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Country

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Cody Johnson and Carrie Underwood’s “I’m Gonna Love You” climbs three spots to No. 9 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart (dated Feb. 8). It gained by 11% to 17.3 million audience impressions Jan. 24-30, according to Luminate.

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The team-up was authored by Kelly Archer, Travis Denning and Chris Stevens. It’s from the deluxe version, released in November, of Johnson’s 2023 album Leather. The set reached No. 5 on Top Country Albums, becoming his fifth top five title.

Johnson, from Sebastopol, Texas, adds his fifth Country Airplay top 10. His latest follows “Dirt Cheap,” which reached No. 5 last September; “The Painter” (No. 1 for one week, March 2024); “Human” (No. 8, June 2023); and “‘Til You Can’t” (No. 1, two weeks, March-April 2022).

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Underwood earns her 31st Country Airplay top 10 and first since “Ghost Story,” which peaked at No. 6 in October 2022. In between, she banked two top 20 hits: “Out of That Truck” (No. 18, April 2024) and “Hate My Heart” (No. 20, May 2023). She notched her 16th and most recent No. 1 with “If I Didn’t Love You,” with Jason Aldean, for three weeks in October-November 2021.

Underwood boasts the second-most Country Airplay top 10s among women dating to the chart’s 1990 launch. Reba McEntire leads the category with 37.

‘Good’ News

Dylan Scott scores his seventh Country Airplay top 10, and his fifth in succession, as “This Town’s Been Too Good to Us,” which he co-wrote, lifts 11-10 (17 million, up 9%).

Meanwhile, Scott claims concurrent top 10s for the first time, as “Boys Back Home,” with Dylan Marlowe, ranks at No. 6 after reaching No. 2. Scott’s active top 10 streak is rounded out by “Can’t Have Mine,” which led for a week in December 2023, becoming his third No. 1; “New Truck” (No. 1, one week, August 2022); and “Nobody” (No. 2, June 2021).

More ‘Love’

Meanwhile, Morgan Wallen’s “Love Somebody” rules Country Airplay for a second week (35.4 million, up 5%). Of his 16 chart-toppers, his newest marks his eighth to lead for multiple weeks.

Two musical trios have joined forces for a harmony-drenched new song about heartbreak, with country group Rascal Flatts and sibling pop trio the Jonas Brothers blending their vocal talents on the new track, “I Dare You.” Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Flatts’ Gary LeVox launches the first […]

Jelly Roll didn’t write “I Am Not Okay” specifically about the Los Angeles fires, but like many of the songs performed during the Thursday (Jan. 30) FireAid benefit concert, it took on added meaning given the emotional upheaval Los Angelenos have gone through the past month as fires have ravaged parts of the county. Striding […]

Ben Vaughn, president/CEO of Warner Chappell Nashville, died on Thursday (Jan. 30). A cause of death was not disclosed. He was 49.
The much-beloved Vaughn, who was Billboard‘s Country Power Players executive of the year in 2020, joined Warner Chappell Nashville (WCN) in 2012 and was promoted to president in 2017, adding the role of CEO in 2019. The Belmont University alumnus was honored with Belmont’s Music City Milestone Award in 2015.

Warner Chappell Music co-chairs Guy Moot and Carianne Marshall released the following memo to Warner Chappell Music staffers that read in part, “It is with broken hearts that we share the unthinkable news that Ben Vaughn, President & CEO of Warner Chappell Nashville, passed away this morning. Our deepest condolences are with his family and many friends.”

Under Vaughn, WCN had consistently dominated the country music publishing market. In 2024, they were crowned ASCAP Country Music and BMI Publisher of the Year (for the fifth time) and marked their third consecutive quarter at No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay publisher rankings. Apart from Q3 of 2022 to Q3 of 2023, Warner Chappell Nashville had held the quarterly top spot, dating back to the first quarter of 2017. In November 2019, ASCAP, BMI and SESAC all named WCN their country publisher of the year — only the third time a publishing company has been honored as such, and a first for WCN.

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Among the singer/songwriters Vaughn worked with were Thomas Rhett, Zach Bryan, Chris Stapleton, Riley Green, Warren Zeiders, Hunter Phelps, Bailey Zimmerman, Jessi Alexander, Liz Rose, Josh Phillips, Thomas Rhett, Nicolle Galyon and Randy Montana.

The father of three was extraordinarily passionate about songwriters, especially developing ones, and relished helping young singer/songwriters find their voice and their first record deal. “There’s so many people that want that record deal, so helping someone get to that spot is one of the hardest things in the music business,” Vaughn told Billboard in 2020. “So the job is to take away the nos and help that person get to a place where you get a yes.”

Tributes poured in quickly. Jon Platt, chairman/CEO of Sony Music Publishing, who worked with Vaughn at EMI and then brought him over to Warner Chappell in 2012, said in a statement, “I am deeply saddened by the passing of my friend Ben Vaughn, and united in grief with the entire songwriting community.  Ben dedicated his life to songwriters.  As an exceptional leader and mentor, he leaves an indelible mark on the music business. I extend my deepest condolences to his loved ones and all who were touched by his spirit. I feel privileged to have known Ben and shared a close relationship with him. He was the best of the best and I will miss him greatly.”  

“Ben was warm, welcoming, and always someone that supported and elevated the American songwriter,” says Lucas Keller, president/founder of Milk & Honey. “The world will not be the same without him – this is a loss most cannot process today.  We met 15 years ago on my first trip to Nashville when he was at EMI, and I’ll never forget him.”

“Our hearts are heavy today in learning about the passing of longtime ACM Board Member and former ACM Board Chair, and good friend to all of us, Ben Vaughn,” added Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music. “Ben was a champion of the country music genre and strong advocate for songwriters and good songs. He served as board chair of the Academy in 2018 and was the first music publisher to serve as chairman in the Academy’s history, in addition to serving on the ACM Lifting Lives board. On behalf of the ACM Board, ACM Lifting Lives Board, and the ACM staff, we send our condolences to Ben’s family, friends, coworkers, and all of those who crossed his path and were lifted up by his passion. His memory will live on forever through the great music he made happen.”

Vaughn grew up in the tiny community of Sullivan, Ky., and comes from “a proud tradition of coal miners, teachers and mechanics,” he told Billboard. As a high school student, he got a job as a weekend DJ at country radio station WMSK-FM, which set him on a path to Nashville. “I would devour the vinyl and read all the publishing and writer credits,” he told Billboard. “I thought, ‘I want to go where these people are.’ ”

That led him to Nashville’s Belmont University and an internship at WCN in 1994 under then-executive vp Tim Wipperman, who taught Vaughn the intricacies of publishing. While there, he got to know producer Scott Hendricks, whose Big Tractor publishing company had a partnership with WCN. Hendricks was so impressed with Vaughn that he eventually asked him to run Big Tractor — while Vaughn was still a college student. “He said, ‘I’m going to give you six months to see how it goes, but if you quit school, I’ll fire you,’ ” recalls Vaughn.

Through the decades, Vaughn remained in wonderment of songwriters and the new worlds they created. “It is awe-inspiring how much talent it takes to create something out of nothing that literally can make the whole world sing,” he said. “The most sacred responsibility is to help connect writers’ dreams to their goals. The fact that as publishers we are trusted to hold that space for them is everything.”

Moot and Marshall’s full memo to WMG:

To everyone at WMG,

It is with broken hearts that we share the unthinkable news that Ben Vaughn, President & CEO of Warner Chappell Nashville, passed away this morning. Our deepest condolences are with his family and many friends.

Ben has led our Nashville team since 2012, and we know that many of you around the world got to know him over the years. Anyone who had the pleasure of working with him will be as shocked and saddened as we are.

First and foremost, Ben was an extraordinary human being. He met everyone with enthusiasm, warmth, and generosity. His smile was huge, and his sense of humor was infectious.

He was always a passionate advocate of songwriters and a topflight music publisher. The Nashville community has lost one of its greatest champions, and he will be profoundly missed by so many across our company and the entire industry.

We are planning to visit the Nashville team very soon and thank you all for helping support them through this awful tragedy.

With love,

Guy & Carianne

This is a developing story.

Jordan Davis and his wife Kristen are expecting their fourth child in June.
The five-time Billboard Country Airplay chart-topper revealed that his family is growing by posting a humorous video that opens with Davis standing by a pool and sipping on a beer, as the theme song to the TV series Full House plays in the background.

“Well, this is a dude, well a dad. Three beautiful children,” he says in a voiceover. “What’s better than three? What’s better than three is four.” Meanwhile, the video shows footage of some of his older children crying, and one of them rolling a toy truck into a balcony wall.

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“That’s where we’re gonna be at come June. Baby Davis No. 4,” he adds. “Look out! Now you may be thinking, ‘How’s this dude gonna do it?’ … But, the dude abides. 2025’s gonna be a big one. Namely because, we’re gonna be welcoming a brand new baby. Love to meet you, baby Davis — I’m gonna need a few more of these things.” Davis then takes a long swig of his drink.

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“Let’s keep the party going,” he says as the clip concludes.

Davis captioned the video with a humorous note, writing, “To contribute to the Baby Davis #4 diaper fund, please stream my music and buy tickets.”

The couple wed in 2017, and are parents to Eloise (5), Locklan (3) and Elijah (19 months).

Davis’s upcoming shows for 2025 include stops at iconic Texas venue Billy Bob’s, as well as a performance at Tortuga Music Festival. Meanwhile, his current single “I Ain’t Sayin’” is in the top five on the Country Airplay chart. Last year, Davis’s song “Next Thing You Know” won song of the year at the Academy of Country Music Awards. He wrote the track with Chase McGill, Greylan James and Josh Osborne.

See Davis’ reveal video below:

Sam Hunt will reportedly avoid charges related to a Jan. 20 stop and arrest outside Nashville for speeding and violating an anti-DUI interlock device. According to People, the former college quarterback-turned-country star was arrested and jailed last week in Henderson Country, TN, with TMZ reporting that he was jailed and released the same day on […]

Jelly Roll will play a headlining benefit show to support first responders who have bravely faced the wildfires that ravaged parts of greater Los Angeles earlier this month. The “I Am Not Okay” hitmaker will lead the benefit concert on Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, and is inviting only first responders and […]

Chris Stapleton and Morgane Stapleton are coming to the aid of those impacted by the wildfires that have ravaged parts of the greater Los Angeles area of California earlier this month. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The couple’s charitable fund Outlaw State of Kind donated $1 […]

When Dylan Schneider released his first full-length album Sept. 27, he titled it Puzzled, recognizing after at least five previous EPs that the pieces of his musical persona were fitting together better than ever before.

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“This whole process of creating the album was figuring out, you know, who I am now as an artist, what I want to say, where I want to go with my music,” he says. “And I think that this collection is the best representation and the best songwriting I’ve done.”

A new single from the project, “Better Than You Left Me,” behaves much like a sonic puzzle — it employs a hook with the kind of verbal twist that’s associated with country songwriting, and it opens with a jigsaw instrumental riff, a simple acoustic guitar arpeggio that interlocks with a three-note “drunk steel thing,” as producer Zach Abend characterizes it. That intro establishes a mildly mysterious tone for a piece about a familiar conundrum.

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“It’s a classic sentiment,” Schneider notes. “Someone’s moving on, they’re finally doing good, they’re happier, they found somebody new, and the second that word gets out about that, you know, the person that did them wrong wants to come back around and try to mess it up or sneak back in. I feel like that happens all the time.”

“Better Than You Left Me” arose Oct. 10, 2022, on the first day of a multi-day writing retreat at Nashville’s SMACK offices, where a handful of songwriters crafted material for Schneider. As Schneider drifted periodically between dueling writing rooms, Michael Tyler (“Somewhere on a Beach,” “Mind on You”) and unrelated Brett Tyler (“Cold Beer Calling My Name,” “Wild as Her”) settled into the office of Lalo Guzman (“Cowboy Songs”), and after a long period of catching up, one of the Tylers – which one remains an enigma – offered up the “Better Than You Left Me” word game. It finds the singer in conversation with an ex, affirming that he’s feeling better than when they broke up, but also noting that he’s become a better man since meeting the new girlfriend.

Schneider remembers Michael throwing out the title, though neither of the Tylers is certain who introduced it. Even if the title was Michael’s, Brett had a similar one in his notes, helping to crystallize the song’s direction.

“The idea that I had was sort of that ‘Leave the world better than you found it’ sort of thing,” Brett recalls. “It kind of stems from that quote, and I was thinking it’d be interesting if you were in a relationship and it was bad, [but] the next person is going to get me better than you left me.”

To get the music going, Guzman called up a program that allows a keyboard to approximate acoustic guitars. That might make traditionalists scoff, but it has a practical application in a group setting. “Instead of me being like, ‘Everyone be quiet, I’m gonna mic this up,’ it’s just an easier way to keep the vibe going in the room,” Guzman says.

And since the programmed version requires pressing keys instead of plucking strings, it also changes some of the creative possibilities. “When I’m playing the acoustic on a keyboard, I’m playing completely different methods,” Guzman says, “and I’m playing completely different inversions of chords that spark a completely different way of feeling and thinking.”

He used that set-up to create the acoustic guitar riff for the intro, and it shifted the group out of its chatty disposition and into more focused progress on the assignment. “After Lalo brought that track up,” Michael says, “it kind of jump-started the whole song.”

The arpeggiation inspired a fairly linear verse melody, and they explored the protagonist’s situation, introducing a breakup-induced period of bar-hopping, when he felt like an “empty glass.” After repeating the linear melody twice, they introduced a pre-chorus with an “I saw the light” positivity that created an anticipation for the chorus.

Even in that early stage, they knew that segment was strong enough they should repeat it again later. “If it’s good enough for the pre-chorus, then it should be good enough for the bridge,” Michael suggests.

That “pre” shifted straight into a hooky chorus that varies between elongated phrasing and lighter, bouncy passages that work in tandem even as they contrast. “I always like crafting melodies where you give something really staccato, almost, and right on the beat, and then throw in a curve ball that makes it pop out a little bit more,” Brett says. “It’s a push-and-pull thing.”

In the second verse, the ex reappears in what could be interpreted as a booty call, or – now that he’s found someone new – a play to take the guy back. Regardless of the motive, the singer pushes back, confirming in the process that he really is in a “Better” place. “You want to find somebody that not only will make you feel better, but will make you a better person, will make you work on yourself,” Schneider notes.

Michael sang lead on the demo, and Guzman finished the bulk of it during the session’s final moments, blanketing the faux arpeggiated-guitar intro with a simple, three-note atmospheric part. “That was something I created with a little pitch-bend on the keyboard,” he says. “I have a couple sounds that I do that with to create a vibe, that you really can’t do without doing it that way.”

When Schneider went to record Puzzled, he included “Better Than You Left Me” in a large batch of potential songs he presented to Abend, who was convinced that it should be part of the project. There was little pre-production conversation about “Better” – Schneider trusted Abend would know what to do with it. For his part, Abend thought he should stick close to Guzman’s roadmap.

“It had that trappy beat, and that sig lick was in there,” Abend says. “It was so like a Lalo kind of demo, kind of more on the urban side.” They recorded “Better” at Sound Stage on Nashville’s Music Row, mixing real musicians with some programmed pieces. The snare sound, for example, was the thin, ticky-ticky style originally popularized in hip-hop recordings, instead of Nir Z’s thicker snare pops. It was tucked in with Tim Galloway’s banjo, the two instruments combining to define the percussive support.

“A real snare would have gotten too busy,” Abend notes.

“There’s no gaps in the lyrics,” he added. “I wanted to put fills everywhere, but it would distract, I think.”

However, guitarist Justin Ostrander took a solo in the middle of the song, deftly rippling his way through a scene-changing side journey. Schneider recorded his final vocal at Sound Emporium, deviating in a few spots from Michael’s original phrasing to make the performance a little more personal. “He sounds really effortless,” Brett says, “and also really believable.”

Wheelhouse originally planned to release “Carhartt,” the opening track on Puzzled, as a single, but “Better” – even though it was the 14th cut on the project – generated nearly the same number of streams. The label took notice and switched its plan, issuing “Better Than You Left Me” to country radio via PlayMPE on Jan. 7, with Jan. 27 pinpointed as the official add date. It’s catchy; it’s also relaxed enough to assist Schneider’s promotion efforts.

“It’s not like a straining thing,” he says. “You can just be easy and run around stage, have fun, and focus a little more on your performance and getting the crowd excited. Which, I think that’s what this song does anyway.”

Dolly Parton’s upcoming musical, Dolly: An Original Musical, will be getting a Music City premiere this summer, before heading to Broadway in 2026.
The musical, which brings Parton’s life story to the stage, will launch a four-week limited engagement at Belmont University’s Fisher Center For the Performing Arts this summer. Preview performances start July 18, followed by the opening night on Aug. 8. The musical will run through Aug. 17.

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Parton made the announcement during a press conference held at Belmont’s The Fisher Center For the Performing Arts on Tuesday morning (Jan. 28). Parton is a native Tennessean and has lived in Nashville for 60 years.

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“It seemed natural and right for me to premiere the story of my life in Tennessee, because I’m Tennessee born and Tennessee raised,” Parton told the audience.

“I have always wanted to do my life story as a musical, and I just thought I wanted to see it done while I was still around to be able to oversee it and make sure that it’s done properly, the way I would want to see it,” Parton later added, explaining her motivations for working on the project.

The musical will feature music written by Parton, with a book by Parton and Maria S. Schlatter, and will be directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher. Parton noted that in addition to some of her most famous songs, the musical will also feature new music she composed.

Parton is also a producer on Dolly: An Original Musical, along with Danny Nozell, ATG Productions and Gavin Kalin Productions. 

Parton revealed plans for the musical last year, and an open casting call has since been launched to search for the ideal performer to portray Parton. During the press conference, Parton noted that the cast would be revealed “soon.”

Additionally, Parton has launched the “Dolly U” program, an immersive educational partnership with Belmont University. According to a release, the initial Dolly U program will allow students “opportunities to participate in aspects of the production, working alongside the musical’s professional cast, creative, and producing teams, as it is developed and premieres at the Fisher Center this summer. In addition, new project-based courses are being offered during the spring semester in subjects such as marketing, brand partnerships, and merchandising, providing students hands-on opportunities with the musical while receiving course credit.”

“I’ve had a lot of my relatives and friends go to Belmont. We know that this is a great school…everybody loves to learn about the business end of the music business,” Parton said during the press conference, noting that her niece graduated from Belmont University.

Tickets for Dolly: An Original Musical are on sale at dollymusical.com and at Belmont’s Fisher Center Box Office.