It’s officially official. Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” is now the longest-running #1 single in the all-genre Billboard 100 history—a history that goes back all the way to 1958. This week, the song spent its 23rd week at #1.
He’s certainly paid his dues, and he’s definitely waited in line for his opportunity. Now Neal McCoy will be the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. It happened Tuesday evening (9-22) at the Grand Ole Opry House.
Joe Stamm puts you right in the room where the song was written, or the scene where it was inspired. Joe has such keen vision for songs, finding them in places many other songwriters would miss.
There was fair warning that it was potentially coming. But now that it’s here, it could be catastrophic, if not existential for your favorite independent artist, band, music venue, local promoter, and other independent entities.
One song at a time is how we dig out of the mess that popular music has become, and the mess that so many facets of modern life have become. Here’s where you can find many of those songs in one place, excruciatingly curated.
It’s hard not to notice a growing trend in our sawdust-covered corner of the world. Not long ago, fights on social media were fairly rare. It felt like something that happened around the music, and not instead of it.
Beloved bass player Omar Oyoque is being forced to take an indefinite hiatus away from Silverada to deal with an injury with his right hand that will require surgery. He will perform two final shows with the band
For Chris Stapleton, it was a full-circle moment, and had to be a significant career landmark for him, perhaps even bigger than winning many of his CMA or ACM Awards. He’s been outright outspoken about his admiration for Petty.
Perhaps the coolest and most remarkable aspect of the elevation of Ella Langley and “Choosin’ Texas” to the most popular song in all of music is that Ella has done this all by herself. There was no featured artist or remix.
It’s been a long time coming. But really, it’s been that way for most every Whitey Morgan album. He might not be the most prolific artist. But those that have followed him know he’s the premier torchbearer for Outlaw country.
As if things weren’t bad enough in America with massive inflation, rising interest rates, record high gas prices, and the impending onslaught of AI exterminating us all, Bro-Country pioneers Florida Georgia Line have officially reunited.
In what’s officially Katrina Cain’s debut full-length album, she presents personal vignettes with palpable emotions in songs that are ultimately very enjoyable and even fair to call accessible thanks to her superior vocal capabilities.
Todd Snider happened to leave behind a posthumous album recorded in the period right before his death in the fall of 2025. Called My Second Rodeo, it’s said to be an imagining of “the sound of country music 10 years from now.”
It’s Alicia Blue’s fearlessness to speak about her experiences often free of metaphor and innuendo that makes the music novel. But it’s her voice that really separates her from the herd. So confidently delivered and character-filled.
George Jones is gone. But he won’t be forgotten. Not if the country music community has anything to say about it. From the young, to the old, to traditionalists, to more contemporary performers, big names showed up to pay tribute.
After the terrorist attacks on 9/11, John PayCheck resigned his position as the tour manager for his famous father, and joined the the U.S Army. He would end up spending more than 20 years in the military.
With Larry Gatlin pushing 80, and having performed with his brothers literally since childhood, it’s not hard to understand why they might be looking into the future, and wanting to conclude things on their terms.
We can either sit back and complain about all the ills that are plaguing the music industry from top to bottom, or we can get to work trying to do something about it. The Hook chooses the latter, trying to elevate the conversation.
From the festival’s inception, the clear goal is to honor the great Earl Scruggs legacy by bringing in artists of all backgrounds, motivated by a love of the banjo and the music in its various forms, with the intention of inspiring future generations.
Just give them all to Ella Langley now, because you know she’s going to win them. Single of the Year, Song of the Year, Music Video of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, they’re all shoo-ins for Ella.
For those of you that love to put on an old George Jones record and pretend like the last 50 years of country music never happened, the music of Jason James will be as welcomed as that first bit of crisp autumn air.
It’s nationwide, and affecting all genres. We’re losing large swaths of the population of blue collar, club-level working musicians who can sustain themselves without any other means of employment, and at an alarming pace.
The Ameripolitan Awards & Weekender will be returning in 2027 after two years away, and is partnering with another event to make it “bigger and badder than ever.” The date and location has just been announced.
We’re heading into the home stretch of 2026, and we very well could still see some of the best albums released in country and roots music coming out in the impending months. This list is intended to keep you informed.
