CMA Awards
* The gala event lived up to its reputation, as the viewers liked what they saw enough to go out and invest in the music. In the week immediately following the CMA Awards broadcast, the Billboard Top 75 Country albums chart reflected a 166 percent increase according to Nielsen SoundScan, factoring in new releases from Shania Twain (529,567) and Toby Keith (435,489) who performed on the CMA Awards. According to Nielsen SoundScan, more than 30 other artists who either performed or presented trophies on the CMA Awards also enjoyed sales spikes.
* For the first time, Brooks & Dunn hosted the CMA Awards with special guest Shania Twain. Kenny Chesney won his first two CMA Awards, including Album and Entertainer of the Year. Keith Urban fulfilled the promise of his Horizon Award win in 2001 when he was named Male Vocalist of the Year in 2004. Martina McBride was named Female Vocalist of the Year for the fourth time, tying the record set by Reba McEntire. And the year's biggest new success story, Gretchen Wilson, took home the Horizon Award. During the Awards broadcast, former music industry executive Jim Foglesong and legendary singer/songwriter Kris Kristofferson were formally inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
* On Oct. 5, New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and CMA President Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn announced that the 2005 CMA Awards will be held at New York City's Madison Square Garden on Nov. 15, 2005. This one-year move is designed to increase the awareness for Country Music in the media capital of the world. That same day, Brooks and Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell announced in Nashville that the CMA Awards will return to Music City, USA in 2006 for the CMA Awards 40th Anniversary celebration from the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville.
Country Radio
* Country continued to be the dominant radio genre in 2004 with 2,021 stations across the U.S., according to Inside Radio/M Street.
* Billboard's Top Five Hot Country Singles & Tracks included: No. 1-Tim McGraw, "Live Like You Were Dying;" No. 2-Alan Jackson, "Remember When;" No. 3-Keith Urban, "You'll Think Of Me;" No. 4-Kenny Chesney featuring/Uncle Kracker, "When The Sun Goes Down;" and No. 5-John Michael Montgomery, "Letters From Home."
* Radio & Records' Top Five Country Songs included: No. 1-Alan Jackson, "Remember When;" No. 2-Kenny Chesney featuring/Uncle Kracker, "When the Sun Goes Down;" No. 3-John Michael Montgomery, "Letters from Home;" No. 4-Rascal Flatts, "Mayberry;" and No. 5-Tim McGraw, "Live Like You Were Dying."
Television
· Julie Roberts performed atop "Tom Turkey," the first float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, watched by an estimated 55 million television viewers on the NBC Television Network. The float, sponsored by Big 3 Entertainment, featured signs promoting "The 39th Annual CMA Awards" in New York City in 2005.
· Tim McGraw raked in the ratings for his second NBC television special "Here and Now," which featured appearances by R&B artist Nelly, Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre and McGraw's wife Faith Hill. The McGraw special won its time period in 18-49, total viewers and other key categories. Toby Keith and Willie Nelson kicked off the Super Bowl pre-show; Rascal Flatts performed on "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve;" Kenny Rogers appeared on the ABC special "The Nick & Jessica Variety Hour;" Alison Krauss performed two songs from the movie soundtrack "Cold Mountain" on the Academy Awards; Kid Rock, Merle Haggard, Jerry Lee Lewis and Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards paid tribute to Willie Nelson on the USA Network special "Outlaws and Angels;" and Kenny Chesney performed on NBC's "Christmas at Rockefeller Center."
· Sitcoms were a good place to find Country artists in 2004. Trace Adkins, John Hiatt and Travis Tritt appeared on CBS's "Yes Dear;" Adkins' voice also made a repeat appearance on the animated FOX series "King of the Hill;" Comics Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall and Larry the Cable Guy brought the success of their stand-up tour to the WB with the variety program "Blue Collar TV;" Country comedian Rodney Carrington landed his own show "Rodney," on ABC; and Reba McEntire celebrated the fourth season of her WB show "Reba."
· Country artists hit the talk show circuit with Shania Twain taking over Nashville's Lower Broadway for ABC's "Good Morning America" live concert series. While in Music City, USA, the morning show toured the homes of Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn, LeAnn Rimes and Joe Don Rooney of Rascal Flatts. "60 Minutes" taped a segment in Nashville spotlighting the meteoric rise of MusikMafia members Big & Rich and Gretchen Wilson; and "The Oprah Winfrey Show" featured Kenny Chesney and Martina McBride performing at Oprah's huge baby shower for the wives of U.S. soldiers. Clint Black, his wife Lisa Hartman Black and Wynonna also appeared on "Oprah."