Billboard Country Live
On Friday (May 30), a new wave of performers was unveiled for Billboard Country Live, coming June 5-6 to Category 10, Luke Combs’ Nashville bar and live music venue. The event will spotlight some of country music’s emerging talent alongside influential industry power players.
The festivities kick off Wednesday, June 4, with an exclusive gathering on the rooftop of Category 10 honoring Billboard’s Country Power Players, a premier event, presented by Bud Light, recognizing the most influential figures shaping the genre today — including Stacy Vee of Goldenvoice/AEG, our 2025 Executive of the Year.
On Thursday, June 5, the excitement continues with a showcase concert presented by Bud Light, which will feature newly announced country hitmaker Mitchell Tenpenny joining a lineup that already includes Alexandra Kay, Ashley Cooke, Drew Baldridge, Max McNown and Reyna Roberts. The showcase-style concert inside Category 10 will also include Billboard‘s video lounge, where Major League Baseball will film exclusive interviews with the country stars behind players’ walk-up songs.
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Tenpenny’s history on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart extends back to 2018 and includes three top 10s of eight total hits: 2018’s “Drunk Me” and 2022’s “Truth About Me,” which both peaked at No. 2, and his chart-topping Chris Young duet “At the End of a Bar” in 2021.
The Billboard Country Live celebration extends to Friday, June 6, with a second night of music that will spotlight “Country on the Rise,” shining a light on the genre’s future hitmakers. Featured performers will include Cooper Alan, Graham Barham, Harper Grace, Jake Worthington, Tayler Holder and Timmy McKeever.
Find the full lineups below, and to attend, visit live.billboard.com/country to RSVP.
Billboard Country Live is set to return to Nashville this summer, with the Bud Light-presented, two-day tentpole celebration highlighting rising country stars and industry tastemakers on June 5-6 at venue Category 10 in downtown Nashville.
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The country music celebration will launch on Wednesday, June 4, with an exclusive gathering held on the rooftop of Category 10, honoring Billboard’s Country Power Players and recognizing the most influential executives shaping and leading the country music genre today.
On Thursday, June 5, a showcase concert presented by Bud Light will spotlight rising artists, with live performances from Alexandra Kay, Ashley Cooke, Drew Baldridge, Max McNown and Reyna Roberts. Inside Billboard’s video lounge, Major League Baseball will film exclusive interviews with the country stars featured in players’ walk-up songs.
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The celebration will continue Friday, June 6, with a second evening of music that will feature “Country on the Rise,” honoring the future of the genre with a lineup set to be announced in coming weeks.
Each of the artists featured in the showcase concert on June 5 have earned ever-heightening career milestones in recent years. In 2024, Baldridge earned a top five hit on the Country Airplay chart with “She’s Somebody’s Daughter (Reimagined).” Kay, who signed with BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville this year, also released her latest single “Cupid’s a Cowgirl.” Cooke earned a No. 2 Country Airplay chart hit with “Your Place” and recently teamed with Joe Jonas on the song “All I Forgot.” McNown broke through with his song “A Lot More Free,” while his song “Better Me for You (Brown Eyes)” cracked the top 30 on the Hot Country Songs chart. Roberts released her debut album, Bad Girl Bible Vol. 1, in 2023 and last year was featured on the song “Blackbiird” from Beyoncé’s Grammy-winning Cowboy Carter album, as well as providing background vocals on the album’s track “Tyrant.”
Since its origin in 1894, Billboard has become the essential barometer of music success, through its authoritative charts, news, detailed analysis, multi-platform storytelling and multiple events that celebrate artists and various industry sectors. Billboard’s annual events also include the Billboard Power 100, Billboard Women in Music, Billboard Latin Music Week and Billboard Live.
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Tetris Kelly:Did Beyonce shade Lizzo as she’s getting sued? Hip-hop legend Lil Wayne is on our cover. Dua Lipa is “Levitating” back to court, as Ludacris is generous and Nate Smith teaches us hometown slang. I’m Tetris, it’s Billboard News and it’s Wednesday, August 2nd. This show is juicy and sweet so let’s start with the artists behind “Lollipop,” it’s Lil Wayne.
Gail Mitchell:What’s been your secret to longevity?
Lil Wayne:Me? I don’t have a secret. I just work and I never stop. I don’t do nothing but my music. In my mind, every single time I say the word “work”, I ask God to forgive me because I know this has never been a job. It’s just a dream come true so that’s why I’ve never stopped.
Gail Mitchell:I’m excited by the growing ranks of female rappers right now. I wanted to get your thoughts on that. I started a Billboard in 99′ and it was, you know, you had your Roxanne Shanté, (Lil’) Kim’s, and Queen’s (Latifah) and MC Lyte and stuff, and then there’s nothing and then Nicki pops up. Why is this happening, now? What’s your thoughts on that?
Lil Wayne:I think that it just wasn’t- it wasn’t interesting to women. You know, it wasn’t as interesting, you know, as the way Nicki and Meg and others have. It looks like, you know, it’s awesome. I don’t think it was just, you know, I don’t think they viewed it as something that they wanted to do and actually make a living from it.
Gail Mitchell:Right and it seems maybe the industry is a little more open-minded.
Lil Wayne:Oh, definitely. Now? Oh, what? Yeah, definitely.Watch the full video above!
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Megan Moroney plays Fishing for Answers at Billboard’s Country Live event.
Megan Moroney:What’s up, y’all? I’m Megan Moroney, and I’m going Fishing for Answers with Billboard.
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