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Chad Hillard

@chadhillydilly

2.6K

followers

2535

following

a&r research operator @beforethedata
mgmt co. @dreamsnevrdie

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Before The Data grew out of years spent finding artists early. FINNEAS and Charlie Puth are part of that story.

Today, our AI agents search farther, while human judgment decides what deserves a closer look.

Try the full dashboard free for 3 days at beforethedata.com by @chadhillydilly

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3 months ago

CONNECT OR DIE. ⚡ The HOOKED panel just dropped a massive truth bomb on David Slayton @warplayofficial. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what you’re doing if you can’t go on the internet and connect with an audience. @itshollis pointed out the unfortunate reality that we are forced to focus on TikTok and Instagram, but @chadhillydilly shut down the excuses instantly: “If you’re crying about that, don’t be an artist.” This is the new world. It is a connection economy. You either adapt and build your audience, or you get left behind. Are you building a real connection online, or still complaining about the algorithm? Drop your verdict in the comments. 👇

Episode 06 is LIVE. #gethooked 🪝 taken in The Eighth Room by @chadhillydilly

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3 months ago

THE TRUTH ABOUT AI. 🤖 @chadhillydilly just dropped the ultimate reality check for the industry on the HOOKED stage. While everyone in the music business is crying about AI-generated music, the consumers absolutely do not care. Just look at @rhodesofjoy, a clearly AI-powered artist with 1.6 million user-generated content pieces. The market has spoken. It is not about the “human” label; it is about the sound and the connection it creates. Stop fearing the tech and start understanding the data. Is the industry holding onto a dying narrative by fighting AI? Drop your verdict in the comments. 👇

Episode 06 is LIVE. #gethooked 🪝 taken in The Eighth Room by @chadhillydilly

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4 months ago

PLAN B IS FOR HOBBYISTS. 🩸 @chadhillydilly just dropped the ultimate reality check for @ashleychristensenmusic and every other artist stepping onto the HOOKED stage. You have to define your “Why.” If your reason for making music is soft, you will not survive the meat grinder. You must believe you have an undeniable gift for the world, and you must have absolute, relentless determination to deliver it. No backup plans. No safety nets. If you had to define your “”Why”” in one sentence, what is it? Drop it in the comments. 👇 #gethooked 🪝 taken in The Eighth Room by @chadhillydilly

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4 months ago

999 WILL FAIL. 📉 @chadhillydilly just delivered the most brutal reality check the HOOKED stage has ever seen. You can call him a hater, but the statistics do not care about your feelings. He has signed the artists, put out the songs, and watched the math play out. Out of a thousand artists signed, 999 of them are going to fail. That is the absolute reality of how tough the music business is. @itshollis backed it right up, because anyone who has survived the meat grinder knows the truth. Are you the 1 in 1000, or just another statistic waiting to happen? Drop your proof in the comments. 👇

Episode 06 is LIVE. #gethooked 🪝 taken in The Eighth Room by @chadhillydilly

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4 months ago

THE EPICENTER IS HERE. 🪝 The industry’s top snipers have spoken. @chadhillydilly and @lancegoodman1520 just confirmed exactly why any artist should pay attention to the HOOKED platform. This show is not just a stage. We are giving you the blueprint to explode your career. You guys are here early, but this is about to blow up. Are you ready to see where the industry is going, or are you going to keep doing it the hard way? Drop your verdict in the comments. 👇

Episode 06 is LIVE. #gethooked 🪝 taken in The Eighth Room by @chadhillydilly

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4 months ago

THE MILLION DOLLAR CAVEAT. 💰 @chadhillydilly just dropped the ultimate cheat code on the HOOKED stage. Breaking through the noise takes massive conviction. If you actually believe you have a story to tell the world, you will achieve it. But Chad revealed the biggest secret to success is the exact opposite of what you expect. Do not listen to the panel. Do not listen to anyone. Your only job is to fiercely protect your connection with the music and your audience. Do you agree with Chad, or do new artists need industry advice to survive the meat grinder? Drop your verdict in the comments. 👇

Episode 06 is LIVE. #gethooked 🪝 taken in The Eighth Room by @chadhillydilly

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4 months ago

Meet Chad Hillard. @chadhillydilly The founder of @beforethedata and Hillydilly, and the legendary A&R scout credited with the early discovery of Billie Eilish and Lorde. He does not wait for a viral moment; he predicts it. Weaponizing decades of scouting instinct, he filters the noise to find generational talent before the rest of the industry even wakes up. He is the definitive tastemaker taking his seat on the HOOKED Assassin panel. If your track lacks authentic vision and undeniable momentum, he will shut it down before you even hit the pre-chorus.

Episode 06 is LIVE. #gethooked 🪝 taken in The Eighth Room by @chadhillydilly

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4 months ago

TONIGHT! DOORS AT 6:30PM at @THE_EIGHTH_ROOM

“We are about to witness the most degenerate night in music.” When Chad takes the mic to set the rules of engagement, the room listens. He didn’t step onto the stage to hand out participation trophies or nod along to safe, industry-plant pop. He came to burn the polite Nashville rulebook to the ground and unleash pure, unfiltered chaos. The era of boring music is dead. Welcome to the frontline. #gethooked 🪝 taken in The Eighth Room by @chadhillydilly

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4 months ago

Some of the people I’ve met frequenting @the_eighth_room over the past year are some of the coolest and most interesting people I’ve ever met, and @realjimmorris is definitely one of them. 👊

📸: @storyhouse_collective by @chadhillydilly

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4 months ago

A music fan started a blog in 2007.

19 years later, it’s an AI-powered A&R dashboard.

The signal shows up early. If you know how to listen.

Link in bio → by @chadhillydilly

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6 months ago

Data is king. But curation armed with AI & data is the signal through the noise.

That’s @beforethedata. Link in bio. by @chadhillydilly

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7 months ago