Randy Travis photo courtesy of Webster & Associates.

Randy Travis is celebrating his 25th anniversary in country music with a new tour. The 25th Anniversary Celebration Tour kicks off February 10 in Grand Ronde, Oregon at Spirit Mountain Casino. He will stop in more than 20 cities, including Boise, Denver, and Fort Worth plus Calgary. More shows will be announced at a later date.

“I’m surprised at how fast the first 25 years have gone by,” Randy said. “It feels like only five. There’s no better feeling than being onstage and the connection with a live audience.”

To mark the beginning of his 25th anniversary, Randy released his Anniversary Celebration duets album, which houses a combination of his biggest hits such as “He Walked on Water” and “Forever and Ever, Amen” as well as new music. Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney, Kris Kristofferson, Carrie Underwood, George Jones, Zac Brown Band, Lorrie Morgan, Jamey Johnson and more are featured on the album. Continue Reading

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Luke Bryan photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Faith Hill, Lady Antebellum, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, and Zac Brown Band have been added to the lineup for the Nightly Concerts at LP Field during this year’s CMA Music Festival. Jason Aldean, The Band Perry and Carrie Underwood were previously announced as performers. This year’s CMA Fest will take place June 7-10 in Nashville.

Faith will be returning to the CMA Fest stage for the first time since 2008 after debuting her current single, “Come Home,” on the CMA Awards, while Eric will be making his LP Field debut. Fans can purchase tickets through Ticketmaster at Ticketmaster.com or 1-(800)-745-3000. They can also purchase them by calling 1-(800)-CMA-FEST (262-3378). Continue Reading

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“Partnering with Billboard on this special country edition has allowed us to offer a great value proposition to the consumer,” Tony Bruno, ‘stache media’s SVP of Marketing, said. “Because of the brand’s prominence and the credibility of the magazine, we are able to expose the country music scene to an even wider audience.”

“From ‘The 615,’ Billboard.com’s new country music blog, to the Country charts, Billboard has a deep connection with the country music community, and we’re excited to partner with ‘stache media to expand the brand’s coverage of this genre through this new mini-magazine,” Lisa Ryan Howard, Publisher of Billboard, said. Continue Reading

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Reba McEntire & Blake Shelton photo courtesy of the ACM.

Country Music’s Party of the Year®, the 47^th ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, honoring country music’s best and introducing the industry’s hottest emerging talent, will be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 1, 2012 at 8 p.m. live Eastern/delayed Pacific on CBS. The show is produced by dick clark productions and will be hosted for the second consecutive year by Reba and Blake Shelton.

The 2^nd Annual ACM Fan Jam, hosted by Zac Brown Band, will take place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Sunday, April 1, 2012. This live remote location gives country music lovers the ultimate fan-pass to be part of the 47^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards!  Throughout the three-hour Awards telecast from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, there will be live ACM Fan Jam performances, via remote, from the Mandalay Bay Events Center by Zac Brown Band and other top-tier music acts, to be announced at a later date.

The ACM Fan Jam includes a profusion of entertainment, prizes and special giveaways only for attendees, including autographed guitars, trip packages to country music events and merchandise.  The ACM Fan Jam continues after the Awards telecasts ends, with performances by Zac Brown and friends. Details will be announced soon. The inaugural ACM Fan Jam, hosted by Sugarland, took place in 2011.

Additionally, the Academy and dick clark productions will tape an all-star concert special, ACM PRESENTS: Lionel Richie and Friends – A Lifetime of Hits, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena Monday, April 2, 2012, to air at a later date on the CBS Television Network.  This country collaboration with the legendary Lionel Richie, featuring duets from his upcoming album Tuskegee along with solo performances, will include some of Richie’s greatest hits performed by Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Rogers and many more. Tickets sales from ACM PRESENTS: Lionel Richie and Friends – A Lifetime of Hits will benefit ACM Lifting Lives, which works to improve lives through music. For more information, log onto www.ACMLiftingLives.org or www.ACMcountry.com. Continue Reading

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Blake Shelton photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Nashville.

Each year GAC asks fans to help us choose the best of the best country music videos released during the prior 12 months for our year end Top 50 Videos of the Year countdown. Here are the voting results for 2011 based on videos released and added to the GAC playlist from Nov. 1, 2010 to Oct. 31, 2011.

1. Blake Shelton — “God Gave Me You”
2. Jason Aldean w/Kelly Clarkson — “Don’t You Wanna Stay”
3. Keith Urban — “Without You”
4. Jason Aldean — “Dirt Road Anthem”
5. Brad Paisley & Carrie Underwood — “Remind Me”
6. Blake Shelton — “Honey Bee”
7. Lady Antebellum — “Just A Kiss”
8. Alan Jackson — “Long Way To Go”
9. Scotty McCreery — “I Love You This Big”
10. Trace Adkins — “Just Fishin’” Continue Reading

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Taylor Swift's Speak Now CD. Photo courtesy of Big Machine Records.

Billboard.com has compiled their list of the Top 200 Albums of 2011. Adele’s 21 was named the No. 1 album of the year, but Taylor Swift’s Speak Now album came in at No. 2. Jason Aldean’s My Kinda Party was also in the Top 5, coming in at No. 4. Rascal Flatts‘ Nothing Like This album took the No. 17 spot and Lady Antebellum’s Need You Now came in at No. 19.

Other country albums in the Top 50 include Zac Brown Band’s You Get What You Give at No. 23, Lady Antebellum’s Own The Night at No. 25, The Band Perry’s self-titled debut at No. 30, Sugarland’s The Incredible Machine at No. 33, Keith Urban’s Get Closer at No. 36, Kenny Chesney’s Hemingway’s Whiskey at No. 42, and Brad Paisley’s This Is Country Music at No. 46.

The Year-End top-selling albums are ranked by sales data as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan.

Top 20 Albums of 2011:

1. 21 – Adele
2. Speak Now – Taylor Swift
3. Born This Way – Lady Gaga
4. My Kinda Party – Jason Aldean
5. The Gift – Susan Boyle
6. Tha Carter IV – Lil Wayne
7. Pink Friday – Nicki Minaj
8. Sigh No More – Mumford & Sons
9. Loud – Rihanna
10. Teenage Dream – Katy Perry Continue Reading

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Taylor Swift photo courtesy of Big Machine Records.

Billboard.com has released its list of the Top Artists of 2011. Adele tops the multi-genre chart with Rihanna, Katy Parry, Lady Gaga and Lil Wayne rounding out the Top 5. Taylor Swift is the only country artist to make the Top 10, ranking No. 8. Jason Aldean and Lady Antebellum found themselves ranked inside the Top 20 with Jason coming in at No. 13 and Lady A at No. 20.

Artists are ranked according to chart performance on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and the Billboard 200 albums chart. Other country artists making the Top 50 include Kenny Chesney at No. 28, Blake Shelton at No. 29. Zac Brown Band at No. 32, The Band Perry at No. 35, Rascal Flatts at No. 38 and Brad Paisley at No. 45.

Top 20 Artists of 2011:

1. Adele
2. Rihanna
3. Katy Perry
4. Lady Gaga
5. Lil Wayne
6. Bruno Mars
7. Nicki Minaj
8. Taylor Swift
9. Justin Bieber
10. Chris Brown
11. The Black Eyed Peas
12. Eminem
13. Jason Aldean
14. Britney Spears
15. Wiz Khalifa
16. P!nk
17. Pitbull
18. Kanye West
19. Ke$ha
20. Lady Antebellum

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Taylor Swift photo courtesy of Big Machine Records.

Billboard.com has released their list of the Top Country Artists of 2011. Artists are ranked based on album sales, song downloads and airplay, touring revenue, Social 50 chart action, ringtone sales and streaming data provided by Nielsen BDS. Congratulations to Taylor Swift for being named the Top Country Artist of 2011! What do you think of this ranking? Who’d top YOUR Top 50 list? Leave us a comment below!

1. Taylor Swift
2. Jason Aldean
3. Lady Antebellum
4. Zac Brown Band
5. Blake Shelton
6. The Band Perry
7. Rascal Flatts
8. Kenny Chesney
9. Brad Paisley
10. Luke Bryan
11. Keith Urban
12. Miranda Lambert
13. Sugarland
14. Eric Church
15. Scotty McCreery
16. Toby Keith
17. Thompson Square
18. Chris Young
19. Billy Currington
20. Tim McGraw Continue Reading

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Eli Young Band photo courtesy of Universal Records South.

Billboard.com has released their year-end Top Country Songs chart for 2011. Here are the 50 most popular country songs of the year based on radio airplay audience impressions as measured by Nielsen BDS. Congratulations to Eli Young Band for having the No. 1 song of the year with “Crazy Girl!” Of note, the song was co-written by Lee Brice who recorded “Love Like Crazy,” the Top Song of 2010.

1. “Crazy Girl” – Eli Young Band
2. “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” – Jake Owen
3. “Take A Back Road” – Rodney Atkins
4. “Tomorrow” – Chris Young
5. “You Lie” – The Band Perry
6. “Am I The Only One” – Dierks Bentley
7. “You and Tequila” – Kenny Chesney
8. “Honey Bee” – Blake Shelton
9. “Just Fishin’” – Trace Adkins
10. “Let Me Down Easy” – Billy Currington
11. “Here For A Good Time” – George Strait
12. “Knee Deep” – Zac Brown Band
13. “Just A Kiss” – Lady Antebellum
14. “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away” – Justin Moore
15. “Made In America” – Toby Keith
16. “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” – Luke Bryan
17. “Heart Like Mine” – Miranda Lambert
18. “God Gave Me You” – Blake Shelton
19. “Don’t You Wanna Stay” – Jason Aldean w/Kelly Clarkson
20. “What Do You Want” – Jerrod Niemann Continue Reading

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Taylor Swift's Speak Now CD. Photo courtesy of Big Machine Records.

Billboard.com has just released its year-end charts for 2011. Here are the 50 most popular country albums for the year (based on album sales). Congratulations to Taylor Swift for taking the top spot with her Speak Now album!

1. Speak Now – Taylor Swift
2. My Kinda Party – Jason Aldean
3. Nothing Like This – Rascal Flatts
4. Need You Now – Lady Antebellum
5. You Get What You Give – Zac Brown Band
6. Own The Night – Lady Antebellum  Read Our Review >>
7. The Band Perry – The Band Perry
8. The Incredible Machine – Sugarland
9. Get Closer – Keith Urban
10. Hemingway’s Whiskey – Kenny Chesney
11. This Is Country Music – Brad Paisley  Read Our Review >>
12. Clear As Day – Scotty McCreery  Read Our Review >>
13. Number One Hits – Tim McGraw
14. Tailgates & Tanlines – Luke Bryan  Read Our Review >>
15. Chief – Eric Church  Read Our Review >>
16. Loaded: The Best of Blake Shelton – Blake Shelton
17. Red River Blue – Blake Shelton  Read Our Review >>
18. The Foundation – Zac Brown Band
19. Revolution – Miranda Lambert
20. Country Strong Soundtrack – Various Artists Continue Reading

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