The Academy of Country Music has named Andy Schuon as its new chief executive officer.
Though Schuon has not held country-specific positions before, the music industry veteran comes to the job with a broad history of leadership roles at such companies as MTV, VH-1, Warner Brothers Records, Universal Music Group, Ticketmaster and CBS Radio. He also was on the front lines of then-new platforms and technologies through executive positions at MTV2, Farmclub.com, Pressplay and REVOLT TV.
Schuon succeeds outgoing CEO Damon Whiteside, who has led the organization for more than six years and stepped down on June 30, transitioning to CEO emeritus for the rest of the year.
Under Whiteside, the ACM Awards, which held their 61st annual ceremony in May, were the first major awards show to transition from broadcast to streaming, first airing on Amazon’s Prime Video in 2022. Its current deal with Prime Video, which streams the show in 240 countries and territories, runs through 2028.
Among the highlights in Schuon’s more than three-decade career include program director at KROQ-FM Los Angeles, where he launched two renowned programs, the “Kevin & Bean” morning show and “Loveline” with Dr. Drew, as well as executive vp/head of programming and production at MTV, MTV2 and VH-1 in the mid-‘90s. He then shifted to record labels, serving first as executive vp/general manager at Warner Records and then CEO of Pressplay (the precursor to Napster), which was a joint venture between Universal Music Group and Sony Music. He returned to radio as president of programming and marketing at CBS Radio, overseeing 185 stations. Most recently, he served as president of entertainment networks and digital for Anthem Sports & Entertainment, where he handled the company’s FAST television networks and digital entertainment businesses, included AXS TV and HDNET Movies.
In exclusive comments to Billboard, Schuon says he’s a quick learner who is comfortable taking on new challenges. “The learning curve is real, and I respect it, but it’s really the hallmark of my career,” he says, of segueing into country music community. “I was the album rock radio programmer from Denver, Colorado, who showed up at the home of alternative rock, KROQ-FM in Los Angeles, and didn’t know who Depeche Mode was — ‘Personal Jesus’ was the No. 1 song on the station the week I took over. I was the radio guy who went to MTV and had to figure out television fast. I was the TV guy who went to run Warner Bros. Records with zero label experience. And the analog guy who built a team to create the first digital music streaming service for Sony Music and Universal Music Group before iTunes and Spotify.”
Schuon says he’s also learned that there are skills that translate no matter the task at hand. “What I don’t have to learn is the job itself: connecting artists to fans, building brands, producing television, striking distribution and sponsorship deals, and answering to boards, members, and audiences all at once. That’s been my entire career,” he says. “I’d also add [that] an outsider’s perspective, applied with respect, is often when the best work happens. Country music is having a global moment, and part of my job is to help the Academy meet that moment with fresh eyes.”
Schuon, who starts his new position Sept. 1 in Nashville, says his first step will be to listen: “The Academy of Country Music has a board of industry leaders, a dedicated staff, and over 60 years of relationships with artists, labels, managers, promoters, and fans,” he says. “Before I can do anything, I’m going to spend real time with the people who built this institution and understand what the Academy means to them and what they would like and need from it.”
Next, he wants to build on the existing tentpoles of the annual ACM Awards in May and the ACM Honors, which take place in August. “We have one of the largest social media followings in country music, and an archive of the greatest moments and performances in country music history going back to the 1960s,” he says. “And still, there is so much more we can do in content, in digital, in partnerships and experiences to support our industry and our fans.”
Schuon is poised to lead the Academy into the next chapter, says Cris Lacy, chair of the ACM board of directors, in a statement: “Andy Schuon’s remarkable career reflects a lifelong commitment to innovation, creativity, and serving artists. The ACM board of directors are excited to partner with Andy as we continue to strengthen the Academy’s impact, expand its reach, and create even greater value for our members and the country music community.”
The ACM was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles to represent country music in the Western states, counterbalancing the Nashville-based Country Music Association, which had launched six years earlier. In 2022, the ACM relocated its headquarters from Encino, California to Nashville.
“The organization has a remarkable legacy of celebrating the artists, songwriters, and industry professionals who define country music,” Schuon said in a statement. “As the genre continues to reach new audiences around the world, I see an extraordinary opportunity to strengthen the Academy’s impact, deepen engagement with our members, artists, partners and fans while ensuring the organization continues to lead the industry through its next era of growth and innovation and help shape an even brighter future for country music.”
The news comes two weeks after the Country Music Association announced that Brittany Schaffer, dean of the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business at Belmont University, will take over for retiring CEO Sarah Trahern at the end of the year.
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