Garth Brooks Exits Tune-In Partnership

Garth Brooks and TuneIn have ended their three-year partnership behind the SEVENS Radio Network, a move tied to TuneIn’s recent acquisition by Stingray Group Inc. Two of the network’s stations — The Garth Channel and Tailgate Radio — signed off Tuesday. 

The BIG 615 will remain on TuneIn through the end of 2026 but will no longer be affiliated with Brooks or SEVENS. Brooks said he plans to announce new broadcast and multimedia initiatives in the coming months. 

“The Stingray family has been fantastic in the transition along with TuneIn’s people,” he said. “We couldn’t be happier with the three years we have spent with them and wish them well on their future endeavors and hope we cross paths in the future.” 

No official announcement has been made about the future of SEVENS staff. That group includes Storme Warren, the on-air voice of The BIG 615; Program Director Bob Richards; and Music Director Monta Vaden, who helped build the flagship country station after its June 2023 launch. Warren and Vaden later won CRS/Country Aircheck honors for national personality and national programmer/curator, respectively. The partnership began in May 2023, when Brooks made TuneIn the exclusive home of SEVENS after ending a six-year run of The Garth Channel on SiriusXM. The network was conceived as a suite of free, globally available stations curated by Brooks. 

The BIG 615 launched first as a country music outlet broadcasting from Nashville’s Music Row. Tailgate Radio followed that August as a music-and-sports hybrid. The Garth Channel returned on TuneIn that fall with Brooks’ catalog, favorites from other artists, and personal stories. TuneIn had marketed the channels to its tens of millions of monthly listeners across apps, web, smart speakers, and connected vehicles.