By Jem Aswad, Steven J. Horowitz, Chris Willman
More than a decade after the condescending comment (from a male executive who shall remain nameless) about female artists being the “tomatoes in the salad” of country radio, things have indeed come a long way.
In 2026 alone, Ella Langley has had the No. 1 single and album on the Billboard Hot 100 and 200 charts, Megan Maroney scored a chart-topping album as well, while artists from Lainey Wilson and Kelsea Ballerini to Miranda Lambert and Reba McEntire continue to reign, and Kacey Musgraves has made a full return to her country roots.
The same has been true of female executives over the past decade, and the Women of Nashville Entertainment list — following last year’s Variety Nashville Power of Women Impact Report — is another showcase of the formidable power and influence women have on the business. Yet there is still a long way to go.
“I think one of the biggest challenges is that women still have to prove themselves in ways that men just don’t,” says honoree Tracy Martin, president of the Core Entertainment. “The fix isn’t complicated. It’s about access and trust: more women in decision-making roles, more women given real authority, not just support roles. And, honestly, it’s also on all of us to back each other up more. When women are in positions to hire, advocate and open doors, that’s when you start to see real change.”
In that spirit, Variety presents our Women of Nashville Entertainment report of 2026. Please note: This is not a traditional, ranked power list — it’s intended to be some of the most important and influential execs in town, rather than “the biggest” — and in an effort to cast a wide net, we have not repeated any of last year’s honorees. Congratulations all around!
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Emily Cohen Belote
Image Credit: Courtesy Image Global lead for country music programming Amazon Music
In her decade with Amazon Music, Cohen Belote has continued to expand the platform’s influence within the country genre through artist development, programming and large-scale initiatives. In 2025, she led the selection and rollout of Carter Faith as an Amazon Music Breakthrough artist, helped shape the platform’s Country Music Month programming via live activations and a Grand Ole Opry takeover, and grew its “Country Heat” and “Bonfire” discovery playlists. Just as significantly, she played a central role in shaping Amazon Music’s strategy for the 2026 Stagecoach festival, leading the playlisting approach that anchored the campaign and using “Country Heat” to connect fans with key artists and moments ahead of the festival.
