Kane Brown Surprised With Second Gold Record During Industry Gathering For “What Ifs”

Kane Brown first hears the news of his Top 20 “What Ifs” single’s RIAA Gold certification. Photo: Alan Poizner

Country newcomer Kane Brown was invited to a industry gathering at WME for what he thought was an event honoring his agent, Rob Beckham, on Monday, July 17.

When Sony Nashville’s Randy Goodman welcomed the crowd after Brown’s arrival, the program immediately revealed the true purpose behind the gathering: Brown’s latest single, “What Ifs,” was announced to have earned Gold certification.

“We’ve been giving out Gold and Platinum records on behalf of the industry for almost 60 years,” said the RIAA’s Liz Kennedy. “In the last six months, only four country songs have been released and certified in our program. One of those songs was Kane Brown’s…”

To a standing ovation, Brown walked before the gathering to accept his plaque for the song he co-wrote with Matt McGinn and Jordan Schmidt, featuring Brown’s middle school pal and UMG Nashville breakout star Lauren Alaina, who was not in attendance.

“I just want to say thanks to everybody that has been behind,” said the reserved Brown, naming a few executives he spotted in the audience from UMPG, Sony and WME. “I wouldn’t be where I’m at today if it wasn’t for y’all. And thank you for believing in me even with all the hate on Facebook.” [laughs]

Pictured (L-R): WME’s Braeden Rountree, EFG Management’s Martha Earls, Kane Brown, RIAA Director of Communication and Gold & Platinum Awards Program Liz Kennedy and Sony Music Nashville Chairman & CEO Randy Goodman. Photo: Alan Poizner

Goodman introduced a sizzle reel he described as showing the breadth of what Brown has been up to.

“It’s nice to step back and take a look at the enormity of the body of work that Kane Brown has already produced with records, at radio and on the road,” said Goodman. “We thought we had it updated, but as of today, [“What Ifs”] went Top 20, and by the end of the day today we’re 15 stations away from being locked.”

The single also marks the Academy of Country Music New Male Vocalist and CMT Music Awards Breakthrough Video of the Year nominee’s first Top 20 hit, with more than 66 million streams to date. His debut single, “Used to Love You Sober,” was certified Gold earlier this year from his debut album, released at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums and Top 10 on the Billboard 200 charts in December 2016. The album earned Brown the fourth best-selling new artist debut in album sales across all genres.

In addition to headlining the Monster Energy Outbreak Ain’t No Stopping Us Now and the Hometown Proud Tours, Brown has earned opening slots for Florida Georgia Line and Jason Aldean.

Pictured (L-R): Sony Music Nashville’s Jim Catino, Caryl Healey, Ken Robold and Randy Goodman; EFG Management’s Martha Earls; Kane Brown; RIAA Director of Communications and Gold & Platinum Program Liz Kennedy; Sony Music Nashville’s Steve Hodges and Alaina Vehec. Photo: Alan Poizner [Click for full size]

Pictured (L-R): Universal Music Publishing Group’s Kent Earls, Sony Music Nashville’s Jim Catino, Ken Robold and Randy Goodman; EFG Management’s Martha Earls; Kane Brown; and, Sony Music Nashville’s Steve Hodges; WME’s Braeden Rountree and Rob Beckham. Photo: Alan Poizner [Click for full size]