Todd Snider was arrested on Sunday (November 2) in Salt Lake City on charges of disorderly conduct, trespassing, and making threats of violence, after an alleged assault outside his hotel led to his hospitalization and subsequent disruptive behavior at Holy Cross Hospital. The incident reportedly involved Snider refusing to leave the hospital after being discharged, with the Americana singer-songwriter later returning to confront hospital staff and make verbal threats, which resulted in his arrest. Following the assault, Snider’s team announced the cancellation all the dates on his 2025 High, Lonesome and Then Some Tour as he recovers from severe injuries sustained during the attack, with no current timeline for his return to performing. His tour, which began in Englewood, Colorado to support his recent album, has been paused indefinitely while he seeks medical treatment. (Billboard)

The 16th annual CMA Country Christmas special is set to return on December 2, with Lauren Daigle and Jordan Davis set to host the program as well as perform. The festive event will also feature performances from Megan Moroney, Parker McCollum, Riley Green, Lady A, Little Big Town, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, and BeBe Winans. The special – which was taped at Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville – is set to air on ABC beginning at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while streaming the next day on Hulu and Disney+. CMA Country Christmas launched in 2010, with the annual special continuing its tradition of bringing together country superstars to perform a series of unique holiday collaborations and festive renditions of Christmas classics. (Billboard)

Gracie McGraw delivered an emotional performance of "My Buddy" during the American Heart in WWI: A Carnegie Hall Tribute in New York City in April, a show blending music and storytelling to recount World War I through the lens of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. A brief preview clip of her rendition was just shared ahead of the full broadcast on PBS scheduled for Veteran's Day (November 11). The tribute, created and narrated by historian John Monsky and directed by Michael Mayer, features a star-studded cast and was met with enthusiastic support from McGraw’s famous parents, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, who attended the performance. Gracie shared a carousel of photos on Instagram following the event, captioning her post, “We did it. I love these freaks.” The 28-year-old singer also announced an upcoming show at Joe’s Pub in NYC on November 10 titled, “Where I’m At Right Now.” (People)

After performing a series of shows in Australia, Jelly Roll shared on his Instagram Stories on Wednesday (November 5) that during a visit to the Louis Vuitton store in Sydney, he felt like he was treated like a potential criminal. "Hey man, the Louis Vuitton in Sydney legitimately just treated us like we were finna come in and rob that place," the 40-year-old country star shared in a video filmed on the streets of Sydney with the store visible in the background. "Listen, the last time I was looked at like a criminal this bad, I was an actual criminal this bad,” he added. Jelly Roll faced numerous legal issues when he was younger, and is open about his troubled past, which includes jail time for drug charges and aggravated robbery committed as a teenager. Those convictions had previously hindered the Grammy-nominated artist’s ability to tour internationally, with these current headlining dates marking Jelly Roll’s first-ever tour of Australia and New Zealand. (People)

Americana singer-songwriter Todd Snider has canceled his High, Lonesome and Then Some 2025 Tour after sustaining severe injuries in a violent assault outside his hotel prior to his Salt Lake City show on Saturday (November 1). A statement on Snider’s official Instagram explained that the 59-year-old musician “will be unable to perform for an undetermined amount of time” as he “receives needed medical treatment.” The statement also apologized to fans for the inconvenience caused by the cancellations, while promising to provide updates on rescheduled dates soon. The tour, supporting Snider’s recent album, High, Lonesome and Then Some, began in Englewood, Colorado, last week. Snider is known for his culturally insightful and politically charged alt-country work, and has collaborated with artists like Dave Schools and Duane Trucks, and had his songs covered by acts like Cross Canadian Ragweed and Loretta Lynn. (Billboard)

In a preview clip for a new episode of Amazon Music Songline, Christian country singer Brandon Lake’s mom, Cindy, shared that she was devastated when he decided to quit sports to pursue music. "When you came to us and said you didn't want to do sports anymore, that you wanted to pursue playing music, we were heartbroken," Cindy says in the clip. "We just thought, 'No! Because we loved going to all the ball games.'" Brandon reveals that his passion for music began in Sunday school, inspiring him to teach himself guitar and develop a sound influenced by Christian and country music. The clip features an intimate conversation with his mom and a performance of his song, "Honey in the Rock," offering insight into his artistic journey and creative inspiration. Lake, currently touring for his latest album King of Hearts, is the newest artist featured in the Songline series, along with Ed Sheeran, Maren Morris and HARDY, with his full episode available on November 21. (People)

Dolly Parton joined the current viral TikTok "What's Up?" trend by sharing her own rendition of the 4 Non Blondes anthem, which she recorded in 2023 with songwriter Linda Perry for her star-studded Rockstar project, that also featured collaborations with Miley Cyrus, Elton John, Sting, Chris Stapleton, and more. The trend combines “What’s Up?” with Nicki Minaj’s “Beez in the Trap” in a creative back-to-back video format where two people sing each part, and has been embraced by country stars like Megan Moroney and Avery Anna, to celebrities like Kylie Jenner and Jimmy Fallon. Parton’s lighthearted participation follows recent health concerns that led the 79-year-old country icon to postpone her December 2025 Las Vegas residency until September 2026. Parton is also preparing to release her new memoir, Star Of The Show: My Life On Stage, on November 11. (Holler)

On Sunday’s (November 2) episode of the Dumb Blonde podcast, Bunnie XO revealed that she and her husband, Jelly Roll, are still trying to have a baby. Bunnie acknowledged the challenges of their fertility journey, while remaining hopeful that it will still work out. Married since 2016, Bunnie is also stepmom to Jelly Roll’s two children, and she has been candid about their IVF experiences. She reflected on the similar struggles shared by guest Maury Povich, who ultimately chose adoption with his wife, Connie Chung. Bunnie admits that her IVF journey "is tough,” while sharing that the couple has “put it in God's hands" at this point. "If it's meant to be, it's meant to be,” Bunnie said. “And if not, we can always adopt. I'm totally open to adoption too, and so is my husband." (People)

Jason Aldean will perform “Try That in a Small Town” and “How Far Does a Goodbye Go” at Fox Nation’s seventh annual Patriot Awards on November 6 at The Tilles Center in Brookville, N.Y. Aldean and his wife Brittany will also join Jesse Watters to present Erika Kirk – the widow of late conservative activist Charlie Kirk and current CEO of Turning Point USA – with the inaugural Charlie Kirk legacy award. In the future, the award will be presented to “a recipient who embodies Charlie’s mission and his spirit of free speech, faith and family,” according to a press release from Fox Nation. The event is set to be hosted by Sean Hannity, and will stream live on Fox Nation, with the ceremony also recognizing military veterans, first responders, and others with various patriot-themed honors. (Billboard)

After making fans wait over three years for an official release, Cody Johnson has announced that his celebrated cover of “Travelin’ Soldier,” originally recorded by Bruce Robison and popularized by The Chicks, will finally drop on Friday (November 7). Johnson teased the release on Instagram with a pre-save link for a studio version of a track Johnson first performed during a stunning acoustic rendition available on YouTube since March 2022. Fans are excited to hear CoJo’s heartfelt rendition of the Vietnam-era love story, with the Texas singer-songwriter’s smooth vocals sure to bring a fresh emotional depth to the classic track. This upcoming release possibly hints at more new music on the horizon for Johnson, which might include more collaborations like his upcoming duet with Brandon Lake. While Johnson had to cancel all his remaining 2025 live dates due to a burst ear drum suffered while battling a severe upper respiratory and sinus infection, his 2026 tour is still scheduled to kick off on February 13. (Holler)

Zach Bryan shared a heartfelt reflection on meeting Bruce Springsteen for the first time at a cabin in New Jersey last year, revealing his nervousness ahead of their Rolling Stone interview. The 29-year-old country superstar recounted a memorable porch conversation where Springsteen offered invaluable advice and gifted him a guitar used for many of his recordings, telling Bryan, “It’s still got some songs in it. I’m hoping you can make use of them.” Bryan posted a series of intimate 35mm photos of the encounter on his Instagram, while praising the release of Springsteen’s biopic, Deliver Me From Nowhere. He also celebrated the musicians' growing friendship, which includes their celebrated duet on Bryan’s 2024 album, The Great American Bar Scene, leading to multiple on-stage collaborations by the two artists. Bryan finished the affectionate post by saying that Springsteen is “carrying on a legacy of songwriting that will be remembered until the end of time.” (Holler)

Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia” continues to dominate the Billboard Hot 100 chart, sitting at No. 1 for a fourth consecutive week, bolstered by the recent release of an alternate acoustic version and strong streaming, sales, and radio airplay. The four-week rule of “The Fate of Ophelia” extends Swift’s total to 40 cumulative weeks at the chart’s summit, moving her up to eighth on the list of the most total weeks at No. 1 in chart history. This also marks Swift’s fifth No. 1 hit to rule the charts for four or more weeks, tying her for fifth-most of all-time, while also extending her record as the only artist to top both the Billboard 200 albums chart and the Hot 100 singles chart for the first four weeks of release. Two other tracks from Swift’s The Life of A Showgirl remain in the Top 10 this week, as “Opalite” holds at  No. 4, while “Elizabeth Taylor” drops three spots to No. 8. 

Meanwhile, Kehlani achieves her first Hot 100 Top 10 hit with “Folded,” which surges seven spots to reach No. 7, following the release of multiple high-profile remixes. "Folded" also becomes her first ever No. 1s on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot R&B Songs charts. The rest of the Hot 100 Top 10 includes HUNTR/X’s “Golden” holding at No. 2, Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” remaining at No. 3, while Olivia Dean scores her first-ever Top 5 hit as “Man I Need” jumps three spots to reach No. 5. Justin Bieber’s “Daisies” climbs up one spot to No. 6, while Morgan Wallen’s “I Got Better” sticks at No. 9, and Leon Thomas’ “Mutt” remains at its previous peak of No. 10. (Billboard)

On Monday (November 3), Kelly Clarkson announced that she has extended her Studio Sessions Las Vegas residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. Clarkson has scheduled four additional shows in August 2026, adding to her six previously announced dates next year, for a run that now stretches from July 17 to August 15. This announcement comes ahead of Clarkson’s upcoming return to the Vegas stage on Friday (November 7), marking her first performance since the death of her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock. from melanoma in August. After postponing initial shows in July due to vocal strain before eventually stepping away following Blackstock’s illness and passing, Clarkson kept a low profile before she recently resumed hosting her daytime talk show in late September. She also has upcoming residency dates scheduled on November 8, 14, and 15. Tickets for the new 2026 dates go on sale November 7, with a presale starting November 5. (Rolling Stone)

Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl has spent its first month atop the Billboard 200 chart, marking its fourth consecutive week at No. 1 on the strength of 146,000 equivalent album units sold in the week ending October 30. It is the second 2025 album to achieve a month-long reign at No. 1, following the opening eight-week rule of Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem, while Swift’s previous album, The Tortured Poets Department, held the top spot for its first 12 weeks in 2024. With this latest chart success, Swift extends her record as the soloist with the most weeks at No. 1 (90) and most No. 1 albums (15), second only to The Beatles among all artists, who lead in both lists with 132 total weeks at No. 1 and 19 No. 1 albums.

Other significant moves in this week’s Billboard 200 Top 10 include new albums from Daniel Caesar, Brandi Carlile, and Demi Lovato all making strong chart debuts, as Caesar notches his first ever Top 10 release with Son of Spergy launching at No. 4, while Carlile claims her fifth career Top 10 as Returning to Myself opens at No. 7, and Lovato scores her 10th Top 10 with It’s Not That Deep debuting at No. 9. The rest of the Top 10 is rounded out by Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving rising one spot to No. 6, alongside a series of former chart-toppers, as the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack holds at No. 2, Wallen’s I’m the Problem remains at No. 3, Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend is stationary at No. 5, Cardi B’s AM I THE DRAMA? drops two spots to No. 8, and SZA’s SOS falls two slots to No. 10. (Billboard) 

Dolly Parton just announced that her new SongTeller Hotel in downtown Nashville is now open for reservations ahead of its June 2026 grand opening. The hotel features 245 uniquely designed rooms reflecting her iconic charm and songwriting spirit, while also housing Dolly’s 'Life of Many Colors' museum on its entire third floor, offering a 20,000-square-foot immersive experience into her life and career that is accessible to both hotel guests and visitors. “This museum is a place where folks can see my journey through my own eyes — every color, every story and every dream that brought me here,” Parton said in a press release. “I can’t wait to welcome visitors from around the world to Nashville to share in my life of many colors.” The hotel serves as “Dolly’s love letter to the city of Nashville,” and features two music venues named after the 79-year-old country music icon, Jolene’s and Parton’s Live, which will feature performances from “some of Nashville’s most talented artists,” alongside Nashville-inspired dining and cocktails. (People)

Kenny Chesney recognized Taylor Swift’s talent early on when she was just a teenager slated to open for him on his 2007 Flip-Flop Summer Tour. Swift ultimately had to be removed from the lineup due to an alcohol sponsorship that prevented the underage artist from joining the tour, leading Chesney to compensate her with a check and a heartfelt note to make up for missing the shows. In his upcoming book, Heart Life Music (out Tuesday, Nov. 4), Chesney reflects on Swift’s creative drive and songwriting skills. "With Taylor, I mean, she had the eye of the tiger even as a teenager. And I recognized that early on,” Chesney recalls. “I could tell that she was really talented and really wanted it. And even at a young age, she was a really good songwriter. So I knew something special was going to happen there." Chesney launched his 10-stop book tour on November 1 in Johnson City, Tennessee. (People)

Riley Green and Ella Langley have reached the Top 10 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart for the second time together with their new collaboration, “Don’t Mind If I Do,” which follows their chart-topping pairing on Langley’s 2024 hit, “You Look Like You Love Me.” Their current track together climbed up two places to No. 10 this week, following a 20% increase to reach 17.8 million audience impressions. This achievement makes Green and Langley the first soloist duo in five years to notch multiple shared Top 10s, since Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani teamed up for two No. 1s in 2020. Additionally, Langley’s new solo single, “Choosin’ Texas,” surged into the Top 50, vaulting up 18 spots to claim No. 41 on the current Country Airplay chart, on the strength of 2.5 million audience impressions, which is up 203% from the prior week. (Billboard)

Gavin Adcock took a shirtless, face-first fall off the stage into the crowd while performing his song, “Deep End,” at a concert in Winnipeg, Canada, on Wednesday (October 29). The 27-year-old country star quickly recovered and continued singing the tune without missing a beat. Adcock fell while climbing down the side of the stage into the audience, bumping into equipment in the tumble while eliciting gasps from fans who recorded the incident. In addition to whatever pain and embarrassment the fall caused him, Adcock also lost the cowboy hat that he was wearing while he took a spill into the crowd. Adcock later reacted to a fan-shared TikTok of the incident by leaving a lighthearted comment on the clip, “It happens 🤙🏻🤙🏻,”  showing his easygoing attitude toward the unfortunate mishap. Adcock’s next scheduled show is in San Marcos, Texas on November 10. (People)

Steve Martin, along with frequent collaborator Alison Brown, has achieved his seventh No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Bluegrass Albums chart with their new album, Safe, Sensible and Sane, which debuted with 2,000 equivalent album units sold in the U.S. between October 17–23. Released on Compass Records, the album features collaborations with Jackson Browne, Vince Gill, Indigo Girls, and Jason Mraz, and marks Brown’s second chart-topping release, following her 2023 album, On Banjo, which debuted at No. 1. Since his 2009 debut banjo album, Martin has become a leading figure in bluegrass music, logging the most weeks at No. 1 among male soloists, with four of those leaders reaching the Top 10 on Americana/Folk Albums, while five have made appearances on the all-genre Billboard 200. To mark the release of their new album, Martin and Brown also performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday (October 29), playing a spirited rendition of their new album’s instrumental closing track, “Let’s Get Out Of Here.” (Billboard)

Kaitlin Butts, who achieved viral success earlier this year with her hit, “You Ain’t Gotta Die (to Be Dead to Me),” has signed with Republic Records, which announced the deal on Thursday (October 30). The country singer’s first release on the label will be her upcoming five-song EP, Yeehaw Sessions, which is due out on November 14. The collection features covers of Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle,” Chappell Roan’s “Red Wine Supernova,” Don Williams’ “Tulsa Time,” and the Chicks’ “Sin Wagon,” along with a reprise of “You Ain’t Gotta Die,” with “The Middle” dropping as a single on Friday. Butts says she chose Republic for their alignment with her vision of blending country, Americana, and pop to reach a diverse audience, joining a roster that now includes Miranda Lambert and Taylor Swift as the label expands further into the country genre. Butts recently gained exposure touring with Lainey Wilson, and Yeehaw Sessions follows her 2024 LP, Roadrunner!, and a 2022 independent covers EP, Sad Yeehaw Sessions. (Variety)