the Rock community as you rolled out the project or did everyone seem to get it right away

Sometimes it's easy to focus on the differences between genres, but really there are a lot of similarities, great songs, great shows, and music that makes you feel something. If anyone isn't convinced, we just encourage them to come see a show and let it speak for itself.

As a label, what did you do to position this new record correctly and help maximize his impact in the Rock space while being mindful of not alienating his Country fans and being sure to serve them properly?

HARDY and the country records team at Big Loud did an amazing job on his previous album "A ROCK" and they did the same with "the mockingbird & THE CROW." Our job at Big Loud Rock is to let industry and fans in the rock community know that there's music on this album that they will enjoy. We try to give it exposure to new audiences, and let the great music do the rest.

Somewhat similarly, Big Loud Rock is an imprint of a well-established Country label known for genre stalwarts like Florida Georgia Line and Chris Lane. Where did the motivation to start a Rock-focused sub label under the Big Loud umbrella come from and did you run into any friction as you tried to establish the company in the preexisting Rock space?

The owners of Big Loud have a ton of experience in rock, and I'm lucky to work for a company that is always looking for ways to push boundaries and try new things. In addition to that, the president of our rock label, Greg Thompson has been breaking rock bands for years. Rock bands have the same goals as country artists, make lifelong fans that want to come to shows and buy t-shirts for years to come. When I worked in country music, I was amazed how fans really stick with their favorite artists for life, and then I realized I've been buying t-shirts from my same favorite rock bands for decades haha. With Big Loud's ability to serve the careers of country artists, we believe the same strategies can help rock artists reach their full potential.

Outside of HARDY, what else is going on at Big Loud Rock?

We're really pumped about the roster. Letdown. is currently at #22 on the alternative radio chart with their song "Crying in the Shower" and we've got new EP's and tours on the way this fall from Blame My Youth, Yam Haus, Jagwar Twin, and Levi Evans. Rock music is fun because each artist has their own sound and lane that takes them on their own journey under the wider rock umbrella. It's an exciting time to be working at a newer label, and each day we're pushing to break new ground.

Spotify and YouTube to follow Apple and Amazon’s lead on price hikes

Following criticism that they’re contributing to a culture of undervaluing music, it’s looking like Spotify will be increasing their premium subscription price in the United States for the first time sine entering the market. The dollar increase from $9.99 to $10.99/mo is modest yet significant as it will reportedly create incremental annual revenue of about $200M for rights’ holders.

Similarly, YouTube Music has announced $1 and $2/mo subscription price increases for YouTube Music and YouTube Premium respectively. In an effort to show appreciation for their earliest customers, subscribers who signed up over 5 years ago (including on Google Play) will receive their subscription at its previous price for an additional three months.

It was a big news week for the social music platform

Just two weeks after launching in Brazil and Indonesia, TikTok has announced that their new streaming service will be expanding into Mexico, Australia, and Singapore. Access to TikTok Music in these markets will initially be in closed beta, with users being invited to join the full-catalog streaming service via a three-month free trial.

This news comes on the heels of a multi-year licensing agreement between the social platform and Warner Music Group, which will grant access to Warner Recorded Music and Warner Chappell Music for TikTok, TikTok Music, CapCut, and TikTok's commercial music library. For WMG, the agreement gives their artists and songwriters greater access to TikTok partners, fan engagement/monetization tools, and the ability to jointly develop alternative economic models.

Looking to harness the power of their platform’s unparalleled level of discoverability, TikTok has announced a new program that will amplify a cast of emerging artists through in-person events and promotion within their ecosystem. The Elevate program’s inaugural class of artists includes CHINCHILLA, Sam Barber, Omar Courtz, Isabel LaRosa, Kaliiii, and Lu Kala.

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