The King has been dethroned. Though you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who says he’s one of the quintessential country acts of all time, there’s simply no denying the career Kenny Chesney has had over the past four decades. Beyond his recent induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame last year, the Tennessee native has additionally been named Billboard’s Top Country Artist of the 21st Century and the seventh-most popular touring act of the millennium by Pollstar. Of course, this fails to mention the fact that Chesney has additionally scored 33 #1 hits throughout his career, sold over 100 million units in the U.S. alone, won a combined 23 CMA and ACM Awards and curated one of the most successful live shows in country music thanks to the dedication of his fanbase, No Shoes Nation. Over the past three decades, the “Summertime” singer has sustained one of the most long-lasting careers on country radio — arguably second to none. This was highlighted back in May with the release of “Carry On,” the lead single off his 21st studio album, Silver Sands Marina, which releases on Friday, September 25th. Upon “Carry On’s” release, it scored Chesney his 100th hit on Billboard’s Country Airplay. In turn, he’d tie the King himself, George Strait, for most songs ever tallied on Billboard’s radio-centric chart. Today, the track has finally entered the Top 10 on Country Airplay, rising from #11 to #9 with 18 million plays across the country. What makes the entry so notable is that it’s Chesney’s 62nd Top 10 on the chart, which now passes the record held by both Strait and Tim McGraw (61). Though he now has the most Top 10 entries on the chart, he is still second in total weeks to McGraw. While Chesney scored his 1,742nd week this frame, the “Just to See You Smile” singer has spent a staggering 1,945 weeks. Additionally, the Tennessee native now has the most #1s in the history of Billboard’s Country Airplay (33) and the most Top 10s in history (62). Due to Chesney’s longevity on the charts over the past 30 years, he’s looking to extend his lead for most #1 hits on the Country Airplay chart with “Carry On” as well, which is ahead of the likes of Morgan Wallen, Alan Jackson, Strait, McGraw, Blake Shelton, Toby Keith and more. Most #1s On Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart Kenny Chesney – 33 Blake Shelton – 30 Tim McGraw – 29 Jason Aldean – 26 Luke Bryan – 26 Alan Jackson – 26 George Strait – 26 Thomas Rhett – 21 Keith Urban – 21 Brooks & Dunn – 20 Luke Combs – 20 Toby Keith – 20 Brad Paisley – 20 Morgan Wallen – 20 “Carry On” The post Kenny Chesney Passes George Strait For Most Top 10 Hits In The History Of Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Nearly half the population of Indianapolis. After teasing a new tour back in January through his personal website – the only place where the country star shares news from now – Garth Brooks would officially announce his return to touring on his brand new Blame It All On My Roots arena tour. And it’s been a long time coming for the “The Thunder Rolls” singer. The 64-year-old country star last brought his music to the masses with his Stadium Tour, which played its final show in the fall of 2022. Garth’s Las Vegas residency – Garth Brooks/Plus ONE – followed after that, but even that wrapped in July of 2024. All that to say, it certainly seems like the perfect time for the aging superstar to return to touring. He didn’t even wait for the mysterious countdown clock on his website to strike zero before he started putting out the word about the “Blame It All On My Roots” Arena Tour. Very early in the morning on July 7, Brooks shared this video of his dusty drum pod… and let’s just say it’s a tour teaser that only Garth could whip up: “Oh yeah… how long’s it been, ol’ girl?” That was officially confirmed a couple of hours later, both on his website and Garth’s official social media accounts. The country superstar told everyone that the “wait is over,” and happily announced that his Blame It All On My Roots Tour will kick off in August: “Going back into the arenas is about putting the stadium show in a box. The excitement gets multiplied by the intimacy. Every seat is a great seat. This is personal.” The wait is over… Garth Brooks is kicking off the Blame It All On My Roots Tour! The first stop is Indianapolis, Indiana! Tickets go on sale Friday, July 17, at 10:00 AM EDT at https://t.co/QFQKNte63Q -Team Garth pic.twitter.com/x6TmASteEU — Garth Brooks (@garthbrooks) July 7, 2026 At the time, Brooks would only announce two shows: the first two nights – August 21st and 22nd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. Along the way, he’d make a plethora of different announcements regarding the tour. These included promising a live album titled Killer Live (which sent off a firestorm online thanks to Tom Segura’s world-famous joke) and cutting-edge technology such as a 360-degree video system that he’s coined “The Halo,” which will feature both inward and outward-facing screens. “Let’s never forget, the music is the most important thing, and the experience the people have must be the best the artist can bring. With that said, entertainment technology, and the crew behind that technology, plays a big role in that. I hope you see things on this tour you haven’t seen yet, and most of all, I hope you dig the **** out of them.” Additionally, Garth chose to make every single ticket that’s for sale – regardless of where it is in the arena – $154. When you break that down, it’s $140 for the ticket, and then $14 added on top of it in facility fees and service charges (plus taxes). In other words, whether it’s the front row or the nose bleeds, every single seat costs the same. This morning, the tickets went on sale on Ticketmaster. Unsurprisingly, given the absolute mess the platform has been lately, it was nothing short of a battle for fans to grab tickets. It got so bad, in fact, that the queue almost hit 400,000 people. To put into perspective just how big that is, it’s nearly half the population of Indianapolis, which is currently estimated to be roughly 900,000 people. No one was prepared for thisNearly 400,000 in the Ticketmaster queue!!! Your patience is so appreciatedThis is crazyTHANK YOU! – Team Garth — Garth Brooks (@garthbrooks) July 17, 2026 Because of the overwhelming demand, Garth is now adding a third and fourth night to his Indianapolis run, performing a “new opening night” on Thursday, August 20th, and a “matinee” show to close the slate of shows on Sunday, August 23rd, Indianapolis, we are adding a NEW opening night and putting it ON SALE NOW https://t.co/QFQKNte63Q -Team Garth pic.twitter.com/eARtxKveZt — Garth Brooks (@garthbrooks) July 17, 2026 Tickets for all four nights, including the two newly-announced shows, are on sale now. You can join the Ticketmaster queue and pay exactly $154 per ticket HERE.The post Garth Brooks Adds Two Extra Nights In Indianapolis After Ticketmaster Que Hits Nearly 400,000 People first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Need Ella Langley to get in the studio and cover this asap. Ella has been on the road for her very successful Dandelion tour, named for her recent hit album, and she shared a new cover with the crows for a little while now of Fleetwood Mac’s dreams, which is just as good as you probably imagine. Ella previously went viral for her cover of Kitty Wells’ “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels,” and she even included a studio version of it on Dandelion, which is easily one of my favorites on the tracklist. But “Dreams” also feels right up Ella’s ally, and of course, it was written and sung by front woman Stevie Nicks for the band’s eleventh studio album, Rumours, in 1977. In the US, “Dreams” sold more than one million copies and reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking the band’s only #1 single in the country. And while she has opener Laci Kaye Booth on the road with her, they’ve been doing a spectacular cover of the aforementioned “Dreams,” which I can’t get enough of. Both Ella and Laci have such distinct and unique voices that work so well on a classic like this, and it’s fun getting to hear a country rendition of the rock standard. I know Ella just put out an album, but when the time comes for the next project, I need her to seriously consider including this as a studio cut with Laci… check it out: Ella Langley covering Stevie Nicks live onstage. pic.twitter.com/9nK7sqCmci — Rock’n Roll of All (@rocknrollofall) June 8, 2026 Ella has been on an absolute tear this year, becoming the first country artist in history to hold the Top 2 songs in the United States simultaneously for more than one week with, and the first female country artist to score three of the Top 4 hits on the Hot 100 in a single week with country songs, becoming one of only nine artists in any genre to accomplish this feat. Langley’s generational success is not just limited to the Billboard charts, and as reported by Luminate this week, her smash hit “Choosin’ Texas” is the most-streamed song in all of music so far in 2026 in the United States with a staggering 570.9 million streams across platforms, beating out the likes of veteran superstars such as Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Bad Bunny and more. In case that wasn’t impressive enough, it currently holds a staggering 230 million-stream lead on the second-most-streamed track, Olivia Dean’s “Man I Need.” Just incredible… Top 10 most streamed songs of 2026 in the U.S. (midyear; via Luminate): #1. Choosin’ Texas 570.9M #2. Man I Need 340.2M #3. Ordinary 322.8M #4. Be Her 289.1M #5. DtMF 284.5M #6. Golden 282.8M #7. Stateside 272.4M #8. I Just Might 267.3M #9. The Fate of Ophelia 255.7M #10. So… — Talk of the Charts (@talkofthecharts) July 15, 2026 The Dandelion Tour Dates 7/23/2026 Pikeville, KY Appalachian Wireless Arena (#, %) 7/24/2026 Cary, NC Koka Booth Amphitheatre (#, %) 7/25/2026 North Charleston, SC North Charleston Coliseum (#, %) 7/30/2026 Gilford, NH BankNH Pavilion (@, %) 7/31/2026 Canandaigua, NY CMAC (@, %) 8/13/2026 Austin, TX Moody Center (#, &) 8/14/2026 Corpus Christi, TX Hilliard Center (#, &) 8/15/2026 Fort Worth, TX Dickies Arena (#, &) @ Kameron Marlowe + Dylan Marlowe # Kaitlin Butts & Gabriella Rose % Laci Kaye Booth “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” The post Ella Langley And Laci Kaye Booth Deliver Stellar Cover Of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Honoring her bluegrass roots. Carly Pearce is gearing up to release her fifth studio album Honest Woman, which will be out everywhere on August 28th. The Kentucky native has always blended traditional country elements with more modern takes on love and life, always staying true to where she comes from in the process, and this new release today is no different. Of course, the Carly has put out several singles over the last few months, including “Church Girl,” “You Can Have Him,” and of course, her duet with Riley Green, “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay,” and she says that this album is a homecoming of sorts, as each songs tell the story that makes the woman she’s become and the “journey” that’s brought her to this point in her life and career: “Sometimes finding yourself means finding your way back home. For me, it meant coming home…to my truth, my story, and the woman I am at my core. These songs tell that story. They hold pieces of my heart, where I come from, and the journey that brought me here. I’m so proud of this album and I can’t wait to share it with you.” Carly had a breakout moment with her “divorce album” 29: Written in Stone in 2021, it was an incredible piece of work that once again honored her Kentucky roots and showed off her prowess with the pen, and I’ve always appreciated her ability to balance the honesty in her storytelling with the mainstream appeal while still keeping it very country. And today, she teamed up with two bluegrass powerhouses in Dan Tyminski and Molly Tuttle on a song called “What If You Loved Me,” which Carly says was a very “special and emotional” moment, saying she knows this one would have made young Carly very proud: “Bluegrass is such a cherished part of who I am as it’s where I got my start. To record a song that honors my roots with two artists that I have deep respect and admiration for is not only a special moment, but very emotional. 10-year-old Carly who grew up singing in bluegrass bands would be over the moon to know she has a song with Dan and Molly (as is present-day Carly!). This is the perfect moment in my career to show fans this side of my heart.” Of course, there’s tons of banjo and beautiful harmonies in every verse, as the three of them sing about longing and wanting a kind of love they just can’t seem to find in the person they’re yearning for. Carly doesn’t miss, and the addition of Dan and Molly is just superb… do yourself a favor and check it out: “You Can Have Him” “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay” Honest Woman Track List: 1. “Dream Come True” 2. “Church Girl” 3. “She Don’t” 4. “You Can Have Him” 5. “How Long” 6. “WWJD” 7. “Same Circus” 8. “Happy For Myself” 9. “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay” Carly Pearce & Riley Green 10. “I Don’t Have The Heart” 11. “He Don’t Like My Dogs” 12. “Leave My Heart Alone” 13. “Who’s Lying Here” Carly Pearce & Dan Tyminski 14. “Daisy” 15. “What If You Loved Me” Carly Pearce, Molly Tuttle & Dan Tyminski 16. “Why God Why Me”The post Carly Pearce Honors Her Kentucky Roots With “What If You Loved Me,” Featuring Bluegrass Powerhouses Dan Tyminski And Molly Tuttle first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Powerhouses. As we sit in 2026, there’s simply no denying that Morgan Wallen and Ella Langley are the hottest stars in country music at the moment. For Wallen, he’s continued to ride the record-breaking highs of his fourth studio album, I’m The Problem, which shattered multiple Billboard chart records en route to becoming the first male country artist since 1993 to receive Billboard’s Top Artist of the Year nod. Couple that with the fact he became the highest-selling country artist last December, dethroning Garth Brooks’ long-standing record, he’s riding that wave into 2026 with his string of sold-out stadium shows throughout the summer on his Still The Problem tour. As for Langley, it truly feels like she can’t stop breaking records over the past six months. Launching off the success of her Riley Green collaboration, “you look like you love me” throughout 2024 and 2025, the Alabama native has become nothing short of a phenomenon thanks to the megahit that is “Choosin’ Texas.” In case you haven’t been keeping up with “Choosin’ Texas’” success, it just spent its 13th week at #1 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. As it stands today, “Choosin’ Texas” is the longest-running #1 hit by a female country artist on the Hot 100, the only country song by a woman to triple up and go #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100, Hot Country and Country Airplay charts simultaneously and just one of 25 songs in history to stay at #1 for 12+ weeks on the Hot 100. Of course, the two teamed up back in April for their internet-breaking duet, “I Can’t Love You Anymore,” which not only became the first country duet to ever debut inside the Top 10 on the Hot 100 but also allowed Langley this week to become the first female country artist to hold three of the Top 4 songs on the chart. Just when you thought that Langley and Wallen couldn’t have been bigger, they just achieved one of the most impressive one-two punches in recent memory. As reported by Billboard via Luminate, the duo owns the two highest-selling albums all-genre in the U.S. so far in 2026, with Wallen’s I’m The Problem being #1 (2.035 million) and Langley’s Dandelion (1.638 million) being #2. This beats out the likes of Super Bowl halftime show headliner, Bad Bunny, Drake, Taylor Swift, K-pop supergroup, BTS, and more. If you recall, Wallen’s I’m The Problem was named Billboard’s #1 Album of the Year in 2025, and with a 400,000 unit lead on Dandelion, there is a chance that it may repeat as AOTY for a second-straight year — something only Adele has accomplished with 21 in 2011 and 2012. Adding to Wallen’s dominance, he also owns the 10th-highest-selling album with One Thing at a Time, which was released over three years ago. Not to be outshined by Wallen, however, Langley owns the most-streamed song of the year with “Choosin’ Texas,” meaning the most-listened-to song and album of this year both reside in country music. This is underscored by country music receiving a huge boom in consumption this year, being the 4th-most-streamed genre with 63.8 billion. Top 10 Albums of 2026 (By Units) I’m The Problem – Morgan Wallen (2.035 million) Dandelion – Ella Langley (1.638 million) DeBí TiRAR MáS FOToS – Bad Bunny (1.543 million) ARIRANG – BTS (1.492 million) The Great Divide – Noah Kahan (1.349 million) The Art of Loving – Olivia Dean (1.309 million) ICEMAN – Drake (1.300 million) Octane – Don Toliver (1.212 million) The Life of a Showgirl – Taylor Swift (992,000) One Thing at a Time – Morgan Wallen (968,000) “I Can’t Love You Anymore” The Dandelion Tour Dates 7/23/2026 Pikeville, KY Appalachian Wireless Arena (#, %) 7/24/2026 Cary, NC Koka Booth Amphitheatre (#, %) 7/25/2026 North Charleston, SC North Charleston Coliseum (#, %) 7/30/2026 Gilford, NH BankNH Pavilion (@, %) 7/31/2026 Canandaigua, NY CMAC (@, %) 8/13/2026 Austin, TX Moody Center (#, &) 8/14/2026 Corpus Christi, TX Hilliard Center (#, &) 8/15/2026 Fort Worth, TX Dickies Arena (#, &) @ Kameron Marlowe + Dylan Marlowe # Kaitlin Butts & Gabriella Rose % Laci Kaye BoothThe post Morgan Wallen & Ella Langley Officially Own The Two Best-Selling Albums Of 2026 first appeared on Whiskey Riff.