Country
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Morgan Wallen leads all five of Billboard’s country charts (dated May 13), marking the record-rewriting fourth time that the East Tennessee native has achieved the quintuple domination.
He passes Luke Combs, who managed the feat in three distinct weeks.
Wallen’s “Last Night” inhabits the penthouse on the streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Country Songs chart for a 13th frame. On Country Airplay, it vaults 5-1, becoming Wallen’s ninth leader, up 21% to 29.5 million in audience April 28-May 4, according to Luminate.
The track also drew 32.4 million official U.S. streams and sold 9,000 downloads, as it rules Country Streaming Songs for a 13th week and Country digital Song Sales for an 11th frame.
Plus, parent album One Thing at a Time commands the Top Country Albums chart for a ninth week (138,000 equivalent album units, down 8%), encompassing its entire run on the ranking so far.
This is the fourth week that Wallen has controlled all five country charts. He first did so on the Feb. 25 dated rankings, thanks to “Last Night” on Hot Country Songs, Country Streaming Songs and Country Digital Song Sales; “Thought You Should Know” on Country Airplay; and his prior LP, Dangerous: The Double Album, on Top Country Albums.
Wallen went on to top all five country surveys with the same titles on the charts dated March 4 and 11.
Prior to Wallen, just two artists accomplished the fivefold feat (dating to the start of Country Streaming Songs in April 2013). Luke Combs dominated the charts dated March 9 and 30 and April 6, 2019, after Kane Brown first achieved the honor on Oct. 28, 2017.
Concurrently, “Last Night” crowns the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 for a fifth week, marking the first song to top both that tally and Country Airplay simultaneously in the 33-year history of the latter chart.
The ACM Awards are bringing a country music party to Frisco, Texas!
Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks will co-host this year’s Academy of Country Music Awards, set to air May 11 at Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas.
But they will also be guiding an evening of strong performances, highlighted by duets from Carly Pearce and Trisha Yearwood (in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Yearwood winning the ACM’s female artist of the year award). Also collaborating are Cole Swindell and Jo Dee Messina on the remix of Swindell’s “She Had Me at Heads Carolina.” Ashley McBryde will welcome Brandy Clark, Caylee Hammack, Pillbox Patti and John Osborne (on guitar) for a performance of “Bonfire at Tina’s” from McBryde’s collaborative Lindeville project, which is nominated for album of the year. HARDY, who leads this year’s nominees with seven nods, will also make his ACM Awards performance debut.
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Morgan Wallen had been slated as a performer, but pulled out of the awards show Tuesday (May 9) and is canceling six weeks of shows due to being placed on vocal rest. Sources tell Billboard that the ACM does not plan on replacing Wallen’s performance slot due to already having a stacked lineup of performers.
While Wallen will not be replaced, the ACM’s announced earlier in the day that pop star Ed Sheeran will be performing. It will be the “Shivers” singer’s first time on the show; he just released his new album, Subtract, on May 5.
Additionally, the ACMs revealed this year’s presenters, as well as contributions from four-time ACM National On-Air Personality of the Year winner Bobby Bones, whose “Backstage With Bobby Bones” interview segment will be featured throughout the evening.
Following HARDY in terms of nominations this year are Lainey Wilson with six nods, then Cole Swindell, Kane Brown, Luke Combs and Miranda Lambert with five nods each.
The awards show will be streaming live for free to a global audience via Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch. The full rebroadcast will stream the following day for free on Amazon Freevee.
See below for the full list of performers and presenters announced for this year’s ACM Awards.
Performers:
Jason Aldean
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Ed Sheeran
Cody Johnson
Miranda Lambert
Ashley McBryde
Jo Dee Messina
Dolly Parton
Jelly Roll
Cole Swindell
Keith Urban
The War and Treaty
Lainey Wilson
Bailey Zimmerman
Carly Pearce
Trisha Yearwood
HARDY
Jordan Davis
Brandy Clark
Caylee Hammack
Pillbox Patti
John Osborne
Presenters:
Gabby Barrett
BRELAND
Brandy Clark
Jordan Davis
Mickey Guyton
Tyler Hubbard
Dustin Lynch
TJ Osborne
Jon Pardi
Carly Pearce
MacKenzie Porter
Dak Prescott
Emmitt Smith
Tanya Tucker
Keith Urban
Trisha Yearwood
The ACM Awards is produced by Dick Clark Productions. DCP is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a Penske Media Corporation (PMC) subsidiary and joint venture between PMC and Eldrige. PMC is the parent company of Billboard.
Morgan Wallen shared some hard news with fans on Tuesday morning (May 9) in an Instagram video in which he revealed that he needs to take six weeks off from his current tour. “I’m just gonna go ahead and get straight to it. I got some bad news from my doctors at the Vanderbilt Voice Center yesterday. After taking 10 days of vocal rest I performed three shows last weekend in Florida and by the third one I felt terrible,” the singer said.
“So I went in and go scoped yesterday and they told me that I re-injured my vocal cords and that I have vocal fold trauma,” he added, swallowing hard. Wallen said his doctor’s advice was that he go on vocal rest for six weeks. “So that’s what I’m gon’ do,” he said, noting that that his team advised him not to talk at all, but that if he needed to it was okay for something like his announcement.
He added that he tore his lat muscle while on tour in Australia and while he’s been trying to work through that injury in private, the upcoming time off should help with that issue as well. Wallen said his team is almost finished rescheduling all his current and upcoming dates, with news about all the shows expected soon. Following last week’s trio of shows in Jacksonville, West Palm Beach and Tampa, Wallen was not scheduled to perform again until a May 18 gig at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, PA.
In addition to two shows at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, Wallen had gigs on tap in Austin and Houston, TX on May 24 and 26, a pair of shows in Atlanta on June 2-3, an appearance at the Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam in Panama City Beach, FL, two shows at Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater in Virginia Beach, VA on June 8-9 and a June 10 spot at the Carolina Country Music Fest in Myrtle Beach, SC on June 10. The singer was booked to play a series of stadium shows in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Chicago and Detroit through the end of June. At press time spokespeople for Wallen had not announced which shows have been impacted or potential replacement dates.
In addition to his headlining shows, Wallen is also forced to bow out of the Thursday’s (May 11) ACM Awards and the ACM’s Lifting Lives event on Wednesday (May 10), where he was slated to take the stage alongside Hardy, Lainey Wilson, Ernest and Bailey Zimmerman at the annual charity function for those struggling with health issues.
“They told me that if I do this the right way, I’ll get back to 100% and they also said that if I don’t listen and I keep singing, then I’ll permanently damage my voice,” Wallen said of his doctor’s advice. “So for the longevity of my career, this is just a choice I had to make. I hate it. But I love you guys, and I appreciate all the support that you always give me.”
According to a release from Wallen’s spokesperson, tickets for the original dates will be honored for all rescheduled performances and a 30-day refund window will open at the point of purchase when the new dates are announced; missed festival dates will be rescheduled for 2024.
Wallen made news last month after canceling a planned show at Oxford, MS’s Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on April 23 after his opening acts performed and just moments before he was to take the stage. “I thought I was going to be good to go and I just wasn’t,” he said in a message to the 60,000 disappointed fans who were sent home that night without seeing him.
See Wallen’s Instagram statement below.
Jelly Roll will be the subject of a new documentary by ABC News, the outlet shared on Tuesday (May 9).
Titled Jelly Roll: Save Me, the film promises to follow the country-rap sensation’s “journey of redemption in real time” as he works through his mental health and addiction struggles and grapples with his rising fame.
Leading up to his hometown show at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, the doc will chart the “Need a Favor” singer’s life story — including stints in the criminal justice system as both a teen and an adult before he broke out into the mainstream in with his 2022 single “Son of a Sinner.” Jelly Roll will also shine a light on his philanthropic work by visiting the juvenile detention center where he was incarcerated multiple times during his adolescence to share his story and attempt to make a meaningful impact on the current generation of at-risk youth.
Jelly Roll: Save Me is set to premiere May 30 exclusively on Hulu before the release of the rising star’s debut country album Whitsitt Chapel, which will arrive on June 2 via BBR Music Group.
In April, Jelly Roll swept the 2023 CMT Music Awards with the most awards of the night including male video of the year, male breakthrough video of the year and CMT digital-first performance of the year — all for “Son of a Sinner.” At the show, he couldn’t help but pinch himself after seeing Gwen Stefani perform No Doubt’s “Just a Girl” with Carly Pearce, revealing in an interview that the band’s live act was the second concert he ever attended in his life.
Check out Jelly Roll’s post announcing his forthcoming documentary below.
Dolly Parton‘s long-awaited first rock album, Rockstar, has a release date: Nov. 17. The country icon, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s class of 2022, brings along a who’s-who of her fellow artist collaborators on the album, including Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, Lizzo, Sting, Chris Stapleton, Debbie Harry, Elton John, John Fogerty, Joan Jett, Steven Tyler, Peter Frampton and Kid Rock. The sprawling 30-track album features nine original tracks and 21 rock anthems, including “Free Bird,” “Purple Rain” and “We Are the Champions.”
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Sting joins on The Police’s 1983 hit “Every Breath You Take,” while Joan Jett and the Blackhearts are on the 1988 hit “I Hate Myself for Loving You.” Stapleton and Parton will offer up the Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band classic “Night Moves,” while “Let It Be” will feature Parton with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Peter Frampton and Mick Fleetwood.
Meanwhile, the cover art features strong ’80s vibes, with Parton sitting on a motorcycle, holding a black guitar and clad in a black, studded-leather outfit slightly reminiscent of the one she wore during the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
Rockstar will be available as a four-LP set, a two-CD set and via digital download and on all streaming services.
“I’m so excited to finally present my first rock n’ roll album, Rockstar!” Parton said via a statement. “I am very honored and privileged to have worked with some of the greatest iconic singers and musicians of all time, and to be able to sing all the iconic songs throughout the album was a joy beyond measure. I hope everybody enjoys the album as much as I’ve enjoyed putting it together!”
On Thursday, May 11, Parton will debut her first single from the album during the 58th annual Academy of Country Music Awards. She will also join Garth Brooks as they host the awards show, which will stream around the world live on Prime Video beginning at 7 p.m. CT from The Ford Center in Frisco, Texas.
See the full track listing for Rockstar below:
“Rockstar” (special guest Richie Sambora)
“World on Fire”
“Every Breath You Take” (feat. Sting)
“Open Arms” (feat. Steve Perry)
“Magic Man” (feat. Ann Wilson with special guest Howard Leese)
“Long As I Can See the Light’ (feat. John Fogerty)
“Either Or” (feat. Kid Rock)
“I Want You Back” (feat. Steven Tyler with special guest Warren Haynes)
“What Has Rock and Roll Ever Done for You” (feat. Stevie Nicks with special guest Waddy Wachtel)
“Purple Rain”
“Baby, I Love Your Way” (feat. Peter Frampton)
“I Hate Myself for Loving You” (feat. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts)
“Night Moves” (feat. Chris Stapleton)
“Wrecking Ball” (feat. Miley Cyrus)
“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (feat. P!nk & Brandi Carlile)
“Keep on Loving You” (feat. Kevin Cronin)
“Heart of Glass” (feat. Debbie Harry)
“Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” (feat. Elton John)
“Tried to Rock and Roll Me” (feat. Melissa Etheridge)
“Stairway to Heaven” (feat. Lizzo & Sasha Flute)
“We Are the Champions”
“Bygones” (feat. Rob Halford with special guests Nikki Sixx & John 5)
My Blue Tears (feat. Simon Le Bon)
“What’s Up?” (feat. Linda Perry)
“You’re No Good” (feat. Emmylou Harris & Sheryl Crow)
“Heartbreaker” (feat. Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo)
“Bittersweet” (feat. Michael McDonald)
“I Dreamed About Elvis” (feat. Ronnie McDowell with special guest The Jordanaires)
“Let It Be” (feat. Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr with special guests Peter Frampton & Mick Fleetwood)
“Free Bird” (feat. Ronnie Van Zant with special guests Gary Rossington, Artimus Pyle and The Artimus Pyle Band)
Several months after shutting down his SiriusXM station, Garth Brooks has found a new radio home.
Starting this summer, Brooks will launch SEVENS Radio Network through TuneIn, the free livestreaming audio platform with more than 75 million monthly active users and distribution across 200 platforms and connected devices.
SEVENS Radio will include multiple stations dedicated to country music and more, all curated and conceived by Brooks. “I’m excited about the future of TuneIn and feel lucky to announce a partnership with them,” said Brooks in a statement. “The thought of a global network of stations uniting all music fans is something I want to be a part of. The possibilities are bigger than I can dream.”
TuneIn already boasts more than 100,000 stations, accessible by downloading the TuneIn app for Android or iOS, via tunein.com or through smart speakers. Ad-supported content is available for free; listeners can also choose a commercial-free premium service.
“Garth Brooks is a tireless entrepreneur and one of the most recognizable stars in the world. When he shared his vision for SEVENS Radio, we knew TuneIn should be his home,” said TuneIn CEO Rich Stern. “At TuneIn, we believe in the power of radio and those artists who are passionate about it. Garth and the entire SEVENS team are creating something we believe fans will love and we’re so proud to have them on TuneIn.”
Brooks, the top-selling solo artist in the United States with more than 156 million domestic albums sold, according to the RIAA, comes to TuneIn after six years spent helming the 24/7 Garth Channel on SiriusXM, which ceased airing on September 30.
SEVENS will fill and expand the void left by the end of the Garth Channel, which had served as a community hub for Brooks and his fans since its launch in 2016. The singer frequently appeared on the channel, sharing his experiences with the artists the outlet played, while the station offered fun bits of Brooks trivia. The Garth Channel featured Brooks’ music roughly 25% of the time, with the rest of the airplay dedicated to artists he liked, including acts he grew up on, his contemporaries and newer performers.
The 58th annual ACM Awards will stream live via Amazon Prime Video from Frisco, Texas, on Thursday (May 11), guided by megastar co-hosts Garth Brooks and Dolly Parton. This year, nominees ranging from newcomers to Country Music Hall of Fame members are poised take home ACM trophies.
Will leading nominee HARDY — who has seven nods heading into the ceremony — add to his ACM Awards accolades? Could first-time ACM entertainer of the year nominees Kane Brown or Morgan Wallen take home the night’s most coveted trophy? Will six-time ACM nominee Lainey Wilson best her previous year’s wins by taking home the female artist of the year honor? Will Miranda Lambert extend her nine female artist of the year wins? Could The War and Treaty take home their first ACM Awards win for duo of the year?
Here are Billboard’s winners predictions in select categories, from Jessica Nicholson, staff writer, Nashville.
Entertainer of the Year
Jason AldeanKane BrownLuke CombsMiranda LambertChris StapletonCarrie UnderwoodMorgan Wallen
Analysis: Sony Music Nashville artists Kane Brown and Luke Combs, as well as Big Loud’s Morgan Wallen, are among the top contenders in the seven artist-strong pack of nominees this year. Brown led a top-tier headlining tour of NBA arenas and notched his ninth Billboard Country Airplay No. 1, this time with “Thank God,” featuring his wife Katelyn. Brown is the first Black or biracial artist to be nominated in the category since Charley Pride, who earned ACM EOY nominations from 1970-1972. Meanwhile, Combs earns his fourth EOY nomination, and released two albums over the past year, Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old. He also launched his World Tour, including breaking records at AT&T Stadium, Busch Stadium and Gillette Stadium. Wallen also earns his first EOY nomination this year, and is selling out shows internationally on his One Night at a Time world tour. Wallen’s One Thing at a Time album has been entrenched in the penthouse of the Billboard 200 for the past nine weeks. Meanwhile, Wallen’s “Last Night” recently became the first song to top the Hot 100 and Country Airplay charts simultaneously. With this being Combs’ fourth nod in the category, look for him to take home his first win.
Will win: Luke Combs
Female artist of the year
Kelsea BalleriniMiranda LambertAshley McBrydeCarly PearceLainey Wilson
Analysis: Last year, Wilson picked up two ACM Awards wins — new female artist of the year and song of the year (for “Things a Man Oughta Know”). She is poised to up the ante this year, with six nominations overall. Additionally, she launched a recurring role on the hit television series Yellowstone, released her Bell Bottom Country album, headlined her own Country With a Flare tour, and opened for Luke Combs’ world tour. She also earned two top five Country Airplay hits with “Heart Like a Truck” and “Wait in the Truck” (a collab with HARDY). Reigning ACM entertainer of the year Lambert released the album Palomino, earned a top 10 Hot Country Songs hit with “If I Was a Cowboy,” and led a string of dates on her Velvet Rodeo Las Vegas residency. Meanwhile, McBryde and reigning ACM female artist of the year Pearce saw their collaboration “Never Wanted to Be That Girl” top the Country Airplay chart in May 2022; the song was nominated for two ACM Awards last year, and won the music event of the year trophy. In 2022, Ballerini released the album Subject to Change, spearheaded by the top 25 Country Airplay hit “Heartfirst.” Every artist here has notched stellar career milestones, but Wilson’s career is firing on all cylinders.
Will win: Lainey Wilson
Male Artist of the Year
Kane BrownLuke CombsJordan DavisChris StapletonMorgan Wallen
Analysis: Stapleton is the reigning winner in this category, while Combs previously won this honor in 2020. They are competing against three first-timers in the category: Brown, Davis and Wallen. With Brown and Combs being labelmates, and given Wallen’s stronghold on the sales chart, Wallen could take home the win here.
Will win: Morgan Wallen
Duo of the Year
Brooks & DunnBrothers OsborneDan + ShayMaddie & TaeThe War and Treaty
Analysis: Brothers Osborne regained this accolade last year, after Dan+Shay had held the winner’s circle for the previous three years. (Brothers Osborne had taken home the honor for two years before that.) This year, they have competition from Country Music Hall of Famers Brooks & Dunn (who have taken home the win 16 times in their career), as well as Maddie & Tae (who released the two-volume Through the Madness project last year) and husband-and-wife duo The War and Treaty, who released their EP Blank Page in November 2022, followed by their full-length project Lover’s Game this year. With their strong following, look for Brothers Osborne to retain their title.
Will win: Brothers Osborne
Group of the Year
Lady ALittle Big TownMidlandOld DominionZac Brown Band
Analysis: Old Dominion has taken home this honor the past five consecutive years and have a top 15 Country Airplay hit with “Memory Lane.” Zac Brown Band earned a top 15 Country Airplay hit with “Out in the Middle.” Though all the nominees here had top-notch years, it looks to be a race between Old Dominion and ZBB.
Will win: Old Dominion
Album of the Year
Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville —Ashley McBryde; Producer: John Osborne; Label: Warner Music Nashville
Bell Bottom Country — Lainey Wilson; Producer: Jay Joyce; Label: Broken Bow Records
Growin’ Up — Luke Combs; Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton; Label: Columbia Records
Mr. Saturday Night — Jon Pardi; Producers: Jon Pardi, Bart Butler, Ryan Gore; Label: Capitol Records Nashville
Palomino — Miranda Lambert; Producers: Jon Randall, Luke Dick, Miranda Lambert, Mikey Reaves; Label: Vanner Records/RCA Records Nashville
Analysis: This year’s album race features a slew of chart-toppers in a range of styles, with Lambert’s freewheeling musical travelogue, Wilson’s hippie-country project, Pardi’s ‘90s country-inspired album and Combs’s hit-filled collection all vying for the win. However, voters could lean toward the out-of-the-box ethos of McBryde’s collaborative, Dennis Linde-inspired project.
Will win: McBryde’s Lindeville
Single of the Year
“Heart Like a Truck” — Lainey Wilson; Producer: Jay Joyce; Label: Broken Bow Records
“Never Wanted To Be That Girl” — Carly Pearce & Ashley McBryde; Producers: Josh Osborne, Shane McAnally; Label: Big Machine Records/Warner Music Nashville
“She Had Me at Heads Carolina” — Cole Swindell; Producer: Zach Crowell; Label: Warner Music Nashville
“Thank God” — Kane Brown with Katelyn Brown; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: RCA Nashville
“’Til You Can’t” — Cody Johnson; Producer: Trent Willmon; Label: Warner Music Nashville/CoJo Music
Analysis: Each nomination gained considerable traction on the Country Airplay chart, while “Never Wanted to Be That Girl” earned a Grammy win, Johnson’s “’Til You Can’t” is a previous CMA Award winner, and the Kane/Katelyn collab won big at last month’s CMT Music Awards. In terms of overall commercial success, Swindell’s “Carolina” notched four weeks atop Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, and got an extra boost via a remixed version featuring Jo Dee Messina.
Will win: Swindell’s “She Had Me at Heads Carolina”
Song of the Year
“Sand in My Boots” — Morgan Wallen; Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Josh Osborne, Michael Hardy; Publishers: Relative Music Group; Sony/ATV Accent, Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing, Sony/ATV Tree Publishing
“She Had Me at Heads Carolina” — Cole Swindell; Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Cole Swindell, Jesse Frasure, Mark D. Sanders, Thomas Rhett, Tim Nichols; Publishers: Ashley Gorley Publishing Designee, Be a Light Publishing, Colden Rainey Music, EMI Blackwood Music, Songs of Roc Nation Music, Sony Tree Publishing, Telemitry Rhythm House Music, Universal Music, WC Music, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing
“’Til You Can’t” — Cody Johnson; Songwriters: Ben Stennis, Matt Rogers; Publishers: Anthem Canalco Publishing, Dead Aim Music, The Stennis Mightier Music
“wait in the truck” — HARDY featuring Lainey Wilson; Songwriters: Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt, Michael Hardy, Renee Blair; Publishers: Humerus Publishing Global, Nontypical Music, Pile of Schmidt Songs, Rednecker Music, Relative Music Group, Round Hill Verses Publishing, Sony/ ATV Accent, Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, The Money Tree Vibez, WC Music, Who Wants To Buy My Publishing
“You Should Probably Leave” — Chris Stapleton; Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Chris DuBois, Chris Stapleton; Publishers: One77 Songs, Sea Gayle Music, Songs of Southside Independent Music Publishing, Spirit Two Nashville, WC Music
Analysis: Songwriter Ashley Gorley co-wrote three of the contenders for this year’s song of the year honor, while Michael Hardy (HARDY) is a contributor to two of this year’s final nominees. Three of these contenders first charted in 2021, thus proving their enduring quality. Lyrically, the songs cover a range of topics including heartbreak (“Sand in My Boots”), making the most of each day (“‘Til You Can’t”), revenge (“wait in the truck”), temptation (“You Should Probably Leave”) and music-fused love (“She Had Me at Heads Carolina”). Given the gritty nature of “wait in the truck” and its addition to country music’s long history of murder ballads, look for it to win here.
Will win: “Wait in the Truck”
Music Event of the Year
“At the End of a Bar” — Chris Young with Mitchell Tenpenny; Producers: Chris DeStefano, Chris Young; Label: RCA Nashville
“She Had Me at Heads Carolina [Remix]” — Cole Swindell & Jo Dee Messina; Producer: Zach Crowell; Label: Warner Music Nashville
“Thank God” — Kane Brown with Katelyn Brown; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: RCA Nashville
“Thinking ’Bout You” — Dustin Lynch featuring MacKenzie Porter; Producer: Zach Crowell; Label: Broken Bow Records
“wait in the truck” — HARDY featuring Lainey Wilson; Producers: Derek Wells, HARDY, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt; Label Big Loud Records
Analysis: This year’s category gets competition with the Chris Young/Mitchell Tenpenny collab “At the End of a Bar,” the nostalgic Swindell/Messina musical moment of “She Had Me at Heads Carolina,” the husband-wife duet “Thank God” with Kane and Katelyn Brown, the intense murder ballad “wait in the truck” from HARDY and Wilson, and the Dustin Lynch/MacKenzie Porter duet “Thinking ‘Bout You,” which was a six-week Country Airplay chart-topper in 2021. Look for the stirring “Thank God” to take home the win.
Will win: Kane Brown and Katelyn Brown, “Thank God”
Due to a lightning advisory, Nashville’s Nissan Stadium issued a shelter in place warning Sunday night (May 7) just an hour before Taylor Swift‘s first opening act of the evening, Gracie Abrams, was to take the stage for that night’s Eras Tour concert.
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“For those in Nissan Stadium, please proceed to the shelter areas as directed by staff. Please remain calm and proceed to the covered and interior areas of the stadium,” the venue first posted in a severe weather alert on social media at 5:40 p.m. local time.
“At this time, lightning is approaching Nissan Stadium. Please move to the covered areas of the concourses or ramps, or shelter areas as directed by stadium officials. All guests currently in cars, please remain in your vehicle. If you are currently approaching the entrance of Nissan Stadium, please quickly proceed to any open gate and seek shelter immediately,” Nissan, an open-air stadium, followed up in another tweet.
The stadium then posted: “Hang in there, Swifties! We appreciate your patience as we wait out this storm. More updates to come. P.S. Keep singing your favorite songs in the concourse! We hear y’all and we love it!”
By 6:57 p.m. CT, Nissan Stadium communicated that a delayed start time for Swift was expected.
“Due to lightning in the area, Nissan Stadium will remain under Shelter in Place until the current storm passes,” a tweet read. “We anticipate Taylor Swift taking the stage at a delayed start time. More information will be released ASAP.”
Billboard reached out to a representative for Swift on Sunday night and will keep this report updated.
On The Eras Tour, Swift has historically been taking the stage at approximately 7:50 p.m. or just after. Her more than three-hour set follows two openers (on this night, it was to be Abrams and Phoebe Bridgers). Sunday night’s show is the last of three Nashville tour dates on her Eras schedule, and then she heads to Philadelphia next weekend.
At 7:54 p.m. local time on Sunday, Swift checked in with fans on social media, sharing live concert photos from this weekend. She performed at the venue both Friday and Saturday night.
“Even though we have one last show in Nashville tonight I just have to post these photos causeeeee… it’s been WILD. I got to announce Speak Now (my version) is coming on 7/7, got to perform ‘Nothing New’ with boss genius/baby angel face @phoebebridgers for the first time, and have been so moved by these beautiful, generous Nashville crowds!!!! I just can’t believe it. PS I know there’s talk of a rainy weather vibe tonight but I’m ready to play, see you sooon!!” she wrote in the update.
Taylor Swift‘s closest friend since high school, Abigail Anderson Berard, got to share a special moment with the star during the second night of The Eras Tour in Nashville on Saturday night (May 6).
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Sitting at the piano during the highly-anticipated part of her set featuring surprise songs, Swift joked, “I feel like if I give you one piece of information you’d know exactly what song I was about to play,” before singing the Fearless classic “Fifteen” for her “beautiful, redheaded high school best friend,” who was in attendance at the show.
Fans seated near the Nissan Stadium VIP tent where Swift’s friends were enjoying the concert captured Abigail’s sweet reaction and uploaded the videos to TikTok.
Swift added a line to the song on Saturday night, one that contributed to the reflective vibe of hearing the high school song performed in their 30s.
“Back then I swore I was gonna marry him someday/ But I realized some bigger dreams of mine/ And Abigail gave everything she had/ To a boy who changed his mind/ And we both cried,” she sang, topping the original lyric off with “and that’s alright.”
Earlier in the week, the pair shared a snapshot of themselves laughing together on Instagram, with the caption: “‘Cause when you’re… 33.”
See the reaction to the surprise concert moment — and some clips of Swift’s 2023 performance of “Fifteen” –below. Keep up with all the surprise songs Swift has played on The Eras Tour here.
Morgan Wallen earns his ninth leader on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart as “Last Night” leaps from No. 5 to No. 1 on the May 13-dated survey.
In the tracking week ending May 4, the single increased by 21% to 29.5 million audience impressions, according to Luminate.
The song — written by John Byron, Ashley Gorley, Jacob Kasher Hindlin and Ryan Vojtesak — reaches the Country Airplay summit in just its 11th week on the chart, completing the quickest coronation since Luke Bryan’s “Strip It Down” also needed only 11 frames to hit No. 1 in October 2015.
Plus, Wallen rules Country Airplay 11 weeks after his eighth leader, “Thought You Should Know,” reached No. 1. That marks the quickest accumulation of two chart-toppers by a single act since, again, Bryan likewise went 11 weeks between notching new No. 1s “Kick the Dust Up” and “Strip It Down” in August-October 2015.
“Last Night” has also crossed over, led by its Nos. 13 and 15 ranks on Pop Airplay and Adult Pop Airplay, respectively. It added a fourth week atop the multimetric, all-genre Billboard Hot 100 dated May 6.
Wallen’s second song inside the Country Airplay top 10 (and 10th career top 10) is “One Thing at a Time,” the title track to his new LP. Concurrently being promoted to country radio, the song ranks at No. 9 (18.3 million).
‘Orange’ Is the New Top 10
Megan Moroney achieves her first Country Airplay top 10 as her freshman entry “Tennessee Orange” rises 11-10 (17.6 million, up 2%).
The song, which the 25-year-old co-wrote, marks the first top 10 by a woman in a debut appearance since Lainey Wilson’s “Things a Man Oughta Know,” which became her first leader in September 2021.