Miranda Lambert is laying the groundwork for new music, and this time, it'll be on MCA.

As part of the announcement, label mate Reba McEntire presented Miranda with the belt buckle the company gave her when she signed with MCA in 1975. 

“Throughout my life and career, I have found that the common thread in every chapter is finding the right people – songwriters, musicians, collaborators and team members – to match the moment,” Miranda says in a news release. “I am honored to join a roster and a team with such a rich history of championing artistry. I look forward to sharing this new music with the world under their banner.”

2024's Postcards from Texas was a partnership with Republic/Big Loud, following Miranda's two-decade, career-launching relationship with Sony. She'll continue her involvement with Big Loud Texas, which she founded.  

To date, Miranda has seven #1 albums and 10 #1 singles to her credit, and is the most-awarded artist in the history of the Academy of Country Music.

She has 8 nominations at May's 61st ACMs, second only to Megan Moroney's nine.

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Even though he's only 3, Scotty McCreery's son Avery McCreery is already a music buff who loves going on the road with his dad. 

"Avery goes through phases," Scotty explains. "Right now, he is a massive Ronnie Milsap fan. That's all we listen to in the car, to the point where I never thought I'd get tired of Ronnie, but it's getting close."

Scotty's hit "Bottle Rockets" was inspired by the summers he spent listening to Hootie & the Blowfish growing up and includes a rerecording of the band singing the chorus of their huge hit "Hold My Hand." 

Just before the collab came together, Avery discovered the band for himself.

"Probably just a month prior," Scotty recalls, "we got into a Hootie phase with Avery, and 'Hold My Hand' was the song. He was like, 'Can you play this on guitar?' And I was playing it for him. So when he heard Daddy sing, and then he heard 'Hold My Hand,' he was like, 'That's the Hootie song!' So Avery's a big fan."

Of course, "Bottle Rockets" did a lot more than just impress his son. Scotty and the band celebrated its chart-topping success Thursday with a #1 party at BMI in Nashville. 

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Eric Church's July 6-8 shows at Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheatre sold out in just minutes on Friday morning, after his Church Choir fan club maxed out their ticket allotment during the presale. It's the second year in a row the Chief has sold out multiple nights at the iconic venue. 

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum welcomed its 20 millionth visitor at its new location on Wednesday, after relocating from Music Row to Downtown in 2001. Former tour guide Trisha Yearwood surprised the Sagi family from Santa Clara, California, with a photo op. 

Riley Green's new track, "My Way," is out now, ahead of his debut Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on Marshals. He wrote the song by himself especially for the CBS/Paramount+ show. 

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Ashley McBryde's trapped in the car with an unhappy family in the music video for her new track, "Lines in the Carpet."

"She keeps pushing that Dyson everyday all over again/ And he’ll come home from work tonight and walk all over them," she sings in one of the verses.

Even though it's a song she didn't write, it's a topic that resonates with Ashley. 

“I see so many women I know in this song,” she reveals. “There’s no promise in the lyrics that things are going to change or get better—it just stays with that feeling of being contained, and knowing that the person you’re with is completely oblivious to everything you’re feeling."

"This record is about getting back in touch with the Wild within," she adds, mentioning her upcoming fifth album. "I think part of that means taking a good long look at what keeps us caged.”

Friday and Saturday, Ashley wraps up her 2026 Redemption Residency at Chief's in Nashville with a show titled Mixed Tape from the Mixed Up Years, featuring deep cuts and covers.

Wild drops May 8. 

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Miley Cyrus' special guest on a new version of her song "Younger You" is someone who used to make a living as a Hannah Montana impersonator: CMA and ACM entertainer of the year Lainey Wilson.

Lainey writes on Instagram, "If I go back and tell myself one thing it’d be…'Hey younger you, you’re gonna impersonate Hannah Montana all throughout high school, playing every birthday party, fair and festival between here and Louisiana and then one day…. you’re gonna have a song with the real Hannah Montana.'”

"@mileycyrus thank you for asking me to join you on this special song," she adds. "If this ain’t a full circle moment, I don’t know what is."

The post included photos and video of Lainey and Miley together in recent years.

Lainey impersonated Hannah at parties and events from the time she was in eighth grade through 12th grade. She tells People in an Instagram video, "It taught me that this wasn't gonna be easy, but it was gonna be fun."

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It's "Raining Whiskey" as Lauren Alaina releases her first new music of 2026. 

“'Raining Whiskey' is what happens when heartbreak meets happy hour," she says of her new song. "It represents a completely different stage of my life than the one I am in now, but it reflects one that I'm glad I lived through."

"I am happy to finally be able to tell the story of my twenties while living a new chapter in my thirties," she adds.

Lauren and husband Cam Arnold welcomed their daughter, Beni Doll Arnold, back in June. 

Saturday, April 25, the Peach State native is part of the superstar lineup for Live Between the Hedges at the University of Georgia's Sanford Stadium with Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean and Zach Top. 

The American Idol alum currently has a top-30 hit with "All My Exes" with Chase Matthew.

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Corey Kent's "Wannabe" is a "cowboy campfire ballad" that offers a sonic preview of his next album. 

“‘Wannabe' was the first song we wrote for the new record, and as soon as we finished it, we knew it represented the sound we were chasing for this project," Corey says. "It’s simple on purpose, and that’s what I love about it. It’s a song about how the little things and everyday moments in life mean more than fame and fortune ever could."

"Wannabe" follows "Empty Words," which came out in February, and Corey's top-15 hit, "Rocky Mountain Low," with Koe Wetzel. 

Corey's upcoming album follows 2024's Black Bandana, which features his second #1, "This Heart."

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Cody Johnson's new record, Banks of the Trinity, paints a picture of how he grew up. 

“On this album, I wanted to tell the story about my childhood,” he says. “When I heard the song ‘Banks Of The Trinity’ for the first time, it was like this portrait showed in my head of memories that I had honestly forgotten. It just took me back home to Sebastopol, Texas, where I grew up on the Trinity River. I had tears in my eyes when I heard it for the first time.”

The cover photo shows Lawrence Grocery, the store where Cody would ride his bicycle as a child to pick up supplies and enjoy a cream soda and ice cream as a he waited. 

You can check out the track "I Want You" now, ahead of the arrival of Banks of the Trinity on June 26. 

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At Wednesday's #1 party for "Happen to Me" at BMI in Nashville, Russell Dickerson was open about being shut out of the nominations for the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards, after having the biggest year of his career so far. 

It's a disappointment made better by the fact that he's up for best country song at the fan-voted American Music Awards.

"Speaking very candidly," Russell told reporters, "there was another award show that was announced the week before and that was kind of like, 'Oh man, that woulda been cool to be in that category.'"

"So this coming out a week later or whatever was definitely like — [it] picked the spirits back up. And it being an all-genre show is what's a little cherry on top. Feels nice," he added. 

The 61st ACMs take place May 17 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, while the AMAs are Memorial Day, May 25, at the same venue. 

You can vote for Russell's song online. 

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You can check out Jon Pardi's new video for his hit "Boots Off" co-starring his wife, Summer Pardi. 

Craig Campbell will celebrate the fourth anniversary of his Grindstone Cowboy coffee shop in Eagleville, Tennessee, with a Kentucky Derby Party on Saturday, May 2. 

Jelly Roll's music video for "Lighter" with Carín León is out now. It's from the official FIFA World Cup 2026 album.

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It's a busy week for Riley Green, as he sets his Cowboy As It Gets Tour in motion Thursday in Southaven, Mississippi. 

Justin Moore, Drake White and Mackenzie Carpenter join him for the first show, with Zach John King, Hannah McFarland and Adam Hood coming along later in the run. 

Sunday brings his much-anticipated debut on Taylor Sheridan's Marshals. "Music's my only escape," Riley's character says in an Instagram preview that also hints at his past as a "damaged man." 

It also includes a snippet of his new song, "My Way," which comes out Friday. It's Riley's first new music this year, save for his duet with Carly Pearce on "If I Don't Leave I'm Gonna Stay." 

You can tune in to see his Marshals debut Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+.

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Morgan Wallen, Lainey Wilson and Chris Stapleton all took home major wins at Wednesday's 37th annual Pollstar Awards in Hollywood.

Morgan picked up the first-ever fan favorite award for live performer of the year, while Lainey's Whirlwind World Tour and Stapleton's All-American Road Show tied for country tour of the year.

The Eagles — which includes Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill — won residency of the year for their show at Sphere Las Vegas.

Nashville's The Pinnacle is the new concert venue of the year, while the Austin City Limits Music Festival was named music festival of the year. Teddy Swims is the new headliner of the year. 

The honors are handed out by Pollstar, the publication that covers the concert industry, and voted on solely by members of that industry.

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Even though the final show of Alan Jackson's touring career is sold out, there's still more talent joining the all-star lineup. 

Thomas Rhett, Little Big Town and Jake Owen are the latest names added to the roster, which already includes Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Riley Green, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Jon Pardi, Carrie Underwood and Lee Ann Womack.

Alan Jackson’s Last Call: One More for the Road – The Finale will take place Saturday, June 27, at Nashville's Nissan Stadium. 

Look for even more talent to be announced in the weeks to come.

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Kenny Chesney and Rosanne Cash will represent country music at an all-genre concert on the campus of New Jersey's Monmouth University.

Music America: The Songs that Shaped Us will take place June 4-5 and celebrate America's 250th birthday, ahead of the opening of the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music on campus. 

Springsteen himself will be part of the celebration, along with Jon Bon Jovi, Jackson Browne, Keb' Mo', Darlene Love, Public Enemy, Mavis Staples, Trombone Shorty and the New Breed Brass Band, Stevie Van Zandt, Jimmie Vaughan and more. 

Each performer will do a significant song from American history. Tickets for each night will go on sale April 21.

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Ella Langley and the Lone Star State remain the most popular option it seems, as "Choosin' Texas" remains atop both Billboard's Hot Country Songs and the Hot 100. 

This is the track's sixth non-consecutive week at #1 on the all-genre Hot 100, while it's spending its 20th week at the pinnacle on Hot Country Songs. 

"Choosin' Texas" is only the 11th title to spend that many weeks on top, on par with recent entries like "What I Want" by Morgan Wallen and Tate McRae and "I Remember Everything" from Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves.

2017's "Meant to Be" by Florida Georgia Line and Bebe Rexha holds the record for the most time at #1, with 50 weeks. When it comes to solo female artists, only Gabby Barrett has spent longer at the top than Ella, with "I Hope" making it 27 weeks starting in 2020. 

Next up, we wait to see if the Alabama's native's second album, Dandelion, can manage a #1 debut on the all-genre Billboard 200, after its April 10 release. 

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Dylan Scott's son Beckett Scott Robinson has been interested and involved in what his dad does for a living ever since he was singing "Old Town Road" as a toddler back in 2019.

The 8-year-old finally got to make his studio debut late last year on his dad's "Two Christmas Trees" recording. 

"He crushed it, man. I was a proud dad, for sure," the "My Girl" hitmaker says. 

While Dylan's always been supportive, he's starting to think he may need to slow down Beckett's musical ambitions a bit.

"He's getting the big head his own self. I gotta back him down a little bit," the father of three tells ABC Audio. "I got him out onstage with me this summer, and now anytime he's on the road with me, he wants to be onstage."

"Now he's singing, he's doing the gritty, he's taking his hat off and throwing it to the fans, which is costing me money because I gotta buy him more hats. I'm like, 'Hey son, settle down a little bit.'"

Dylan's oldest was also hoping for a check.

"He even had the nerve to ask me, he said, 'Well Dad, so you get paid to do this, so when I come out there, do I get paid as well?' I said, 'Absolutely not. [You're] not piggybacking off of my hard work,'" he reveals.

It seems Beckett needn't worry about cash flow at the Robinson household, however, as his dad's latest hit, "What He'll Never Have," is currently #3 and rising on the Mediabase chart.

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Flatland Cavalry's just released their new music video for "Unglued," on the heels of their third consecutive nomination for ACM group of the year. It's from their new album, Work of Heart, which came out in March. 

Country Thunder Florida is moving to Coachman Park in Clearwater in 2026, with Zach Top, Gavin Adcock and Kane Brown set to headline the May 8-10 event that includes Randy Houser, Max McNown, Shaboozey, Dasha and more. Though it's located less than 20 miles from the original location on St. Pete Beach, ticket holders who'd like a refund can get one at the point of purchase. 

You can check out a new live performance video of Russell Dickerson's latest hit, "Worth Your Wild," on Spotify, recorded at his largest show to date at RodeoHouston March 5. 

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There's new music on the way from Reba McEntire, and the Country Music Hall of Famer's delivering it in a new way.

Each month, she'll unveil a new digital music capsule that pairs a new song with tracks from her catalog that match the same theme.

The first arrives Friday and is titled One Night in Tulsa, named for a new track she previewed at her April 9 show at her restaurant, Reba's Place, in Atoka, Oklahoma. Her cover of “Tulsa Time," her hit with Vince Gill, “Oklahoma Swing,” “Does the Wind Still Blow in Oklahoma” and “No U in Oklahoma” wrap up the collection.

There will also be new tailored playlists that highlight her half-century recording career, starting May 1 with The Making of Reba.

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Keith Urban will headline ACM Next Wave: Country's Beach Bash on Saturday, May 16, ahead of the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday. 

He joins the previously announced lineup of Tucker Wetmore, Dasha, Ashley Cooke, Flatland Cavalry and Braxton Keith, as well as 2026 Opry NextStage members Hudson Westbrook, Vincent Mason, Graham Barham, Tyler Braden, Emily Ann Roberts, Alexandra Kay and Willow Avalon. 

Tickets are on sale now for the poolside show at Mandalay Bay Beach, in addition to the other ACM events in Las Vegas.

If you're looking for a free show, you'll want to check out the Whiskey Jam Welcome Party set for Thursday, May 14. The Band Perry, Avery Anna, Caroline Jones and Jenna Paulette will take the stage at Ole Red, with more talent to be announced. 

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For someone who's on the cover of TIME's annual issue ranking the 100 most influential people in the world, Luke Combs is decidedly low-key. 

“I get sneezed on or thrown up on like every day," the father of three tells TIME in the accompanying interview. "You catch me Monday through Friday, I'm at the house, Mr. Mom, changing dipes, giving baths, cooking dinners. ... Our life is complicated but oddly simple at the same time.”

Pop star Ed Sheeran puts Luke's down-to-earth appeal in perspective in a tribute. 

“I’ve watched him move from album to album and tour to tour, constantly evolving—not just as an artist, but also as a human, and always for the better," he tells TIME. "He’s scaled the highest heights of music while remaining loving and kind to those around him."

"People might call that ‘normal,’ but there’s nothing normal about what Luke has achieved," Sheeran adds.

The two collaborated on a version of Sheeran's "Life Goes On" back in 2023. 

You can check out Luke Combs' full 2026 TIME100 feature online. 

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