Anthropic is reportedly prepping for an IPO that could come as early as 2026.

The Tennessee Valley Authority and Holtec were awarded substantial grants to build one reactor in Tennessee and two more in Michigan.

Censorship has been around from nearly the beginning.  However, many have experienced censorship the most in their lifetime in the past several years.  Among those has been Dr. Vernon Coleman.  He recently recounted several stories of censorship against him concerning AIDS, other medical information he was providing and even the CONvids. Dr. Coleman wrote: It’s …

We Have A Problem

Just two cousins (well, sort of) who were both nominated for CMA New Artist of the Year. Zach Top might as well be related to the whole industry at this point, eh? At the start of the year, a wild conspiracy theory was born after a Canadian radio host shared his theory that the ’90s country revivalist could be related to the country music legend Alan Jackson. The internet took the theory and ran with it… so much so that people even updated Top’s Wikipedia page to indicate that he was Alan Jackson’s son. “Zach Top was born on September 26, 1997, and grew up on his father Alan Jackson’s ranch in Sunnyside, Washington. He got his musical start performing as part of a bluegrass band with his siblings called Top String.” After the theory gained numerous headlines, Zach Top finally responded to the allegations. When speaking with The Rob and Holly Show!, the two co-hosts asked Top if the rumor was true, and Zach Top gave us a golden answer. “Hell, it’s more than a rumor. I’ve been trying to figure out what the answer is. My parents won’t answer me straight, and nobody will.”  Top joked that he’d have to ask Jackson about it when he was touring with the “Chattahoochee” singer as a part of his Last Call: One More For The Road final tour. @robandhollyshow @Zach Top responds to the rumors that #alanjackson is his father #zachtop #alanjackson #areyoumydaddy #daddy #robandhollyshow @robstoneradio @giddyupholly ♬ original sound – Rob and Holly Show! But that is not the only country artist that Zach Top (might) have family ties to. Last year, Tucker Wetmore and Zach Top took the stage together during the K92.3 All-Star Jam and dropped some crazy news to the Florida audience.  “I don’t know if you all know, and Tucker probably doesn’t want you to know this, but we’re one divorce away from being cousins. Step half-cousins or something. Dude, I didn’t know we were cousins at one point. So we are cousins. We’re ex-cousins then.” Wetmore then responded to Top on stage, joking that he didn’t call Zach Top’s cousin for no reason. Top laughs, replying that he knew their family was closely related, but did not realize they were cousins (still or at one point, that’s still up for debate). Top then settles on what their official title is, saying to the audience: “Alright, we’re like ex-half-step cousins or something.” The clip went slightly viral, with fans drawing comparisons to the two mustachioed men who hail from Washington. I mean, the fact that they are from the same state does make you think, because how many country stars come out of the Pacific Northwest like that? Just saying… @zachtopfanclub Aint nothing more country than having an Ex Step Half Cousin #zachtop #tuckerwetmore #realcountrymusic #livecountrymusic ♬ original sound – Zach Top’s Top Fans After the hilarious clip went viral, many other country music colleagues asked the two about the rumor, including Tracy Lawrence during Tucker Wetmore’s appearance on TL’s Roadhouse. While he cleared up the rumor there, Wetmore is again setting the record straight about his relationship to Zach Top and family. While co-hosting an episode on the Country Countdown USA with Lon Helton, Wetmore set the record straight once and for all, noting that they are not technically related, but they do have some family connection to each other. “There’s been speculation that we’re related. In a way we are. My dad was married to someone else, and they had two girls. One of them is sisters with his mom. It’s not really related, but we joke about it.” Wetmore also added that the two keep the joke running by saying “what’s up, cuz?” every time they run into each other. So there you have it: they are, in a way, related, but their connection is much easier to digest than Top calling them ex-half-step cousins. No matter how they are related, it’s evident that country music runs deep in their families’ veins, as both men were nominated for CMA New Artist of the Year, with Top taking home the honor at this year’s CMA Awards. Check out both of their CMA Award performances before you go: “Guitar”  “Wind Up Missin’ You” The post “In A Way We Are” – Tucker Wetmore Sets The Record Straight On How He & Zach Top Are (Kind Of) Related first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Music really is the universal language. Larry Fleet joined the Whiskey Riff Raff podcast to talk new music, faith, sobriety, and to dive into some downright wild stories. He shared what to expect from his upcoming February record, how he connects with fans around the world, and why he still writes drinking songs despite stepping away from alcohol. Larry also opens up about the role God plays in his music… and tells us about the UFO he saw, his ghost encounter, and why he believes in Bigfoot (it gets really interesting at the end of the episode). It’s honestly surprising that he even had the time to talk about conspiracies with how much he’s out on the road. Fleet says he played 90 or more shows in 2025, and that he’s already got 90 to 100 shows lined up in 2026. The country music artist knows that getting out in front of fans is the best way to grow his reach… and Larry Fleet has even been able to connect with fans overseas in recent years. Back in 2022, the “Where I Find God” singer took his first trip across the pond to open for Morgan Wallen for one show in London, England. Ever since then, he’s taken pride in growing his fanbase overseas. In 2024, he acted as an opener for Wallen on an entire European tour, and that opened the door for him to go back in 2025 for a tour of his own, as he explained: “This year, we put our own tour together to kind of see where, without Morgan, where I stand over there. It went awesome. Everything was selling out, it was really fun. It’s a different crowd, but they are there for it, and they’re listening. Some of these countries… we headlined a festival in Amsterdam, and English is not really their native language. When I go out and try to tell jokes and stuff, they’re just kind of like (staring blankly and saying), ‘Okay, just sing the song.’ They really listen, and they care, and they really like the storytelling. And if you can sing, they really like a powerful kind of singer over there.” @whiskeyriff @Larry Fleet #whiskeyriffraff #whiskeyriff ♬ original sound – Whiskey Riff Based upon Fleet’s experience in 2025, where he played in places like Ireland and the United Kingdom, he now knows that he’d like to have international legs on every future tour. He believes that will be more commonplace for artists, as the United States become so saturated with talented acts touring all across the country. Larry Fleet doesn’t mind the travel, but it wasn’t easy for him at first. He had to get used to flying in an airplane (he didn’t fly until he was 24 years old) and was also forced to grapple with his fear of heights. But the more he flew, the more he got used to it… which eventually led to a long flight and a long trip to Australia. The “Land Down Under” was incredibly welcoming to him, and there were moments where he was overwhelmed with gratitude while he played in front of the Aussie crowd. He told us about one particular instance where the audience’s energy led him to partake in an Australian tradition known as a “shoey,” and detailed the thought process that led him to use his own boot rather than a clean one: “I did it the way a man should do it. I wasn’t going to, because I don’t drink. They had a bunch of new boots with a tag on them, and people would be like, ‘Yeah!’ and they’d pour a beer in there and they’d do it out of a new boot. I was like, ‘I’m not doing that.’ So I started singing ‘Where I Find God’ and 23,000 people started singing it. For some reason, I just got fired up. I kicked off my own boot and I had a non-alcoholic beer, poured it in there and drank out of my own boot, then put it back on. I had a wet sock the rest of the time.” A worthy sacrifice, I’d say. While the “shoey” itself was something that Fleet wishes he could forget, the cool moment of realization for himself and his band that they experienced in Australia was something that he’ll cherish forever. The country singer felt a rush of gratefulness when 23,000 people in Australia were singing his hit song: “It was just one of those moments where I was just looking around and kind of got choked up. It was a really cool moment, and we had that a couple of times over in Europe too. Just remembering back to what it was like, and now it’s way different.” And I’ll speak for everyone when I say that Larry Fleet deserves every bit of the success that he’s currently experiencing… both at home and abroad. To hear more from Larry Fleet, make sure to download the podcast on Apple Podcasts by searching “Whiskey Riff Raff” or by clicking here. We’re also available on Spotify and wherever else you can listen to podcasts. Cheers, y’all. Audio Video The post Larry Fleet On Going Overseas & Connecting With Fans Who Don’t Even Speak English As A First Language: “They Really Listen, They Care” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

One of the best original country Christmas songs released last year. I’ll be honest, I’m really not a fan of Christmas music in general, though I do appreciate some of the sad Christmas music that country artists seem to have a knack for writing… the Jonas Brothers also put out a new Christmas song this year that’s kind of a banger, but I digress… In 2024, several country artists put out some good original stuff, including Megan Moroney with “All I Want for Christmas is a Cowboy,” which I actually enjoy listening to this time of year. And Riley Green also pit out a great one called “Christmas To Me,” which is a nostalgic holiday tune about his most special and cherished Christmas memories. He gave a beautiful performance of it during the CMA Country Christmas TV special last night, and it’s far from your typical Christmas song in that it’s reflective, warm and far from a lot of the gimmicky, cheesy types of holiday jingles a lot of artists put out this time of year. Written by Riley along with frequent collaborator Erik Dylan, it finds Riley reminiscing on the Christmas season and some of his most special, and funny, memories. It’s steeped in Southern charm and has such a nostalgic undertone in terms of the lyrics, and feels so simple yet relatable as he sings about his mom about to “come apart” because she just found out about his sisters new tattoo (what’s Christmas without a little family drama, right?): “And all them in-laws are showin’ up late For a five star meal on a paper plate The sound of bare foot feet runnin’ through the house The football games just about to start About the time momma has a come-apart Cause sisters new tattoo she just found out about There’s a string of lights all tangled around the tree That’s Christmas to me” The song immediately took me back to Christmas Day with my own family growing up, driving down my grandparents gravel road to a warm house and the special glow of the holiday season, which says to me that the writing itself is absolutely on point. There’s something so beautiful about the simplicity of the stories and writing, because I think many of us relate to Riley’s Christmas memories in how special the mundane traditions really are, and that can be hard to capture with this kind of music because so many people go for the cheesy, over-the-top kind of style instead of being true to what is real for so many people during the holidays. It’s not ever perfect, but that’s what keeps it fun, and if you haven’t already, you should certainly add this one to your Christmas playlist: The studio cut: The post Riley Green Delivers Heartfelt Performance Of His Original Christmas Song, “Christmas To Me” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

A massive 2026 tour incoming… Today, Megan Moroney started teasing a headlining 2026 tour, which she had help from fans in revealing some of the dates, as they all shared tour stops that were printed on different puzzles they were mailed and put together to share on social media. I’m assuming the tour is named for her forthcoming album Cloud 9, which is slated to drop on February 20th, 2026, and will include stops in Chicago, Charlotte, Tampa, Philadelphia and plenty of other cities, I’m sure, which have yet to be announced. Here’s a look at some of Megan’s reposts on X: CHICAGO IS WAITING FOR YOU MEG 9⃣ so happy to be a part of this project, love u more pic.twitter.com/5W2FNfD4vJ — stina (@stinachuray26) December 3, 2025 PHILLY IS READY TO BE ON CLOUD NINEEEE pic.twitter.com/LeFG81eugb — hanna is on cloud 9 (@hansgoldrush) December 3, 2025 Looks like I’ll be seeing the queen in Queen City again! Charlotte is on the map 9⃣@_megmoroney @moroneyhq pic.twitter.com/yCQbr0CWEi — K9tie is on 9⃣ (@nothincrazy_k13) December 3, 2025 Brooklyn, NY are we ready to be on Cloud 9 @_megmoroney @moroneyhq pic.twitter.com/7FBvvK6oUF — brandon is on cloud (@brandonbirn) December 3, 2025 Sunrise Florida is ready for you @_megmoroney!!!! pic.twitter.com/t66D2l8ldl — fran (@franceessccaa) December 3, 2025 Tampa Florida are we ready to be on cloud 9 9⃣?!?? @_megmoroney @moroneyhq pic.twitter.com/mUDrBUJx5h — kayla is on cloud 9 9⃣ (@emogirlinmirror) December 3, 2025 Megan will also seemingly headline Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, her biggest show yet: THE bridgestone arena happy chewsday happy megmas 9⃣ @_megmoroney @moroneyhq pic.twitter.com/MXEKFBXoeX — pay st5 spoilers ! ? 9⃣ (@brinksbueckets) December 3, 2025 When the fans scanned a code and entered a password on the specific website, it showed a map of the tour stop, which will all be revealed tomorrow at 10 AM central time: @emocowgirls 9⃣ @Megan Moroney #meganmoroney #tour #fyp #foryou ♬ original sound – Megan Moroney Megan has been on quite a trajectory since the release of her debut studio album Lucky in 2023, and was tied with Lainey Wilson and Ella Langley as the most-nominated artist at the 2025 CMA Awards. This next year is shaping up to be even bigger, and Moroney says she can’t wait to start a new chapter in her music career, and adds that these songs were written by the “strongest, most confident version” of her: “I am so excited for my fans and I to dive into this new world of Cloud 9 together. Similar to the first two albums, it’s all written about honest, personal experiences, but these songs were written by the strongest, most confident version of myself I’ve ever been. My feet feel firmly planted in my artistry and it was fun to play around sonically, while still sticking to my roots of what my fans and I love. Cloud 9 is a state of mind, and I have no doubt this will be the best chapter yet.” She’s also transitioning to a new color scheme, which will be all pink everything, and I’m here for it: View this post on Instagram The announcement post on Instagram also showed the back of the album, though all of the songs were blurred out except for already-released singles  “6 Months Later” and “Beautiful Things,” in addition to the title track “Cloud 9.” If you count the rows, it looks like there will be 15 songs in total, and in all likelihood, there will be at least one or two collaborators on there as well. Fans have speculated it might be Ed Sheeran or Kacey Musgraves, but hopefully we’ll find out for sure sooner rather than later. Megan’s previously-released songs “6 Months Later” and “Beautiful Things” will also be included on the tracklist. Stay tuned… “6 Months Later” “Beautiful Things” The post Megan Moroney Sends Puzzles To Fans Revealing Locations For ‘Cloud 9’ Arena Tour first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Not too many surprises here. With December officially in full swing, that means it’s officially time for end-of-the-year lists, rankings, recaps and the like. While Apple got the party stared early yesterday dropping their Apple Music Replay for 2025, Spotify joined in on the fun this morning, finally releasing their ever-popular, “Spotify Wrapped,” recap, which not only allows users to see their most-played artists, albums and songs throughout the year but also the national and global leaders among all of the app’s listener’s worldwide. In the meantime, however, Billboard has also began dropping their year-end charts, which tally the top performers across their dozens of different charts in different genres both globally and in the U.S. In case you missed it, Billboard got things started on Monday, December 1st, with the release of their Top Rock & Alternative Songs and Albums of 2025 chart, which proved to be quite baffling given the fact that country music’s very own, Zach Bryan, along with the likes of Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and Noah Kahan dominated the Albums list. Today, Billboard released their year-end charts for country music, and, quite frankly, it’s pretty much exactly what you’d expect. Before I dive into the chart itself and the artists/albums present on the list, I think it’s important to note that this is NOT a subjective (or editorial) ranking. Billboard’s year-end charts are not based on any subjective measurement such as quality, impact or any other personal measurement. Instead, it is simply derived from data from their weekly charts, which includes overall sales, the length of time spent on the charts, peak positions and more from the time frame of October 26, 2024 to October 18, 2025. A brief description from Billboard is as follows: “Billboard’s year-end music charts represent aggregated metrics for each artist, title, label and music contributor on the weekly charts from Oct. 26, 2024, through Oct. 18, 2025. Rankings for Luminate-based recaps reflect equivalent album units, airplay, sales or streaming during the weeks that the entries appeared on a respective chart during the tracking year. Any activity registered before or after a title’s chart run isn’t considered in these rankings. That methodology detail, and the October-October time period, account for some of the difference between these lists and the calendar-year recaps that are independently compiled by Luminate.” Without further ado, let’s dive into the charts. To absolutely no one’s surprise, Morgan Wallen absolutely dominated the Hot Country Songs chart, owning six of the Top 10 spots and four of the Top 5 spots respectively. Of course, this includes the likes of his pair of all-genre Hot 100 #1 hits, “I Had Some Help” with Post Malone and “What I Want” with Tate McRae. Also appearing on the list is “Love Somebody,” “I’m The Problem,” “Just In Case” and “I Got Better.” Second to the “Whiskey Glasses” singer is Shaboozey, who captured the #1 spot for the second year in a row with his smash hit, “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” along with a #6 spot with “Good News.” Serving as a light at the end of the tunnel, reigning CMA New Artist of the Year and to many, the current savior of traditional country music, Zach Top, rounds out the list at #10 with his 2024 breakout hit, “I Never Lie,” which you can unfortunately argue is the only true country song present on this list. View this post on Instagram Moving onto the Top Country Albums chart, a similar theme arises. Not only did I’m The Problem complete the trifecta of being the most streamed album on Apple Music and Spotify in the U.S., it also took it’s 28-straight weeks atop Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart (along with 12 non-consecutive weeks atop the all-genre Billboard 200) straight to being crowned the #1 country album of the year. It doesn’t stop there for Wallen, however. His last two efforts, 2023’s One Thing At A Time and 2021’s Dangerous: The Double Album top the list as well, giving the “Lies Lies Lies” singer complete control of the Top 3 Country Albums of 2025. Rivaling Wallen, at least in quantity, is unsurprisingly Zach Bryan, who charted his last three albums, The Great American Bar Scene, Zach Bryan and American Heartbreak inside the Top 10 at #7-9. Interestingly, these three projects are the same ones that also landed him on Billboard’s aforementioned Top Rock & Alternative Albums of 2025 chart, all of which actually charted higher than their placements on the Top Country Albums collection. Rounding out the Top 10 are the likes of Post Malone’s monster country debut, F-1 Trillion, Jelly Roll’s Beautifully Broken, Shaboozey’s Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going and thankfully once again, Zach Top’s killer debut album, Cold Beer & Country Music. View this post on Instagram As previously mentioned, these year-end charts shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. It’s pretty apparent that Wallen rules any and all charts seemingly with an iron fist over the past few years. Similarly, Bryan’s consistency, both in streaming numbers and scoring crossover entries in both the all-genre and rock charts, make this collection pretty expected overall. Clearly, the highlight of both of these charts are obviously Zach Top sneaking in Top 10 entries on both the Top Country Albums and Hot Country Songs chart, something that should remain consistent over the following years given his current path to superstardom he’s currently on. And, of course, we’re just going to ignore the fact that BigXthaPlug and Bailey Zimmerman occupy the list. It’s for the better. Top 10 Country Songs (2025) “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – Shaboozey “Love Somebody” – Morgan Wallen “I’m The Problem” – Morgan Wallen “I Had Some Help” – Post Malone ft. Morgan Wallen “Just In Case” – Morgan Wallen “Good News” – Shaboozey “What I Want” – Morgan Wallen ft. Tate McRae “All The Way” – BigXthaPlug ft. Bailey Zimmerman “I Got Better” – Morgan Wallen “I Never Lie” – Zach Top Top 10 Country Albums (2025) I’m The Problem – Morgan Wallen One Thing At A Time – Morgan Wallen Dangerous: The Double Album – Morgan Wallen F-1 Trillion – Post Malone Beautifully Broken – Jelly Roll Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going – Shaboozey American Heartbreak – Zach Bryan Zach Bryan – Zach Bryan The Great American Bar Scene – Zach Bryan Cold Beer & Country Music – Zach Top The post Zach Top, Morgan Wallen, & Zach Bryan Headline Billboard’s Year-End Country Songs & Albums Chart first appeared on Whiskey Riff.