Tracy Brown

If there was ever a suitable name for a company, it's the Amplify Entertainment Group. Its goal is to essentially help "amplify" the music of its client artists through the staff's extensive relationships with radio. Here, Pres./CEO Tracy Brown details the constant challenges facing Amplify's artists in today's radio/digital environment, as well as its one-of-a-kind talent showcase, "The Gathering."

What made you decide to transition from CO5 to Amplify?

CO5 was no longer in existence. With the dissolution of that company, most of the staff and myself reformed as Amplify Entertainment Group. Although there were some personnel changes, we've continued to provide the same radio and consultancy service we've provided for the last 15 years. We recently had the #1 most-added record at Alternative radio, the #2 most-added record the prior week, and the #3 most-added record at Alternative radio the week before that.

Amplify is comprised of promotion professionals, veterans from major labels who have dedicated their entire careers to building and manicuring relationships with radio. Our clients benefit from our years of experience. Unlike the majors, who have been dropping promo vets to save money, we work to acquire promotion vets. Our people spent the time and energy to develop close individual relationships with programmers and music directors, really the entire staffs at stations. We have an affinity for people such as Bebop Hobel and Patti Martin, who excel in building, growing and maintaining relationships with radio day in and out. Not only do they deliver for their artists, but they deliver for radio. When a station gives up a slot for a record to get it played, they should be able to reap success and grow their ranking in the market.

Has the way you promote records to radio changed over the years?

Obviously, there have been changes, starting when we went from paper adds to spin monitoring in real time. Now the world is changing underneath our feet, sometimes week to week. A few years ago, we were focused on the correlation between radio airplay and sales, then with the onset of digital delivery and the national numbers of digital downloads, Soundscan started to value DMAs with a breakdown of digital and physical sales. Now that correlation is more in line with streaming as opposed to tracking sales. Shazam is now a big indicator for how well a record works and shows the level of passion and interest in the music. Being on top of those metrics shows how records raise their hand. As these metrics continue to evolve, it's imperative that we understand them and stay on top of newest metrics.

Are all radio formats in on Shazam?

I can't speak for all formats, but for Pop and Hot AC, there's a definite interest in streaming numbers and Shazam. It's the same for Alternative; currently Active Rock doesn't seem to be too reliant on Shazam, but that could change. At some point, everyone will take a look at those metrics when looking for the reaction to a record.

Do you have a specific formula or strategy for working a record?

Get it played! Not in general but definitely in relation to each record, every song should be looked at as unique with its own set of accomplishments. Every band and/or song has its strengths and it's our job to put a spotlight on them and do our homework to know what will work for a specific campaign. We work with a lot of developing artists and if you look at them, you'll see that some may have a YouTube vibe, while others will generate streams but might not have views. Some new artists go straight to radio first, which can impact streams. Some bands have a strong tour profile. What we have seen is that more and more indie artists have learned to understand digital platforms and how to work them to their advantage and promote themselves through them. You might be surprised at how many unsigned acts out there have a million-plus streams or views, big social media numbers and savvy online initiatives -- and just because they don't have 10 million streams doesn't mean the listening audience won't respond to their record. Songs have to be heard to react.

In the current radio environment, is it more difficult than ever to get decent airplay for a new band's record?

It really depends on song. If you have a really strong song, radio will want to play it. Of course, they'll gravitate to the new Imagine Dragons record, but if radio programmers hear some new band's record they believe will resonate with their listeners, they'll be motivated to find a way to get it on the air.

But is it tougher for you, working indie records, to convince these programmers to take a chance on your new record, when they know their ratings are being reported every month, let alone the data that comes out daily?

That's just the nature of the job, which isn't that different than Republic, Interscope or Warner Bros. taking a challenging record to radio. They have the same bar to chin ... and it's just as high to get that first few shots on that record.

Do you feel radio is providing adequate exposure to new artist records, or are they still basically burying them in overnights?

We're not looking for those kinds of slots on a record. We're looking for real believers, for the first three to five stations to organically find out what we have, to see if the record can raise its hand. This also goes back to the metrics that define hits, streaming and Shazam. Once we see something's there, we will grind the record. AWOLNATION took us nearly a year to break. We shipped it on October 2010 and it peaked at #5 on September of the next year. That was a marathon, but once we saw a path forward with positive dynamics, we continued to push and fight. If you don't see those dynamics take place on record, forget about it. On average we believe every record needs a minimum of three months to find out if it can ring the bell, but there are times when you can make that assessment in less than three months.

Who decides on the backup single - you or the artist?

That's the job of the artists, their managers or label; they're the factory, we're the delivery and sales force. If they don't prepare with a follow-up, it can be a loss for them. Nobody wants to be a one-hit wonder.

Are you heartened by the recent boom in Alternative stations?

It's certainly creating opportunities for radio, as well as for fans of Alternative music - especially here in Dallas. We went for months without an Alternative station; there was a definite hole on the dial in the market. Now Alternative radio is also spawning pop stars as well as diversifying what pop music is. Not everything on pop radio can be a dance record from a superstar. Pop needs flavor records from many genres. Alternative is now a springboard for a multitude of artists to cross over. The artists who are smart remember the stations that broke them -- and most of them pay their due diligence and respect back to the Alternative stations that initially championed them.

Do you see Hot AC and Top 40 becoming closer together musically, or vice versa?

I see Hot AC as somewhat of an inherited format that takes hits from other formats. They move slower than Pop and serve a different demo, with different tastes and musical likes. The Hot AC chart closely emulates the pop chart on a lot of levels, but you'll also find records that have crossed from Alternative or Country. And while there are obvious musical similarities, the formats maintain very separate identities.

Could a guitar-based Country record from the likes of a Chris Singleton or Zac Brown ever cross over to Alternative? Or even the Maren Morris collaboration with Zedd?

Never say never but I don't see it, simply from a production-value perspective. Country's production value is radically different from what is heard on Alternative. That said, who thought that banjos would be as prominent as they were at Alternative a few years ago? Regardless of format, radio is in the business of playing hits and we've seen Alternative radio champion a myriad of genres over the years. Pop or Hot AC stations seem more likely to play big Country records. You have to keep in mind that you're asking an Alternative programmer to put your song between two other songs on his or her playlist - and that song has to be a fit ... and not be a train wreck.

Have you noticed any new trends in Alternative bands' live shows?

I'm hearing a lot more electronic music right now. A lot of artists are performing with less instruments in their live show. In today's digital age, the audience doesn't have a problem with tracks being used in live shows as long as the artists are crafting impeccable songs.

Are you satisfied with the size of your roster, or do you believe that Amplify can work even more artists simultaneously?

We're NEVER satisfied! Our roster changes constantly and for us, it's more about quality than quantity. At the moment, we're currently working six artists across Alternative, Hot AC, Pop and Active Rock -- and we could easily do twice as many. This time of year is usually light; once we get into the spring and summer, our roster will fill up from March through the end of October. We constantly work to build long-term, consistent relationships with labels, managers and even some artists directly.

Are you bullish on what you'll be working in 2018?

Oh yeah, we have some exciting things coming this year. I'm not in position to detail all of the exciting things coming up; we're still ironing out the details on some of them, but one I can mention is the Ashanti release that's coming for Pop, Urban and Rhythm. She has spent the last two years in the public eye, generating attention and press. She's been working with not just best the producers and writers, but young, up-and-coming kids in the Hip-Hop and Urban world who are just starting to get a reputation. The initial radio enthusiasm for this record is already massive. Ashanti is an incredibly impressive entrepreneur and artist whose audience is still growing and very engaged.

Saving the best for last, describe Amplify's "The Gathering."

One of the things we're really looking forward to is our third annual "The Gathering" along the Whiskey Trail from June 13th-15th. It's an Alternative music showcasing platform we put on in Louisville. There are no panels, no sizzle reels ... just a nonstop presentation of new artists via live performances. We bring in Alternative radio programmers, music supervisors and bloggers, the industries "tastemakers" who participate in breaking artists every year. The last two events were very well-received. We had 45 Alternative programmers last year who saw 26 bands in eight unique venues. And since we pay for the programmers to get here, they have to commit to attend every show. The bands have to be ready for prime time; they are playing for seasoned vets in the music business who have seen every band imaginable play live. This is a discerning audience, to say the least. It's amazing to watch these kids get out there and give everything they've got in 20 or 30-minute sets.

Our main focus is to continue to grow and expand The Gathering response from the radio and record communities. It has been stunning each year to see the labels that participated in the last year get very comfortable about returning the next year. Most major and mid-sized labels, as well as many indie labels will be participating in The Gathering this year. The invitations to radio have already gone out and programmers have already starting registering. We're thrilled with the early response this year; it's stronger than any of the prior conferences.

One of the most popular aspects of The Gathering is our softball game ... an East Coast vs. West Coast grudge match. The game was conceived by Aaron Axelson, and we're moving it this year to Wednesday afternoon so that the players have plenty of time to really play the game. We're even upping our baseball shirt and cap game to give it a little extra flare on the field.