Music

Six years after he released it, Scotty McCreery says that "Five More Minutes" is still the most special song he's ever put out.There's lots of reasons why that is: A historically high-charting independent hit and a song that funneled new steam into McCreery's then-faltering career after he'd been dropped from his label, "Five More Minutes" returned the singer squarely to the middle of the spotlight, a journey that he explains on a career-spanning new interview for CMT Stages. But perhaps the most special aspect of the song is the shift...

Rauw Alejandro may be taking the Premios Tu Música Urbano to Saturno at this year’s awards show. On Tuesday, the Latin music awards announced its list of nominations for this year, with Alejandro leading with a whooping 11 nods. Following closely behind Alejandro in a number of nominations is Bad Bunny with 10, and then Feid who has nine. All three artists are nominated against each other in the male categories for Song of the Year, Collab of the Year, and Album of the Year. As for the female artists...

It's that time of the year again, when students don caps and gowns, emotional parents take a million pictures, and best friends hug each other tight. Graduation time is unlike any other; there's a sense of anticipation and hope for the future. Whether you're graduating from high school or college, the horizon seems to brim with possibilities (and a plethora of IKEA furniture).Graduation marks the end of one era and the beginning of another; it represents accomplishment, hard work and decades of memories made -- with many more to be created in the...

Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler is trying to dent the teenage sexual assault lawsuit filed against him, asking a judge to strike a claim of intentional inflection of emotional distress (IIED) “based on statements” Tyler made in memoirs about his relationship with Julia Misley.  Misley sued Tyler last December, accusing him of sexual assault and battery in the 1970s, starting when she was 16. The suit included several excerpts from Tyler’s 2011 memoir, in which he wrote that he “almost took a teen bride,” and that the girl’s parents “signed a paper...

Chris Janson has an impressive track record of mega-watt collaborations, and he's upping the ante again.On Tuesday (May 2), the singer announced that he's got a new song coming, and it features two legends of country and rock.The song, called "21 Forever," features guest performances from Dolly Parton and Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash. In a statement, Janson gushes over his superstar collaborators, expressing his gratitude to them for their work on the track."I'm so thrilled to announce that two global icons have joined me on my latest song," Janson...

So many brilliant songwriters came out of Canada in the Sixties — legends like Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, and Robbie Robertson — that the talents of are sometimes overlooked by those who don’t know better. He never even appeared on a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ballot before his death at 84. That’s a raging injustice when you listen back to gems like “If You Could Read My Mind,” “Carefree Highway,” and “Early Morning Rain.” These songs earned him a sterling reputation as a songwriter’s songwriter, which...

On May 2, 1988, Clint Black signed a record deal with RCA Records, the label that's been home to Elvis Presley, Kenny Rogers and the Judds, among others. At the time, ZZ Top's manager, Bill Ham, was also steering Black's career — a lucky break that was just one example of how the Katy, Texas-raised musician's love of collaboration and hard work paved the way for his success.Growing up, Black and his older brothers would entertain neighbors at backyard barbecues dubbed "Country Sunday on Saturday" events. The younger Black showed musical aptitude...

This year’s Stagecoach Festival was a love letter to country music’s past and a nod to its wide-open future. While the festival — the genre’s largest, most rollicking reunion that takes place in California’s low desert the week after Coachella — was sparse on guest appearances (no Axl Rose, this time), the level of showmanship and raw talent was high.  The three-day affair weaved in and out of hat-tips from the likes of Luke Bryan playing “Where the Green Grass Grows” by Tim McGraw to Kane Brown performing a stripped-down...

Rosanne Cash brought Kris Kristofferson to the stage with a smile and walked him off the stage in tears. Their moving duet at Willie Nelson's 90th birthday party concert provides a lasting look at the iconic songwriter as he nears 90 himself.Kristofferson — age 87 next month — joined Cash for "Lovin' Her Was Easier," a song he wrote and artists like Roger Miller made a hit. Waylon Jennings, Tompall Glaser and Cash (who cut a live version as "Lovin' Him Was Easier" several years ago) would also record he love song.During their April...

When the anonymous songwriter/producer Ghostwriter777 recently dropped “Heart on My Sleeve,” a song built around the AI-cloned voices of Drake and The Weeknd, Universal Music Group moved instantly to remove it from streaming services. But one artist has reacted very differently to the emerging technology. Grimes, whose last album was 2020’s Miss Anthropocene, announced via Twitter on April 23 that anyone can use AI models of her voice “without penalty,” and that she’d split royalties 50/50 with the creator of any successful song doing so. It wasn’t an idle offer;...

Tim McGraw, Wynonna Judd and Mac Wiseman are just a few of the country stars who claim May as their birth month. May flaunts so many special occasions -- Mother's Day, May Day, Cinco de Mayo (bring on the margaritas!), Memorial Day and even Star Wars Day ("May the 4th be with you!") -- but there's nothing quite like a birthday party.As you can see in the gallery below, April showers bring May flowers -- and a whole lot of country artists' birthdays. In fact, several singers even share the...

The country singer spoke candidly about his and his wife's mental health struggles, later bringing her on stage for a heartfelt duet On day two of Stagecoach 2023, Kane Brown delivered one of the most candid moments at this year’s festival, opening up about his struggle with depression before performing his new track “Memory,” which features Blackbear. Brown took the stage flanked with pyrotechnics and played a range of high-energy hits from “Famous Friends” to “One Mississippi.” Halfway through his set, the tempo slowed, and he spoke directly to the...

Evan Paul is the host of Taste of Country Nights, a syndicated radio show heard on more than 120 country radio stations nationwide, every night from 7PM to midnight. He plays the best new country music and interviews today's top stars, like Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Dan + Shay, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton, Lady A, Morgan Wallen, + more! It's safe to say that a celebration is in order for an American icon. Willie Nelson is turning 90 years old on Saturday (April 29), and Dierks Bentley has a birthday wish of...