During a recent appearance on The Upload with Brooke Taylor podcast, Conner Smith opened up about the deep grief and trauma he has endured since a tragic June accident in Nashville when he struck 77-year-old Dorothy Dobbins with his truck, resulting in her death. Reflecting on the incident, Smith described the experience as a devastating whirlwind of emotions that left him struggling to process reality. He received a misdemeanor citation for failing to yield, and has expressed ongoing sorrow for Dobbins and her family. Smith told Taylor that after the accident, he turned off his phone for a month “because it was so traumatic,” admitting that he “locked [myself]” at his parents’ house where he and his wife were staying. The 25-year-old country singer, who released his debut album, Smoky Mountains, in 2024, returned to performing with a July 31 concert at the Grand Ole Opry, but he currently has no shows scheduled as he continues to navigate the aftermath of the tragic accident. (Rolling Stone)

Megan Moroney was named the Storyteller of the Year at Variety’s Hitmakers event in Los Angeles on Saturday night. The 28-year-old country star credits her storytelling prowess to crafting relatable songs, like those featured on her gold-certified sophomore album, Am I Okay?, which led to her being named CMA’s New Artist of the Year in 2024, followed by a sold-out tour noted for its passionate, predominantly young female audiences. Moroney is preparing to release her third album, Cloud 9, on February 20, marked by a softer, more confident sound that still emphasizes detailed narratives in the songs which create deep emotional connections with listeners, even those who haven’t lived the exact experiences described in the lyrics. Moroney was honored to be named Variety’s Storyteller of the Year, admitting that “I gravitated towards country music at a young age because when you really pay attention to the lyrics, it puts you in that exact spot.” (Variety)

Parmalee claims their fifth No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart as “Cowgirl” climbs up three places to reach the top spot on this week’s chart, reaching 27.2 million audience impressions, an increase of 6% over the previous frame. The song was co-written by all four band members – Barry Knox, Josh McSwain, Matt Thomas, and Scott Thomas – and longtime collaborator David Fanning, who also produced the track. “Cowgirl” is the lead single from the group’s eighth studio album, Fell in Love With a Cowgirl, released in April. Parmalee is now tied with Lady A for the third-most No. 1s by groups since their 2012 debut, trailing only Old Dominion (seven) and Zac Brown Band (six) over that timespan. This also marks the group’s second time earning back-to-back Country Airplay chart-toppers, with “Cowgirl” following the success of “Gonna Love You,” which topped the chart in December 2024. Since their first No. 1 with “Carolina” in 2013, all 11 of Parmalee’s singles have reached the Top 40, including eight Top 10 hits. (Billboard)

Aerosmith and Yungblud have teamed up with country superstar Lainey Wilson on an updated version of “Wild Woman” from their newly released collaborative EP, One More Time. Originally a country-flavored ballad, the new version – which dropped Friday (December 5), along with an official music video – features Wilson’s vocals on the second verse, bringing new life to the titular “wild woman.” “I’m really hyped to have Lainey Wilson jump on this record with us,” Yungblud said in a statement. “I have been a fan of hers for a while. With this record, we really needed a female vocalist who could carry it with the level of authenticity that Lainey embodies. We needed a wild woman, and we for sure got one!” The reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year first met Steven Tyler when they performed Aerosmith’s “Dream On” together at Tyler’s 6th annual Jam for Janie benefit in February 2025, eventually leading to Wilson collaborating with Tyler, Yungblud, and Joe Perry, who added new guitar parts to the updated version. (Rolling Stone)

Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl returns to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart for the eighth nonconsecutive week, rising up two places from its previous ranking at No. 3, with 99,000 equivalent album units sold in the U.S. during the week ending December 4. The 12% increase was driven by Black Friday retail promotions and newly available signed CDs on Swift’s webstore. Of the total sales units, 53,000 were from streaming – while its 69.38 million on-demand streams  maintains its No. 2 spot on Top Streaming Albums chart –  and 46,000 were from album sales, up 121% from the previous tracking period.

Holiday music makes a significant impact on the Top 10 this week, as Michael Bublé’s former chart-topper, Christmas, climbs six places to reach No. 6, while Bing Crosby’s Ultimate Christmas rises nine spots to claim No. 7, and Vince Guaraldi Trio’s beloved soundtrack for A Charlie Brown Christmas returns to the  Top 10 for the first time in nearly three years, as it surges nine slots to reach No. 9. The upper tier of the Top 10 features a series of former No. 1s, as Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem rises two places to No. 2, while the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack jumps two spot to No. 3, and Stray Kids’ DO IT falls three places to No. 4 one week after debuting at No. 1. The Wicked: For Good soundtrack drops three spots to No. 5 in its second frame on the chart, while Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving falls one slot to No. 8, and Tate McRae’s So Close To What falls four places to No. 10. (Billboard)

President Donald Trump presented the 2024 Kennedy Center honorees – including KISS, George Strait, Gloria Gaynor, Sylvester Stallone, and Michael Crawford – with their medals during a ceremony on Sunday (December 6) in the Oval Office, praising them as “perhaps the most accomplished and renowned class” ever assembled. He lauded each for their significant contributions to American arts and culture, calling Strait the “king of country,” Gaynor the “disco queen,” Stallone a “true, great movie star,” Crawford a “great star of Broadway,” and KISS as an “incredible rock band,” and “among the greatest artists, actors and performers of their generation. The greatest that we’ve seen.” The President complimented this year’s honorees as a group of “incredible people” who represent the “very best in American arts and culture,” while adding, “This is a group of icons whose work and accomplishments have inspired, uplifted and unified millions and millions of Americans.” (NME)

On Thursday (December 4), Megan Moroney announced the dates and details of her extensive 2026 The Cloud 9 Tour. The 43-date arena jaunt kicks off on May 29 in Columbus, Ohio, and runs through October 1 in Belfast, with stops across the U.S., Europe, and the U.K., including major venues like Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, New York’s Barclays Center, Chicago’s United Center, Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena, and London’s Hammersmith Apollo. The tour supports Moroney’s upcoming album, Cloud 9, which is set for release on February 20, featuring hit singles “6 Months Later” and “Beautiful Things.” “I am so excited for my fans and I to dive into this new world of Cloud 9 together,” Moroney said in a statement. “Cloud 9 is a state of mind, and I have no doubt this will be the best chapter yet.” Ticket presale begins on Thursday (December 11), followed by a general on-sale on Friday (December 12). (Billboard)

Post Malone is set to headline Bud Light’s Super Bowl concert, "Bud Light Presents Post Malone & Buddies," in February at Fort Mason in San Francisco. The concert will take place on the weekend of Super Bowl LX, which is set to be held on February 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, about an hour from where Posty will be performing. The chart-topping country singer is promising fans he will "maybe, definitely" debut new music during the show, which continues Malone’s longstanding partnership with the NFL and Bud Light, having previously performed at the Cowboys 2025 Thanksgiving Day game, the 2024 Super Bowl pre-game, and various Bud Light events over the years, “We show up every year to provide football fans with bucket-list experiences,” Todd Allen, Bud Light’s SVP of marketing, said in a statement. “We’re pumped to run it back with Posty, our buddy of nearly a decade, for what will be one of the most electrifying shows of Super Bowl [weekend].” (Billboard)

HARDY led the American Cancer Society’s Country vs. Cancer benefit concert at The Pinnacle in Nashville on Tuesday night (December 2), raising over $350,000 to support cancer research and patient advocacy. Joined by stars like Miranda Lambert, Dierks Bentley, Lanie Gardner, McCoy Moore, Chase McGill, Luke Laird, Randy Montana, and Rocky Block, HARDY expressed gratitude for the generosity of his fellow musicians who care deeply about the cause. "I'm just lucky first and foremost to have a platform to stand on, to be able to support just through music," HARDY said, while adding, “I just stand on the shoulders of Nashville and the music industry for putting me in a place where I could do that." The event, co-partnered with Whiskey Jam, successfully raised money and awareness for the worthy cause, while showcasing the Nashville music community’s unity and commitment to making a meaningful impact in the fight against cancer. (People)

During an appearance on Howard Stern’s radio show on Tuesday (December 2), Kenny Chesney reminisced about Jimmy Buffett’s posthumous induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024. Buffett was honored with a heartfelt tribute performance of his 1974 song, “Come Monday,” by his close friends Chesney, James Taylor, and Mac McAnally, with McAnally secretly carrying Buffett’s ashes – given to him by Buffett's daughter Savannah – in his coat pocket on stage. “We were backstage warming up, trying to figure out our parts and stuff, and Mac comes up to me and he goes, ‘Look at this.’ And it was a small urn,” Chesney recalled. “And he had Jimmy’s ashes in his coat pocket. So Jimmy’s ashes were in Mac McAnally’s coat pocket on stage with us as he was getting inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. So even after he passed, Jimmy found a way to join the party.” (People)

Trisha Yearwood hosted NBC’s Christmas in Nashville special on Wednesday night (December 3), performing a spirited rendition of the classic holiday song, “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” from the beloved 1966 animated film, How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Filmed at Luke Combs’ Category 10 bar, the special also featured performances by Bill Murray & His Blood Brothers, Lauren Alaina, Ne-Yo, The War and Treaty, and Trace Adkins. The Nashville holiday special aired after NBC’s annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center broadcast, which was hosted by country music icon Reba McEntire, with both events now streaming on Peacock. Yearwood released her new holiday album, Christmastime, on November 7, featuring her version of festive seasonal classics like “Candy Cane Lane” and Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas,” along with the original track, “Merry Christmas, Valentine,” which she recorded with her husband, Garth Brooks. This marks Yearwood’s first solo holiday album since 1994’s The Sweetest Gift, and a follow-up to her 2016 collaboration with Brooks, Christmas Together. (Billboard)

Molly Tuttle and Old Crow Medicine Show frontman Ketch Secor announced their engagement on Instagram on Wednesday (December 3), sharing heartfelt photos and a tender message reflecting on their journey together. “We first met at the Ryman Auditorium. We became friends, then harmony singers, then songwriters, then much more,” the couple captioned their post. “This Thanksgiving, in an old growth forest, with our families, we decided it’s time to make our biggest move yet, forever. ❤️”  Both artists have collaborated extensively on each other’s recent albums, with Secor contributing multiple instruments to Tuttle’s So Long Little Miss Sunshine, while Tuttle appeared on Secor’s solo album, Story The Crow Told Me. The couple received congratulations from fellow musicians like Charlie Worsham, Sierra Hull, and Gabe Lee, and with Tuttle recently nominated for two Grammys – for Best Americana Album and Best Americana Performance for “That’s Gonna Leave a Mark” – their engagement is one of many things that the couple can celebrate together this holiday season. (Billboard)

Ahead of Billboard’s full 2025 year-end chart reveal on December 9, Morgan Wallen dominates the country rankings, as his album, I’m the Problem, leads the Top Country Albums chart, while his 2023 LP, One Thing at a Time, is No. 2 on the tally, and his 2021 release, Dangerous: The Double Album, is No. 3. Multiple hit singles from Wallen also rank in the Hot Country Songs Top 10, including “Love Somebody” (No. 2), “I’m the Problem” (No. 3), his Post Malone collaboration, “I Had Some Help” (No. 4), and “Just In Case” (No. 5). Shaboozey’s crossover smash, “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” topped the Hot Country Songs chart and claims the No. 1 spot on the year-end list. “A Bar Song” debuted at No. 6 on the April 27, 2024 chart and rose to No. 1 a week later, where it remained throughout much of 2025 until its final week on the chart in May. Other notable artists in the Top 10 album tally include three releases from Zach Bryan alongside records from Jelly Roll and Post Malone, while Wallen’s overall chart dominance underscores his continued impact on country music throughout 2025. (Billboard)

Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson have made a rare dual female impact on the top of the country music charts, with Langley scoring her first No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs with “Choosin’ Texas,” while Wilson claims her fifth No. 1 on Country Airplay with “Somewhere Over Laredo.” Langley’s track, co-written with Miranda Lambert, Luke Dick, and Joybeth Taylor, climbed to the top in just six weeks, while Wilson’s song, which interpolates Judy Garland’s Wizard of Oz classic, “Over the Rainbow,” surged to No. 1 on the strength of a 22% increase to reach a radio audience of 28 million. This is only the seventh time since 2012 that solo women have simultaneously led both charts, highlighting a notable moment in country music where female artists dominate both the streaming and radio airplay metrics that these distinct charts measure. The feat was first accomplished in October 2012 when Carrie Underwood’s “Blown Away” topped Country Airplay while Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” led Hot Country Songs. (Billboard)

Bad Bunny dominates Spotify’s 2025 year-end Wrapped campaign, securing the No. 1 spot as the Global Top Artist with over 19.8 billion streams, ahead of Taylor Swift and The Weeknd, and leading the Global Top Albums chart with DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS. This marks Benito’s fourth time being recognized as Spotify’s global streaming leader, after ruling the rankings in 2020, 2021 and 2022. His single “DtMF” ranks No. 5 globally, while Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With A Smile” tops the global songs chart, followed by Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather” at No. 2, while Mars' collab with Blackpink’s Rosé, “APT.” comes in at No. 3, and Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” is No. 4. Swift is the top U.S. artist (after coming in second globally), while Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem is the most streamed album in the U.S., and Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s joint track, “Luther,” was the most streamed song in America. Bad Bunny’s continued streaming success sets the stage for his Super Bowl Halftime Show headlining performance in February, while reinforcing his status as one of the world’s biggest artists in 2025. (Billboard)

Tim McGraw paid a heartfelt tribute to his daughter Gracie by sharing a video of her powerful mash-up covers of Rihanna’s “Love on the Brain” and Chappell Roan’s “Picture You” during a recent performance at Joe’s Pub in New York. McGraw proudly captioned the post, “We had a blast (and a few tears) catching our oldest girl Gracie’s show at Joes Pub in NYC a few weeks ago!” Gracie, an accomplished actor and vocalist who has clearly inherited the singing prowess of her famous parents, McGraw and Faith Hill, previously collaborated with her father on his 2015 song “Here Tonight.” In addition to her well-received club show, Gracie impressed viewers with her commanding performance during the PBS Special, American Heart in WWI: A Carnegie Hall Tribute, which aired on Veterans Day. Meanwhile, McGraw prepares to launch his Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum Theater at Caesars Palace later this week, stepping in for Dolly Parton, who had to postpone her performances due to health issues. (Holler)

On Tuesday (December 2), Tyler Childers announced the dates and details of his 2026 Snipe Hunt Tour. The 14-date trek will kick off on April 23 in Dallas, making stops throughout the U.S. including Lexington, St. Louis, Chicago, Boulder, and Seattle, before concluding on October 3 in Portland. Supported by openers Jon Batiste, Evan Honer, Wednesday, and Scott T. Smith on select dates, the tour promotes Childers’ Grammy-nominated album Snipe Hunter, which earned a nod for Best Contemporary Country Album. A pair of singles from the album are also nominated, as “Bitin’ List” is up for Best Country Song, and “Nose on the Grindstone” is up for Best Country Solo Performance, while Childers also received a nod for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for his collaboration with Margo Price, “Love Me Like You Used to Do,” featured on her album Hard Headed Woman. Artist pre-sale begins on Wednesday (Dec. 10), with a general on-sale starting Friday (Dec. 12). (Billboard)

Dan + Shay revealed in a recent Taste of Country Nights interview that Blake Shelton is famously affectionate, known for giving long hugs and kissing his friends. When the duo was asked who is the best hugger in country music, Shay Mooney was quick to answer Shelton, saying, "He might be the longest hugger — he’s a lingerer.” Dan Smyers chimed in to add that Shelton will "kiss you on the top of your head, too.” Mooney agreed, describing a time when Shelton “spins me around backwards, then I’m just nuzzled in there. Then he looks down at my head and kisses me. It’s awesome.” Smyers shared that they even have a photo capturing one of Shelton’s kisses, with Mooney joking that he's “traumatized” by the pic. The duo’s anecdotes highlight Shelton’s affectionate nature, which fans have seen in public moments like his playful kisses with Adam Levine on The Voice, and a sweet post-Thanksgiving kiss on the cheek with his wife Gwen Stefani that she recently shared on social media. (People)

In a recent ask-me-anything style Q&A on her Instagram Stories, Kelsea Ballerini disclosed how she was doing amid rumors of her split with Outer Banks star Chase Stokes. In response to a fan’s question, "How are YOU?!? You heal a lot of us, what do YOU need?," the 32-year-old country star responded by revealing, “I'm in a steady and happy place right now, truly excited for this Australia tour and the holidays." The six-time Grammy nominee went on to share: "If I had one favor, it would be honoring that I'm trying to make my personal life personal for now. Unless it comes from me, its not from me. and that is really important in protecting my peace right now." Ballerini’s statement comes amid recent cryptic social media posts from the 33-year-old Stokes that hint at their breakup, with the actor writing "Sorry ❤️ I tried" and "I'm sorry for those who believed in us.” (People)

Rosé and Bruno Mars’ hit “APT.” dominated Apple Music’s 2025 global year-end charts, topping multiple categories including the overall Global Songs, Shazam, Radio, and Lyrics charts. While Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s chart-topping collaboration, “Luther,” secured the No. 2 spot, with Lamar placing five songs in the Top 25 and nine in the Top 100. Other notable entries include Lady Gaga and Mars’ “Die With a Smile,” Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather,” Lola Young’s “Messy,” and Alex Warren’s “Ordinary,” which all ranked highly on the Global Songs and Global Radio charts, while Morgan Wallen led all artists with the most Top 100 entries, as a total of 12 of his songs appeared on the tally. Apple Music’s global year-end charts was released to coincide with its annual Apple Replay ’25, which provides users with a comprehensive look back at their listening habits over the past year. (Variety)