New Country Music Friday – The Playlist 4/5/19

It’s our favorite part of the week, New Music Friday! Today, we see the highly anticipated album REBOOT from Brooks & Dunn. Making their old hits brand new again, the best selling duo of all time have collaborated with artists like Midland, Kacey Musgraves, Luke Combs, Ashley McBryde, Thomas Rhett and more on the hot new album. Additionally, we’ve got Reba’s brand new album Stronger Than The Truth, check out our First Impression Review here. We also see new music from rising artist Ingrid Andress, two new tracks from Adam Craig, a new single from Little Big Town and so much more.

Check out our Spotify New Country Music Playlist below and be sure to follow for updates each and every Friday:

—————————-

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 InstagramTwitter & Facebook:

Adam Craig Releases “If You’re Lucky” and “Whatever You’re Drinking To”

Adam Craig

Photo Credit: David McClister

Stoney Creek Records recording artist Adam Craig has been making his mark on country music with since his 2016 top 40 single on country radio “Just a Phase.” Today (April 5th) he is releasing not just one but two new singles, “If You’re Lucky” and “Whatever You’re Drinking To”. In both songs, Craig showcases his soulful voice and makes you want to go back to your hometown roots or open a cold one with friends.

“This is the first time that I’ve really met with publishers and got deep into the weeds in the new music process and it feels really good, I’m so excited to share this new music with the world,” said Craig in a recent press release. “The last couple of months I have been able to play these on the road and watching the crowd’s reaction has been amazing! They are so fun perform.  

The first single “If You’re Lucky” gives listeners as a throwback vibe to younger years and past moments in their hometowns. Penned by Jessi Alexander and Chase McGill the track tells the story of how people can take a look back to be thankful they were not afraid to live their lives to the fullest; be surrounded by people who love them and find their dreams, then they can be considered lucky.

His second track released today “Whatever You’re Drinking To” is for anyone looking to let loose and enjoy a drink whether going through a good time or a bad one. The song, written by Craig along with Matt Rogers and Michael Carter is an anthem and will definitely be a hit in during his live shows and will make you and your friends want to grab a cold one sometime real soon.

To keep up with Adam Craig follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“If You’re Lucky” and “Whatever You’re Drinking To” are 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.

 

—————————-

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 InstagramTwitter & Facebook:

Ingrid Andress Releases Family-Inspired “More Hearts Than Mine”

Ingrid Andress More Hearts Than Mine

 

Warner Music Nashville’s newest recording artist, Ingrid Andress impressed us with her effortless voice and killer song-writing back in February, during an exclusive showcase. A few weeks later, the singer-songwriter released her empowering debut single, “Lady Like” to country radio. Today, as a follow up to the track, Andress released her powerful ballad, “More Hearts Than Mine,” one of the songs we previewed at the event.

Andress’ new song showcases some of the most uniquely cultivated and creative songwriting by a new artist. Co-written by the songstress with Sam Ellis and Derrick Southerland, she pours her heart into the personal track, drawing inspiration from her parents and past relationships. The relatable and honest lyrics tell the story of beginning a relationship with someone and knowing that if it doesn’t work out, that your family may feel just as hurt and impacted by the breakup. The track offers a different perspective to breakups and heartbreaks that seems fitting for both Andress’ vocals and style.

“If I bring you home to mama, I guess I better warn ya, she falls in love a little faster than I do / and my Dad will check your tires, pour you whiskey over ice and take you fishing but pretend that he don’t like you /, oh if we break up, I’ll be fine, but you’ll breaking more hearts than mine.” 

As one of CMT’s Next Women of Country, it will be exciting to see how country music fans react to her unique talent and story-telling ability. We look forward to seeing how her career develops over the coming year.

To keep up with Andress follow on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“More Hearts Than Mine” 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.

 

 

—————————-

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 InstagramTwitter & Facebook:

NYCS First Impression Reba ‘Stronger Than The Truth’

Reba Stronger Than The Truth

Almost immediately, one can sense that there’s something inherently different about Reba’s album, Stronger Than the Truth (out April 5). It speaks to the soul in a way most modern country albums fail to. On each of the collection’s twelve tracks, the famous redhead flexes her impeccable vocal talent, her distinct voice wrapping itself around each syllable and emotion in a way only a master of the craft can do. While many of her younger contemporaries rely heavily on pop beats, collaborations, and cookie cutter lyrics, Reba truly strikes a different chord on this release.

Stronger Than the Truth is truly a standout in a sea of sameness that seems to envelop Nashville much of the time. The indisputable legend is stronger than ever here, with an album that is country to its core. From the opening strains of “Swing All Night With You,” it’s evident that this isn’t an album targeted at country radio. It’s an album targeted at country fans.

Since the earliest days of her long and storied career, Reba has been a captivating storyteller. There are few other singers who could’ve delivered “Fancy,” “The Night the Lights When Out in Georgia” or “Whoever’s New England” with the same charisma and conviction. On her new album, Reba steps effortlessly back into those types of narratives, and in an era laden with beer and back roads, it’s a welcome change of pace.

An immediate standout of the album is “Cactus in a Coffee Can,” a track that hearkens back to the heyday of the story song. Here, Reba sings of a chance encounter with a brokenhearted stranger on an airplane. While the song title may seem silly at a glance, the song is incredibly well-crafted and moving. “She started talking and pain poured out,” Reba sings of the girl named Elaina, whose mother gave her away on the day she was born. She admits that she searched for her for ten years, finding her when “she was almost gone.” “We had two weeks together, to laugh and to cry, two weeks to say hello and goodbye.”

Heartbreak is a common theme throughout Stronger Than The Truth, threading its way through songs like “The Clown,” “Tammy Wynette Kind of Pain,” and “The Bar’s Getting Lower.” On the latter, Reba plays the role of a woman who’s giving up hope on finding true love, willing to settle for something less than the best to ease her loneliness. She was waiting for pink champagne, but as life passes by, she’s willing to lower the bar and settle for “well whiskey.”

On the piano-driven “The Clown,” written by Dallas Davidson, Hillary Lindsey, and James Slater, Reba is a woman forced to put on a brave face as life goes on around her after heartbreak. “So you paint a big smile on your face to cover that frown,” She sings of a relationship being ended in a crowded restaurant. “In that room full of jokers and jesters, sometimes you’re the clown.”

While the ballads here are powerful, there’s no shortage of sass on Stronger Than the Truth. There’s the album’s opening track, the snappy “No U in Oklahoma” and the up-tempo “Storm in Shot Glass.” On “Storm,” Reba tells the tale of a scorned woman drowning her sorrows in alcohol. “You better run for cover,” She warns. “She’ll just order another.”

The album’s penultimate track is the anthemic “Freedom,” most remnant of Reba’s “Love Revival,” with it’s Gospel-tinged country stomp. Here, Reba is strong and empowered, belting “Loving you feels like freedom” over soaring guitars. Here, she’s revealing it all, realizing that she’s come out on the other side, and is finally free. “I’ve searched high and low/ Been to hell and back/ Been a prisoner to my soul / And all I know is that/ The price of being free/ It don’t come cheap.”

The album ends on a sweet note, a simple piano-driven ballad that’s a letter of gratitude to her 91-year-old mother, Jacqueline. “I’ve been told I’m not enough by everyone but you,” Reba reveals to the listener. “You never gave up on me/ I’m here where I was always meant to be/ I never gave up/ ‘Cause you never gave up on me.”

While it would be easy for the 64-year-old songstress to rest on her laurels and release same-ish music or cave to contemporary trends in an attempt to maintain relevance, there’s none of that here. On Stronger Than the Truth, Reba is authentically Reba, and that’s really all country music really needs right now.

Reba McEntire, Stronger Than the Truth Track Listing:

1. “Swing All Night Long With You” (Sidney Cox, Jon Randall)
2. “Stronger Than the Truth” (Hannah Louise Blaylock, Autumn McEntire)
3. “Storm in a Shot Glass” (Mary Browder, Will Robinson, Leslie Satcher)
4. “Tammy Wynette Kind of Pain” (Brandy Clark, Mark Narmore, Shelley Skidmore)
5. “Cactus in a Coffee Can” (Steve Seskin, Allen Shamblin)
6. “Your Heart” (Kellys Collins)
7. “The Clown” (Dallas Davidson, Hillary Lindsey, James Slater)
8. “No U in Oklahoma” (Reba McEntire, Ronnie Dunn, Donna McSpadden)
9. “The Bar’s Getting Lower” (Kellys Collins, Erin Enderlin, Liz Hengber, Alex Kline)
10. “In His Mind” (Reba McEntire, Liz Hengber, Tommy Lee James)
11. “Freedom” (Jay Brunswick, Tommy Cecil, Jaida Dreyer, John Pierce)
12. “You Never Gave Up on Me” (Billy Aerts, Burton Collins)

To keep up with Reba, follow her on InstagramTwitter, and Facebook.

Stronger Than the Truth 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.

 

—————————-

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 InstagramTwitter & Facebook:

NYCS First Impression Brooks & Dunn Feature New Artists On ‘REBOOT’

Brooks & Dunn REBOOT

Making their old hits new, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn have gotten together with some of country music’s hottest acts to repurpose and reimagine their biggest songs in the new album REBOOT. It has been over a decade since the best selling duo of all time released new music and exactly 10 years since they released anything at all, their last album #1s…and then some was a compilation of their hits.

For fans who are new to loving the genre, they may not be familiar with the duo or any of their songs however Brooks & Dunn have shaped the landscape of country music and helped cultivate and influence the artists that you know and love today. This new project allows fans of Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Ashley McBryde and so many more really dig into these tracks otherwise may have been lost on them.

Released first and prior to the full album, Luke Combs and Kane Brown’s contributions (“Brand New Man” and “Believe”) gave fans a taste of what to expect from REBOOT, without changing the songs melodically, they breathed new life into them.  “What’s really intriguing to me is that we didn’t do any production meetings about how we might cut these things,” Kix Brooks said in a recent press release. “We kind of just went in, and it morphed in the process.”

Choosing which songs out of their twenty, that’s right twenty number one hits, couldn’t have been easy but each track shows a different side of the duo’s outstanding discography. A standout on the record is “Ain’t Nothin’ Bout You” which features Brett Young’s soulful and sultry vocals. Young starts the song with the familiar lyrics, sonically slowing things down to accentuate the words, changing things just a bit, instead of singing to the girl, they are singing about her to each other. The addition of a saxophone solo adds a sexy spunk to the vibe, making this track one of the best on the record.

Currently one of the most talked about country acts, Kacey Musgraves who humbly took home Album of the Year at this year’s Grammy Awards is featured on “Neon Moon”. Her sweet voice highlights the buzzing neon signs in bars that will always welcome you back when experiencing heartbreak.  The decision to have a female voice adds so much to the two tracks on the record, the ACM New Female of the Year Ashley McBryde adds her grit and unique vocals to “You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone”.

Possibly one of their most popular songs, “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” is energized by Grammy-nominated Midland who’s debut album is filled with songs just like their cover for REBOOT. Their version is perfect for dance halls and bars across America.

While every song on the record is an absolute proven gem, when Texas native, Cody Johnson starts off the last chorus alone on “Red Dirt Road” over a quiet acoustic guitar, it will make you fall in love with the song that has been a classic since its release in 2003.

It was just recently revealed that Brooks & Dunn will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame later this year. Making timeless hits brand new again, fans Brooks & Dunn and fans of these modern day country artists will have a record to blast for years to come.

To keep up with Brooks & Dunn, follow them on InstagramTwitter, and Facebook.

REBOOT 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.

 

—————————-

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 InstagramTwitter & Facebook:

 

Country Stars Nominated for Billboard Music Awards

Earlier this morning (Apr 4), Grammy award-winning country duo Dan + Shay and Grammy-winning, superstar Kelly Clarkson lent a hand on TODAY to exclusively announce the 2019 Billboard Music Awards nominations.
Nominees and winners for the award shows are chosen based on sales, streaming, radio airplay, touring and social engagement throughout the charting period of March 23rd, 2018 through March 7th, 2019.

Dan + Shay lead the country music genre with seven nominations, two of which are general categories, including Billboard Chart Achievement Award which was previously won by Taylor Swift in 2015. Kane Brown, Jason Aldean and our 2017 Artist to Watch Luke Combs additionally earned multiple country category nominations, while Maren Morris and Florida Georgia Line’s hit crossover collaborations with Zedd and Grey and Bebe Rexha are nominated for Top Radio Song.

Clarkson will return to her hosting duties for the second year in a row on the star-studded night as the 2019 Billboard Music Awards will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday, May 1st at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Below is a full list of nominations for the categories mentioned.

Billboard Chart Achievement Award:
Dan + Shay
Drake
Ariana Grande
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
Dua Lipa

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

Top Country Artist:
Jason Aldean
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line

Top Country Male Artist:
Jason Aldean
Kane Brown
Luke Combs

Top Country Female Artist:
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood

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

Top Country Tour:
Luke Bryan
Kenny Chesney
Shania Twain

Top Country Album:
Jason Aldean “Rearview Town”
Kane Brown “Kane Brown”
Luke Combs “This One’s For You”
Dan + Shay “Dan + Shay”
Carrie Underwood “Cry Pretty”

Top Country Song:
Kane Brown “Heaven”
Luke Combs “She Got the Best of Me”
Dan + Shay “Speechless”
Dan + Shay “Tequila”
Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line “Meant to Be”

Top Radio Song:
Khalid & Normani “Love Lies”
Maroon 5 ft. Cardi B “Girls Like You”
Post Malone “Better Now”
Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line “Meant to Be”
Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey “The Middle”

Top Dance/Electronic Song:
DJ Snake ft. Selena Gomez, Ozuna & Cardi B “Taki Taki”
Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa “One Kiss”
Marshmello & Bastille “Happier”
Tiësto & Dzeko ft. Preme & Post Malone “Jackie Chan”
Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey “The Middle”

Cover Photo Courtesy of @danandshay on Instagram

—————————-

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 InstagramTwitter & Facebook:

What To Look Out For at This Year’s ACM Awards

ACM Awards

The 54th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards are Sunday night (April 7th), and it’s going to be the ultimate country party. With more performers than ever including never-before-seen pairings of our favorite artists, here are some things to watch for this weekend as country music descends on Las Vegas.

 

Reba’s Reprise. Country legend Reba McEntire is back for the third year in a row to emcee the festivities. This year’s show marks her 16th time hosting or co-hosting the show – talk about a legacy! McEntire is also among the list of performers.

 

Baby fever. There may be more diaper talk than usual in red carpet interviews this year. Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Jake Owen, Midland’s Jess Carson, and FGL’s Tyler Hubbard are just some of the country stars who either recently expanded their families or are expecting in the coming year.

ACM Awards

Collabs, collabs, collabs. Live performances are always a highlight of awards shows, but this year our favorite artists are teaming up to blow our minds with some incredible collaborations. The lineup includes Dierks Bentley with Brandi Carlile, Brooks & Dunn with Luke Combs, Dan + Shay with Kelly Clarkson, Khalid with Kane Brown, Maren Morris with Brothers Osborne, Eric Church with Ashley McBryde, and Florida Georgia Line with Jason Aldean.

 

Ultimate couple goals. Country artists don’t just sing about great love, they seem to find it in each other too! Kelsea Ballerini and Morgan Evans, Maren Morris and Ryan Hurd, and our newest country couple, Carly Pearce and Michael Ray to name a few, are bound to give us all the feels on the carpet and in the audience. Those who go to awards shows together stay together, that’s how the saying goes, right?

 

New music. Little Big Town has already announced they’ll be debuting song, “The Daughters” on the show, but that may not be our only first taste of new music. Rumor has it Carrie Underwood might also premiere a new single, especially after she introduced, “Cry Pretty” on last year’s ACMs as her official comeback performance after a nasty injury in 2017.

 

Jason Aldean’s top prize. With 13 ACM awards, 29 nominations and 22 career #1 hits, it’s no wonder Jason Aldean is being honored this year with the sixth Dick Clark Artist of the Decade award. Past recipients include Marty Robbins, Loretta Lynn, Alabama, Garth Brooks, and George Strait. Aldean will accept the award and perform during the live broadcast.

Up and coming artists. In addition to the greats we’ll see on stage and in the audience this weekend, newer faces will also be on display. Jimmy Allen, Runaway June, Brantley Gilbert, Maddie and Tae, Easton Corbin, Tracy Lawrence, King Calaway, Chase Rice, and LOCASH are all playing throughout the weekend at affiliate ACM events for fans who make the trek to Sin City. Check out some of the artists that NYCountry Swag has championed throughout their careers who have either been nominated or won awards in the past here

For the list of performances that have been announced click here and for all of the nominees, head here.

NYCountry Swag’s 35 Signs Your Heart Beats For Country Music

“Without [country] music, life would be a mistake.” – Friedrich Nietzsche

Country Song

  1. Your favorite radio country morning show is better than coffee.
  2. It takes you less than 24 hours to memorize every word to a newly released single.
  3. You can’t possibly pick a favorite song because you have hundreds.
  4. You have a go-to playlists for every mood and every occasion.
  5. Your Twitter feed is all country lyrics.
  6. Wherever you’re from, Nashville feels like home.
  7. You’ll drive ANY distance to catch your favorite artist in concert.
  8. Or spend an entire paycheck on VIP passes or front row seats.
  9. You never make plans on CMA or ACM awards nights.
  10. You have multiple album copies because you listen so often you wear through CDs.
  11. Country music is the only thing that can cure even the worst day.
  12. You back up your computer/phone obsessively to make sure you don’t lose any music.
  13. You can name your first concert and the first album you ever bought.
  14. And you’ve probably spent more on tour merch than you’ll spend on your first house.
  15. Your favorite gifts to receive are all country music-related.
  16. Road trips are the best excuse to listen for hours uninterrupted.
  17. You have or have considered getting country lyrics tattooed on your body.
  18. When a friend is going through something, you make them a country playlist.
  19. You burst into song when your favorite song comes on in a public place.
  20. You do your best thinking when you have music in the background.
  21. The perfect chorus hits you right in the feels.
  22. And an epic bridge can give you chills.
  23. You’ve actually made lasting friendships in the crowd at a country concert.
  24. If someone says they don’t like country you stare because you couldn’t have heard right.
  25. You’re incapable of going an entire day without listening.
  26. Country music has gotten you through some of the toughest times in your life.
  27. You already know what song you want to dance to at your wedding, and it’s country.
  28. Anyone who listens to country is an instant friend.
  29. And anyone who hates on it is an instant enemy.
  30. You know every word to more songs than you can possibly count.
  31. The shower is your personal country karaoke stage.
  32. So is the car.
  33. You know what country album would be the soundtrack of your life.
  34. The answer to “OMG have you heard _______’s new song?” is always yes.
  35. And finally, you would be completely lost without country music.

 

—————

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 InstagramTwitter & Facebook:

Meet The Team: CS Contributing Writers

Country Swag is proud to introduce our team of contributing writers.

As fans first, we make it a priority to continue to share the unique voices of our team members and highlighting all of the aspects of the country music genre far beyond our home base in New York City.

Learn more about our contributing writers below:

 

Lucie Bernheim, Contributing Writer

Lucie is a born and raised New Yorker currently studying music at Connecticut College. Aside from listening to country (and all) music, Lucie loves to write songs, go to flea markets, and hang out with friends & family. Catch her on Instagram: @luciebernheim  

 

 

Dylan Bestler, Contributing Writer

Dylan is a recent grad of St. Thomas Aquinas College and a former collegiate track and field athlete. He resides in Long Island, where he now plays softball and attends numerous shows at Jones Beach. His three loves are the Yankees, country music and his dog, Bailey. Follow him on Twitter: @D_Best23 and Instagram: @d_retired_runner

 

 

Kristina Callahan, Contributing Writer

Kristina is from Syracuse, NY and now lives in Manhattan. Country music, Bravo, college football and October are just a few of her favorite things. Follow her on Instagram: @kcallahan.

 

 

 

Caleigh DeCaprio, Contributing Writer

Caleigh grew up on Long Island. She majored in Global and International Studies at Bard College where she played Basketball and Lacrosse. While Keith Urban is her favorite entertainer, artists are Tim McGraw, Maren Morris, and Ryan Hurd are close seconds. If she’s not at a concert, she’s at the beach or rewatching FRIENDS or Madam Secretary. You can connect with Caleigh on Instagram: @caleighdecaprio or Twitter: @caldecap

 

 

Julia Grubbs, Contributing Writer

Julia was born and raised in Kentucky, but now calls NYC her home. She is a dancer and an accountant, avid country music fun, and lover of all things the city has to offer. Extreme dog-petting and laughing are two of her greatest skills. You can find her on Instagram and Twitter: @jwgrubbs

 

 

Abby Kaye-Phillips, Contributing Writer

Abby is a native Rhode Islander currently based in Nashville, TN. Her love of all things music attracted her to the south, but the hospitality, food, and warmer weather definitely sealed the deal! Her three favorite things are country music, Grey’s Anatomy, and video chatting with her identical twin sister. You can connect with Abby on Instagram: @abbykp143

 

Rebekah Milsted, Contributing Writer

Rebekah was born and raised in a small town in South Jersey. Country music and the Philadelphia Phillies are her two favorite things besides her husband of course. You can connect with Rebekah on Instagram: @rbm53 and Twitter: @rbm_53

 

 

 

Nicole Piering, Contributing Writer

Nicole grew up on Long Island, saying that she liked “all types of music, except country.” That all changed when she randomly attended a Rascal Flatts concert at MSH in 2007 & was immediately hooked. In addition to her love of country music, Nicole loves all things Disney-related. You can find her on Instagram: @NicolePiering

 

 

Interested in becoming a contributing writer for Country Swag? Learn how you can apply here.

NYCountry Swag’s Artists to Watch Earn ACM Nominations and Wins

ACM Awards

LAS VEGAS, NV – April 15: Luke Combs (R) and Nicole Hocking attend the 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 15, 2018, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jason Kempin/ACMA2018/Getty Images for ACM)

Here at New York Country Swag, we pride ourselves on being tastemakers, finding and championing new and up-and-coming artists and introducing our followers to the best of the best of the rising acts. Over the past three years, we have highlighted multiple artists that are now household names and have hits at the top of the charts. With the ACM Awards at the end of the week, we are highlighting some of the artists from our watch list that have attended, been nominated, and won awards!

Back in 2017, we highlighted Luke Combs who is clearly making quite the name for himself. In 2018, Combs was already nominated for New Male Vocalist of the Year and just last week Combs got a surprise phone call from none other than Carrie Underwood who announced that this year, he is taking home the award. Will he also snag the win for Male Artist of the Year? Guess we will have to wait and watch to find out.

The next artist is one that has been a part of NYCountry Swag since the very beginning, Russell Dickerson. In 2018 he was nominated for New Male Vocalist of the Year. This year his very first single and first chart-topper, “Yours” is up for a nomination for Song of the Year and we are pulling for Dickerson to come up with a win!

Other artists we have highlighted include High Valley, who have been up for New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year two years in a row. Brett Young took home New Vocalist of the Year in 2018.  The upcoming girl trio, Runaway June, are making a massive impact with their newest single “I Can Buy My Own Drinks” earning them a nomination this year for New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year.

“Take it from me” but Jordan Davis has made quite the jump in his career with his debut album Home State, which has already earned him two #1 songs. He was nominated for New Male Artist of the Year and while the award already went to Luke Combs, we see many more nominations and potential wins in Davis’ future. Others include Jimmie Allen who is making his ACM Award nomination debut with New Male Artist of the Year and Danielle Bradbery making hers for New Female Artist of the Year.

From our most recent batch of Artists to Watch comes Mitchell Tenpenny, whose hit single “Drunk Me” has shot up the charts, granting him his very first number one single. He was also nominated for New Male Artist of the Year along with Jimmie Allen, Luke Combs, Jordan Davis, and Michael Ray.

While not all of the artists we highlight have had their shot at the award show just yet, they still get to be involved in all the fun that comes with it. The red carpets, after parties, meeting fans outside the arena, and more, it is still an incredible honor just to be invited.

Tune into the 2019 54th Annual ACM Awards this Sunday, April 7th on CBS at 8 PM ET and follow us on Twitter as we live tweet the event.

—————————-

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 InstagramTwitter & Facebook: