Artist & Industry News

The GRAMMYs always celebrate the past year in music, but next year’s event will do much more than that. The 2026 GRAMMYs will better showcase the quickly-changing landscape of the music industry - and more specifically, the country music industry. What may come across as a game-time decision was actually the resolve to a detailed discussion that began nearly a...

Sony Music Nashville surprised 2X CMA Entertainer of the Year Luke Combs with five new plaques commemorating historic new certifications at his 5-year anniversary appearance at the Grand Ole Opry earlier this week. The plaques included two diamond certifications for “When It Rains It Pours” & “Hurricane” which marks Combs as the first artist to have three Diamond country singles...

Liz Rose Music and Sheltered Music Publishing are proud to announce a new joint venture signing with GRAMMY® Award-nominated singer, songwriter, and veteran hit-maker Eric Paslay, cementing a powerful collaboration between two of Nashville’s most respected publishing forces and one of country music’s most consistent creative voices. Known for penning some of the genre’s most impactful hits—including “Barefoot Blue Jean...

This past weekend marked a milestone moment for Bailey Zimmerman, who kicked off his Summer 2025 New To Country Tour with sold-out shows in Indianapolis, IN and Sterling Heights, MI, and ended the weekend with a performance at Nissan Stadium for CMA Fest. Just before taking the stage Sunday night at the Fest, Zimmerman was surprised backstage by members of...

Today, Dierks Bentley released 11th studio album BROKEN BRANCHES, which has already received praise. The 11-track collection is rooted in raw honesty and storytelling and it embraces life’s outliers and underdogs with songs about resilience, change, and connection. BROKEN BRANCHES Track List: 1. Cold Beer Can (featuring Stephen Wilson Jr) Written by Jon Randall, Luke Dick, Stephen Wilson Jr. and Dierks...

The 2025 Songwriters Hall of Fame Annual Induction and Awards Dinner was a sparkling success, as SHOF President/CEO Linda Moran and co-chair Nile Rodgers recognized and celebrated some of the best songwriting legends of our time. Musical icons George Clinton; Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald and Patrick Simmons ofThe Doobie Brothers; Ashley Gorley; Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins; Mike Love; and Tony Macaulay...

Buzzed about Country newcomer Elizabeth Nichols has shared details on her debut EP, Tough Love, which will be released June 20 via PULSE Records. The seven-song project will include her viral hit “I Got a New One,” which shot to No. 1 on the iTunes Country chart and No. 2 on the iTunes All Genre chart on Friday after receiving the Kellyoke treatment...

Make Wake Artists, the artist management company behind some of country music’s most compelling talent, has officially launched an in-house digital strategy department as part of its ongoing commitment to artist development and innovation in the digital space. The new initiative will be led by experienced marketing professionals: Jess Keifer as Head of Digital Marketing & Social Strategy and Kyle...

Music industry professionals and creatives alike gathered together on the rooftop of BMI's Nashville headquarters on Tuesday (June 10) to celebrate the No. One hit “Boys Back Home” from Sony Music Nashville and Play It Again Music’s Dylan Marlowe and Curb Records’ Dylan Scott. Penned by Marlowe, Seth Ennis and Joe Fox, the Gold-certified chart-topper serves as the Georgia native’s...

Sony Music Publishing Nashville has announced the launch of Thank A Songwriter, a new podcast that celebrates the artistry and impact of songwriters shaping country music and beyond. Hosted by Sony Music Publishing Nashville CEO Rusty Gaston, the debut episode features part 1 of his in-depth conversation with multi-award-winning songwriter Ashley Gorley and is set to release on June 12,...

Rising singer-songwriter Philip Morgan has signed a global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music (WCM) Nashville and The Core Entertainment. Known for his signature blend of catchy hooks and unforgettable melodies, Morgan has penned several hit songs, including “How You Been (Letter to the County Line Girl)” by Chase Matthew. “Phil is an emerging force in the Nashville songwriting community,"...

The Americana Music Association has announced the nominees for its 24th annual Americana Honors & Awards. This year’s nominations were revealed by Brandi Carlile, Kashus Culpepper, S.G. Goodman, Jim Lauderdale, Kacey Musgraves and Molly Tuttle in a social media announcement. The winners will be announced during the Americana Honors & Awards on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, at the historic Ryman...

Earlier this year, the 2025 inductees were announced for the Songwriters Hall of Fame, which includes one of Country Music's most esteemed songwriters, Ashley Gorley. Gorley, along with other inductees, which include musical icons George Clinton; Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald and Patrick Simmons (of The Doobie Brothers); Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins; Mike Love; and Tony Macaulay, will be inducted at the...

The Ryman and BMI Block Party during CMA Fest (June 5 - June 7) drew hundreds of fans to the PNC Plaza to witness three days of music from the next generation of talent. The free event showcased 16 BMI singer/songwriters, displaying BMI's commitment to nurturing and developing songwriters at the earliest stages of their careers. The fourth annual Ryman...

CMA Fest presented by SoFi, the longest-running Country Music festival in the world, returned to downtown Nashville for its 52nd year this past weekend, welcoming an estimated 95,000 fans from across the globe for four days of live music, artist discovery and unforgettable moments. From June 5-8, artists, fans and industry came together to celebrate the music that connects—onstage, in...

One year after announcing his signing to Warner Music Nashville and Warner Records at Barstool Nashville during CMA Fest, Gavin Adcock returned to the very same stage for a special surprise on Thursday at Warner Music Nashville Presents: Heatwave House. Joined by his label teams, Adcock was presented with four RIAA certification plaques: “A Cigarette” (Platinum), “Run Your Mouth” (Gold),...

Get Engaged Media Partner / Co-Founder Cam Fordhamand multi-Platinum hitmaker BigXthaPlug hosted a kick back on the roof at Loser's last night (June 4), attracting A-List country talent and industry tastemakers alike prior to the start of CMA Fest, which kicked off this morning.

River House Artists / Warner Music Nashville have announced the signing of breakout Texas country artist Hudson Westbrook. The signing comes at a pivotal moment in Westbrook’s fast-rising career, following a wave of major milestones including the announcement of his debut album Texas Forever (out 7/25), Top 30-and-climbing single “House Again,” and its newly minted RIAA Gold-certification. Last night at...

The Country Music Association and ABC announced today that “CMA Fest presented by SoFi” will air Thursday, June 26, at 8/7c on ABC, and stream on Hulu the following day. Country stars Cody Johnson and Ashley McBryde host the star-studded, three-hour television event, set to be filmed in the heart of Nashville during the 52nd CMA Fest later this week....

Spirit Music Group has announced that they have formed a music publishing joint venture with NFL All-Pro Receiver, DeAndre Hopkins, in conjunction with writer/producer/manager, Erik Belz. Through the deal, DeAndre Hopkins establishes his music publishing company, LASA Music.  Belz will serve as Chief Creative Officer for LASA Music and will work with Spirit Music Group to sign and develop a...

Riser House Entertainment continues its dynamic growth with the addition of three new team members across streaming, product management, and label relations. As the company builds on its momentum in 2025, these key hires bring a wealth of experience and energy to an already thriving team. “At Riser House, we don't just chase trends — we build legacies,” says Jennifer...

Fresh off the release of his new single, “Seventeen,” impacting country radio July 14, singer-songwriter Kameron Marlowe has announced his headline Seventeen Tour. With support from country upstarts Lauren Watkins and Dalton Davis, the trek goes coast – to Canada – to coast, with festival stops in Virginia and Pennsylvania to headline shows in Charleston, Fayetteville, Calgary, Vancouver, Albuquerque, Los...

Kentucky’s independent six-piece Ole 60 has earned an RIAA Platinum-certification on their breakout single “smoke & a light.” “It’s surreal – we haven’t been doing this even 18 months. Hitting these milestones as an independent band from small town Kentucky is a really cool, crazy thing to experience and celebrate” the band shares collectively. “We have the greatest fans in...

Cole Goodwin has signed with Big Machine Records. The Georgia native released his self-produced EP Soon Enough in 2023 and since then he has been touring honky tonks and clubs, as well as playing festivals across the nation. “We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Cole Goodwin to Big Machine Records,” says Kris Lamb, EVP/General Manager of Big Machine Records. “Cole’s music carves out a lane...