Universal Universal Music Group Nashville Pressroom

Luke Bryan debuted his What Makes You Country album at #1 on both the Billboard Top 200 and Top Country Albums charts this week. This is Luke’s third consecutive album to debut at #1 on the Top 200 and his fifth #1 debut on the Top Country Albums Chart. In addition, Luke’s 19^th career #1 single “Light It Up,” the first release from What Makes You Country, marked his 10th straight Billboard Country Airplay leader, the longest current streak among all artists which began with “Play It Again” in 2014.

“So much thought goes into creating new music and I really try to write and find songs that I feel are staying true to me while staying fresh and fun,” said Luke. “I try and imagine people singing along in their cars or with me at my shows. To have What Makes You Country go #1 is so exciting and rewarding for me, my team and my fans. It drives me to keep working harder and growing! Thank you so much for these opportunities!”

Critics are raving about What Makes You Country as the New York Times touted, “Bryan’s omnivorous approach to country production is arguably more ambitious and musically progressive; it’s certainly more in tune with the genre’s younger listeners.” And the Associated Press shares, “Bryan’s country is playful, inclusive, flirty and good-natured on the album.” “Luke makes country hit-making seem effortless,” shared Newsday. Radio.com said, “the 15-song project is a versatile one that includes the party songs Bryan is known and loved for as well as the more poignant and introspective ballads that take a look into who we are as people and where Bryan came from.”

Luke concluded his album promotional tour in Los Angeles last week with two appearances on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, fan events and performances with Citi, Spotify and iHeart radio. The week prior Luke performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Good Morning America and visited Lennox Hill Hospital with Musicians On Call to launch their Music Pharmacy program. He also performed songs from the new album for fans at events hosted by Pandora, NASH-FM and Samsung.

Watch Luke’s tv performances here:

Good Morning America

Tonight Show

Ellen DeGeneres Show

Over the Christmas holidays, fans can watch Luke on the “40^th Annual Kennedy Center Honors” gala in honor of his friend and idol Lionel Richie airing on Dec. 26, 9/8CT on CBS. Luke is also appearing on the encore presentation of “CMA Country Christmas” on Dec. 21, 9/8CT on ABC.

What Makes You Country was produced by Jeff Stevens and Jody Stevens and contains 15 songs, seven of them co-written by Luke including the title track.

Sam Hunt, who is Billboard’s No. 1 Hot Country Songs Artist for 2017, has a couple of favorite Christmas gifts from when he was a child. One of them was a horse he received one Christmas. “I remember being really excited when, I got into riding horses, and one Christmas I got a Mustang that I named Comanche – a horse – and that was a really exciting time. I rode all the time after that. Before, I had some friends, a babysitter whose kids had horses, so I’d be able to ride occasionally, but now I was able to ride whenever I wanted to.”

Sam was also named Billboard’s No. 1 Country Digital Song Sales Artist and the No. 1 Streaming Songs Artist. His history-making hit “Body Like A Backroad” topped multiple lists as well, including No. 1 Country Airplay Song, No. 1 Country Digital Song and No. 1 Country Streaming Song.

Luke Bryan’s What Makes You Country album debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, as well as the top of the Country Album chart. The collection sold more than 107,000 copies with 7.8 million streams.

“My hope for every album is to put songs out that drive people to want to come see the shows.  It drives people to want to listen to it on the radio and obviously have these songs incorporated in their life,” says Luke. “I always want to have a rollercoaster of emotions through the albums – the sad songs, the love songs, the happy songs, the drinking songs, the party songs. I want to have songs that people can come to big outdoor stadium like concerts and rock and party and have a blast. I want something driving, something to hit people in the face, and let’s make some big ole fun music and some big ole fun memories.”

Luke just hit No. 1 on the country singles charts with “Light It Up.” He’ll also light up the small screen on ABC’s reboot of American Idol beginning March 11th.

Keith Urban and Little Big Town are among the artists set to honor to Sir Elton John during a tribute concert, taking place January 30th at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, Miley Cyrus, Kesha, John Legend and Sam Smith will also take part in the show, Elton John: I’m Still Standing – A Grammy Salute, which will be recorded for CBS TV for a special airing later this year. Tickets go on sale Monday (December 18th).

Sam Hunt recorded “This Land Is Your Land” for the Bright movie soundtrack released on Friday (December 15th). The film, starring Will Smith, will be released to Netflix on December 22nd.

Check out Sam’s cover of “This Land Is Your Land”. Available now on BRIGHT The Album.https://t.co/8PFC5urabS

— Sam Hunt (@SamHuntMusic) December 15, 2017

BRIGHT The Album out tomorrow pic.twitter.com/OpJdsWHY4B

— Sam Hunt (@SamHuntMusic) December 14, 2017

Dierks Bentley, who is the father of three children (Evie, Jordan, Knox), says you revert back to your childhood at Christmas when you start having a family of your own.

“Christmas didn’t lose any of its real meaning, as far as its religious meaning with Jesus’ birthday,” says Dierks. “But as far as like the whole tree and all of the Christmas spirit stuff, the secular stuff, it just kind of goes away, to be honest. But then you have a family, and all of a sudden it’s like I’m all Clark Griswold out there decorating the tree, putting lights up around the house, you know. So, all of those things that you did as a kid and appreciated as a kid, you get a chance to do over again when you have kids, because you kinda become one again.”

He says his middle child, daughter Jordan, sometimes gets a raw deal since her birthday falls on Christmas. “It’s tough kind of for Jordan because her birthday IS on Christmas, so it’s kind of one of those things where we try to give her an extra present or two,” says Dierks. “It’s kind of tough to share your birthday with Jesus. You can get a little overshadowed on that one, but she’s good about it, but we just tell her, ‘All these Christmas trees and lights, these are all for you.’”

It was just announced that Dierks will be honored at the Country Radio Seminar with the 2018 CRS Artist Humanitarian Award. Dierks is receiving the honor based on his 10-year run of his Miles & Music for Kids event, raising more than $4 million for children’s hospitals, as well as for various other exceptional humanitarian efforts during his career.

Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley and his brother John hit Top Golf in Nashville, in which Charles once again wins the round. We think John probably came out a winner as he donned a Santa suit when they went to entertain the children at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital. Check out all the action in the latest installment of “The Hook” below.

.@charleskelleyla brings us the holiday edition of #TheHook. Someone's bringing a #Santa suit and cheer to @VUMCchildren. https://t.co/EUjshaM1Js pic.twitter.com/OGGT4jAs8U

— Topgolf (@Topgolf) December 14, 2017

Brandon Lay goes home to West Tennessee for Christmas. His family throws a big dinner in which his extended family all take part. ““We usually do a big Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve, and that’s more of the extended family,” says Brandon. “That’d be the hardest event to miss, I’ll put it that way, just because everybody’s so spread out these days. But that’s one night that everybody finds their way back home.”

During his time at home, he and his family are certain to catch his favorite Christmas movie, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, at least once or twice.

Brandon, whose single “Speakers, Bleachers and Preachers” is climbing the country charts, recall his favorite Christmas gift that he still uses today. “My favorite Christmas present is a Craftsman toolbox that my Mom got for me. I think I was 17? And I love it, because I’ll have it forever and pass it down and anytime I get downtime and get that time to tinker with stuff, I think of her. So, that’s the one that stands out the most.”

As the curtain closed on a sold-out show at New York City’s Town Hall last night (December 14th), multi-PLATINUM singer/songwriter Kip Moore took a bow to 2017, for what can only be described as a benchmark career year. Moore is wrapping up an overwhelming year on multiple “Best Of 2017” lists by Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, UpRoxx,  Bobby Bones Show, Taste Of Country, Sounds Like Nashville, The Boot, PopMatters and Whiskey Riff for his revered third studio album SLOWHEART, while reflecting on his 4th career No. One for his “rousing” (UpRoxx) single “More Girls Like You,” sold-out headlining shows, national TV appearances and more.

Moore kicked off the year with the release of his now No. One smash hit “More Girls Like You” in February. Moore released the wanderlust-inducing music video for the single exclusively with Travel & Leisure as he offered an unfiltered look into his trip to Costa Rica, one of many stops during an extended break to Iceland, Australia and more, that he also gave further insight to during a feature with Conde Nast Traveler.

The momentum continued into the summer as Moore announced his highly-anticipated third studio album SLOWHEART, which was released on Sept. 9.  Leading up to the release, Moore teased fans offering advance listens to the album via NPR’s First Listen, song premieres with Noisey and American Songwriter, as well as live sessions with Billboard and Paste & Daytrotter Music. Upon release, critics were quick to praise the collection.

“SLOWHEART is his most complete, cohesive declaration of his artistic sensibilities yet.” – American Songwriter

“Kip Moore has been up all night, he’s been a wild one, but in 2017, he’s a slowheart. The titles of his albums have always been at least somewhat indicative of where he’s at in his life, and his third LP, SLOWHEART, shines a light on his more sensitive side” – Billboard

“The most thrilling set of his career.” – Entertainment Weekly 

“[Moore’s] strongest, most artistic album” – Forbes 

“A thoroughly vital, 13-song collection…It’s not that Moore avoids contemporary country conventions. He enlivens them by injecting self-awareness or playing up the tensions between country and rock’s various masculine ideals.” – NPR 

“As much influenced by a longtime love of Southern rock as traditional country music, SLOWHEART is the sound of an uncompromising, genre-defying artist firing on all cylinders.” – Noisey 

“Between the rough edges of Americana, rock and the evocative storytelling of country, produced to let every guitar lick ring true and every edge and wail of Moore’s voice reverberate raw but strong” – Rolling Stone

“With his grizzled voice, and the hint of humor lurking behind every roiling guitar solo, Moore was a shoo-in to dominate the sweet spot between radio hits and diehard old school fans.” – UpRoxx

“Moore blends the passion and connection for which he’s known with a new self-awareness that will speak to both commercial and underground audiences.” – USA Today 

While undertaking his headlining PLEAD THE FIFTH fall tour in November, Moore celebrated his 4th No. One by performing “More Girls Like You” live on national TV on TODAY. In a milestone-heavy year, Moore also celebrated his breakout debut album UP ALL NIGHT, which spawned three No. One hit singles, being certified PLATINUM by the RIAA.

Following the release of SLOWHEART, and in a year filled with reflection and honesty, Moore also delved into the process of making the album with his vulnerable documentary THE JOURNEY TO SLOWHEART, available to watch via VEVO now.  The refreshingly raw piece follows Moore as he returns to his hometown of Tifton, GA, as he looks back on his childhood and the importance of his family in shaping the artist he is today. Moore’s upbringing also sparked and influenced his charitable initiative “Kip’s Kids Fund,” which this year saw him team up with international skateboarding champion Tony Hawk to host  “MUSIC CITY SKATE JAM” in an effort to raise funds for hurricane-affected communities.

Last night (12/14) in New York City, marked the final show on a limited acoustic-storyteller run, alongside fellow singer/ songwriters Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen, the stop marked the last of many capacity-crowd houses Moore has played to this year including his recently wrapped PLEAD THE FIFTH TOUR and a headlining sold-out stint across the pond earlier this fall, with CMT praising “it’s the way he expresses what’s on his mind that draws sold-out audiences around the world.” As Moore looks toward a stacked 2018, with the recent release of his “smoldering” (Rolling Stone) new single ”Last Shot,” he will hit the road again in February with Luke Bryan in Springfield, MO on 2/16 and will then head back across the pond for a highly-anticipated return to Europe’s Country To Country Festival taking place March 9-11 in London, UK, Glasgow, UK, and Dublin, I.E. For more information and a full list of tour dates visit kipmoore.net.

L-R: Interscope Geffen A&M Records Chairman & CEO John Janick, Kassi Ashton, UMG Nashville Chairman & CEO Mike Dungan

Promising newcomer Kassi Ashton recently signed to UMG Nashville in conjunction with Interscope Records. The California, Missouri native has been making a name for herself in music thanks to her authentic songwriting, soulfully rich voice and commanding stage presence.

“You don’t have to be around her very long before you are struck by the ‘otherworldly spirit’ that rides alongside what is an otherwise kooky, fun soul,” shares UMG Nashville’s Chairman & CEO Mike Dungan. “And after about 90 seconds of hearing her sing, you know that you are in for a ride.  The music is fresh, unique, and rich in lyrical landscape far beyond her years.  Hallelujah!”

“I knew within seconds of meeting Kassi that she’s the real thing,” comments Interscope Geffen A&M Chairman and CEO John Janick. “A talented, driven singer and songwriter who pours her soul into her music. She’s a badass.”

“Within 5 minutes of meeting the people at Universal Nashville and Interscope, I knew that together they were the perfect team to help me move the needle,” says Kassi. “My happiness and readiness are beyond words.”

New music is expected in early 2018 with MCA Nashville servicing a single to country radio. Visit www.KassiAshton.com for more.

Kassi Ashton is represented by Creative Nation for both management and publishing.

Photo Credit: Katie Kauss

Luke Bryan will have a house full of family at Christmas. The Georgia native and his wife will host several, including their sons, nephew, nieces, Luke’s mom, and others, and they will all take part in the Bryan tradition by having chili dogs on Christmas Eve.

Find audio below of him talking about the unique tradition, his most meaningful Christmas gift, his favorite Christmas movie and much more.

By the way, if you’re looking for a great stocking stuffer, Luke’s new album What Makes You Country, is available now.