Step One (September – April): Part 1: Artists desiring to be considered for a slot on any of the Extreme Tour Teams must file an application via our online application page.
Unlike most other industry opportunities, we do, on occasion, accept artist applications that are categorized as "Unsolicited Applications". "Unsolicited Applications" are submissions from artists that have not already been in previous communication with a member of our A&R staff. Similar to the process of submissions through Music XRay, Sonicbids, and other online music opportunity services, "Unsolicited Applications", when accepted, require a submission fee in order to be accepted and processed.
On occasion, in the course of their work to prepare and execute the tour each year, members of our A&R team may find specific artists they have interest in potentially including on the upcoming roster. In such cases, they will begin a dialog that may lead to an invitation to apply for the Extreme Tour as a "Preferred Artist Applicant". "Preferred Artist Applicants" are given a link to an expedited application process, a code specific to them that removes the required application submission fee, and a priority ranking, in the selection process, over "Unsolicited Applications" submitted by the general public. "Preferred Artist Applicants" also receive an invitation to meet, if they desire, with members of the selection panel, as well as with many of our industry friends, during the by-invitation only "Call Back" sessions the panel holds in Nashville and the UK each year.
The Extreme Tour works with a number of community organizations that provide direct services to underage minors and other vulnerable populations. Selected artists may, on occasion, interact personally with these youth both on and off stage. To ensure we are practicing the due diligence our insurance and local partners expect of us, all applicants that are advanced to the final approval stage of consideration must be screened through an in house background check process. This process is primarily focused on the potential criminal history of an applicant and does not include a credit check or the submission of invasive personal information. There is a small cost for the expense of this process but, again, applicants do not need to submit invasive information for that to be processed.
*** BE ADVISED ***We are currently not accepting "Unsolicited Applications" from the general public. At this time, we are only accepting applications from Preferred Artist Applicants. Potential General applicants who wish to be considered for "Preferred Artist Applicant" status, may reach out to us using the Contact Page on our website. If time and space allows, a member of our A&R Team will reach out with more information on how to submit an application when the opportunity becomes available again.
*Artists approved for participation on an Extreme Tour roster will not be required to pay any additional fees or commissions if selected.
Step Two (January – April): A notice of the applications that are submitted is sent to our Artist Selection Panel for their review. The members of this panel are also notified of any recommendations that may have been made by a member of our staff on behalf of that applicant. Each member of the panel reviews every application submitted through the page (Recommended Applications filed directly with us on this site) and notes the artists they personally believe may be appropriate for our team rosters. They then approve these artists for advancement to PHASE TWO of our Approval Process, along with the select artists that received a referral from one of our Staff Members.
Step Three (March – April): Artists that have been advanced to Phase Two of the Approval Process are considered semi finalists in the Approval Process. Such applicants are notified by email of their advancement in the Approval Process. The Artists Selection Panel collaborates together to review and consider these applicants for inclusion on one of the rosters. Applicants may be asked further questions by the Artist Selection Panel during this phase of the Approval Process.
A top group of applicants will be selected by the panel as finalists and possibly receive an invitation to personally meet with members of our staff, our artist selection panel, top veteran artists, as well as industry professionals who contribute their opinions about these applicants as part of our review process. Accepting that invitation to meet with us is not required for an applicant to be considered and possibly approved, but participation in these meetings often greatly enhances the likelihood of Approval, and the experience is designed to be very valuable for invited applicants regardless of the ultimate status of their approval for our roster.
Step Four (April – May): Our Staff and the members of our Artist Selection Panel, as well as a number of our friends from the music industry, meet personally with finalists who have responded to our invitation to meet. During these sessions, some artists may also have the opportunity to perform live for the panel, or to receive coaching and critique from our industry friends who have mentored the top artists recording today. There is no charge to simply attend these sessions, but you must be invited by the Artist Selection Panel as these are private "closed door" sessions.
Following these meetings, our Artist Selection Panel votes for the applicants they believe are best suited to fill the roster. Observations from our industry friends are considered during this process, and Recommended Artists receive some preference based on their recommended status. Not all Recommended Artists will be approved however, and some artists may be approved that have not received a recommendation prior to applying. Recommended Artists have historically been approved at a significantly higher rate over non recommended artists, however.
Step Five (April – May): Applicants that have been approved by our Artist Selection Panel will be separated into three different tiers of approval. Approved Applicants will then be notified by email that they have been Approved for inclusion on the Extreme Tour Roster for one of our teams and will be informed of which tier of approval they have been assigned.
There are three possible tiers of selection status that an artist may be granted:
TIER ONE level artists are generally artists that we have not worked with before, or that have little to no demonstrated national or international name recognition or draw. These artists do receive a partial tour support package that includes some food and/or lodging, but these artists are responsible for all of their transportation expenses.
TIER TWO level artists are generally artists that we place a high priority on as well, but who may not have a fully developed national or international name recognition or draw. They are given priority over Tier One artists, and they receive an enhanced tour support package that includes food, lodging and may include possible varying levels of transportation support.
TIER THREE level artists are generally artists serving in special support roles beyond just performance, artists that we may have worked with in the past, or that artists that have demonstrated national or international name recognition and draw. A high priority has been placed on their application and they receive the highest level of possible tour support, including food, lodging, transportation assistance, and possibly more.
Again, approved artists receive a notification of their tier level with the initial email they receive notifying them of their approved status.
With this notification, approved artists should receive a copy of the current Extreme Tour schedule, an artist Orientation Booklet with critical information about their potential involvement, and administrative documents for their review, completion, and return.
Approved artists are asked to review the current schedule and indicate which dates they are available and would like to request to be scheduled for. From the list of dates that approved artists send us indicating their availability, we confirm the dates we can use them for and send them notice of that confirmation.
Only at that point, approved artists may publicize their involvement with The Extreme Tour.
Step Six (June – September): Phase two artists, or artists who received a pre-application recommendation from one of our A&R Team, that were NOT APPROVED during Step Six will be notified of any slots that may reopen on the roster due to previously approved artists being unable to accept of fulfill the slots that were offered to them by the Artist Selection Panel. At that time, they will be able to indicate their desire to be reconsidered for those slots. These reopened slots typically go to the artists that answer the quickest and that blend well with the other artists scheduled for those particular dates. Such notifications are sent as they are necessary and may be issued at any time throughout The Extreme Tour schedule.
It’s important to note that the selection process is ongoing and some stages of the process continue even beyond the initial start of The Extreme Tour schedule. Naturally, the rosters for the earlier dates are confirmed first, and then the rosters for the later dates are confirmed consecutively. Do not be disheartened if you have not received a confirmation early on. It does take time to move through the phases, and there can be several rounds of selections in each phase. Sometimes, a slot or two will even reopen throughout the schedule and artists not initially approved will, in fact, be approved upon a second review of their application. The possibility of approval exists well into the summer schedule.
We ask that applicants be vigilant to watch your email for correspondence from our team as they move through these phases of the selection process.
Applicants must be diligent to provide such response in a timely manner. Particularly if they are one of the selected artists that receives an invitation to meet with our panel. Invited artists planning to attend are required to file an RSVP right away, upon receipt of their invitation, so we can arrange to schedule time with them during those sessions.
If you have any additional questions regarding the application process or The Extreme Tour, please refer to our F.A.Q.
Please note, we try not to use social media for professional communication. Please do not send your questions through these means.
Thank you.