Carrie Underwood’s Christmas Album ‘My Gift’ is Here

/in , , , /by

Carrie Underwood’s Christmas Album is finally here and although it’s only September, it seems the holidays have come early. The country superstar has recorded multiple holiday tracks since winning American Idol in 2005, but today’s release titled My Gift is the first full-length Christmas album of her 15+ year career. 

Carrie Underwood My Gift

With a mix of Christmas classics like “O Holy Night”, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, “Mary Did You Know”, and “O Come All Ye Faithful”, plus original songs sure to become holiday favorites such as “Let There Be Peace”, “Sweet Baby Jesus”, and “Hallelujah”, the album truly has something for everyone. There are even special guests including John Legend and a very unique ‘Little Drummer Boy’, Underwood’s 5-year-old son, Isaiah Fisher. 

The record is full of gospel and soul and showcases two of Carrie Underwoods’ most notable qualities; her killer pipes and her religious devotion. The album has plenty of powerful registers known around the world, but fans will also see a softer side of Underwood’s voice throughout the project as she lends gentler vocals to the spiritual lyrics. The singer-songwriter (plus lifestyle brand entrepreneur and most recently best-selling author) has always put her faith front and center in her career and this project is no different. Even the name of the album, “My Gift” came from a place of worship. 

“I tried to think about the songs that were in it and one of my favorites is “Little Drummer Boy” because the sentiment behind it is so honest,” Underwood said in a teaser video for the project earlier this year. “They’re bringing gifts to baby Jesus and he doesn’t have anything, he’s poor. So he says ‘I’m gonna play my drum for him, that’s what I have’. And to me, that is a gift that was given to him by God. I love music. I love singing. That is my personal gift that I have that I am blessed to do and I want to use that gift and give it back to Jesus”. 

The timing may have finally been right for the songstress to release a holiday project, but the coronavirus pandemic provided a unique challenge when it came to finishing the album. Thanks to technology, however, producer Greg Wells was able to be with Underwood in the studio via Zoom. Behind the scenes, video from the sessions show studio musicians and choral singers socially distant and wearing masks. 

Fans will get a chance to experience the album another way this winter when HBO Max airs an exclusive holiday special. Underwood will appear with a live orchestra and choir, performing both traditional and original songs from the album. An air date for the special hasn’t been announced yet.

“Now more than ever we all need to focus on what Christmas is about,” says Underwood.  “Even though it has been a tough year, sometimes I feel like the greatest realizations can come in the worst times or in the most stressful times and it makes you more thankful for the things that you do have.”  Right now, we’re thankful for the new Carrie Underwood music!

To keep up with Carrie Underwood, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

My Gift is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music‘ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

A Carrie Underwood Christmas Special is Coming to HBO Max

/in , /by

A Carrie Underwood Christmas special is coming to HBO Max highlighting songs from her forthcoming holiday album, My Gift.

Carrie Underwood My Gift

Announced earlier today, (Sept. 24th), HBO Max revealed an exclusive holiday special starring seven-time GRAMMY Award winner, Carrie Underwood. The show will focus on her first-ever Christmas album, My Gift, which is due out tomorrow, September 25th.

Country Queen and 2020 Co-ACM Entertainer of the Year, Carrie Underwood will appear with a live orchestra and choir, performing a combination of beloved traditional favorites celebrating the spiritual nature of the holiday, as well as new original material from the highly anticipated album.

“The journey of writing and recording this album started last year when I finished my tour and we could have never anticipated the circumstances we would be in this year,” said Carrie Underwood in a recent press release. “Creating this album has been good for my heart, and I’m thrilled to get to share it with the world and to bring it to life with Playtone and HBO Max.”

The Max Original special will be executive produced by Gary Goetzman and Tom Hanks for Playtone, along with Underwood and her manager, Ann Edelblute. The holiday event is set to shoot this fall.

No air-date has been revealed just yet, but fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about the upcoming Carrie Underwood release.

To keep up with Carrie Underwood, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

My Gift will be available everywhere you buy or stream music tomorrow, Friday, September 24th. Check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music‘ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

 

—————

SHOP THE HERO COLLECTION

The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook:

Here Are The CMT Music Awards 2020 Nominations

/in , /by

The CMT Music Awards Nominations have been revealed!

Save-The-Date: Fan-Voted CMT Awards to Air on October 21, 2020

 

Ashley McBryde, Dan + Shay, Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Combs, Sam Hunt and Thomas Rhett lead with three nominations each. Blanco Brown, Carrie Underwood, Gabby Barrett, Kane Brown, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, Old Dominion, and The Chicks also racked up multiple nominations. While many rising stars received their first-ever nominations for the special accolades. Check out the full list of nominations below.

Set to air on Wednesday, October 21st at 8PM ET / 7PM CT on CMT, the 2020 CMT Music Awards will be a celebration country music fans will not want to miss. The show will honor country music’s biggest stars bringing next-level energy and one-of-a-kind performances from outdoor spaces in and around Nashville, Tennessee.

The annual show is the only entirely fan-voted award show in the country music world honoring the genre’s best and most fan-favorite artists. Fan voting begins today at vote.cmt.com.

Fans can tune in from home on several different networks who will be broadcasting the show including CMT, MTV, MTV2, Logo, Paramount Network, Pop and TV Land.

 

HERE ARE THE 2020 CMT MUSIC AWARDS NOMINATIONS:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video of the year; awarded to the artist (male, female, group/duo or collaboration) and the video director. Final nominees announced on 10/12, with final voting held until 10/16 and announced in-show.

  • Ashley McBryde – “One Night Standards”
  • Blanco Brown – “The Git Up”
  • Carrie Underwood – “Drinking Alone”
  • Dan + Shay – “I Should Probably Go To Bed”
  • Keith Urban – “Polaroid”
  • Kelsea Ballerini – “homecoming queen?”
  • Little Big Town – “Sugar Coat”
  • Luke Combs – “Beer Never Broke My Heart”
  • Miranda Lambert – “Bluebird”
  • Old Dominion – “Some People Do”
  • Sam Hunt – “Hard To Forget”
  • Tanya Tucker – “Bring My Flowers Now”
  • The Chicks -“Gaslighter”
  • Thomas Rhett – “Remember You Young”

FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a female artist; awarded to the artist

  • Ashley McBryde – “One Night Standards”
  • Carrie Underwood – “Drinking Alone”
  • Gabby Barrett – “I Hope”
  • Kelsea Ballerini – “homecoming queen?”
  • Maren Morris – “The Bones”
  • Miranda Lambert – “Bluebird”

MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a male artist; awarded to the artist

  • Jason Aldean – “Got What I Got”
  • Luke Bryan – “One Margarita”
  • Luke Combs – “Even Though I’m Leaving”
  • Morgan Wallen – “Chasin’ You (Dream Video)”
  • Sam Hunt – “Hard To Forget”
  • Thomas Rhett – “Remember You Young”

GROUP VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a group; awarded to the artists

  • Lady A – “Champagne Night”
  • Little Big Town – “Wine, Beer, Whiskey”
  • Midland – “Cheatin’ Songs (Live From the Palomino)”
  • Old Dominion – “One Man Band”
  • The Chicks – “Gaslighter”
  • The Highwomen – “Crowded Table”

DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a duo; awarded to the artists

  • Brothers Osborne – “All Night (Studio Performance)”
  • Dan + Shay – “I Should Probably Go To Bed”
  • Florida Georgia Line – “Blessings”
  • LOCASH – “One Big Country Song”
  • Maddie & Tae – “Die From A Broken Heart”

BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from an artist’s major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist (male, female or group/duo)

  • Blanco Brown – “The Git Up”
  • Caylee Hammack – “Family Tree”
  • Gabby Barrett – “I Hope”
  • Ingrid Andress – “More Hearts Than Mine”
  • Riley Green – “I Wish Grandpas Never Died”
  • Travis Denning – “After a Few”

COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from a collaboration; awarded to the artists

  • Blake Shelton with Gwen Stefani – “Nobody But You”
  • Carly Pearce and Lee Brice – “I Hope You’re Happy Now”
  • Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber – “10,000 Hours”
  • Kane Brown featuring Nelly – “Cool Again”
  • Marshmello and Kane Brown – “One Thing Right”
  • Thomas Rhett featuring Jon Pardi – “Beer Can’t Fix”

CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Musical performance on a television show, series or variety special on CMT; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo)

  • From CMT Artists of the Year: Ashley McBryde – “One Night Standards”
  • From CMT Crossroads: Brooks & Dunn and Luke Combs – “Brand New Man”
  • From CMT Artists of the Year: Chris Young – “Drowning”
  • From CMT Crossroads: Halsey and Kelsea Ballerini – “Graveyard”
  • From CMT Artists of the Year: Sam Hunt – “Fancy”
  • From CMT Crossroads: Sheryl Crow and Chris Stapleton – “Tell Me When It’s Over”

 

Don’t forget to cast your votes! Voting is open now at: vote.cmt.com.

Although it is sure to be different, this will definitely be a night not to miss. Make sure to gear up for the big night and set your DVR’s for 8PM ET on October 21st and follow along on Twitter as we live-tweet the show, @NYCountrySwag.

Fans can also join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about the upcoming performance announcements in the coming weeks.

To keep up with CMT, follow along here on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

 

—————

SHOP THE HERO COLLECTION

The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook:

NYCS First Impression: Luke Laird ‘Music Row’

/in , /by

Luke Laird Music Row

Luke Laird has built a reputation for himself as a country music songwriter and producer. He has penned over 24 number one hits which have earned him Grammys, ACM’s, CMA’s, BMI Songwriter of the Year, and many other accolades throughout the duration of his songwriting career. He has written songs such as “So Small,” “Temporary Home” and “Undo It” by Carrie Underwood, “Pontoon” by Little Big Town, “Head Over Boots” by Jon Pardi, and a plethora of other chart-topping hits.

Music Row is Luke Laird’s debut album under his name. It chronicles the story of a child born and raised in Hartstown, Pennsylvania, and the journey of making it to music city. The good, the bad, and everything in between. Laird recorded the project himself, while Bill Bottrell, the producer behind Sheryl Crow’s Tuesday Night Music Club, produced the record. Music Row is eclectic, an astonishingly authentic assemblage of personal diary entries not made to charm the top of country music charts. The low-fi energy speaks to the persona of Laird.

The title track and album starter “Music Row” hosts an island-like aura, dedicating its lyrical content to Laird’s appreciation for country music. “Good Friends” trails off of the happy-go-lucky vibe of the title track and spreads this low-fi energy throughout the duration of the record. “Hangin’ Out” depicts his relationship with his wife Beth and the story they have created. “Jake and Mack” extends that story to include their two sons.

“That’s Why I Don’t Drink Anymore” arrests Laird’s vulnerability as he softly tells his story of his downfall. Guitar caresses Laird’s vocals and lyrical captivity of addition which he premiered at the Bluebird Cafe years back. Shortly before the release of the record, Laird shared a little insight behind the emotional track. At 27, the singer + songwriter finally understood that he had a problem with alcohol. He sings: “By the grace of God / I’m waking up at home ‘stead of passing out in a parking lot … Don’t matter how hard some days can be / I am found and I am free / What else do I need?”

“Leaves On The Ground” depicts Laird’s best friend from high school. “Branch From a Tree” is the only song on the collection written with co-writers, which he wrote with Lori McKenna and Barry Dean.

The album was inspired by Laird’s wife, Beth Mason Laird, who mentioned that he should release an album of his own stories since he had a bunch of songs that he wrote for himself piled around. In 2011, Luke and Beth founded the publishing and management company Creative Nation that represents Laird, Barry Dean, Lori McKenna, Steve Moakler, Kassi Ashton, and more.

Follow Luke Laird on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Music Row is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

—————

SHOP THE HERO COLLECTION

The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. Specially selected foundations that support our heroes will receive donations from each purchase. Honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice is what we are dedicated to.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook:

Country Outdoors LIVE Returns Featuring Jordan Davis, Caylee Hammack, and More

/in , /by

Country Outdoors LIVE presented by RAM returns by popular demand. Outdoor Channel and Universal Music Group Nashville have teamed up again for the popular series featuring country musicians throughout each episode of the series.

Country Outdoors LIVE

Country Outdoors LIVE featuring Gary Allan Out Now

Since the concert season has been a bust, we are so thrilled that the country music industry is actively finding ways to continuously bring us virtual performances in the most unique settings. Universal Music Group Nashville recently partnered with Outdoor Channel’s Country Outdoors LIVE television to feature four exciting country artists.

The series will kick off this Monday, September 28th, and run for four weeks, beginning with week one’s artist, Gary Allan. October 5th, one of our favorites, Jordan Davis will perform a music showcase, and Caylee Hammack and Josh Turner round out the event in the weeks following!

Hosts, Nick Hoffman and Mary O’Neil Phillips, will introduce the lives acts, and give as much behind the music details as they can offer during the 30-minute episodes.

“The success of our broadcasts during the summer months proved that this creative way of having two industries – television and music – join forces during these uncertain times present a fun and exciting way for country music fans to enjoy new music they may not have been exposed to as easily,” Outdoor Sportsman Group President and CEO Jim Liberatore shared in a recent press release. “Our programming content and audience allies closely with country music fans, so this is a natural development – providing live, exciting programming.”

For more information about Country Outdoors LIVE programming on television, online and social media, visit: www.outdoorchannel.com.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music news.

 

—————

SHOP THE HERO COLLECTION

The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. Specially selected foundations that support our heroes will receive donations from each purchase. Honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice is what we are dedicated to.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook:

iHeartCountry Festival 2020 Goes Virtual – October 23rd

/in , /by

iHeartCountry Festival looks a little different this year, but nonetheless, the show must go on!

iHeartCountry Festival

Joining the never-ending list of shows and special events canceled or postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the iHeartCountry Festival has made plans to go on, giving fans what they desire.  Via a virtual show, the country music extravaganza, originally planned for May 2, 2020, will be brought to homes on its new date, October 23rd.

The iHeart Country Festival will be held through a live streaming on-air special. Dierks Bentley, Lady A, Kane Brown, Kelsea Ballerini, and Sam Hunt are among the incredible line-up of performers who will be featured. In addition, rising artists, Jon Pardi, Riley Green, Morgan Evans, and Gabby Barrett will perform. Also making an appearance is iHeartCountry radio personality, Bobby Bones. Unfortunately, previously announced acts Black Shelton and Chase Rice are no longer on the roster.

The event will be recorded live on one stage in Nashville and will stream exclusively on LiveXLive.com and broadcasted across iHeartMedia’s 150 country music radio stations starting at 8 PM ET.

“Although fans won’t be able to celebrate in person, the show will be available to our millions of listeners,” Rod Phillips, executive VP of programming for iHeartCountry shared in a recent statement.

To keep up with iHeartCountry, follow them on Instagram.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music news.

 

—————

SHOP THE HERO COLLECTION

The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. Specially selected foundations that support our heroes will receive donations from each purchase. Honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice is what we are dedicated to.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook:

Luke Combs’ “Lovin’ On You” Tops Charts for 4th Consecutive Week

/in , /by

Luke Combs’ “Lovin’ On You” tops the charts for the 4th consecutive week, plus the singer-songwriter has released an acoustic video of “Without You”, the first of his new Weekly Series.

Luke Combs Lovin' On You Number One

Photo via Luke Combs on Facebook

Luke Combs is a bonafide superstar! I don’t know how many different ways we can say it. 2020 Country music fans really hit the jackpot with Combs. He is humble, down to earth, and an incredible singer-songwriter. It is obvious why fans, or more commonly referred to as “The Bootleggers”, flock to him by the thousands.

Currently, Luke Combs’ single “Lovin’ on You” is holding down the top spot on the charts for four consecutive weeks. This extends the entertainer’s record-breaking streak of top singles, marking his ninth consecutive hit! Combs also recently won top honors for Album of the Year and Male Artist of the Year at the 2020 ACM Awards, and the deluxe edition of his album will be out next month.

Possibly even more exciting, Combs also released his first video in his new weekly series that he announced just a couple of days ago! Combs performed “Without You” acoustically via Facebook. Of course, in our minds, the song is already a hit, but there is something even more delightful about the stripped-down version. You can watch the performance below.

Combs will be performing his next acoustic single this Monday at 7PM ET on Facebook. Additionally, until the deluxe album is released on October 23rd, fans can expect a new stripped-down song every Monday. Make sure you mark your calendars to be one of the first to hear a new song from the upcoming record! As always, he truly goes above and beyond for his fans and for the betterment of country music. Such a class act!

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about the upcoming Luke Combs release in the coming weeks.

To keep up with Luke Combs, you can follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

 

—————

SHOP THE HERO COLLECTION

The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. Specially selected foundations that support our heroes will receive donations from each purchase. Honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice is what we are dedicated to.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook:

Here Are The 2020 Billboard Music Awards Nominations

/in , /by

Here are the 2020 Billboard Music Awards Nominations announced earlier today, Tuesday (Sept. 22) by Dick Clark Productions and NBC.

2020 Billboard Music Awards Nominations

Nominees and winners for the awards show are chosen based on sales, streaming, radio airplay, touring, and social engagement throughout the charting period of March 23rd, 2019 through March 14th, 2019. Additionally, three fan-voted categories are included in this year’s show – Billboard Chart Achievement Award, Top Social Artist Award, and Top Collaboration Award.

Kelly Clarkson returns to host the 2020 Billboard Music Awards for the third consecutive year. The show will air live from The Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 14th, 2020 at 8PM ET on NBC. The special night was originally scheduled for April 29, 2020, but was postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

2020 Billboard Music Awards Nominations

The country music genre is very well represented in this year’s nominations. Luke Combs, Dan + Shay, and Maren Morris lead with four nominations each, while Thomas Rhett, Kane Brown, and more rack up multiple nominations. Representing in all-genre awards, Luke Combs claims his spot in the fan-voted Billboard Chart Achievement Award category. Blake Shelton earns a spot in the all-genre Top Selling Song Award category for his hit single, “God’s Country” and Dan + Shay are up for all-genre Top Duo/Group.

Billy Ray Cyrus earns multiple nominations for his feature on Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road”, the viral hit that put the term “trap-country” on the map and proved the power of Tik-Tok. The song earned the pair five total nominations including Top Collaboration (Fan-Voted), Top Rap Song, Top Hot 100 Song, Top Streaming Song, and Top Selling Song.

Along with the song’s nominations, Lil Nas X earns a total of 13 nominations including Top New Artist, Top Male Artist, Billboard Chart Achievement Award (Fan-Voted), Top 100 Artist, Top Streaming Songs Artist, Top Song Sales Artist, Top Rap Artist, and Top Rap Male Artist.

No word on performances yet, but fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about the upcoming awards. Be sure to follow along on Twitter as we live-tweet the show, @NYCountrySwag.

Check out the full list of 2020 Billboard Music Awards Nominations below.

ARTIST AWARDS —

Top Artist:
Billie Eilish
Jonas Brothers
Khalid
Post Malone
Taylor Swift

Top New Artist:
DaBaby
Billie Eilish
Lil Nas X
Lizzo
Roddy Ricch

Billboard Chart Achievement Award (Fan-Voted):
Mariah Carey
Luke Combs
Lil Nas X
Harry Styles
Taylor Swift

Top Male Artist:
DaBaby
Khalid
Lil Nas X
Post Malone
Ed Sheeran

Top Female Artist:
Billie Eilish
Ariana Grande
Halsey
Lizzo
Taylor Swift

Top Duo/Group:
BTS
Dan + Shay
Jonas Brothers
Maroon 5
Panic! At The Disco 

Top Billboard 200 Artist:
Drake
Billie Eilish
Khalid
Post Malone
Taylor Swift

Top Hot 100 Artist:
DaBaby
Billie Eilish
Khalid
Lil Nas X
Post Malone

Top Streaming Songs Artist:
DaBaby
Billie Eilish
Lil Nas X
Post Malone
Travis Scott

Top Song Sales Artist:
Billie Eilish
Lil Nas X
Lizzo
Post Malone
Taylor Swift

Top Radio Songs Artist:
Jonas Brothers
Khalid
Lizzo
Shawn Mendes
Post Malone

Top Social Artist (Fan-Voted):
BTS
Billie Eilish
EXO
GOT7
Ariana Grande

Top Touring Artist:
Elton John
Metallica
P!nk
The Rolling Stones
Ed Sheeran

Top R&B Artist:
Chris Brown
Khalid
Lizzo
Summer Walker
The Weeknd

Top R&B Male Artist:
Chris Brown
Khalid
The Weeknd 

Top R&B Female Artist:
Beyoncé
Lizzo
Summer Walker

Top R&B Tour:
B2K
Janet Jackson
Khalid 

Top Rap Artist:
DaBaby
Juice WRLD
Lil Nas X
Post Malone
Roddy Ricch

Top Rap Male Artist:
DaBaby
Lil Nas X
Post Malone

Top Rap Female Artist:
Cardi B
City Girls
Megan Thee Stallion 

Top Rap Tour:
Drake
Post Malone
Travis Scott

Top Country Artist:
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Dan + Shay
Maren Morris
Thomas Rhett

Top Country Male Artist:
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett 

Top Country Female Artist:
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood

Top Country Duo/Group:
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Old Dominion

Top Country Tour:
Eric Church
Florida Georgia Line
George Strait

Top Rock Artist:
Imagine Dragons
Panic! At The Disco
Tame Impala
Tool
twenty one pilots

Top Rock Tour:
Elton John
Metallica
The Rolling Stones

Top Latin Artist:
Anuel AA
Bad Bunny
J Balvin
Ozuna
Romeo Santos

Top Dance/Electronic Artist:
Avicii
The Chainsmokers
DJ Snake
Illenium
Marshmello

Top Christian Artist:
Lauren Daigle
Elevation Worship
For King & Country
Hillsong United
Kanye West

Top Gospel Artist:
Kirk Franklin
Koryn Hawthorne
Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Sunday Service Choir
Kanye West

 

ALBUM AWARDS —

 

Top Billboard 200 Album:
Billie Eilish “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?”
Ariana Grande “Thank U, Next”
Khalid “Free Spirit”
Post Malone “Hollywood’s Bleeding”
Taylor Swift “Lover”

Top Soundtrack:
“Aladdin”
“Descendants 3”
“Frozen II”
“K-12” by Melanie Martinez
“The Dirt” by Mötley Crüe

Top R&B Album:
Beyoncé “Homecoming: The Live Album”
Justin Bieber “Changes”
Chris Brown “Indigo”
Khalid “Free Spirit”
Summer Walker “Over It”

Top Rap Album:
DaBaby “Kirk”
Juice WRLD “Death Race For Love”
Post Malone “Hollywood’s Bleeding”
Roddy Ricch “Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial”
Young Thug “So Much Fun”

Top Country Album:
Kane Brown “Experiment”
Luke Combs “What You See Is What You Get”
Maren Morris “Girl”
Thomas Rhett “Center Point Road”
Morgan Wallen “If I Know Me”

Top Rock Album:
The Lumineers “III”
Slipknot “We Are Not Your Kind”
Tame Impala “The Slow Rush”
Tool “Fear Inoculum”
Vampire Weekend “Father of the Bride”

Top Latin Album:
J Balvin & Bad Bunny “Oasis”
Farruko “Gangalee”
Maluma “11:11”
Romeo Santos “Utopía”
Sech “Sueños”

Top Dance/Electronic Album:
Avicii “Tim”
The Chainsmokers “World War Joy”
Illenium “Ascend”
Marshmello “Marshmello: Fortnite Extended Set”
Alan Walker “Different World”

Top Christian Album:
Bethel Music “Victory: Recorded Live”
Casting Crowns “Only Jesus”
Hillsong United “People”
Skillet “Victorious”
Kanye West “Jesus is King”

Top Gospel Album
Kirk Franklin “Long Live Love”
Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers “Goshen”
William McDowell “The Cry: A Live Worship Experience”
Sunday Service Choir “Jesus Is Born”
Kanye West “Jesus is King”

SONG AWARDS —


Top Hot 100 Song:
Lewis Capaldi “Someone You Loved”
Billie Eilish “bad guy”
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road”
Lizzo “Truth Hurts”
Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello “Señorita”

Top Streaming Song:
Chris Brown ft. Drake “No Guidance”
Billie Eilish “bad guy”
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road”
Lil Tecca “Ran$om”
Post Malone & Swae Lee “Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse)”

Top Selling Song:
Lewis Capaldi “Someone You Loved”
Billie Eilish “bad guy”
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road”
Lizzo “Truth Hurts”
Blake Shelton “God’s Country”

Top Radio Song:
Lewis Capaldi “Someone You Loved”
Jonas Brothers “Sucker”
Khalid “Talk”
Lizzo “Truth Hurts”
Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber “I Don’t Care”

Top Collaboration (Fan-Voted):
Chris Brown ft. Drake “No Guidance”
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road”
Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello “Señorita”
Post Malone & Swae Lee “Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse)”
Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber “I Don’t Care”

Top R&B Song:
Chris Brown ft. Drake “No Guidance”
Doja Cat & Tyga “Juicy”
Khalid “Talk”
Lizzo “Good As Hell”
The Weeknd “Heartless”

Top Rap Song:
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road”
Lil Tecca “Ran$om”
Lizzo “Truth Hurts”
Post Malone & Swae Lee “Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse)”
Post Malone “Wow.”

Top Country Song:
Dan + Shay with Justin Bieber “10,000 Hours”
Maren Morris “The Bones”
Old Dominion “One Man Band”
Blake Shelton “God’s Country”
Morgan Wallen “Whiskey Glasses”

Top Rock Song:
Imagine Dragons “Bad Liar”
Machine Gun Kelly x Yungblud x Travis Barker “I Think I’m Okay”
Panic! At The Disco “Hey Look Ma, I Made It”
Twenty One Pilots “Chlorine”
Twenty One Pilots “The Hype”

Top Latin Song:
Anuel AA, Daddy Yankee, Karol G, Ozuna & J Balvin “China”
Bad Bunny & Tainy “Callaita”
Daddy Yankee ft. Snow “Con Calma”
Jhay Cortez, J Balvin, & Bad Bunny “No Me Conoce”
Sech ft. Darell, Nicky Jam, Ozuna, Anuel AA “Otro Trago”

Top Dance/Electronic Song:
Black Eyed Peas x J Balvin “Ritmo (Bad Boys For Life)”
Ellie Goulding x Diplo ft. Swae Lee “Close To Me”
Illenium & Jon Bellion “Good Things Fall Apart”
Kygo x Whitney Houston “Higher Love”
Marshmello ft. Chvrches “Here With Me”

Top Christian Song:
Bethel Music, Jonathan David Helser & Melissa Helser “Raise A Hallelujah”
Casting Crowns ft. Matthew West “Nobody”
Lauren Daigle “Rescue”
For King & Country “God Only Knows”
Kanye West “Follow God”

Top Gospel Song:
Kirk Franklin “Love Theory”
Kanye West “Closed on Sunday”
Kanye West “Follow God”
Kanye West “On God”
Kanye West “Selah”

 

 

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook:

Colbie Caillat Featured on ‘Becoming’, New Disney+ Series

/in , /by

Colbie Caillat Becoming

Streaming now on Disney+, ‘Becoming’ is a documentary series that showcases some of Hollywood’s biggest stars and how they got their start. Season One kicks off with stars such as NBA player Anthony Davis, Julianne Hough, Adam Devine, Ashley Tisdale, Rob Gronkowski & more.

This particular episode which chronicles Colbie Caillat highlights how the songstress overcame her stage fright and learned to let go and just be herself. Taking it back to her MySpace days, how she was one of the very first artists to release her music across the country on their platform and goes through her countless hits and even her Grammy-winning moments. Showing her determination for her craft and her absolute love for the music, Caillat continues to reinvent herself and give fans songs they’ll love.

Colbie Caillat Becoming

Country music fans may notice a familiar face, our very own Christina Bosch was asked to be interviewed for this episode after her Swag Session with Caillat’s former country band, Gone West.

Watch ‘Becoming’ on Disney+ and follow Colbie Caillat on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

 

—————

SHOP THE HERO COLLECTION

The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook:

Who Is Whitney Duncan? – The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music

/in , /by

Whitney Duncan

As a former contestant on the fifth season of Nashville Star and, later, a competitor on the 23rd season of Survivor, Whitney Duncan has been acquainted with just about any obstacle or challenge whether it be in the limelight or not. During our most recent Swag Spotlight interview, Duncan discussed everything from falling in love with music at such a young age, her reality TV detour as well as both current and previous music releases.

At four years old, right around the time her granddad had introduced her to Elvis and became so intrigued by his art, Duncan claimed she had found her calling, and she could not have been more accurate. “…I was walking out of church, and I guess the sermon had been about everybody having a purpose… and I told my mom, I was like ‘well I know my purpose, I’m gonna sing’”, Duncan explains, thinking back on that moment of innocent confidence. Though, this was not some fantastical dream. Not for Duncan. Flash forward to today, and this singer-songwriter chased after that momentous dream with no hesitation.

In fact, nine years later, at the age of 13, Duncan had been offered a record deal and though it didn’t turn out to be entirely authentic or reliable, it had brought her to Nashville. And after being advised by a vocal coach and an entertainment attorney, Duncan walked away from the opportunity and began writing songs because “that’s what this city is all about…it’s a song city, for sure”.

Now, an artist who has collaborated and toured with Kenny Rogers, Duncan is ready to release new music after almost 11 years since her debut full-length album Right Road Now. “You live, you learn. You change so much from your early 20s to early 30s, so I’m just bringing a whole different perspective,” the singer reveals.

The latest single release titled “Lightweight” is a tell-tale sign that Duncan’s music has taken on a new layer of maturity both sonically and vocally. After a writing retreat on the beach with her bandmates and her now-producer Michael Carter in April 2016, “Lightweight” has been reinvented years later and inspired a new project that is under construction with new music on the horizon.

To keep up with Whitney Duncan, follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

“Lightweight” is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

—————

SHOP THE HERO COLLECTION

The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook: