Multi-PLATINUM singer/ songwriter Kip Moore is kicking off 2021 by offering fans another song from his upcoming extended record WILD WORLD DELUXE, releasing the thumping while trippy new track “How High” today, available to listen here. Moore also shared a new video for the song produced and co-written by Moore (Bobby Terry, Luke Dick, Westin Davis). Directed by longtime collaborator PJ Brown, the eccentric focal character reels the viewer in and takes them on a spirited journey, available to watch here.
“How High” is taken from Moore’s 17-track collection, WILD WORLD DELUXE, which will be available on February 12 and is available to pre-order now here. To celebrate the release Moore also announced a special concert event, WILD WORLD DELUXE: LIVE AT THE RYMAN set for release day (2/12). Taking place at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN at 8pm CT, fans can purchase a limited number of in-person tickets for the socially-distanced show, or tickets to the global livestream event, available beginning Tuesday, Jan 19 at ryman.com/event/kip-moore/. The show will also benefit ACM Lifting Lives, with $1 from every ticket sold being donated to the cause.
Moore’s “especially vital” (Esquire) fourth studio album, WILD WORLD has garnered mass critical acclaim and has racked up over 193 million streams worldwide. Critics have praised Moore as he “probes growth and honesty” (American Songwriter) and offers a “much needed escape” (Forbes) with his “mature yet fresh blend of soaring 80’s heartland and contemporary country depth” (Classic Rock). Moore also recently released the first new track from the Deluxe version, “Don’t Go Changing,” with an impactful music video. The video served as a call to action to fans to help support and donate to Music Venue Alliance Nashville, whose aim is to help independent music venues working to survive during the pandemic.
Multi-PLATINUM singer/ songwriter Kip Moore has toured the world headlining his own shows, earning acclaim and a rabid fanbase as an all-in performer in each setting, wrapping 40 sold-out headlining shows in The U.S, The U.K. and Canada at the beginning of 2020. Praised by Noisey as “an uncompromising, genre-defying artist firing on all cylinders” Moore has blazed his own trail. Moore’s revered fourth studio album WILD WORLD spawned his recent Top 15 single “She’s Mine.” The current CMA “International Artist Achievement Award” nominee first splashed into the mainstream with the double-PLATINUM No.One “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck” in 2012, then followed up with three more best selling No. Ones (“Hey Pretty Girl,” “Beer Money” and “More Girls Like You”), a trio of ambitious, critically-praised albums and two gritty EPs that landed Moore on multiple “Best Of” lists. For more information visit kipmoore.net.
Mickey Guyton released her EP, Bridges, near the end of last year. The mother-to-be wrote the title track with Victoria Banks, Emma Dashlee and Karen Kosowksi. She said, “The title was inspired by John Lewis, meeting people in the middle and showing a little more love in the world. It really brought everything together and became the title of my EP.”
I wrote "Bridges" with my dream team @karenkosowski@victoriabanks & @emmadashlee. The title was inspired by John Lewis, meeting people in the middle and showing a little more love in the world. It really brought everything together and became the title of my EP. pic.twitter.com/0WUfCzPvwf
CMT has named ten rising artists to its prestigious “Next Women of Country” (NWOC) franchise, marking the first-ever linear reveal in program history. The news was shared during a dedicated three-hour special on CMT Hot 20 Countdown, which saw NWOC alum Ashley McBryde (2018), Carly Pearce (2016), Cassadee Pope (2014), Lauren Alaina (2014), Lindsay Ell (2014), Maggie Rose (2017), Maren Morris (2016), Mickey Guyton (2015), Tanya Tucker (2020-21 tour) and Tenille Townes (2019) welcoming the new class.
The “CMT Next Women of Country” Class of 2021 includes:
Tomorrow, Caylee Hammack (2020), Rissi Palmer and Lauren Alaina will host a one-hour digital special, “CMT Presents: Next Women of Country Class of 2021,” on CMT Facebook and YouTube channels featuring full performances from each of the new inductees.
“We’re thrilled to welcome the newest class of CMT’s Next Women of Country,” said Leslie Fram, Senior Vice President, Music & Talent, CMT. “These artists represent the best of fresh new talent and the diversity of styles that country music has to offer. We look forward to providing this group more exposure than ever before, particularly within the ViacomCBS family on Pluto TV, as well as providing them with essential resources to help them build their musical careers.”
Over the next year, the new NWOC class will receive cross-brand support for their music and videos across CMT and CMT Music channels, CMT Radio (220+ channels), CMT Hot 20 Countdown, CMT.com and @CMT social channels, in addition to cross-promotional opportunities for ViacomCBS’ MTV Entertainment Group.
New this year, the women will be featured in music video rotation in the newly permanent ‘CMT Equal Play’ channel on Pluto TV, which offers country music 24/7 with an equal male/female playlist.
In addition, CMT will offer its new NWOC inductees access to independent media training, photography consultations and artist advocacy opportunities designed to assist them in supporting charitable causes and social issues. These resources will be provided by Nashville-based communications firm, The Change Agent·cy.
Priscilla has cracked the Top 40 with her single, “Just About Over You.”
Parker McCollum just released the music video for his latest single, “To Be Loved By You.” Directed by Peter Zavadil, the video showcases an energetic performance from Parker as he moves on from a relationship.
“To Be Loved By You,” which he co-wrote with Rhett Akins, is the follow-up to Parker’s debut No.1 hit single “Pretty Heart” which was recently certified Gold by the RIAA. “Pretty Heart” has consistently stayed in the Top 10 on the country streaming chart for several weeks averaging almost 7M streams a week. “Pretty Heart” is featured on Parker’s recent EP, Hollywood Gold, which debuted Top 10 on the Billboard country chart and marked the highest-selling debut EP for 2020. Critics praised Hollywood Gold with Billboard noting, “McCollum’s voice is twangy and strong and the Texan’s songwriting really stands out. There’s nothing cookie-cutter about these songs.” American Songwriter added, “Parker McCollum shines bright on his new EP HollywoodGold.”
A singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and dedicated road warrior, Parker McCollum began building a following in his native Texas with 2015’s The Limestone Kid. The album track “Meet You in The Middle” became a hit on Texas’ regional radio chart — no small feat for an independent, 22-year-old musician — but it was the album’s widely-acclaimed follow-up, Probably Wrong, that helped Parker find national success. Compared to John Mayer and Jason Isbell by Rolling Stone, Parker supported the album with a string of sold-out shows, bringing record-breaking crowds to venues like San Angelo’s RiverStage and two sold-out Billy Bob’s along the way. Born in Conroe, TX, and currently based in Austin, the 28-year-old entrepreneurially-spirited artist bridges the gap between Texas’ homegrown music scene and Nashville’s country-industry headquarters. For a full list of tour dates, news and more, visit www.parkermccollum.com
The Texas native is set to make his Grand Ole Opry debut on February 6th.
For a highlight reel of Parker’s accomplishments, watch the clip below.
Brothers Osborne went into their latest album, Skeletons, writing and recording songs that would work well live. The two learned a lot from their previous two albums on what songs audiences gravitated towards, which helped shape their new record.
“I think we kinda learned about just honing in on what we’re about, and we learned that really from our fans and going out and performing and seeing things they responded to and resonated with, which wasn’t always the things we thought they would,” says TJ Osborne. “For instance, off our last record – Port Saint Joe – there’s a song called ‘Weed, Whiskey and Willie,’ that John and I kinda mostly recorded just to check off that box for us of just having a good country song on our record, and it was mainly kind of for us and little did we know that would end up being a crowd favorite. So, you never really know until you go out and start playing. And so, with this record, I think just knowing a lot of our audience has really resonated with.”
The duo is currently making their way up the country charts with “All Night.” The tune is from their current album Skeletons, which was released this past October.
Audio / Brothers Osborne’s TJ Osborne says they learned a lot about what their audiences gravitated to with their previous two albums, and that helped shape their new album, Skeletons.
Brothers Osborne (learned what songs fans gravitated to) OC: …resonated with. :42 “We learned a lot about ourselves over the last couple of records, and I think we kinda learned about just honing in on what we’re about, and we learned that really from our fans and going out and performing and seeing things they responded to and resonated with, which wasn’t always the things we thought they would. For instance, off our last record – Port Saint Joe – there’s a song called ‘Weed, Whiskey and Willie,’ that John and I kinda mostly recorded just to check off that box for us of just having a good country song on our record, and it was mainly kind of for us and little did we know that would end up being a crowd favorite. So, you never really know until you go out and start playing. And so, with this record, I think just knowing a lot of our audience has really resonated with (helped shape our new record).”
Dierks Bentley has developed a real love for Telluride, Colorado. He first went out to the majestic location for a Bluegrass Music Festival several years ago. Then, he vacationed out there, and subsequently brought out several songwriter friends for a writers retreat. Inspired by the location, the mountains and the serenity, they wrote songs that would make up his 2018 album, The Mountain. He also recorded the album in Telluride, which is also the place he has held his own music festival a couple of times.
So, when the pandemic hit the U.S. and he and his family had to quarantine, they were already hanging out in Telluride, and so he and his wife made the decision to stay right there, especially since his three children were already remote learning.
“I’ve been out there in Colorado, we went out there in March, I guess it was, for a family trip and then COVID hit and we never left. I kind of used it as an opportunity to sneak out there and then we just stayed,” says Dierks. “I was worried about the fall and schools and being in person and being in big cities, and there’s a little school out there they can go to, so they’re doing that. So, it’s allowed me – if I’m gonna be unemployed and if I’m gonna have this time, I just wanna be somewhere where I can make up for lost time on the road as far as like mountains and rivers and hiking and biking and family time and riding bikes with my kids to school and so much to do with them and outdoors all the time, which I kind of needed after this many years on the bus and on the road. So, I’m trying to stay inspired and knowing when it does go green again, I’ll probably be gone a lot, trying to make up for the deficit of these last few years…of this last year.”
Dierks is making his way up the country charts with his latest single, “Gone.”
Audio / Dierks Bentley says he and his family are enjoying living out in Telluride, while riding out the pandemic.
Dierks Bentley (enjoying Telluride) OC: …song says – a lot. 1:04 “I’ve been out there in Colorado, we went out there in March, I guess it was, for a family trip and then COVID hit and we never left. I kind of used it as an opportunity to sneak out there and then we just stayed. I was worried about the fall and schools and being in person and being in big cities, and there’s a little school out there they can go to, so they’re doing that. So, it’s allowed me – if I’m gonna be unemployed and if I’m gonna have this time, I just wanna be somewhere where I can make up for lost time on the road as far as like mountains and rivers and hiking and biking and family time and riding bikes with my kids to school and so much to do with them and outdoors all the time, which I kind of needed after this many years on the bus and on the road. So I’m trying to stay inspired and knowing when it does go green again, I’ll probably be gone a lot, trying to make up for the deficit of these last few years…of this last year. Hopefully, it’s just the one year, right? I’m already thinking ahead to 2022. Yikes! Hopefully, we’re out there in 2021. So, yeah, I’m trying to make the most of the time and it’s definitely been good in that regard, because I’ve been gone – like the song says – a lot.”
Seven-time GRAMMY® Award winner Carrie Underwood will follow the extraordinary success of her recent Christmas album, My Gift, with an album of gospel hymns, titled My Savior. The new album will be released on CD and Digital March 26, 2021, just prior to the Easter holiday, and on vinyl April 30. My Savior is co-produced by Underwood and GRAMMY® Award winner David Garcia, with whom she co-produced her critically acclaimed 2018 album Cry Pretty, her seventh album to be certified Platinum or Multi-Platinum by the RIAA.
Underwood revealed the album cover art, photographed by Joseph Llanes, and released a video trailer for My Savior today (Tuesday, February 19th).
My Savior, which will consist of covers of traditional gospel hymns Underwood grew up singing, is a spiritual companion to Underwood’s first-ever Christmas album. “It’s been such a blessing to make music like this, inspirational music that is near and dear to my heart,” says Underwood. “These two albums have been on my musical bucket list since the beginning of my career and were planned long before the events of the past year, but somehow it feels like the perfect time to share these beloved songs with the world.”
Underwood’s co-producer on My Savior, David Garcia, is a multi-platinum selling, four-time GRAMMY® Award-winning record producer and songwriter. With his early roots in Christian music, over the past decade he has achieved chart-topping success across multiple genres of music with over 20 #1 songs to his credit. He has twice been named ASCAP’s Christian Music Songwriter of the Year (2015 and 2019), has written three ASCAP Award winners for Christian Music Song of The Year, as well as won nine Dove Awards. In addition to co-producing the Cry Pretty album, Garcia and Underwood’s collaborations include co-writing tracks such as her #1 hit “Southbound” (with Josh Miller), “Drinking Alone” and “Love Wins (both with Brett James), all of which have been certified Gold by the RIAA, as well as the original tracks “Let There Be Peace” and “Sweet Baby Jesus” (both with Brett James) on My Gift, among others.
Pre-orders of the My Savior CD, vinyl and limited-edition t-shirt/CD box set are available here. Pre-orders from physical retailers are available here. Digital pre-orders will be available soon.
Released September 25th, 2020, My Gift topped charts throughout the holiday season. It debuted at #1 across multiple global charts, including Billboard Country, Christian and Holiday charts, marking Underwood’s eighth straight album to debut #1 on the Billboard Country chart. The album went on to claim the #1 spot on that chart for six non-consecutive weeks (four consecutive weeks). The album remained at #1 on the Christian chart for 14 weeks and debuted #1 on the UK country chart (her fifth #1 on the chart) and #1 on the Canadian country chart. My Gift consistently remained in the Top 5 on the Billboard Holiday Album Chart throughout the season, including #1 for six non-consecutive weeks. It reached #5 on the all-genre Billboard Top 200 and appeared in the Top 10 for six non-consecutive weeks. Additionally, My Gift was the #1 selling album for 2020 in all genres at Amazon.
Five songs from My Gift appeared on the Top 40 Holiday Radio Music Chart: “Hallelujah” (duet with John Legend), which was the third most played current title across all radio stations running holiday music in 2020; “Little Drummer Boy” (featuring her 5-year-old son, Isaiah Fisher); “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas;” “Let There Be Peace” and “Mary, Did You Know?” Underwood became the first woman to replace herself at #1 on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart when “Hallelujah” sent her Amazon Exclusive “Favorite Time of Year” to the #2 spot, marking her third #1 on that list. Additionally, for three straight weeks, she held the top three slots on the list, with her recording of “Silent Night” at #3, making her the first artist to hold the top three positions on Hot Christian Songs for multiple weeks.
My Gift featured a combination of beloved traditional favorites celebrating the spiritual nature of the holiday, as well as several new originals, including the two written by Underwood, Garcia and James. GRAMMY® Award-winning producer, mixer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Greg Wells produced and arranged the album.
Underwood first surprised fans with news of My Savior on Christmas Day with a special video message.
About Carrie Underwood: Carrie Underwood emerged from the promise of her 2005 American Idol win to become a true multi-format, multi-media superstar, spanning achievements in music, television, film, and as a New York Times bestselling author and successful entrepreneur. She has sold more than 64 million records worldwide, recorded 27 #1 singles (14 of which she co-wrote), and has seven albums that are certified Platinum or Multi-Platinum by the RIAA, all while continuing to sell out arena tours across North America and the UK. In September, Carrie released her eighth album, My Gift, her first-ever Christmas album, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Country, Christian and Holiday charts in its first week and marked her eighth straight release to debut at #1 on the Billboard Country chart. My Gift also debuted #1 on the UK country chart (her fifth #1 on the chart) and #1 on the Canadian country chart. Additionally, HBO Max began streaming “My Gift: A Christmas Special From Carrie Underwood” in December, an exclusive, all-new musical holiday special, with Carrie performing songs from My Gift with a full orchestra and choir. She recently announced her next album, My Savior, which will feature beloved gospel hymns and will be released around the Easter holiday. She starred as Maria von Trapp in NBC’s Emmy®-winning blockbuster, The Sound of Music Live!, hosted the CMA Awards for 12 consecutive years and returned last Fall for her eighth season as the voice of primetime television’s #1 program, NBC’s Sunday Night Football. Underwood has won over 100 major awards including 7 GRAMMY® Awards, 15 ACM Awards including three for Entertainer of the Year (the first female in history to win twice and, as of 2020, the only female ever to win three times), 22 CMT Music Awards where she continues to hold the record for the most award wins ever for the show, 7 CMA Awards, and 15 American Music Awards with her 7th win for Favorite Female Artist – Country and 6th win for Favorite Country Album for Cry Pretty, breaking the AMA record for Most Wins in the Favorite Country Album Category. Carrie is a proud member of the Grand Ole Opry and is the most followed country artist on Instagram and most followed female country artist on Twitter, Facebook and TikTok. She has built a successful business portfolio inspired by her passion for health and fitness. She is founder/lead designer for her fitness and lifestyle brand, CALIA by Carrie Underwood, which was launched in 2015. In March 2020, HarperCollins/Dey Street books published Carrie’s first book, FIND YOUR PATH: Honor Your Body, Fuel Your Soul, and Get Strong with the Fit52 Life, a fitness lifestyle book in which she shares her belief that fitness is a lifelong journey, providing a common-sense approach to staying active, eating well, and looking as beautiful as you feel, 52 weeks a year. That same month, Carrie also launched her new fitness app, fit52, which is a holistic wellness platform designed to encourage and support users on their personal wellness journey with constantly evolving and updating workout “paths,” available on the App Store and on Google Play. In January 2021, she expanded her lifestyle portfolio with an equity partnership with BODYARMOR LYTE Sports Drink.
Audio / Carrie Underwood says she's always wanted to make an album like My Savior.
Carrie Underwood (My Savior) 1 OC: …like this one. :09
“This album is one that I’ve always wanted to make. THis is legacy stuff to me. I feel like at the heart of it all is an album like this one.”
Audio / Carrie Underwood says she wanted to do songs on My Savior that she grew up singing.
Carrie Underwood (My Savior) 2 OC: …since birth. :14 “When thinking about making an album like this, one thing I definitely wanted to do was the familiar. I wanted to do the traditional songs that I grew up singing. The songs on this album are literally songs I’ve heard since birth.”
Travis Denning and Parker McCollum have been named to the R.I.A.A. (Recording Industry Association of America) Class of 2020. Every year, the RIAA recognizes artists who have achieved Gold and Platinum status for the very first time.
Travis earned a gold certification for his No. 1 hit, “After a Few,” while Parker’s recent chart-topper, “Pretty Heart,” was certified gold, as well.
This distinctive honor also recognizes the hard work of their record labels and teams behind each artist.
“We are thrilled to induct 53 artists into RIAA’s Gold & Platinum Class of 2020,” said Chairman/CEO MITCH GLAZIER. “Earning your first Gold or Platinum Award is a sign of true success and limitless possibilities. Congratulations to this year’s artists, their labels and teams!”
Audio / Parker McCollum talks about his recent No. 1 song, "Pretty Heart."
Parker McCollum (Pretty Heart) OC: …chase this dream. :43 “‘Pretty Heart’ was a song, er hook that I had had and a melody I’d had for a long time that I had forgotten about. I was scrolling back through my Instagram one night, looking for something one night and I had found a video of me singing it that I had posted forever ago. I was like, ‘Man, how did I forget about that?’ I think that was the day before I was flying up here (Nashville) to write with my buddy Randy Montana. I was like, ‘Maybe he’d like that idea.’ I took it to him, and he just fell in love with it and that was like two or three hours that we just cranked it out. We were like, ‘Man! That was it.’ All those songs come from very real-life experiences – good and bad choices and decisions that I’ve made on my own. But they’re all just about past relationships and giving those up to chase this dream.”
Audio / Travis Denning says everyone can relate to his No. 1 song, "After a Few."
Travis Denning (After A Few) OC: …it’s real. :17 “I think this song really is just about that story that a lot of people can relate to – being attracted to someone that probably logically in your head is not real, but something in your heart keeps taking you back. I mean I know that’s a subject we talk about all the time, but we do it because it’s real.”
