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San Antonio, Texas, native Austin Mahone is reconnecting with his roots on A Lone Star Story, and he sat down with Billboard‘s Rania Aniftos to talk about how it all came together. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “A Lone Star Story is an album I started […]
You have to go all the way back to 1981 — when Eddie Rabbitt and Dolly Parton were both at the peak of their pop powers — to find the last time two country stars were simultaneously occupying the top two spots of the Billboard Hot 100. That is, until this week’s chart (dated July 1).
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Luke Combs‘ cover of Tracy Chapman’s 1988 alt-folk classic “Fast Car” climbs 3-2 on the Hot 100 this week, tying 2020’s “Forever After All” as the highest-charting hit of Combs’ career. Meanwhile, Morgan Wallen‘s “Last Night” continues its reign atop the listing, spending its 12th week at No. 1 — while its parent album, One Thing at a Time, also enjoys its 14th week atop the Billboard 200 albums chart.
What does this moment mean for country music? And why is it happening now? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.
1. For the first time in over 40 years, country songs occupy the top two spots of the Hot 100. On a scale from 1-10, how important a moment do you think this is for country music?
Kyle Denis: I’ll go with a strong 7. It’s been a relatively shaky past decade for country music as the genre bumpily transitioned into the streaming era. With undeniable Hot 100 success in the chart’s upper regions evading the genre for a few years now, concurrently holding the No. 1 and No. 2 songs in the country is a really big deal. I’d argue that country music and aesthetics have been very present over the past few years, although not necessarily in the way that the genre’s gatekeepers might prefer. Nonetheless, I think it’s important to note that these Wallen and Combs songs are performing well across consumption metrics. They’re balanced hits, and that’s probably the most important part of this historic week.
Jason Lipshutz: A 6. I don’t think anyone paying attention to country music’s commercial muscle over the past few years would have anticipated a shrinking of the genre’s footprint if these two songs were not at the top of the Hot 100, but it’s easy to forget that, five or so years ago, country seemed a little lost when it came to streaming acceptance and mainstream visibility. “Last Night” and “Fast Car” clocking in at Nos. 1 and 2 on the Hot 100 crystallizes the shift that has taken place over the past half-decade, with new superstars like Wallen and Combs, greater stylistic differentiation in hits (as led by Zach Bryan and Bailey Zimmerman, each with recent top 10 hits), and a far greater presence on streaming and social media platforms. This is not a fluke – country music truly is on top.
Melinda Newman: I would give it a 9. It has taken two generations for Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs to do what Dolly Parton and Eddie Rabbitt did 42 years ago; that’s almost twice as long as Bailey Zimmerman has been alive. Wallen’s “Last Night” and Combs’ “Fast Car” stand at the same positions on the Country Airplay chart, making them legit crossover sensations.
Jessica Nicholson: An 8. Around a decade ago, some in Nashville circles were bemoaning the lack of development of new superstars within in the country music format. But since Combs’ debut with “Hurricane” in 2015 and Wallen’s with “Up Down” in 2017, each artist has had an exceedingly accelerated rise to their current status as stadium-headlining, chart-topping entertainers (in Luke’s case, he’s the reigning, two-time CMA entertainer of the year winner). At the same time, it’s notable that each of these artists has released music with a sustainable resonance for music listeners, given the sheer amount of music available to listeners now thanks to TikTok, streaming, etc.
Andrew Unterberger: I think a nine is fair. There was a time not all that long ago where even one country song getting to the top two of the Hot 100 felt near-impossible — and certainly not without a big pop guest or a majorly crossover-courting sound. For two major country hits from arguably the two biggest stars in country right now to be the top two songs in the U.S. demonstrates how country music — like rap music five years ago and dance music 10 years ago — really is just pop music right now.
2. If you had to isolate one reason why the Hot 100 seems particularly amenable to country right now — after a nearly 20-year period where merely making the top 10 felt notable for most country songs — what would it be?
Kyle Denis: “Old Town Road.” Walk with me for a second: Lil Nas X & Billy Ray Cryus’ history-making country-trap smash was the preeminent country-rap hybrid song of the late 2010s, and it arrived alongside a larger racial reckoning for the genre in terms of honoring its Black roots and supporting its contemporary Black stars. “Old Town Road” was absolutely the right record at the right time, even if many people didn’t see the vision back in 2019.
Now, Wallen’s “Last Night” is at No. 1 — and in the song’s second verse, he employs an unmistakable rap cadence. In fact, hip-hop influences pop up across One Thing at a Time. Combs’ “Fast Car” is at No. 2, and the song is a cover of Tracy Chapman’s original, a self-penned folk song by a Black woman. These are country songs that are genuinely in conversation with the larger contemporary cultural and musical climate, and I think “Old Town Road” was pivotal in spurring that shift.
Jason Lipshutz: It has to start with Morgan Wallen delivering a new, 36-song project during a period of time featuring very few huge new album releases. Although some listeners will always be hesitant to accept the singer-songwriter considering his past controversies, Wallen is very clearly the biggest artist in country music right now, with One Thing at a Time becoming the biggest album of 2023 after its predecessor, Dangerous: The Double Album, was the No. 1 album of 2021. He’s a supernova of a seller who’s going to boost his genre whenever he returns with a new project, and even though country music would be enjoying a strong year without him, his presence accentuates every facet of the genre’s overall consumption.
Melinda Newman: In many ways, it’s a perfect meeting in the middle musically. A lot of country music sounds like pop these days and pop is going through a less rhythmic and more melodic phase. Also, streaming has broken down barriers since listeners only care about whether they like a song or not, not the genre, and there’s a lot to like about a lot of the country music coming out of Nashville today.
Jessica Nicholson: Over the past two decades, many modern country music artists — to varying degrees — have steadily incorporated sonic elements from the other most popular genres — hip/hop, pop, rock, and even folk, as we’ve seen with artists like Florida Georgia Line, Sam Hunt and Kane Brown, and now to artists including Bailey Zimmerman and Jelly Roll. Fusing those melodies and vocal phrasings that are familiar with even listeners who may not count themselves as die-hard country music fans, along with relatable story songs country music is known for, has made the genre ever-more accessible with a large swath of music listeners.
Andrew Unterberger: Timing certainly helps. Hip-hop is in a bit of a dry spell and most of pop’s A-listers are either dormant or touring right now. That not only opens chart space for country artists, it opens up opportunity — as top 40 PDs and today’s-hits playlist curators need some big releases to cling to, and country (along with regional Mexican) is the genre producing them most consistently in 2023. Five or 10 years ago, any hint of country twang been a dealbreaker for a lot of those gatekeepers, but in 2023, listeners are a little more open (and programmers a little more desperate), so those old fences are coming down real fast.
3. “Fast Car” has been zooming up the Hot 100, at least by 2023 standards, and now matches Luke Combs’ career-best ranking of No. 2. What kind of chances do you think it has to become Combs’ first-ever Hot 100 No. 1?
Kyle Denis: I think “Fast Car” has a solid shot of hitting No. 1. It’s all a matter of how long Wallen can keep up his lead and how much more room “Fast Car” has left to grow. If the song remains consistent, I could see it following in the steps of Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy,” and spending a single week at No. 1 after months in the top three.
Jason Lipshutz: I don’t love its chances, considering that Wallen’s “Last Night” remains a multi-platform behemoth ahead of it on the chart right now, and we’ve got a new Olivia Rodrigo single in a few days that will undoubtedly be vying for No. 1 soon enough. “Fast Car” could surge to the top spot on next week’s chart, but if it doesn’t, I doubt that this cover finally becomes Combs’ first Hot 100 chart-topper.
Melinda Newman: A very good chance given the metrics for how the Hot 100 is configured, since “Fast Car” is soaring at both country and pop radio and streaming remains strong.
Jessica Nicholson: In terms of streaming numbers, it’s still behind Wallen’s “Last Night,” but given its recent surge in popularity in streaming and at radio (it was pushed to both pop and country radio) — it has a solid chance to become his first Hot 100 No. 1.
Andrew Unterberger: It’s still got a pretty big gap to make up on both streaming and radio, which I sort of doubt it’ll be able to make up quickly enough — but then again, I’ve doubted “Fast Car” to this point and its continued to prove me wrong, so I certainly won’t say it’s impossible. (That said, speaking of cars, a certain Licensed Driver’s return to the pop world this Friday could also prove something of a roadblock for Combs in the weeks to come.)
4. Wallen and Combs make sense as the two artists to hold these two spots, as very arguably the two biggest artists in country right now. If you had to pick another country artist who might be able to match these commercial heights within the next couple years, who would it be?
Kyle Denis: I think Bailey Zimmerman is well on his way there. He’s already scored two consecutive Billboard 200 top 19 albums in less than a year, and recently earned his first Hot 100 top 10 hit this past April with “Rock And a Hard Place” (No. 10). I’d also love to see Lainey Wilson hold it down for the ladies on the level of a Wallen/Combs. I think she can grow to that level within the next couple years.
Jason Lipshutz: Jelly Roll, who’s on fire and seems to only be getting started. With a compelling backstory, genuine songwriting panache and a ton of momentum gathering from different sides of Nashville, Jelly Roll already had multiple songs on the Hot 100 without landing his true breakout hit yet. “Need a Favor” might get there, but I’d bet that another song from Whitsitt Chapel, or a future project, helps deliver him to the status of Wallen and Combs over the next few years.
Melinda Newman: There are a number of contenders, as country music is exploding right now. Both HARDY and Jelly Roll have already topped Billboard‘s Top Rock Albums chart, so they’re one step away, though they may have to come with something a little less aggressive for pop radio. Both Bailey Zimmerman and Lainey Wilson are on meteoric rises that feel like they can’t and won’t be limited to country. But if I had to pick one, it would be Jelly Roll — since he already has rap and rock fans and has a mighty wind at his back.
Jessica Nicholson: Zach Bryan and Bailey Zimmerman have each already earned top 10s on the Hot 100 (Bryan with “Something in the Orange” and Zimmerman with “Rock and a Hard Place”). Each artist has a unique sound that is resonating with fans; Each first broke through via social media/streaming, and each ultimately signing with major labels to help propel pushes to radio. They are both hitting it hard on the road, with Zach headlining his own tour, and Bailey is out on Morgan Wallen’s One Night at a Time stadium tour.
Andrew Unterberger: Pretty wild there are this many credible choices, huh? I’ll say Jelly Roll: He just seems like he’s on a rocket to the moon right now, and making all the right choices along the way. But a large part of me still hopes Sam Hunt, the original country-hip-hop crossover star — who came around a couple years too early (and maybe squandered a couple too many opportunities) to realize his full potential — still has that late-career-peak blockbuster in him.
5. “Last Night” has now reigned for 12 weeks at No. 1 — three weeks away from matching Harry Styles’ “As It Was” for the longest-running No. 1 of the 2020s. Do you think it falls short of that total, matches it, or surpasses it before all is said and done?
Kyle Denis: I think “Last Night” will surpass “As It Was.” The song is showing no signs of slowing down, and I’m sure there’s a remix or alternate version ready for release if another song proves to be stiff competition. There’s a solid chance that a song from Drake’s forthcoming For All the Dogs knocks “Last Night” down to No. 2 for a week or two, but I think Wallen will at least tie Styles’ record.
Jason Lipshutz: My prediction is a tie: three more total weeks at No. 1 to match “As It Was” before falling out of the top spot for good. Summer is just getting started, and I’d bet that the Hot 100 opens up a bit in the coming weeks to make room for new and old hits.
Melinda Newman: I have a feeling Taylor Swift and Ice Spice are going to kick him out of the penthouse pretty soon with “Karma,” so I think he’s going to fall short. But Morgan’s set enough records that I don’t think any of us need to feel too sorry for him — and there are plenty more singles on the album!
Jessica Nicholson: Given the numerous records that Morgan has already broken with his songs and albums, even going back to his Dangerous project, I would not be surprised if he passes Harry’s mark.
Andrew Unterberger: I’ll say he comes up one week short, 14 weeks total. But a large part of it might depend on just how deep “Vampire” is able to sink its fangs into streaming and radio right away.
The Academy of Country Music has revealed the recipients of the Special Awards for the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards, leading up to the 16th annual ACM Honors, which will take place Aug. 23 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.
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This year’s honorees are Clint Black, BRELAND, Kane Brown, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Charlie Cook, Charlie Daniels, Mike Dungan, Ashley Gorley, HARDY, Bill Mayne, Tim McGraw, K.T. Oslin, Chris Stapleton and Troy Vollhoffer.
Carly Pearce, who has taken home four career ACM Awards, will return as host for a third consecutive year.
“The Academy of Country Music has played such a crucial role in the rise of my career in the last several years, giving me opportunities to expand my artistry with hosting,” Pearce said in a press release. “To be able to come back as the host of the ACM Honors for the third year in a row, I feel so grateful and excited for what I know will be such a special night!”
“This year’s ACM Special Award honorees have made a tremendous impact on the music we know and love, from icons and veteran executives who have shaped and steered the industry for years, to newer artists making a splash and welcoming fresh audiences into the community, and I am so excited about celebrating them in August at what is always one of the best nights of the year,” said KP Entertainment’s Kerri Edwards, chair of the ACM Special Awards Committee, in a press release. “I’d like to thank our committee members for their invaluable participation and contributions in selecting this year’s exceptionally worthy class of honorees and offer my congratulations to all of the recipients.”
Additionally, previously-announced winners including artist-songwriter of the year HARDY and songwriter of the year Ashley Gorley, as well as the studio recording award and industry award winners, will be celebrated during the event, with reigning ACM new female artist of the year Hailey Whitters presenting the ACM studio recording and industry awards portion of the ACM Honors.
ACM TRIPLE CROWN AWARD – Chris Stapleton will receive the prestigious ACM Triple Crown Award following his first win for ACM Entertainer of the Year at the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards. Stapleton qualified for the triple crown award after winning ACM new male vocalist of the year, ACM male vocalist of the year and ACM entertainer of the year throughout his career, an honor only eight other artists have been awarded.
Previous recipients of the ACM triple crown award include Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Mickey Gilley, Merle Haggard, Miranda Lambert, Barbara Mandrell and Carrie Underwood.
ACM ICON AWARD – Tim McGraw and former UMG Nashville chairman/CEO Mike Dungan have both been chosen to receive the ACM icon award, honoring the contributions of Cliffie Stone, who was known for his producing work along with his Country Music career. This award is presented to a country music artist, duo/group or industry leader who, throughout their career, has advanced the popularity of the genre through their contributions in multiple facets of the industry, such as songwriting, recording, production, touring, film, television, literary works, philanthropic contributions and other goodwill efforts.
Past recipients of the ACM icon award include Alabama, Connie Bradley, Brooks & Dunn, Garth Brooks, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, Charlie Daniels, Joe Galante, Merle Haggard, Emmylou Harris, Alan Jackson, George Jones, The Judds, Loretta Lynn, Martina McBride, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Charley Pride, Rascal Flatts, George Strait, Conway Twitty, Hank Williams, Hank Williams Jr. and Dwight Yoakam, among others.
ACM INTERNATIONAL AWARD – Kane Brown has been chosen to receive the international award, inspired by Jim Reeves and presented to a country music artist, duo/group, or industry leader for outstanding contributions to the growth of country music throughout the world.
Kane Brown broadened his global appeal with the Drunk or Dreaming Tour, an international trek that launched in Melbourne, Australia, in September 2022. During his trip down under, Brown also performed in Sydney and CBC Rocks in Queensland, followed by a show in Auckland, New Zealand. Concluding the year, he headlined 10 arenas in Canada, including stops in Ottawa, Montreal, London, Toronto, Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon, Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton. In early 2023, Brown resumed the international tour in the United Kingdom and Europe, taking the stage for O2 Academy shows in Glasgow, Manchester and Birmingham, as well as the Hammersmith Apollo in London. The European leg ended with shows in Amsterdam, Cologne and Munich.
Past recipients of the ACM International Award include Garth Brooks, Eric Church, Dick Clark, Roy Clark, Dan + Shay, Alan Jackson, Lady A, Kacey Musgraves, Buck Owens, Dolly Parton, Rascal Flatts, Roy Rogers, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban.
ACM LIFT EVERY VOICE AWARD – BRELAND has been chosen to receive the first-ever ACM lift every voice award. This award is presented to a country music artist, duo/group, industry leader or affiliate/partner who plays a pivotal role in elevating underrepresented voices throughout the country music genre, transcending demographics and geography. The nominee for this category is proposed by the rising leaders in the Academy’s LEVel UP: Lift Every Voice professional development and enrichment program, a two-year curriculum designed to empower participants to play a pivotal role in expanding the horizons of Country Music into new audiences that transcend demographics and geography.
ACM LIFTING LIVES AWARD – Troy Vollhoffer has been chosen to receive the lifting lives award, honoring the contributions of Gary Haber, known as a business manager and past president of ACM Lifting Lives. This award is presented to a country music artist, duo/group, or industry professional who is devoted to improving lives through the power of music, has a generosity of spirit, and is committed to serving others. It is voted on by the ACM Lifting Lives Board of Directors.
ACM Lifting Lives executive director Lyndsay Cruz congratulates this year’s recipient and says, “This recognition for Troy is so well deserved and is a testament of his generosity and commitment to helping others. As a longtime board member and former Chair, his support has had a huge impact on the work of ACM Lifting Lives, and I’m so delighted we get to celebrate his contributions to making the industry a better place at ACM Honors in August. Troy’s efforts have made a difference in people’s lives whether they know it or not, as he doesn’t seek the spotlight and has always been a selfless leader and a beacon of support to so many.”
Troy Vollhoffer has been successfully involved in the music industry for more than 30 years, and during that time, he has placed an emphasis on giving back to support the country community. He joined the Board of ACM Lifting Lives, the philanthropic partner of the Academy of Country Music, in 2016 and rose quickly to officer positions, including vice president, president, and ultimately chair in 2022. Additionally, he’s served on the advisory boards of the T.J. Martell Foundation and Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, among other causes.
His company, Premier Global Production, has provided touring lights and outdoor staging to some of the biggest artists in the industry including Metallica, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Florence and the Machine, Tim McGraw, Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen, Riley Green, Lee Brice and many more. Vollhoffer is also well-known for music festivals, including six Country Thunder events across North America and a seventh event called Big Valley Jamboree. Past recipients of the ACM Lifting Lives Award include Paul Barnabee, Ross Copperman, Gayle Holcomb, Lady A, Dolly Parton, Darius Rucker, Carrie Underwood and Dwight Wiles.
ACM POET’S AWARD – Clint Black, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and K.T. Oslin have each been chosen as recipients of the ACM poet’s award. This award is presented to a country music songwriter for outstanding and longstanding musical and/or lyrical contributions throughout their career, with special consideration given to a song or songs’ impact on the culture of country music.
Previous recipients of the ACM Poet’s Award include Bill Anderson, Rodney Crowell, Dean Dillon, Kye Fleming, Merle Haggard, Tom T. Hall, Toby Keith, Kris Kristofferson, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Buck Owens, Eddie Rabbitt, Fred Rose, Don Schlitz, Billy Joe Shaver, Shel Silverstein, Sonny Throckmorton, Shania Twain, Cindy Walker and Hank Williams, among others.
ACM SERVICE AWARD – Cumulus Media vp, country music and operations manager, Cumulus/Nashville Charlie Cook and former country radio broadcasters executive director Bill Mayne have both been chosen as the recipients of the ACM service award, honoring the contributions of songwriter Mae Boren Axton and her service to the Academy. This award is presented to an outstanding country music artist, duo/group, or industry leader in recognition of years of dedication and service to the Academy of Country Music.
Previous recipients of the ACM Service Award include Barry Adelman, Duane Clark, RAC Clark, Bob Kingsley, Reba McEntire, Gayle Holcomb, Keith Urban and Gene Weed, among others.
ACM SPIRIT AWARD – Charlie Daniels has been chosen for the ACM spirit award, honoring the contributions of Merle Haggard, who received 20 ACM Awards in his career, including the triple crown award. This award is presented to a singer-songwriter who is continuing the legacy of Country Music legend Merle Haggard by following his/her own path, crafting great songs and epitomizing Haggard’s spirit through genuine performances and great storytelling.
Previous recipients of the ACM Spirit Award include Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton.
ACM ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR AWARD – As previously announced, HARDY was awarded the 58th ACM artist-songwriter of the year award. This award is presented to an individual known both as an artist and a songwriter, selected by a Professional Panel of judges whose members composed of songwriters, publishers, producers and performing rights organization (PRO) representatives. The Panel submits five nominees, at which time ACM members in the Artist/Musician/Producer/Engineer, Songwriter, Music Publisher/PRO and Record Company categories vote for the winner. This is the first-ever ACM artist-songwriter of the year Award and HARDY receives the honor after winning ACM songwriter of the year last year.
ACM SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR AWARD – As previously announced, Ashley Gorley was awarded the 58th ACM songwriter of the year award. This award is presented to an individual known predominately as a songwriter, selected by a professional panel of judges composed of songwriters, publishers, producers, and performing rights organization (PRO) representatives. The Panel submits five nominees, at which time ACM members in the Artist/Musician/Producer/Engineer, Songwriter, Music Publisher/PRO and Record Company categories vote for the winner. This is Ashley Gorley’s first ACM songwriter of the year award.
Past recipients of the ACM Songwriter of the Year Award include Ross Copperman, Dallas Davidson, HARDY, Luke Laird, Hillary Lindsey, Shane McAnally, Lori McKenna and Roger Miller.
Tickets for ACM Honors will be available to ACM A-List email newsletter subscribers and Academy members through an exclusive pre-sale beginning Thursday, June 29, with general on-sale beginning Friday, June 30, through AXS. Fans can subscribe now to the A-List here to gain access to Thursday’s pre-sale.
When Nate Smith emerged with his debut single, “Whiskey on You,” in 2022, a key piece of his backstory was the November 2018 Camp Fire, which destroyed the city of Paradise, Calif.
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Smith, who was on the path to becoming a nurse, lost everything in the tragedy. But he wrote a song about the experience, “One of These Days,” and when it went viral, he ended up returning to Nashville, where he had previously recorded for Word, and gave music a second shot. Another song, “Wildfire,” led to his recording contract with Sony Music Nashville in 2021. Now his second radio single — “World on Fire,” which RCA Nashville released to country broadcasters via PlayMPE on May 15 – draws on Smith’s history once again.
“I have a fire theme in my songs,” he says. “It’s something that just stayed with me.”
“World on Fire” uses flames as a metaphor for a relationship that has been burned to the ground. But as personal as the symbolism might be for Smith, the title for the song came from co-writer Taylor Phillips (“Heaven by Then,” “Hurricane”).
“He’s got a million of ’em,” says co-writer Ashley Gorley (“Last Night,” “Girl in Mine”). “He’s the idea guy.”
Phillips works as a volunteer firefighter in North Carolina in a sideline gig, and after he helped put out blaze at a construction site, he took a phone call where he ended up recounting the tragedy. In the process, he focused on what it meant for the victim.
“I said, ‘You know, that person’s whole world is on fire,’ and I just wrote that down on my phone and really never looked back at it,” he recalls. “I was scrolling through one day and started thinking about a relationship, breaking up with somebody in a town like that. You know, you’re not just leaving that person. You’re taking the whole town with you, leaving memories everywhere.”
In November 2022, Gorley hosted a two-day writing retreat to come up with songs for Smith that included his producer, songwriter Lindsay Rimes (“Lonely If You Are,” “Cool Again”). On the first day, Smith shared a bit about the Camp Fire, and Gorley mentioned that it might be worthwhile to incorporate that into a song. When Phillips participated the second day, Rimes mentioned the previous day’s exchange, and the two of them did some very cursory work with Phillips’ “World on Fire” title song, building on late-’90s/early-2000s rock influences.
Once Smith and Gorley were in the room, they dug in fully on the chorus, bracketed by the title at the front and the back, with soaring flames referenced in the middle. Smith played a major role in shaping the top line’s intense direction.
“I’m big on the melodies,” he says. “Obviously, Ashley Gorley is the king of that, but really making it my own is important, and I can tell certain melodies don’t work. Like if it’s too happy — I know it sounds kind of emo — but if it’s too giddy, it’s not a Nate melody.”
Halfway through the chorus, Gorley suggested a repetitive rhyme — “burn, burn, burn” linked to a world that won’t “turn, turn, turn” — cinching its singalong qualities. When they shifted to the verses, Smith shared some of the details from the Camp Fire: how his brother could barely see through the smoke as he tried to evacuate, how they didn’t even recognize old haunts because the landmarks had all been destroyed. The song infused the terror of the fire, but it also reminded Smith that disasters can be a prelude to something better.
“Anytime I’m thinking about the Camp Fire and stuff, it’s definitely an emotional thing,” he notes. “There’s a lot of gratitude, too, when I think about it because in a weird way, as tough as the situation was — and it was harder on some people than me — it’s still changed the trajectory of my life.”
Phillips was impressed by Smith’s willingness to tackle such a horrific topic. “I think that what’s so cool about his artistry is that because he is that vulnerable, he is willing to open up,” says Phillips. “He’s able to tell the world a lot of things that some people probably wouldn’t want to.”
Rimes created a guitar-based demo, slipping in a part just before the bridge that borrows from the sound of a siren. Then he shipped it off to Sol Philcox-Littlefield, who layered more guitars on top. But when Smith was gearing up to do final vocals, he asked for even more.
“Nate was like, ‘I want it to rock more,’ so I picked up my Les Paul and turned up the amp, and we just started playing some heavy guitars,” says Rimes. “Then the intro lick — that kind of guitar line at the top was never there on the demo. I think there was some other guitar there. And Nate kind of had the idea of like, ‘We need some kind of thing that sounds sort of like Foo Fighters.’ ”
Since Smith’s self-titled debut had already been turned in, Rimes planned to take his time finishing “World on Fire.” But Smith, with the label’s support, put the chorus up on TikTok on Jan. 14, and it created instant, overwhelming demand. That also presented a bit of a problem: His self-titled debut album was already being pre-sold; if they changed anything about the 20-song collection, it would nullify all those sales. So they left that album intact for its April 28 release, but also fast-tracked a deluxe edition with six additional songs, released the same day.
“It was very stressful,” Rimes recalls. “Our mastering deadline [was] the week after, so it was like two weeks until we needed everything done. I had to get all the [new] songs recorded and ready for mixing within a week.”
On May 11, four days before Smith’s single release, Dolly Parton debuted her own “World on Fire” during the Academy of Country Music Awards, though her take on the title had a political lean, and her global-themed skirt suggested climate sensitivity. “They thankfully are completely different, so I think they can coexist,” says Gorley. “When they said the title, I was like ‘Oh, shoot.’ And then when she started singing, I was like, ‘Ah, that’s a completely different vibe. We’re OK.’ ”
Smith’s “World on Fire” debuted on the Country Airplay chart dated June 24 and sits at No. 54 in its second week. So while the song borrows from the in-the-moment emotions of his personal tragedy, it’s also representative of the big-picture effect that the Camp Fire had on his life.
“If the fire never happened, I wouldn’t be an artist. I wouldn’t have written these songs,” he says. “It’s kind of crazy how life works.”
Thriving in commercial country music is a bit of a tightrope walk.
The artists who make a permanent mark — people such as Merle Haggard, Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton or Willie Nelson — invariably have their own look, their own sound and/or their own kinds of songs. But success isn’t merely a matter of being different; there’s a long line of acts who have stood out through the years for unique attributes that never caught fire with the masses.
Part of the tightrope walk is the nature of the music that’s popular at any time. If all the music in existence were represented by a standard, letter-size sheet of paper, the songs that earn significant exposure on playlists would be about the size of a pencil dot. The easiest way to figure out how to land on that tiny dot would be to identify all the elements that mark a successful recording. But that pencil dot is continuously moving, in part because customers are invariably looking for something new, but also because the advent of new technologies, new creative ideas and new gatekeepers invariably changes the rules.
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Those conflicting ideas — the need to be different and the temptation to conform — were a recurring theme during the recent Billboard Country Live events, as a handful of artists and executives received Country Power Player awards on June 6 and seven panels explored current issues and trends in country music on June 7 for a consumer audience.
Jelly Roll perhaps best illustrated the balance of matching the current sound of the genre and creating an individual brand. After establishing a persona as a rapper-rocker, the Nashville native slipped into country over the last year, with music that had some similarities to sounds that were already working.“How lucky am I that HARDY is on fire right now?” he asked rhetorically, alluding to that artist’s hard-rock edge and rawness that had already found favor with programmers. “Guys like Tyler Childers are out right now. Guys like Sturgill Simpson are on the scene right now. There’s so much variety in music, and especially in the genre of country music right now.”
But Jelly Roll’s civic passions — born from his own story, which includes substance abuse and incarceration — set him apart in the current structure. His blunt honesty about his past, and about the issues he has yet to conquer, makes him an ideal spokesman for a significant part of the country audience, many of whom know characters like him.
“I shoveled s–t for 30 years, and I’ve turned my heart,” Jelly Roll said. “When my heart changed, it’s like God was [saying], ‘Just waiting on you, big fella.’ And he started repaying all that bad luck I had.”Jelly Roll was at least partially cynical when he started courting Nashville’s country gatekeepers for an opportunity. He was convinced that the fans would be there, but repeatedly got suggestions that he should be looking in Los Angeles or somewhere else for his shot.
That sort of experience is familiar to nearly every artist who stood out from the crowd. “When I first moved here, this town told me I couldn’t be me, and I heard no for so many years,” Carly Pearce said during a panel about women in country music. “I just want the next generation to have the hope to be brave to do that. Because you can.”
History supports individuality. Johnny Cash, with his man-in-black fashion choices and imposing vocal tone, earned an authoritative place in country’s annals. Loretta Lynn, through her plain-spoken songs and overwhelming history of hardship, made a connection. Alabama, sporting a then-daring mix of country harmony and rock influence, became an arena act that many tried to emulate. Miranda Lambert, mixing fiery femininity and Texan musical heritage, needed a little development time but ultimately broke through and became an icon.
Still, while decision-makers are fairly competent at identifying what’s unique, they’re less successful at knowing what differences will actually work.
“When I got to town, boy, they were quick to tell me what to change,” Ashley McBryde said while accepting a Billboard groundbreaker award. “That was, ‘Your hair’s too curly. Lose 30 pounds’ — we’re all trying to lose 30 pounds — and ‘Too many tattoos.’ And back then, there were three [tattoos]. They did the same thing with what to write or what not to write. And it was exhausting. The most important thing we can be as an artist, or as a bandmate, as a songwriter, as a human being, is ourselves. The other person I was trying to be was absolutely exhausting.”
Trying to become a unique artist mirrors much of the life that art is intended to portray. Successful companies have some identifiable trait that sets them apart, from a logo to a product to a market niche they’re filling. Successful people invariably battle the voices of their parents, their teachers, society and even themselves to find their path. The threat of being outcast is large, but so is the threat of not being an individual, as Garth Brooks found when he released the risky “We Shall Be Free,” which advocated for nontraditional relationships, in 1992. It failed to match the No. 1 status his singles typically earned in that era — though over time, it has become one of his signatures.
“You can’t be somebody else,” he said in a Billboard Q&A. “You got to be yourself.”
That idea was underscored by Lily Rose, who admitted that walking an uncharted path is difficult.
“Every single song that we’re cutting and putting out, it’s like, ‘Are we doing the right thing for me first? And then for the LGBTQ community? And then just country music in general,’ ” she said during the women in country panel. “It can be kind of heavy, but it makes up for it every single time … a mom or dad comes up with their 13- or 14-year-old, and they say, ‘Because of you, they decided to tell me who they really are.’ It’s like, ‘Yeah, I wish I had that.’ ”
In that way, it’s important for artists to continue owning their unique place in the world. Not every act will be successful — that’s not the way it works — but those who do break through inspire other artists, and other people, to more fully explore their own individuality. “Know thyself” is one of the biggest challenges ever issued to humanity.
“Betting on yourself,” McBryde said, “is the right move.”
Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” adds a 20th week atop Billboard’s streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Country Songs chart (dated July 1).
The song surpasses “You Proof,” which dominated Hot Country Songs for 19 weeks beginning in May 2022, for the longest-leading of Wallen’s seven career No. 1s.
Here’s a look at the songs that have led Hot Country Songs for 20 weeks or more since the chart became an all-encompassing genre survey in October 1958. Wallen is the only soloist with two titles on the list, while duo Florida Georgia Line is the only other act with two. (All seven songs below have reigned since the chart adopted the all-genre Billboard Hot 100’s multimetric methodology in October 2012.)
Longest-Leading Hot Country Songs No. 1s (since 1958):
50 weeks, “Meant to Be,” Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line, beginning in December 2017
34, “Body Like a Back Road,” Sam Hunt, February 2017
27, “I Hope,” Gabby Barrett, July 2020
24, “Fancy Like,” Walker Hayes, July 2021
24, “Cruise,” Florida Georgia Line, December 2012
21, “10,000 Hours,” Dan + Shay & Justin Bieber, October 2019
20, “Last Night,” Morgan Wallen, February 2023
“Last Night,” released on Big Loud/Mercury/Republic Records, drew 72.2 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 4%) and 29.8 million streams (up 1%) and sold 7,000 downloads (down 3%) in the June 16-22 tracking week, according to Luminate.
“Last Night” concurrently leads Country Airplay for an eighth week – tying for the chart’s second-longest command ever, below “You Proof” (10 weeks) – and bullets at its No. 8 high on both Pop Airplay and Adult Pop Airplay.
Unsurprisingly, the seven 20-week-plus Hot Country Songs leaders above have all received pop/adult crossover radio airplay support, as the chart reflects all-format airplay, in addition to streaming and sales data.
‘Car’ Ride
Concurrently on Hot Country Songs, Luke Combs’ cover of Tracy Chapman’s 1988 classic “Fast Car” holds at its No. 2 high. The cover attracted 21.2 million streams (up 4%) and sold 10,000 in the tracking week – as it hits No. 1 on the all-genre Digital Song Sales chart and rises to No. 2 on Streaming Songs.
The song, which Chapman solely authored, pushes 10-7 on the all-format Radio Songs chart, led by its No. 2 rank on Country Airplay, as it surged by 18% to 31.1 million in audience. It also bullets in the top 25 of Adult Contemporary, Adult Pop Airplay and Pop Airplay.
As previously reported, “Last Night” and “Fast Car” rank at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, on the Hot 100, marking the first time in over 42 years that country songs have pulled off such a double-up.
Zimmerman’s 4th Top 10
Also on Hot Country Songs, Bailey Zimmerman scores his fourth top 10 as “Religiously” pushes 11-10. On Country Airplay, it climbs 16-14 for a new best (11.8 million, up 27%). It also drew 9.9 million official U.S. streams (up 6%) and sold 2,000.
Zimmerman made history on the Sept. 2, 2022-dated Hot Country Songs chart when he became the first artist to place three career-opening entries in the top 10 simultaneously. That week, “Rock and a Hard Place,” “Where It Ends” and “Fall in Love” ranked at Nos. 6, 7 and 10, respectively. The songs peaked at Nos. 2, 5 and 7.
On Country Airplay, Zimmerman has notched two No. 1s: “Fall in Love” led for a week in December 2022, followed by “Rock and a Hard Place,” which ruled for six frames starting this April.
In 2022, Zach Bryan released three projects, including his American Heartbreak album and Summertime Blues EP, followed by the live album All My Homies Hate Ticketmaster (Live From Red Rocks), which dropped in December. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news But according to Bryan, he’s already working […]
Taylor Swift‘s signature goes a long way, especially if it’s for a good cause.
On Monday (June 26), Toby Keith and Friends announced the top earning items from its 2023 OK Kids Korral auction, which benefits children battling cancer and their families. And while trips to Europe, one-on-one time with Keith himself and autographs from other celebrities definitely pulled in some big bucks, it was a guitar signed by the “Anti-Hero” pop star that blew all the other items out of the water at the event earlier this month.
According to a release, the Swift-signed instrument went for a whopping $120 thousand, bringing the charity’s total event earnings up to a record $1.8 million. Other top earners included a fishing trip and a personal dinner with Toby Keith ($80,000 and $70,000, respectively), a guitar donated by Country Countdown USA‘s Lon Helton ($44,000) and autographs from Tim McGraw, Garth Brooks, Carrie Underwood, Kane Brown, Parker McCollum, Cole Swindell, Jordan Davis, Brantley Gilbert, Russell Dickerson, Brett Young, Ingrid Andress, Maren Morris, Luke Bryan and Jelly Roll.
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Other auction items included memorabilia from NFL quarterback Joe Burrow, NBA star Steph Curry and golf icon Tiger Woods, as well as donations from Ashley Furniture, Crew’s Cottage Carlton Landing, The Joinery, Tim Kenney, Travis McIntyre, Red Fork Distillery, Kennel & Crate, Ryan Cunningham, South OKC Ace Hardware and LOREC Ranch Home Furnishings.
Established in 2006, The Toby Keith Foundation raises funds and provides housing for Oklahoma pediatric cancer patients. In 2014, they constructed the OK Kids Korral, a site where families can stay in comfort as their kids undergo treatment.
“Next year, it’ll be the 10th year for OK Kids Korral, 20th year of my foundation party,” Keith told The Oklahoman at this year’s event. “We’re gonna celebrate a 10 and a 20, and we’re gonna blow it out. It’s amazing how much support we get. But it takes that kind of support to handle 300 families a year.”
Patrick Moore has been named as CEO of Opry Entertainment Group (OEG), a division of Ryman Hospitality Properties. His new role includes oversight of OEG’s growth plan, day-to-day operations and business development activities at the company, which has a portfolio that includes the Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman Auditorium. Moore replaces former OEG CEO […]
In this week’s stack of new country releases, Carly Pearce welcomes Chris Stapleton on a scorching breakup ballad, Tim McGraw and Brad Paisley further tease upcoming albums with new tracks, while Dan Tyminski offers his first full-fledged bluegrass album in over a decade.
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Carly Pearce feat. Chris Stapleton, “We Don’t Fight Anymore”
The devastatingly deep, bone-cutting honesty in Pearce’s album 29: Written in Stone, which centered on the dissolution of her marriage and a painful divorce, elevated Pearce’s career and acclaim as an artist and writer — catapulting her into the realm of multi-award winner, earning accolades from the Grammys, CMAs and ACMs. On her latest, written with Shane McAnally and Pete Good, Pearce returns to the realm of heartache, though this time, focusing on the slow dulling of love rather than a sharp slice of any betrayal.
“We don’t cuss and we don’t care enough to even hate,” she sings, her lead vocals accented by in-demand collaborator Chris Stapleton’s harmonies, followed by stirring vocal give-and-take. Though fans undoubtedly hoped for more of a true duet between these two superb vocalists, their harmonies wring out every bit of desperation and regret etched in the lyrics.
Brad Paisley, “So Many Summers”
On his latest release, and in anticipation of his upcoming album Son of the Mountains, Paisley returns to classic form on “So Many Summers,” which he wrote with Ross Copperman and Lee Thomas Miller. This song turns the party vibes and good times up to 10, while offering a steady reminder to wring joy out of every moment while you can — “You only get so many summers.” Paisley is no stranger to blending up-tempo fare with keen lyrics, whether assessing the evolution of global culture on “American Saturday Night” or technological advances on “Welcome to the Future.” But here, he offers the kind of enduring country music fare that steadfastly touches a vein with listeners—most recently with songs such as Texan Cody Johnson’s smash 2022 hit, the CMA Award-winning “’Til You Can’t,” and Tim McGraw’s “Standing Room Only” (not to mention’s McGraw’s 2004 signature “Live Like You Were Dying”).
Tim McGraw, “Hey Whiskey”
Speaking of McGraw, his latest release from his upcoming 17th studio album Standing Room Only, this surefire future Country Music Hall of Famer again asserts his penchant for top-shelf songwriting — this time courtesy of Brad Hutsell, Joel Hutsell and The Warren Brothers (Brad and Brett Warren).
McGraw’s voice is at once mellow and filled with dignified regret, as he chronicles the downward spiral of a young man who increasingly devotes his weekends to liquor to the point of dependency, until reaching an unmistakable realization that he relinquished a storied romance in the process.
Naomi Cooke Johnson, “Girls of Summer”
In 2011, George Strait earned a hit with a track that espoused, “I ain’t here for a long time/ I’m here for a good time.” Former Runaway June lead singer Naomi Cooke Johnson offers her own take on this notion, as she officially makes her solo bow on BBR Music Group/Stoney Creek Records. In “Girls of Summer,” she smartly retains the carefree, female empowerment sentiments that were so prominent in the Runaway June hit “Buy My Own Drinks,” while elevating it extra confidence, her purring voice painting vignettes of girls who “show off tanlines just to tease,” girls whose photos are still hidden in the cowboy hats of the guys they left long before the summer days were over.
Cooke Johnson co-wrote the song with Jason Duke and Jacob Durrett, with Durrett also producing the track.
Dan Tyminski, God Fearing Heathen
Tyminski issues his first bluegrass album in 15 years, following detours into more roots-oriented lanes with 2017’s Southern Gothic, and last year’s Tony Rice tribute project One More Time Before You Go. He offers a stellar bluegrass revision of “Hey Brother,” his 2013 collaboration with the Swedish DJ Avicii. Meanwhile, he teams with Luke Dick (Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves) and Jaida Dreyer to pen “Never Met a Stranger,” a delightful tribute to the freewheeling life of a musician.
But not all of these top-shelf tracks are so light-hearted; he delves into the story of a PTSD-suffering military veteran on “Silence in the Brandy,” and on the title track, muses that heaven is “for the losers and winners/ the hard-livin’, God-fearin’ heathens like me.” The album closes with “Ode to Jimmy,” a rollicking bluegrass scorcher feting Bluegrass Music Hall of Famer Jimmy Martin. Throughout the collection, Tyminski and his band offer expert instrumentation to further elevate this well-crafted set to tracks, spearheaded by Tyminski’s raw, yet smoothly superb, lead vocals.
Pecos and the Rooftops (feat. Kolby Cooper), “Memories”
Texas band Pecos & the Rooftops — which includes vocalist/guitarist Pecos Hurley, guitarists Brandon Jones and Zack Foster, bassist Kalen Davis and drummer Garrett Peltier—previously released their EP Red Eye in 2020 and earned a platinum-certified hit with “This Damn Song.” They return with their debut major label Warner project, The Album, which includes this collaboration with Kolby Cooper.
“Memories” finds Hurley and Cooper trading defiant, growling vocals over thrashing, furious guitar work, as the song muses over being on the better side of an imminent breakup, guaranteeing an ex-lover will remember them at every vulnerable moment.
Taylor Austin Dye, “Bible Belt”
Of late, a few artists including Jelly Roll and Pillbox Patti have become known for crafting country songs that shed light on the struggles, hopes and dreams of an often-overlooked segment of America — those who live in some of the most poverty-stricken places, where addictions and overdoses are a part of life. Kentucky native Taylor Austin Dye offers her own keen-eye perspective with “Bible Belt,” which, on its full-throttle, rock-soaked surface would seem another run-of-the-mill, radio-aimed track.
But lyrically embedded is a tale of poverty and the hard choices made to ensure a woman’s survival, as chronicled through the eyes of her daughter, who watches as her mother navigates cycles of drugs and sex work to cope and live among the slim economic prospects and abundant despair in rural Appalachia. “Born into this fire/ Don’t wanna die here,” she sings, embodying both the unflinching perspective born of a lifetime of poverty but also a merciless determination to rise above and chase a dream of a more stable life. Dye wrote the song with Nicole Croteau and Chris Utley, with Rob Pennington.
The Watson Twins, Holler
Identical twins Chandra and Leigh Watson hail from Kentucky, and issued their largely pop-positioned first project Southern Manners in 2006. While their previous albums have housed country-leaning moments, the duo’s latest album, Holler, delves deeper into their Kentucky roots, most notably on the saloon sizzling shuffle of “Two Timin’,” while on the barroom-ready “Honky Tonk Heart,” the twins lend their electrifying harmonies are embedded with grunge-edged guitars, spritely piano. Throughout the project, they deliver each track with a steely confidence, an abundance of handclaps and folk-pop sensibility.