Audacy prepares to unveil the Company’s seventh broadcast sound space, the Audacy Nashville Sound Space, located in the historic building of the Hard Rock Cafe on Broadway in Nashville, Tennessee, on Thursday, September 5.
The Studio will launch with an exclusive grand opening event and ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Country music superstar Thomas Rhett. It will also serve as the new home of “Katie & Company,” Audacy’s nationally syndicated Country show, hosted by Katie Neal, winner of the 2024 ACM National Daily On-Air Personality of the Year award.
Underscoring Audacy’s commitment to the Country music format and to the artist, label, management and songwriter communities in Nashville, the Studio’s launch follows Audacy’s expansion of “Katie & Company” to 37 Audacy-owned and partner affiliate stations. With the show surpassing 2.7 million listeners each week, Neal’s daily interviews with the nation’s top Country artists have become industry-leading moments for fans and coveted opportunities for Audacy’s advertising partners. Audacy’s 20 owned and operated Country brands reach nearly 14 million listeners per month.
Transformed into a state-of-the-art production facility with sets for interviews, photography and private performances, the launch of the Audacy Nashville Sound Space extends the strategic partnership between Audacy and Hard Rock International (HRI), one of the most globally recognized companies with venues in 70 countries spanning 309 locations that include owned/licensed or managed hotels, casinos, Rock Shops®, live performance venues and cafes. The partnership between Audacy and HRI began in 2021 and now includes three venues – New York, Miami and Nashville.
The Audacy Nashville Sound Space will deliver fresh, vibrant energy to Music City while maintaining the integrity of the original building at its core. With its proximity to The Reverb, Hard Rock Nashville’s private performance and meeting space, the setup will enable Audacy to welcome artists for interviews and intimate performances in one stop.
“A permanent presence in Music City continues to elevate Audacy’s commitment to Country music and live events,” said Jeff Sottolano, Chief Programming Officer, Audacy. “The proximity of a professional studio coupled with an intimate performance venue and the singular talent of Katie Neal as a host and interviewer enables us to produce exclusive experiences for listeners and simultaneously, a seamless transition for artists to move between the studio and stage. The Audacy Nashville Sound Space will be the heartbeat of our Country music format.”
“Hard Rock’s partnership with Audacy has provided a truly incredible platform for world-class artists to grace Hard Rock stages across the country, and we’re thrilled to be launching the Audacy Nashville Sound Space in Nashville to further our reach,” said Keith Sheldon, President of Entertainment and Brand Management, Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming. “This opportunity also reinforces Hard Rock’s continued commitment to building and strengthening relationships in the Country music community as we expand our entertainment offerings at all of our properties around the globe.”