tradition

Blake Shelton has added another milestone to a career already defined by record-breaking chart success, marking his 31st number one single at country radio with “Stay Country or Die Tryin'”. The track, taken from his BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville album For Recreational Use Only, was penned by Drew Parker, Graham Barham, Sam Ellis, and Beau Bailey. With its driving guitars and unapologetic celebration of rural pride, the single has resonated instantly with fans, cementing Shelton's place as one of country music's most enduring figures.

Country music superstar Jason Aldean has announced his highly anticipated new studio album, Songs About Us, set for release on April 24, 2026. The announcement was accompanied by the release of three surprise tracks, “Help You Remember,” “Hard To Love You” and “Lovin' Me Too Long,” giving fans an early taste of the album's signature storytelling and unmistakable sound.

Nashville-based singer-songwriter Jake Banfield is officially arriving in Australia this week, bringing with him a fresh summer anthem and a genre-defying sound that has quickly captured international attention.

HunterGirl opens 2026 with a release that feels grounded in memory and movement. Somewhere Wild, out now via 19 Recordings, BBR Music Group and BMG Nashville, marks a defining moment for the Tennessee born singer songwriter as she reconnects with the instincts that first pulled her toward music. The song arrives as a slow building, windswept piece that leans into space, reflection and the quiet desire to step away from noise and return to something elemental.

Parmalee have opened 2026 by rewriting the modern country radio rulebook, securing their longest running number one with “Cowgirl” and reinforcing their position as one of the genre's most consistent hitmakers. The North Carolina band's sixth chart-topper has delivered a rare multi-week reign at the summit of US country radio, a feat that has set them apart from every other band on the format over the past year.

Ringo Starr is preparing to extend his late career love affair with country music, confirming that a new studio album is in development and pencilled in for release sometime in early 2026. The untitled project will again explore country and Americana territory and reunites the former Beatle with producer T Bone Burnett, the creative partnership that reshaped Starr's recording direction with 2025's Look Up.

Raul Malo, the Miami-born vocalist who reshaped modern country and Americana through his work with The Mavericks, has died in Houston at age 60. Malo passed away on 8 December 2025 after a prolonged battle with colon cancer. His death brings to a close a career that spanned more than three decades and produced one of the most distinctive voices in American music.