#69: Cole Swindell & Jeffrey Steele | CMA Fest Special Edition

#69: Cole Swindell & Jeffrey Steele | CMA Fest Special Edition

Over 50 artists put their names in the bucket for a chance to play one original song in front of the room, but nobody knew what was coming. Hit songwriter Jeffrey Steele kicked off the night with a 15 minute run of his number one songs, sharing the stories and songs that helped define country music. Then Cole Swindell surprised the crowd for a once in a lifetime Playlisted moment. This episode is everything Playlisted is about. Rising artists, real feedback, Nashville history, and legendary guests giving the next generation a shot. Comedy has Kill Tony. Music has Playlisted. Hosted by Austin Burke CMA Fest Special Episode #69 Featuring Cole Swindell and Jeffrey Steele

#68: Rufio | The Hit Songwriter Behind BTS’s “Butter”

Comedy has Kill Tony.  Music has Playlisted. Artists perform one song in front of a live audience and receive real, unfiltered feedback from industry guest hosts. Rufio Hooks is a Nashville based artist, songwriter, and producer best known as one of the writers behind BTS’s global hit “Butter.” Originally from New Jersey, Rufio has built a reputation for blending pop, country, and global sounds with a sharp ear for melody and commercial songwriting. After “Butter” became a record breaking No. 1 hit, he signed a worldwide publishing deal with Reservoir, further establishing himself as one of the rising creative voices in modern music. His work represents exactly what Playlisted is about, bringing world class songwriters into the room with the next generation of artists trying to figure it out. Performers Include: Evan Williams Kile Antone Traci Vandee Brock Thompson Sam Fink Bubba Erwin Loren & Guthrie

#67: Ava Suppelsa | Writing her first hit song for Max McNown

Comedy has Kill Tony.  Music has Playlisted. Artists perform one song in front of a live audience and receive real, unfiltered feedback from industry guest hosts. Ava Suppelsa is a rising hit songwriter in Nashville with cuts by Carly Pearce, Keith Urban, Max McNown, Randall King, Avery Anna, Donovan Woods, Flatland Cavalry and more. Her catalog has earned over 200 million streams, with songs charting on U.S. and Canadian country radio, including Max McNown’s viral hit “Better Me For You (Brown Eyes).” On this episode, Ava brings real Music Row insight to the next wave of artists chasing their shot. Performers Include: Alex Allegra Chase Holton Talk To Me Goose Embina Jenny Grace Dom Ellis

#66: Haley Mae Campbell | The Reality of Being an Independent Female Artist

Comedy has Kill Tony. Music has Playlisted. Every week, artists step on stage, perform one original song in front of a live Nashville audience, and receive real, unfiltered feedback from some of the biggest names in the music industry. No auditions. No record label required. No industry connections. Just a song, a microphone, and a shot. This weeks special guest, Haley Mae Campbell is an independent country artist paving her own lane with over 30 million on-demand streams, a debut album titled Dear Life, and a sound that blends pop hooks, country storytelling, and Celtic influence from her Irish roots. She made her CMA Fest debut in 2018, has been featured on major Spotify country playlists including New Music Nashville, Breakout Country, and Hot Country, and her video for “Ghost Stories” reached #1 on CMT’s 12-Pack Countdown. Featuring: • Bailey Harmon • Jonah Kraut • Kourtney Branchfield • Ryan Ignatowski • Chace Saunders • Madeline O'DellThe Reality of Being an Independent Female Artist

#65: Jordan Walker (Hit Songwriter)

Comedy has Kill Tony.  Music has Playlisted. Artists perform one song in front of a live audience and receive real, unfiltered feedback from industry guest hosts. Jordan Walker is a hit Nashville songwriter best known for co writing Luke Combs’ multi platinum No. 1 smash “When It Rains It Pours.” He also has major cuts including Kane Brown’s “Backseat Driver,” Drew Baldridge’s “Tough People,” and songs recorded by artists like Cody Johnson, Lainey Wilson, Jordan Davis, Trace Adkins, Mitchell Tenpenny, Cassadee Pope, and more. In 2025, he entered the Top 5 on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart, driven by the success of “Backseat Driver” and “Tough People.” Originally from Vernon, Texas, Jordan has become one of Nashville’s go to writers for songs that feel commercial, emotional, and real. Performers Include: Dalton Jones Johnathon Heilbroun Logan Jarvis  Tyler Kohrs Jon Worthy Sarah Hardwig