Billboard Senior Chart Manager Wade Jessen Passes

Wade Jessen, Billboard's senior chart manager and supporter of Airplay 360 died March 5 at Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tenn., following a heart attack.
Jessen had served on Airplay 360 founder, Ace Alexander's radio seminar panels and had even written columns for Airplay 360 digital magazine.

The 53-year-old media veteran and country music champion had just observed his 20th anniversary as the head of Billboard's country, bluegrass, Christian and gospel charts in December. During his tenure, he was a fixture in the Nashville music business, overseeing the charts with unflagging integrity and a dedication to detail.

Jessen commandeered the country charts during a particularly significant transition period as Billboard converted Hot Country Songs to a hybrid system in 2012 after decades in which the business' most reliable rankings were determined solely by radio airplay. 

Ace Alexander and the Airplay 360 team offers our most sincere condolences to Wade Jessen's family and friends. He was truly a treasure and will be greatly missed.

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About Airplay 360

AIRPLAY 360 is a monthly published digital magazine designed to inform, empower and motivate independent inspirational musical artists by offering a soundboard of information provided by artists, producers, label executives and other industry professionals.