Music

How Small Nashville Label Triple Tigers Landed Back to Back Country Airplay No. 1s With Scotty McCreery, Russell Dickerson

For a label with a roster of only four artists, Nashville’s Triple Tigers has scored a tremendous feat: half its roster landed back-to-back No. 1s on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. Russell Dickerson’s bouncy, upbeat “Happen to Me” topped the charts dated Sept. 20 and Sept. 27, after Dickerson’s goofy dance to the tune went viral. Then for the chart dated Oct. 4, Scotty McCreery’s breezy, nostalgic “Bottle Rockets,” which features Hootie & the Blowfish singing their 1994 hit, “Hold My Hand,” soared to No. 1.

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The achievement also marked the first time Triple Tigers landed back-to-back No. 1s, but certainly not the first time Dickerson and McCreery have each reached the summit. Launched in 2016 as a joint venture between Thirty Tigers, Sony Music-owned distributor The Orchard and George Couri’s Triple 8 Management (whose clients include McCreery), the label experienced great success from the start with McCreery’s first five singles and Dickerson’s first four singles going to No. 1 on Country Airplay. But this most recent success earns Kevin Herring, who serves as Triple Tigers co-president alongside Annie Ortmeier, the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week.

Here, Herring, who reports to Thirty Tigers and Triple 8 co-founder Couri and previously served as senior vp of radio promotion until his rise to co-president two years ago, discusses the steps the label took to reach the unplanned milestone and how staying small allows Triple Tigers to compete with much bigger labels. “I really believe this is what makes Triple Tigers a special place for artists to be. We are looking to grow our roster from four artists, but I doubt it will ever be 10,” he says. “Because of the small roster, we can’t afford to miss much. So far, thank goodness, we haven’t.”

This is the first time that Triple Tigers has had back-to-back No. 1s. Was there any hesitation about working both songs to radio at the same time?

From the start there was not a conscious effort to have back-to-back No. 1 songs. There’s really no way to plan that. I wish we were that good. “Bottle Rockets” was actually released 10 weeks after
“Happen To Me,” so it blazed up the chart faster than any of Scotty McCreery’s previous songs, and fortunately the two tracks never got in each other’s way.

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Were there any specific decisions you made in the promotion plan for either artist that you feel were particularly impactful in reaching No. 1?

I’m afraid I’m going to fail miserably at trying to look like a genius here. Both of these songs are No. 1 because they are great songs, with great performances, by amazing artists. Sometimes the songs are that good. I will say, the Triple Tigers promo staff, led by Raffaella Braun, navigated all the potential pitfalls a record can fall into along the way, but there was no stopping these monster hits.

How important was Dickerson’s “Happen to Me” dance that went viral and was re-created with other artists, in different locales, in terms of convincing radio to play it?

I’m just glad Russell never made me do that dance! It might have scuttled the whole project. Seriously though, I think that dance ignited the fun viral aspect that reached beyond his base and introduced him to many new fans. It inspired so much creativity and definitely fueled consumption. Overall, I think it was the song and not the dance that convinced radio to play it, but everything helped make it the hit that it is.

“Happen to Me” has also been Dickerson’s biggest crossover hit, charting on both Adult Pop Airplay and Pop Airplay. How have you partnered with Columbia in working that to non-country formats?

Triple Tigers being owned by The Orchard/Sony, the tie with Columbia is a natural one. We partnered with them to work Ella Langley at country. The synergy with [Columbia executive vp/head of promotion] Peter Gray and the Columbia staff is mutually beneficial.

It was four years and nine months between No. 1s on Country Airplay for Russell. How important was this to his career and taking it to another level? How do you build on this success?

No. 1 is always the goal, but Russell had several hits between No. 1s that continued to build his brand. This No. 1, “Happen To Me,” is bigger though. It checked all the boxes: consumption, radio airplay, research, viral videos and live performance reaction. It reinforces to everyone that Russell Dickerson is a home run hitter, capable of hitting moon shots. So, yes, this was big for Russell, and his follow up single “Worth Your Wild” is the next building block.

How did McCreery interpolating “Hold My Hand” on “Bottle Rockets” and having Hootie & the Blowfish on the single help make it an “event” record for country radio?

Well, I doubt it would be an “event record” without Hootie & The Blowfish. Hearing the demo before their involvement we all thought this was a great song, but the addition of Hootie & The Blowfish took it to another level. There were some programmers who initially wondered if it fit the format, but the instant the audience reaction was so positive, it quickly eased those concerns.

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It took “Bottle Rockets” only 20 weeks to reach No. 1, which, as you mentioned, was the fastest ascent for McCreery. How do you keep that momentum going and does this signal an overall movement with the notoriously slow chart to speedier climbs?

I hope it helps future Scotty and Russell songs move a little faster, as their profile has been raised by these huge hits, but I’ve learned that each song seems to take on its own trajectory. Beyond these two songs, Russell and Scotty have been working tirelessly for the last 10 years to be great partners with radio, so I think that support and growth will continue.

Triple Tigers has a very small roster. How does that allow you to super-serve each of your artists as they go to country radio?

I really believe this is what makes Triple Tigers a special place for artists to be. We are looking to grow our roster from four artists, but I doubt it will ever be 10. I’ve used the analogy a lot of a great juggler. The best juggler in the world will drop the fifth and sixth ball in the air. We always want to maintain a degree of focus many labels with 10 to 30-plus artists can’t provide. Because of the small roster, we can’t afford to miss much. So far, thank goodness, we haven’t.

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