Cam draws on her own personal experiences and spiritual insights to shape her new album, All Things Light, out Friday (July 18) via RCA Records. Cam’s breakthrough success came with her 2015 album, Untamed, which included the hit single, “Burning House,” which reached No. 2 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart and was certified 3x platinum by the RIAA. She also co-wrote five songs on Beyoncé’s 2024 Grammy-winning Album of the Year, Cowboy Carter, an experience that only strengthened her songwriting on her own material. Cam worked on All Things Light with her longtime producer Tyler Johnson, and recording sessions took place at Los Angeles’ EastWest Studios, where The Beach Boys recorded their 1966 masterpiece, Pet Sounds. The new songs weave together folk, country, and ethereal pop sounds. “I just want [the music] to be really good and I want to be able to take care of my kid,” Cam says. “I want to make sure the music I’m making, that I’m putting it out there for the right reasons and that it’s going to affect people the right way.” (Billboard)

The 2025 Nashville Songwriter Awards is set to take place at the historic Ryman Auditorium on September 23. The event will feature performances by Jason Aldean, Trisha Yearwood, Old Dominion, Lukas Nelson, Jessie Jo Dillon, and others. The ceremony will also honor Alabama with the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award, while Brenda Lee will be presented with the NSAI President’s Keystone Award. The event will also present a variety of awards including Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Songwriter-Artist of the Year, the 10 Songs I Wish I’d Written Awards, and the Legendary Song Award. Tickets for the event will be available on the Ryman’s website starting on Friday (July 18). The NSAI is the world’s largest not-for-profit songwriters trade organization, which is dedicated to serving and protecting the rights of songwriters across all music genres. (Billboard)

Jelly Roll made his late-night hosting debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live! On Wednesday (July 16). The 40-year-old country star won over the audience with his witty banter and self-deprecating sense of humor. "I need y’all to be patient with me tonight," said Jelly towards the start of the show. "This is my first time doing something like this, and I’m going to try my best. I am. But if I really suck bad, y’all just remember — my name is Post Malone." Jelly went on to praise the show’s regular host, saying "Thank you again to Jimmy Kimmel for taking a chance on my fat, white trash ass.” The singer also discussed his upcoming match at WWE SummerSlam, where he'll team up with Randy Orton against Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul. Jelly recently concluded his opening stint on the U.S. leg of Post Malone’s Big Ass Stadium Tour, with the duo now preparing for the Big Ass World Tour, which kicks off next month in Europe. (People)

Ronnie Dunn had a humorous response after fans noticed him using a lyrical "cheat sheet" during his performance of "Whiskey Glasses" with Morgan Wallen at the recent I’m The Problem Tour stop in Miami. The country music legend responded to the situation by sharing backstage footage on Instagram, where he shared, “I’m going to sing a Morgan Wallen song that I don’t know,” as he pulled out a piece of paper with lyrics written on it. “If I can read it, then I’m OK,” he said. The video showed performance clips of Brooks & Dunn’s opening set that night, as well as a brief snippet of Ronnie's collaboration with Wallen. “Hell, I’m still learnin’ NEON MOON :),” Dunn joked in the caption, referring to his group’s 5x-platinum 1992 No. 1 hit, before adding, “Love WHISKEY GLASSES… be patient… RD.” Brooks & Dunn will continue to open for Wallen on his I’m The Problem Tour, including stops in Arizona, Seattle, California, and Canada. (Billboard)

Following the cancellation of this year's Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival due to heavy rains, event organizers initially cast doubts on whether the festival would return next year. Yet on Thursday (July 17), they officially announced that the festival will return to Manchester, Tennessee from June 11-14, 2026, with modifications to the grounds to prevent future cancellations. The plans include removing flood-prone campsite areas, which “will result in a reduced capacity on The Farm (more dancing space).” They also will start allowing entry to the campgrounds on Wednesday, to avoid the typical long lines of festivalgoers trying to access the site on Thursday. Additional improvements include “reseeding the property, continuing to increase access roads within the campgrounds, adding more drainage and reinforcing primary water runoff pathways.” After considering switching the festival dates to a drier season, Bonnaroo will retain its traditional June timeframe based on consultations with weather experts, with plans for the 2026 festival to “kick things off Thursday evening on the What Stage with an epic welcome party.” (Rolling Stone)

Kameron Marlowe's new single, "Seventeen," draws inspiration from both the spirit and melody of Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A.," and the country track ultimately gained the Boss's approval. “I can’t even believe that he heard a song I wrote,” co-writer Austin Goodloe says. “Then, just selfishly, for all of us to have our name next to his on a writing credit was extra special.” Marlowe and Goodloe join fellow co-writers Tucker Beathard and Joybeth Taylor, who now all have their names appearing alongside Springsteen. They worked on the track at Combustion Music with producer Dann Huff, with the song capturing the essence of adolescence and nostalgia, blending with classic rock elements. “Seventeen” was released to country radio by Columbia Nashville on June 16, with July 14 pegged as the official add date. It also marks Marlowe's first solo radio single in four years. “I wanted it to be completely different, and it kind of says that without saying it,” Marlowe notes. “It felt right to lead off with this one.” (Billboard)

On Wednesday (July 16), Robert Earl Keen announced a star-studded lineup of musicians – most of them from Texas – who will be taking part in his benefit show in support of flood victims in Texas Hill Country. The event, billed as REK & Friends: Applause for the Cause, will include performances by Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall, and Jack Ingram – the same trio behind 2021’s The Marfa Tapes – along with Tyler Childers, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Jamey Johnson, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Aaron Watson, Kelsey Waldon, Cody Jinks, Hayes Carll, and many others. The benefit show is scheduled to take place on August 28 at Whitewater Amphitheater in New Braunfels, Texas, with proceeds supporting the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country. Keen's initiative came in response to the July 4 flooding that severely affected Kerrville, Texas, where the country star has deep personal ties to the community, and Camp Mystic, a girls' summer camp that Keen’s two daughters attended, where several children were confirmed dead or went missing after the flooding. Tickets for the benefit go on-sale on Friday (July 18). (Taste of Country)

In the first half of 2025 in the United States, Morgan Wallen’s chart-topping album, I’m the Problem, and Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s hit song, “Luther,” led Luminate’s midyear rankings. I'm the Problem earned 2.562 million equivalent album units, while “Luther” was the most-streamed song with 530.4 million on-demand audio streams. 2025’s Top 5 most popular albums are rounded out by (in order) SZA’s SOS, Lamar’s GNX, Bad Bunny’s DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, and Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet. Total U.S. album sales declined by 6% over last year, while U.S. physical album sales dipped by 3.2%, and U.S. digital album purchases fell 17.7%.

However, if you excluded Taylor Swift albums from the year-over-year comparisons, then both total U.S. album sales and U.S. physical album sales would have increased over last year, since sales were boosted in 2024 by Swift’s smash hit album, The Tortured Poets Department, while streaming numbers increased surrounding her blockbuster Eras Tour. The rest of the Top 5 most streamed songs in the U.S. included (in order) Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With a Smile,” Lamar’s “TV Off” featuring Lefty Gunplay and “Not Like Us,” and Drake’s “NOKIA.” (Billboard)

Alison Krauss & Union Station, Billy Strings, and the Alison Brown/Steve Martin/Tim O’Brien collaboration, “5 Days Out, 2 Days Back,” lead the nominations for the 2025 IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards. The ceremony is set to take place on September 18 at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium in Chattanooga, Tennessee, marking a significant move from the event’s longtime home of Raleigh, North Carolina. The nominees were revealed during a live event on Wednesday (July 16) at the SiriusXM Studios in Nashville, including categories like Entertainer of the Year, which features Alison Krauss & Union Station, Billy Strings, Appalachian Road Show, East Nash Grass, and the Del McCoury Band. In addition to the nominees, this year’s inductees for the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame were also revealed, with Arnold Shultz, Hot Rize, and the Bluegrass Cardinals all receiving the honor. The IBMA’s Distinguished Achievement Award recipients include Alan Arthur Knoth, Penny Parsons, Ron Thomason, Sidley Austin LLP, and Missy Raines, with more nominations set to be unveiled during the week of July 20. (Billboard)

Amanda Shires is set to release her new album, Nobody’s Girl, on September 26 via ATO Records. On Tuesday (July 15), Shires shared the project’s lead single, “A Way It Goes,” accompanied by a music video directed by Taylor G. Kelly. “This song means a lot to me and so does the video,” Shires writes on Instagram. “It’s the first time I got to bring my own concept to life. Thank you, Taylor, for helping me make it real.” The Lawrence Rothman-produced album was recorded in Nashville and Los Angeles, and features a lineup of esteemed musicians alongside Shires’ signature fiddle as well as her tenor guitar and ukulele. “Nobody’s Girl is what came after the wreckage, the silence, the rebuilding,” Shires says in a statement. “It’s about standing in the aftermath of a life you thought would last forever and realizing no one is coming to save you.” Shires is set to support Aly & AJ on an expansive North American tour starting in September. (Consequence of Sound)

Old Crow Medicine Show frontman Ketch Secor's new solo album, Story the Crow Told Me, was released on July 11 via Equal Housing Records/Firebird Music. The renowned fiddle player’s new batch of tunes represent a love letter to Nashville, incorporating the city's history and its vibrant musical spirit into the album's dozen tracks. The project’s lead single, "Dickerson Road," showcases Secor's spoken-word vocals alongside a collaboration with Jaren Johnston of The Cadillac Three. The album features producer and co-writer Jody Stevens, as well as guest appearances from Country Music Hall of Fame member Marty Stuart, Secor’s frequent collaborator Molly Tuttle, and original Old Crow members Critter Fuqua and Willie Watson. Reflecting on Nashville's growth and musical richness, Secor offers a commentary on the city's evolution, while playing nearly a dozen instruments on the record, including bass, organ, electric guitar, and spoons. “I love Nashville for better, for worse, through thick and thin,” Secor says his longtime home. “I’m just committed to it.” (Billboard)

Following the July 4th holiday weekend celebrations, Toby Keith's 35 Biggest Hits collection experienced a remarkable surge up the charts, climbing from No. 43 to No. 9 on the Billboard 200 album tally. Keith’s 2008 compilation also vaults from No. 43 to No. 11 on the Top Streaming Albums chart, with the collection garnering 26,000 equivalent album units in the US, with streaming equivalent-album units accounting for 24,000 of that total. The set was almost exclusively boosted by streams, particularly for the song "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American).” Keith’s patriotic anthem – which reached No. 1 on Hot Country Songs back in 2002 – drove a significant portion of the album's total streams, vaulting to No. 1 on Country Digital Song Sales chart following a surge of 121%, while it also reentered the Top 10 of Hot Country Songs at No. 8. (Billboard)

On Tuesday (July 15), Margo Price announced the dates and details of her Wild At Heart Tour, where she will be joined by Eliza Thorn, Logan Ledger, Dillon Warnek, Leon Majcen, and Rattlesnake Milk at select dates. Price also released her new single, “Don’t Wake Me Up,” which features Jesse Welles, whom she met at Farm Aid. The song is accompanied by a Hannah Gray Hall-directed music video that pays homage to Bob Dylan’s iconic cue card-focused clip for “Subterranean Homesick Blues.” The track is the second single from Price’s upcoming album, Hard Headed Woman, scheduled for release on August 29th via Loma Vista Recordings. Price co-wrote the new single with her husband, Jeremy Ivey, and it was inspired by the work of poet Frank Stanford. Price’s tour kicks-off on October 23 in St. Louis, and includes stops in Portland, Dallas, Atlanta, and a hometown show at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, with pre-sale tickets available on Tuesday (July 15), followed by general on-sale on Friday (July 18). (Consequence of Sound)

On Monday (July 14), Zac Brown Band announced the details of their highly anticipated new album, Love & Fear, which is set to be released on December 5. The album will feature collaborations with Snoop Dogg, Dolly Parton, and Marcus King, and includes the previously released lead single, "I Ain't Worried About It." Despite the long wait until the album drops in December, fans can soon enjoy the new single, “Let It Run” featuring Snoop Dogg, which will be released this Friday (July 18). The band also shared the album artwork, featuring ethereal creatures symbolizing “love” and “fear,” while also captioning the post, “Two sides of the same truth.” In addition to the exciting album announcement, anticipation builds for ZBB fans as a mysterious countdown clock has appeared on the band’s website. The timer hints at an upcoming announcement at 5 a.m. Nashville time on Tuesday (July 14), which fans are speculating could possibly be related to an upcoming Sphere Las Vegas residency. (Holler)

Darius Rucker had to cut his show short in Atlantic City, N.J. on Saturday night (July 12) after his voice began to give out. He promised to make it up to the crowd and issued a social media apology to his fans. "I feel awful and I'm so sorry — I have never lost my voice in all my years of performing," Rucker wrote on his Instagram Stories on Sunday (July 13). "We looked at every option to reschedule, but unfortunately, it's just not possible this year, so we're issuing full refunds." Rucker was visibly struggling with his voice throughout the brief performance, but the crowd remained supportive. "Y'all I can't sing anymore. I will play one more song,” Rucker said after the third song of his set. “I will make this up to you." Rucker then concluded the night with a crowd singalong on "Wagon Wheel.” Rucker's next scheduled stop is in Hollywood, Florida. on Saturday, July 19. (Taste of Country)

During Miranda Lambert’s opening set for Morgan Wallen’s I’m The Problem Tour stop in Miami on Friday (July 11), she paid tribute to her bandmate Gwen Sebastian’s late father, Gerald. Lambert wore a belt that belonged to her backing vocalist’s father, who passed away in February at age 76. Lambert showed off the meaningful fashion accessory in an Instagram slideshow featuring photos from her performance. The country superstar captioned her post: My friend and background vocalist @gwensebastian recently lost her dad. Last night I forgot my belt, and she told me that she had just happened to pack an extra...it was her father’s and had his name on it. What an honor to wear that last night in Miami. Love you Gwennie!!” Sebastian was clearly moved by the gesture, commenting on the post, “He was up there pickin and singing along. Love you my friend.” Lambert and Wallen are next scheduled to perform at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Friday, July 18. (People)

Shania Twain headlined the 2025 Festival d'été de Québec (FEQ) in Quebec City on Saturday night (July 12), delivering a dynamic performance to tens of thousands of fans that blended her classic hits with newer tracks. The 59-year-old country superstar shared video footage from the show in an appreciative Instagram post on Sunday, captioning the clip: “Wow Quebec! That was a night I’ll never forget. It felt like the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen at a show in Canada and you were with me for every note of every song. What an epic night in beautiful Quebec City. I won’t come down from this cloud for some time. 🥰” During Maren Morris’ set prior to Twain's performance, the rising country star called Shania “a queen" while thanking her for writing "iconic songs" and "breaking records that no one has touched." Twain "remains to this day such an icon and also girls' girl, and I'm proud to be on this stage with her tonight," Morris added. (People)

Alex Warren’s first career Hot 100 No. 1 hit, “Ordinary,” has now spent six weeks atop the chart. Elsewhere in the Top 10, two tracks cracked the tally for the first time this week, as Drake’s “What Did I Miss?” debuts at No. 2, pushing the Canadian rapper’s record setting career total to 81 Hot 100 Top 10s, while HUNTR/X’s “Golden” vaults up 17 spots to reach No. 6, on the strength of being featured on the KPop Demon Hunters Soundtrack, which surged to No. 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Meanwhile, Morgan Wallen claims his 10th week with at least three simultaneous Hot 100 Top 10s, a career mark that only five acts — and no country artists — have previously reached.

Walen’s “What I Want,” featuring Tate McRae, falls one spot to No. 3, “Just in Case” drops one slot to No. 4, and “I’m the Problem” falls three places to No. 8, all of which are lifted from his chart-topping album, I’m the Problem, which is spending an eighth consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The rest of the Top 10 is rounded out by Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy), which drops one spot to No. 5, Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther” falls one slot to No. 7, Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control” slides down one place to No. 9, and  Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With a Smile” drops one slot to No. 10. (Billboard)

Noah Cyrus released her second album, I Want My Loved Ones to Go with Me, on Friday (July 11), dedicating the project to her late grandfather, Ron Cyrus, known as "Pappy," who passed away in 2006. In an emotional Instagram post on what would have been his birthday, Noah shared that the album title was inspired by a hymn written by her great-grandfather and performed by her grandfather, which is featured on her track, “Apple Tree.” “I'm confident my pappy is celebrating his big debut up in heaven,” she wrote. “I am so grateful to come from a lineage where music runs through our veins and connects us back to our ancestors and back to who we are.” The album includes collaborations with Fleet Foxes, Ella Langley, Blake Shelton, and Bill Callahan. Noah – a 2021 Best New Artist Grammy nominee and daughter of acclaimed country star Billy Ray Cyrus – played a record release show at The Ford in Los Angeles, and she’ll continue on tour through October. (People)

Conner Smith has broken his silence after accidentally striking and killing 77-year-old Dorothy "Dot" Dobbins, a prominent Nashville attorney, as she walked in a crosswalk on June 8. Smith, who received a misdemeanor citation for his role in the fatal crash, expressed his remorse with a post on Instagram on Friday (July 11). "Four weeks ago, I was involved in a tragic vehicle accident that resulted in the loss of a life,” wrote the 24-year-old country singer. “Not a day has gone by that I haven’t grieved, prayed, and mourned for Ms. [Dorothy] Dobbins and her family. My heart is broken in a way I've never experienced, and I still struggle to fully process the weight of it all. I ask that you continue to lift the Dobbins family up in prayer by name, asking for God's peace to surround them each day.”  Smith was charged with a misdemeanor traffic offense instead of a felony, underscoring his lack of criminal intent in the incident. (People)