Country
Jake Owen Opens Up About Being Sober: ‘I’m Just Trying to Be the Best Version of Myself’
Jake Owen has been sober for just over 10 months now, and he opened up about his journey via a social media post on Friday (July 29). The country star posted an image that simply read “Sober 316 Days,” accompanied by the caption: “317 days ago I embarrassed myself after drinking too much alcohol one night. It wasn’t the first time either. The next day I told myself, ‘never again.’ I am better than that, and the people I love the most deserve better. My family, my little girls, and my friends.” He also opened up about why he made the decision to share about his struggle with alcohol. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Just wanted to share my journey in case anyone woke up this morning and wants to make a change. None of us are perfect…I’m ...
Brad Paisley, Lady A Sell Music Rights to HarbourView
In another move reflecting its diversified genre approach to music acquisitions, HarbourView Equity Partners has entered the Nashville scene in a big way with new investments in Brad Paisley and Lady A‘s catalogs. Paisley, who has won three Grammy awards and has generated activity totaling 17.4 million album consumption units in the U.S., has sold his music royalty income stream to his master recording catalog to HarbourView. Beyond his successful music career, Paisley remains in the spotlight most recently thanks to his involvement in Nationwide Insurance advertising campaigns and due to his partnership with Boot Barn for the Moonshine Spirit clothing line. His last studio album was Love and War in 2017, which reached No. 13 on the Billboard 200 chart and peaked at No. 1 on Top Country Al...
Lauren Alaina Signs With Big Loud Records and Reveals Morgan Wallen’s Sweet Response
When Lauren Alaina decided it was time to find a new label, she knew exactly where she wanted to start the next chapter of her career — after all, she’d already landed one of her three No. 1 chart toppers with their help. Alaina, who announced her departure from Mercury/Universal Music Group Nashville via social media in April, has signed with Big Loud Records. “I got a label that matches my personality: big, loud and country,” Alaina tells Billboard, with a laugh. “So I think that that’s what my music will be: big, loud and country.” When asked what was on her checklist when shopping for her new label, she simply answers, “Big Loud.” She met with a few different record companies, but Big Loud was her “dream label,” she says, especially as she got to know their inner workings after collabo...
Carrie Underwood Covers Ozzy Osbourne’s “Mama, I’m Coming Home”: Stream
Carrie Underwood has shared her rendition of Ozzy Osbourne’s classic power ballad “Mama, I’m Coming Home.” Take a listen below. The country star’s take on Ozbourne and Lemmy Kilmister’s 1991 No More Tears collaboration comes courtesy of Apple Music’s new initiative Apple Music Sessions, which features artists pairing their own songs with their favorite covers all in an intimate, live setting — this time, Apple Music’s Nashville studio. “It’s one of my all-time favorite songs,” the American Idol winner said of “Mama, I’m Coming Home.” “I’ve always thought it felt a lot like a country song, and I’ve wanted to cover it for a long time.” In the session, she also ran through “Ghost Story,” the lead single off her brand-new album Denim & Rhinestones, as well as her 2012 hit “Blown Away....
Carrie Underwood Covers Ozzy Osbourne’s “Mama, I’m Coming Home”: Stream
Carrie Underwood has shared her rendition of Ozzy Osbourne’s classic power ballad “Mama, I’m Coming Home.” Take a listen below. The country star’s take on Ozbourne and Lemmy Kilmister’s 1991 No More Tears collaboration comes courtesy of Apple Music’s new initiative Apple Music Sessions, which features artists pairing their own songs with their favorite covers all in an intimate, live setting — this time, Apple Music’s Nashville studio. “It’s one of my all-time favorite songs,” the American Idol winner said of “Mama, I’m Coming Home.” “I’ve always thought it felt a lot like a country song, and I’ve wanted to cover it for a long time.” In the session, she also ran through “Ghost Story,” the lead single off her brand-new album Denim & Rhinestones, as well as her 2012 hit “Blown Away....
Taylor Swift’s Red (Taylor’s Version) Is Eligible for Grammy Nomination
Taylor Swift’s Red (Taylor’s Version) broke streaming records and gifted us with the instant classic “All Too Well (10-Minute Version),” but for all of its updates, it wasn’t clear if the re-recorded album would be eligible for a Grammy. However, Billboard confirms that it does meet the Recording Academy’s nomination requirements. According to the Academy’s “rules and guidelines” handbook, “Updated, revised or expanded versions of previously submitted albums will not be eligible” for Grammy Awards. However, the organization told Billboard that Red (Taylor’s Version) will be eligible for consideration “as it is a new recording.” This means that if Swift’s re-recorded LP is nominated for, say, Album of the Year (as the original was back in 2012), it would be her fift...
Taylor Swift’s Red (Taylor’s Version) Is Eligible for Grammy Nomination
Taylor Swift’s Red (Taylor’s Version) broke streaming records and gifted us with the instant classic “All Too Well (10-Minute Version),” but for all of its updates, it wasn’t clear if the re-recorded album would be eligible for a Grammy. However, Billboard confirms that it does meet the Recording Academy’s nomination requirements. According to the Academy’s “rules and guidelines” handbook, “Updated, revised or expanded versions of previously submitted albums will not be eligible” for Grammy Awards. However, the organization told Billboard that Red (Taylor’s Version) will be eligible for consideration “as it is a new recording.” This means that if Swift’s re-recorded LP is nominated for, say, Album of the Year (as the original was back in 2012), it would be her fift...
First Country: Zach Bryan, Zac Brown Band, Cody Johnson, LeAnn Rimes & More
First Country is a compilation of the best new country songs, videos & albums that dropped this week. Zach Bryan, “Summertime Blues“ [embedded content] Just months after topping the Billboard Country Albums chart with his whopping 34-track album American Heartbreak in May, this prolific, country and Americana-synthesizing artist returns with the nine-track EP Summertime Blues. The slow-burning, demo-like title track makes great use of Bryan’s craggy, weathered voice and the song finds the singer-songwriter staring into a summer sunset, musing that he has no one to share it with as the summer months stretch long before him. This year, Bryan has had successful sets at Stagecoach Country Music Festival and at its newly-minted, more Americana-leaning cousin, Palomino Festival. Meanwhile, h...
How to Get Tickets to Reba McEntire’s 2022 Tour
Reba McEntire is headed out on tour this fall for the live “Reba: Live In Concert” experience and tickets are sure to fly with 17 dates spread across the United States. In a statement announcing the tour, McEntire shared her excitement, saying: “I can’t wait to see everyone out on the road again this fall. We had so much fun in the spring and I’m ready to get back out there with my buddy Terri Clark!” Get tickets here, and read on for more details including pre-sale dates. What Is Reba McEntire’s Next Tour? “Reba: Live in Concert” takes the beloved country star and actor on a whole new set of cities following her spring 2022 trek that fulfilled her rescheduled 2020 tour. The new circuit kicks off in Lafayette, Louisiana on October 13th, then hits Fort Worth, Texas and Oklahoma City before ...
Morgan Wallen’s ‘Wasted on You’ Ties for His Longest Reign on Country Airplay Chart
Morgan Wallen matches his longest command on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart, as “Wasted on You” leads the list (dated July 16) for a third week. The song ties “Whiskey Glasses,” his second of six No. 1s on the ranking, which ruled for three weeks starting in June 2019. His other No. 1s led for a week each. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Wasted” drew 28.3 million in audience (up less than 1%) in the week ending July 10, according to Luminate. Meanwhile, 18 songs have landed their first weeks atop Country Airplay so far in 2022, and “Wasted” marks just the second to dominate for as many as three weeks. It equals the No. 1 run of Jason Aldean’s “Trouble With a Heartbreak,” starting on the chart dated May 28. [embedded content] “Wasted...
Willie Nelson Adds More Dates to Outlaw Music Festival Tour 2022
Wille Nelson is taking his Outlaw Music Festival Tour to even wider pastures. Today, the Red-Headed Stranger has announced that he’s expanding the 2022 iteration of his concert tour through October, featuring headlining performances from himself as well as appearances from The Avett Brothers, Black Pumas, and more. The newly-added Outlaw dates will go down October 14th, 15th, and 16th in Mountain View, Wheatland, and Irvine, California, respectively. In addition to the previously mentioned artists, each of the three evenings will include performances from Larkin Poe and Particle Kid. This brings Nelson’s annual US trek to 22 dates total, with the initial batch of shows announced back in March. Those dates will begin in June, with performances from Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Nathaniel R...
Brandi Carlile Taps Maren Morris, Sara Bareilles, Wynonna for Girls Just Wanna Weekend Festival 2023
Brandi Carlile’s Girls Just Wanna Weekend festival will return to the Hard Rock Hotel in Riviera Maya, Mexico next year. Set for January 9th through 13th, 2023, the fourth installment of the women-fronted destination concert will feature Maren Morris, Sara Bareilles, Wynonna Judd, and more. Lucius, Yola, Allison Russell, Joy Oladokun, Ruby Amanfu, Natalie Hemby, Brandy Clark, and Brittney Spencer round off the Girls Just Wanna Weekend lineup. Carlile will, of course, headline the event. Guests will have the choice of staying at either the Hard Rock Hotel or the adults-only Barceló Maya Riviera Resort for the all-inclusive destination festival. Packages offer guests such perks as unlimited drinks and access to spas and fitness centers, while those who choose to stay at the Barceló Maya Rivi...
