Country Music News

Kane Brown earns his 14th career Top 10 hit on Billboard's Country Airplay chart, as "Backseat Driver" climbs to No. 10 this week. The track was written by Jacob Davis and Jordan Walker, and was produced by Dann Huff. It’s lifted from Brown’s recent record, The High Road, which debuted at No. 2 on the Top Country Albums chart back in February. The 31-year-old Brown holds the active streak record of seven straight Country Airplay chart-toppers, tying him with Jelly Roll, while Jelly aims to extend his success with tracks currently rising up the chart like "Heart of Stone" and "Hard Fought Hallelujah." Elsewhere, Morgan Wallen maintains his No. 1 position on Country Airplay for a second week with "I'm the Problem," the title track from his forthcoming 37-song album due out on May 16. Other songs from Wallen’s highly-anticipated album, including "Just in Case" and "I'm Not Coming Back" with Post Malone, are also currently rising on the Country Airplay chart ahead of the record’s release. (Billboard)

On Friday (April 25), Maren Morris announced the dates and details of her 2025 Dreamsicle World Tour. The country star will be promoting her fourth studio album, which is set for release on May 9. The jaunt features dates across North America running from May 30 to September 26, including stops in major cities like New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, and more, before moving to Europe in November. “Dreamsicle felt like it was already translating itself to a live environment while I was writing the album,” Morris shared in a statement. “It was coming to life in the studio without an audience, so I’m very excited to finally allow these songs to hit the air and feel them amplified by the energy of a crowd. It’ll be a dreamy experience all around for fans and for myself.” The tour will feature supporting acts Trousdale, Miya Folick, and Jade LeMac in North America, with Bea and her Business in Europe. General ticket sales start on May 2, with various presales available on April 28 and 30. (Rolling Stone)

During Jelly Roll’s headlining performance at Stagecoach on Saturday night (April 26), Lana Del Rey made a surprise appearance, joining Jelly for a duet performance of "Save Me," with Lana filling in for the track’s original vocalist, Lainey Wilson. “This is my favorite crooner of all time. Lana Del Rey is with me, y’all,” Jelly said as he welcomed her to the stage. This collaboration marked a reunion for Del Rey and Jelly Roll, who had previously shared the stage during Lana’s headlining set at Hangout Festival in 2024, where they did a duet of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama.” Lana wasn’t the only guest star to join Jelly during his big night, with the country singer also joined by BigXthaPlug, Alex Warren, Wiz Khalifa, Jessie Murph, and Brandon Lake. Jelly was also joined by Shaboozey during his Stagecoach set, with the two singers debuting their new duet, “Amen,” which was just released on Friday (April 25). The collaboration is featured on the deluxe reissue of Shaboozey’s recent record, titled Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going: The Complete Edition. (Rolling Stone)

Lana Del Rey's highly-anticipated “very special country set” in the Palomino tent at Stagecoach on Friday night (April 25) featured nods to music icons like Tammy Wynette – with a cover of “Stand By Your Man” – and John Denver during her 65-minute performance. Amid speculation about the country sound of her upcoming album, Del Rey surprised the crowd by name-dropping Morgan Wallen in a new track titled "57.5," which caused a stir among fans. The lyrics include the provocative lines, “I kissed Morgan Wallen, I guess kissing me kind of went to his head. If you want my secret to success, don’t go ATVing with him when you’re out west.” Lana also performed country-tinged new songs "Husband of Mine" and "Quiet in the South," while also collaborating with rising country singer George Birge on his new single, “Cowboy Songs,” and bringing out Secret Sisters to join her on “Let the Light In.” Del Rey's set culminated with a fiddle-infused rendition of Denver’s anthem, "Take Me Home, Country Roads," which was a fitting end to her first appearance at the renowned country festival. (Variety)

During her set at Rock the Country in Knoxville on Friday (April 25), Ella Langley was surprised with her first ACM Award for New Female Artist of the Year through a congratulatory video from Miranda Lambert, the winningest artist in ACM history. Langley is the top-nominated artist for the upcoming 60th ACM Awards with eight nods, and the 25-year-old rising country star expressed her gratitude in an emotional video after the show. “Every day of my life I’ve prayed about this and thought about it. Literally everything I’ve ever done was to be able to do this,” a teary Langley said. Lambert, who called Langley “my soul sister in country music,” won New Female Artist of the Year in 2007, one year after Carrie Underwood took home the award, and one year before Taylor Swift did. Langley is also nominated for Female Artist of the Year and has nods in four categories for “you look like you love me,” her Billboard Country Airplay No. 1 hit featuring Riley Green. (Billboard)

The American Music Honors, an annual event hosted by the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center at Monmouth University in New Jersey, recognized Smokey Robinson, John Fogerty, Emmylou Harris, Tom Morello, and Joe Ely at this year’s ceremony. All honorees except Ely were present to receive their awards, while also performing their classic songs with the help of artists like Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul, Bruce Springsteen, and surprise guests Jackson Browne, Nils Lofgren, Nora Guthrie, and Darlene Love. The intimate, star-studded ceremony was attended by only 714 lucky fans, with Springsteen himself delivering the induction speeches for Ely and Fogerty.

The event featured a series of unique collaborations, including Springsteen performing classic Creedence Clearwater Revival hits with Fogerty, with the Boss also covering a few of Ely's songs, and joining with Robinson on “Going to a Go-Go,” playing with Browne on “Take It Easy,” and pairing with Morello for “The Ghost of Tom Joad” and “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out.” Harris and Patty Scialfa gave an induction speech for Harris, and they dueted on a version of “Red Dirt Girl.” The evening’s finale featured all performers on stage with Love and Guthrie for a rendition of Woodie Guthrie's anthem, "This Land Is Your Land." (Rolling Stone)

SZA’s SOS notches a 13th nonconsecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The record rises two places to claim the top spot once again, aided by the release of an expansive deluxe edition, SOS Deluxe: LANA, on December 20, 2024, along with a February 9 reissue with four additional bonus tracks. Another big move on this week’s Billboard 200, Doechii’s Alligator Bites Never Heal vaults up fourteen places to reach No. 10, following its wider availability on vinyl and first release on CD, becoming the first Top 10 effort for the Grammy-winning Florida rapper.

For the first time in over two months, no albums debut in the Top 10 this week, as the chart is rounded out by all former No. 1s. Kendrick Lamar’s GNX holds at No. 2, Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time climbs three places to No. 3, Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet stays at No. 4, PARTYNEXTDOOR and Drake’s $ome $exy $ongs 4 U remains at No. 5, Bad Bunny’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos drops two spots to No. 8, Playboi Carti’s MUSIC sticks at No. 7, Lady Gaga’s MAYHEM jumps up two slots to No. 8, and Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album ascends five places to No. 9. (Billboard)

Universal Music Group has just unveiled the rebranding of its Nashville operations to Music Corporation of America (MCA). The rebrand is led by recently appointed President/CEO Mike Harris and CCO Dave Cobb, with MCA continuing to operate and support their frontline labels: Mercury Nashville, EMI Nashville, Capitol Nashville and MCA Nashville, along with the newly launched Lucille Records, founded by Cobb. MCA's artist roster boasts major country talents like Alan Jackson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, Darius Rucker, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, George Strait, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Luke Bryan, Reba McEntire, and Vince Gill, with promotional and distribution support provided from Republic Collective nationally and UMG globally. “I want to let the art lead, embrace community, and approach the business with intention,” Cobb said of MCA’s creative goals. “We show up, work hard, and put artists, songwriters, community, and fans first. We want to get this right for them. That’s what this is all about.” (Variety)

During her final show of her Las Vegas residency on April 12, Carrie Underwood was reunited with Noel Miller, a Make-A-Wish recipient with a severe heart condition she first met 15 years ago. The country superstar also donated over $235,000 to the foundation, a portion of which came from her residency ticket sales. Underwood, who has been a WishMaker for nearly 20 years, emphasized the importance of supporting Make-A-Wish and brought Miller on stage to sing "All-American Girl" with her during the emotional performance. "They make dreams come true for kids who need it and deserve it who are in some really dark times in their lives," she told the crowd. Underwood capped off her Reflections residency at Resorts World Theatre after a historic three year run that began back in December 2021, and she now looks forward to returning to her American Idol roots by serving as a judge on the show. (People)

Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton, and LeAnn Rimes lead the list of performers who have just been added to the live lineup at the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards taking place on May 8.  The other new additions to the ACM performance roster are Cody Johnson, Kelsea Ballerini, Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Clint Black, Rascal Flatts and Wynonna Judd, who join the previously announced performers Reba McEntire (who is also set to host the show), Blake Shelton, Eric Church, and Lainey Wilson. Five of these 14 performers are past winners of the coveted ACM Entertainer of the Year award, with McEntire winning the top category in 1995; Brooks & Dunn in 1996, 1997 and 2002; Lambert in 2022; Stapleton in 2023; and Wilson in 2024. More performers will be announced next week. The 60th ACM Awards will take place at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, and will be broadcast live on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, with the telecast expanded to two-and-a-half hours to mark the six-decade milestone of country music. (Billboard)

In a new interview clip featured on Spotify to promote his new album, Morgan Wallen discussed his collaboration with Post Malone on their just released track, "I Ain't Comin' Back." The country superstar revealed how the song ended up on his upcoming album, I'm the Problem, instead of on Malone's F-1 Trillion. "This was written during the time when Post was working on his album," Wallen said of “I Ain’t Comin’ Back.” “I've always loved this song, and I told him, 'Hey, if you don't put this on your album, then I'm gonna put it on mine,'” Wallen explained. “And 'I Had Some Help' just seemed like a more obvious, straight down the middle, 'this song is a hit' type song, so he ended up putting it on his record." Wallen also worked with artists like Eric Church, ERNEST, HARDY, and Tate McRae – his first collaboration with a female artist – on I’m the Problem, which is set to be released on May 16. (People)

Drew Baldridge finds himself on the brink of possibly securing another No. 1 hit with his current Top 15 single, “Tough People,” following up the success of his groundbreaking self-released No. 1 hit from 2024, "She's Somebody’s Daughter.” Working alongside Luke Combs to co-write the impactful song with Adam Sanders and Jordan Walker, Baldridge initially hesitated to cut his own version of the track, since Combs recorded it first. However, with Combs' encouragement and support, Baldridge took the leap, and the song is currently climbing the charts. In addition to his musical achievements, Baldridge launched The Tough People Fund earlier this year to "highlight those individuals, families and communities that are experiencing the toughest of times." Baldridge became the first self-funded artist to reach No. 1 on country radio with their debut single, and the success of “Tough People” should continue his rise in the country ranks, along with his upcoming support slot on Bailey Zimmerman’s New To Country Tour this summer. (People)

On Tuesday (April 22), the Tennessee Board of Parole unanimously recommended that Governor Bill Lee consider pardoning Jelly Roll for his past convictions. The move could potentially allow the singer to travel internationally for performances. After a nearly two-hour session that included testimony from Nashville Sheriff Daron Hall and others, it is now up to Gov. Lee to make the final decision on the pardon. Jelly Roll, born Jason DeFord, expressed gratitude for the board's decision after he shared with them his story of redemption through music, while highlighting his desire to inspire others facing similar challenges. “This was incredible,” Jelly Roll said of the board’s decision. “I pray this goes through. But today was special for me, regardless.” The singer's criminal record has previously hindered his ability to perform overseas, but the potential pardon could remove legal barriers and open up new opportunities for him to share his uplifting musical message with his fans around the world. (Billboard)

The second annual I’m Just Me: A Charley Pride Celebration of Inclusion brunch is set to take place on May 6 at the Hall Park Hotel in Frisco, Texas, preceding the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards by two days. The event will be hosted by Mickey Guyton – a two-time ACM Award nominee and the first Black woman to host the ACM Awards, in 2021 – and will honor individuals who embody Pride’s legacy in country music through leadership in hope, advocacy, and innovation, including honorees like Brittney Spencer, Lionel Richie, Shaboozey, the Freddy Fender Estate, and more. The invite-only celebration, presented by Amazon MGM Studios in partnership with Amazon Music and the Academy of Country Music, aims to support diversity in the genre. “We’re honored to support this celebration that uplifts trailblazers pushing the genre forward, while reaffirming our commitment to broadening the narrative and welcoming a wider range of voices into the spotlight,” Ryan Redington, GM of Amazon Music, said in a statement. (Billboard)

The 2025 Grammy Hall of Fame Gala will feature performances by country legend Emmylou Harris, R&B icon Eddie Floyd, and Big Star drummer Jody Stephens. The event will take place on Friday, May 16 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, and will celebrate the recordings being inducted this year. Harris will perform alongside Daniel Lanois and Brian Blade for a song from her 1995 album, Wrecking Ball, Floyd will be honored for his classic "Knock on Wood," and Big Star will be celebrated for their 1972 album, #1 Record. Other performers include Cindy Blackman, Ledisi, Leslie Odom Jr., Orianthi, and the music label, Republic Records, will also be recognized. Jon Batiste is set to perform and will also be the inaugural recipient of the Ray Charles Architect of Sound Award. CBS News journalist Anthony Mason will host the event, which will celebrate the 13 newly inducted recordings that have reached the standards of "qualitative or historical significance" in music. (Billboard)

On Wednesday (April 23), the American Music Awards announced their complete list of nominations for their 2025 ceremony – the first AMAs following a two-year hiatus. Kendrick Lamar leads the way with 10 nods, followed by Post Malone with eight, and Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, and Shaboozey each receiving seven nominations. New categories for Album, Song, and Social Song of the Year have been added, and artists like Beyoncé, Charli XCX, Sabrina Carpenter, and Taylor Swift are among the nominees for Album of the Year. The stacked list of nominees for Artist of the Year includes Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, Kendrick Lamar, Morgan Wallen, Post Malone, Sabrina Carpenter, SZA, Taylor Swift, and Zach Bryan. The award show will be broadcast live from Las Vegas on May 26 via CBS and streaming on Paramount+, and will be hosted by Jennifer Lopez. Voting is currently open for all categories on the AMA website. (Rolling Stone)

Runaway June's "New Kind of Emotion" was shared with country radio by Quartz Hill on March 24, captivating country listeners with their tight harmonies and infectious hooks. The trio, which features founder Jennifer Wayne and lead vocalist Stevie Woodward and fiddler-vocalist Natalie Stovall, worked with songwriter Paul Sikes on the track, and he helped the group find their collective voices together. “The song and the melody felt like it was a very summery, nostalgic song,” Woodward recalls of the song’s origins, which stemmed from a family gathering. “My thought was, ‘Well, what if it was a song about driving down the Pacific Coast Highway?’ I saw a convertible with the roof off, and I thought of the song ‘Wild Horses’ by The Rolling Stones, one of my favorite bands.” The group’s three-part harmony and unique chord structures form the band's signature sound, while their collaborative songwriting process culminates in an emotionally rich country song that is sure to heat up airwaves this summer. (Billboard)

On Monday (April 21), Faith Hill and Tim McGraw showed their support for their daughter, Gracie McGraw, as she performed in The Great War & The Great Gatsby at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The 27-year-old actress, known for her role in Tyler Perry's If Loving You Is Wrong, received a standing ovation from her famous parents, with Hill wiping away tears during the emotional performance. The production, a part of John Monsky's American History Unbound series, explores World War I through symphonic and visual presentations, with the performance also commemorating the 100th anniversary of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel, The Great Gatsby. Gracie McGraw shared the stage with Broadway veterans during the sold-out show directed by Michael Mayer, with a second performance taking place on Tuesday (April 22) that was filmed and will air later on television. (People)

Bailey Zimmerman and Luke Combs are getting ready to release their new collaboration, "Backup Plan," teasing fans with a sneak peek of their anthem in a recent Instagram video. Zimmerman currently has a hit collaboration with BigXThaPlug, “All The Way,” which debuted at No. 4 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, and this pairing with country superstar Combs should be another big hit for the rising star. The duo did not give a specific release date for the highly-anticipated duet, hinting only that the song will be "coming soon." Combs has some high-profile festival appearances scheduled this spring/summer, beginning with his headlining set at Stagecoach this weekend, followed by the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee, and Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island. Zimmerman’s next show is May 3 at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, and he’s also scheduled to play Morgan Wallen’s Sand in My Boots festival in May, and at June’s CMA Fest in Nashville. (Billboard)

In a new interview with People, Dasha revealed that she is set to debut her new single, "Give Me a Second," at Stagecoach this weekend. “I'm really excited this year to have my own set at the main stage,” Dasha shared about her afternoon slot on Saturday (April 26). “I'm going to have four dancers on stage, some other folks on stage with me as well and [am] going to be debuting a new song. Stagecoach is going to be the first to see it.” Dasha also revealed that her forthcoming new project will be an EP release, “with another EP in October that combines into a bigger album.” She also tipped her cap to those who refer to her as "Trailer Swift." “Honestly, I think it's really creative,” she said. “I have to give them some points [for] that. It's f---ing hilarious.” She credits Taylor Swift with inspiring her approach to songwriting and performing, while also attributing her focus on storytelling in her music to her childhood idol. (People)