#71: Clay Hunnicutt | Hall of Fame Music Executive

Comedy has Kill Tony. Music has Playlisted.Welcome to Playlisted, the live music show where rising artists perform one original song in front of a live audience and receive real, unfiltered feedback from music industry guest hosts.In Episode #71, Clay Hunnicutt returns to Playlisted for a real look inside what it takes to break artists, build careers, and spot talent before the rest of the world catches on.Clay is a 2025 Country Radio Hall of Fame inductee, Co-Founder of Honey Music, former EVP of Label Operations at Big Machine Label Group, former GM of Big Machine Records, and former President and Partner of Big Loud Records. Throughout his career, Clay has helped shape the paths of artists including Morgan Wallen, HARDY, Jake Owen, Chris Lane, and more.Before the label world, Clay built a powerhouse career in country radio, rising from an unpaid intern at US-101 in Chattanooga to major programming roles with Clear Channel and iHeartMedia, including national leadership over country programming. In this episode, he brings decades of experience from both radio and records to talk about artist development, what labels are really looking for, how to stand out in Nashville, and what separates a good artist from an artist people want to bet on.This is not a writers round. This is not a normal podcast. This is where tomorrow’s artists get heard by the people who can change their careers.Performers include:Jessee LeeDuncan Brothers BandLuke WilliamsBrother JoeJohn D NeaRecorded live at Green Light Bar in Nashville, Tennessee.Subscribe for more episodes of Playlisted, where rising artists, hit songwriters, producers, publishers, managers, label executives, and country music stars come together for real songs, real feedback, and real music industry conversations.Follow Playlisted:Instagram: @playlistedpodTikTok: @playlistedpodclipsYouTube: @playlistedpodHosted by Austin Burke.#Playlisted #ClayHunnicutt #Nashville #CountryMusic #MusicIndustry #Songwriters #WritersRound #MorganWallen #HARDY #BigLoud #BigMachine #NewArtists