It’s Morgan Wallen’s world, we’re just living in it – or at least listening to it. Following three years as the Country Aircheck/Mediabase Top Country Radio Airplay Performer, he appears well on his way to a fourth crown. In the first 28 weeks of the 2025 chart year, Wallen has garnered an incredible 29% more Country radio airplay points than runner-up Jelly Roll. Wallen is the only artist with more than one million airplay points –1,329,980 to be exact – just over halfway into this chart year. Wallen’s juggernaut is led by three-week No. 1 “Love Somebody,” which is the No. 1 song of the year thus far.
Wallen’s airplay momentum shows no signs of slowing down. For the entire 2024 chart year, he posted eight charted songs. He had seven in 2023 and five in 2022. Thus far this year, he has already notched seven songs in the weekly Top 50, including a trio of No. 1s and three in this year’s Top 25 (Nos. 1, 13 and 25).
Jelly Roll’s three charted songs include the No. 1 “Liar,” which ranks No. 3 for the year. Dylan Scott, Jason Aldean and Koe Wetzel/Jessie Murph round out the top five.
Top 2025 Airplay Labels
1.
Sphere And Now: Blue Chair/Warner/WEA’s Kenny Chesney with radio partners at the Sphere in Las Vegas. Pictured (back, l-r) are KWNR’s Russell Miller, radio vet Bruce Logan, iHeart’s Rod Phillips, KILT/ Houston’s Nick Russo, WW1’s George King, Townsquare’s Kurt Johnson, iHeart’s JoJo Turnbeaugh, the label’s Tom Martens, KWNR’s MoJoe Roberts, Audacy’s Drew Bland
Elliot and KCYE’s Shawn Stevens; (front, l-r) Morris Higham’s Michaels and Buffy Cooper, Audacy’s Marci Braun
Dawn Santolucito, Chesney and the label’s Kristen Williams Cage and Ella Murray
What (Don’t Happen Twice) In Vegas
Reactions to Kenny Chesney’s new residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas ranged from awe (“I simply wasn’t prepared for what I saw,” says radio vet Bruce Logan) to amazement (“Words do not do it justice. Pictures can’t capture it,” says Audacy Regional Brand Mgr. Marci Braun) to astonishment (“The Sphere is like
no other concert experience you’ve ever witnessed,” adds KWNR/Las Vegas PD MoJoe Roberts). One thing they all agree on: this is a show you have to experience for yourself.
From the moment attendees touch down in Las Vegas, Chesney’s presence is unavoidable through hats, shirts, digital billboards and graphics on the outside of the venue itself. “It is such a great calling card for our format,” says Logan, who shared his flight out of Miami with at least six members of the “No Shoes Nation.”
Before even stepping inside the Sphere, fans can immerse themselves in The Kenny Chesney Experience at The Venetian, a two-story tribute filled with photographs, a miniature stage for selfies, a VIP bar serving Blue Chair Bay Rum cocktails and an upstairs area resembling a giant beachside tailgate complete with cornhole, beer pong and more than 100 pieces of Chesney merch, including a vintage-looking “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy” shirt Logan bought for the show.
Once inside the Sphere, the scale of the production becomes apparent immediately. “No words can truly express the size and resolution of the screen,” says Roberts, emphasizing it “doesn’t take away from the music being performed … it enhances it in ways you’ve never seen before.”
Describing the opening sequence, Braun says attendees were “weaving from underneath the ocean to then speeding by pirate ships all the way to the Sphere.” Adds Logan “I can’t overstate how breathtaking it is – it felt like the opening of a piratebased summer blockbuster.”
With subwoofers embedded in the seats, it’s not just visually immersive, even if, according to Logan, it “takes several songs for you to stop looking at the screens in amazement and get refocused on the fact there is a concert going on.” That sound complemented a 26-song set that spanned Chesney’s catalog, but leaned on the side of nostalgia with earlier hits like “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems,” “Don’t Happen Twice,” “Anything But Mine,” “Young,” “Big Star,” “Keg In The Closet” and “When The Sun Goes
Down.” Old Dominion joined Chesney for “Save It For A Rainy Day” and “I Was On A Boat That Day.”
Highlights for Braun included “Old Blue Chair” and “One Lonely Island,” which showcased St. John on the screen in black and white. “For me, I love the production on ‘When The Sun Goes Down’ and ‘Anything But Mine,’” says Roberts, who noted Chesney’s emphasis on making sure the live performance stayed the focus throughout production, in contrast to his experience seeing the Eagles at the venue.
The buzz and excitement from fans entering the Sphere started high, stayed high and followed everyone as they left. “The crowd is curious and eager going in … and picking their jaws off the floor as they exit,” says Roberts. Logan calls it “the most amazing music and video experience of my life,” adding, “You have to experience it for yourself,” or, as Braun scream- shared, “Get. To. This. Show.”
Reach Logan here, Braun here and Roberts here. –Caitlin DeForest
Chart Chat
Congratulations to Jason Aldean, Lee Adams, Shelley Hargis, Scotty O’Brien and the Broken Bow promotion team on taking “Whiskey Drink” to No. 1. This is Aldean’s 30th visit to No. 1 and moves him into a tie with Ronnie Milsap and Blake Shelton for seventh-most since the start of the R&R/MB/CA airplay charts in 1973. Songwriters are Kurt Allison, Jonathan Edwards, Tully Kennedy and John Morgan
The Broken Bow team is also responsible for this week’s Most Added record, Dustin Lynch’s “Easy To Love,” with 74. Following last week’s Most Added by labelmate Lainey Wilson, these are the first back-to-back Most Addeds for the label since March 2019, when Lynch’s “Ridin’ Roads” succeeded Aldean’s “Rearview Town.”
News & Notes
Producer and former Mercury and Polydor Pres. Harold Shedd’s Harold Shedd Foundation will open The Harold Shedd Music Gallery at city park and music venue The Hub in Bremen, GA June 20. The gallery includes interactive exhibits, educational installations, memorabilia and curated collections.
Songwriter Marcus Hummon has signed with music publishing fund Salinger Songs. This partnership also extends to sister company, Salinger Theatrical, to support Hummon’s work as a playwright/composer.
Preston Cooper, John Morgan, Lauren Watkins, Hailey Whitters and Jake Worthington are among the performers at Kubota Tractor’s Kubota + Friends: Honky Tonk Hangout 2025, a free, all-ages, country music celebration at Nashville’s Cannery Hall June 4-5. Hosted
MoJoe Roberts
Jason Aldean
by former Trailer Choir member Bigg Vinny, the event runs 2:30-9:30pm each day. RSVP here
Lady A’s Charles Kelley and his two brothers, Josh and John, are hosting their fourth annual Sticks & Strings benefit concert Aug. 24 at Columbia County Performing Arts Center in Evans, GA, with a golf tournament to follow Aug. 25. Proceeds benefit local charities. Tickets here
Leo33’s Ashland Craft will embark on her The Dive Bar Beauty Queen Tour, kicking off July 25 in Owensboro, KY. Tickets here
John Berry announced the first 13 dates for his 29th annual Christmas With John Berry Tour kicking off Nov. 28 in Sugar Hill, GA. Tickets and dates here
CDX Records has signed country artist Chuck Thomas to a distribution agreement.
Chris Young will headline Activated Events’ inaugural OC Smoke Show at The Riding Park in San Juan Capistrano, CA Aug. 16. Other performers include Chris Janson, The Band Perry, Dylan Schneider and Kelsey Hart. Tickets available June 5 here
The Week’s Top Stories
Full coverage at countryaircheck.com
• NZME’s Mike McClung and Jason Winstanley discussed launching a Country station in New Zealand in last week’s (5/27) Country Aircheck Weekly.
• Cumulus/Atlanta’s Justin Schaflander was elevated to VP/MM. (5/29)
• Big Machine Dir./Streaming Rachel Burleson was upped to Sr. Dir. (5/29)
• Results Global added a Digital & Social Media division. (5/28)
• WCYQ/Knoxville midday co-host Hanah May exited. (5/27)
• Chronicle: Mark “McKay” Cunningham
Wallen, Big Loud Top Airplay
(continued from page 1)
Leading Labels: As for record label airplay percentages, this update does not reflect recent changes in promotion department configurations. Going by imprint names as in 2024, Wallen’s massive airplay stats again put Big Loud in the Country airplay lead. Big Loud has a two-percentagepoint advantage over Stoney Creek and is the only label in double digits out of the 27 imprints that have amassed airplay points this year. Artists in addition to Wallen contributing to Big Loud’s 2025 airplay include Ashley Cooke, Ernest, Hardy, Miranda Lambert and Post Malone.
Stoney Creek has vaulted to second place among labels thus far in 2025 following a fourth place finish in 2024. Its success is driven by hits from Mr. Roll, Drew Baldridge and Parmalee, who had a No. 1 with “Gonna Love You.” Stoney Creek has four songs in the year’s Top 32.
The Hits: Twenty-two songs have hit No. 1 over the first 28 weeks of the chart year. The multi-week chart-topper parade is led by Wallen with five weeks – three from “Love Somebody” and two from “I’m The Problem.” Sporting a couple weeks at No. 1 are Cody Johnson & Carrie Underwood with “I’m Gonna Love You,” LoCash’s “Hometown Home” and Wetzel & Murph with “High Road” over the holiday period.
Three women appear in the Top 15 of artist airplay. Murph (5) and Ella Langley (12) are largely powered by No. 1 songs with Wetzel and Riley Green, respectively. Megan Moroney lands at 15, powered by her Top 5 “Am I Okay,” which is No. 15 for the year so far.
In a rarity for this format, the only group/duo in the top 15 artists’ list is LoCash, who rank eighth. Check out the label shares on page xx, the Top 25 songs on page X and artist airplay leaders on page XX.
Methodology: The 2025 chart year began Nov. 10, 2024; airplay points for this update are tabulated though May 24, 2025. Artists and labels receive credit for all current and recurrent airplay in that window. Collaborations are credited to each artist’s label in full – each receives 100% of the airplay points amassed by the song. As always, airplay and points totals are courtesy of our friends and partners at Mediabase 24/7. –Lon Helton CAC
Top 2025 Airplay Songs
AVAILABLE JOBS
MIDWEST
Morning Co-Host
Federated WBYT/South Bend, IN is seeking a morning co-host. Résumé, aircheck and production samples to PD Jesse Garcia here
Operations Manager
Keystone KICM/Ardmore, OK is seeking an OM who will work directly with the owners and the sales team, and oversee all aspects of the station’s programming. Send résumés here
Morning Co-Host
Mountain Dog Media WFON/Fond du Lac, WI Brand Mgr. Chanda Lynn is seeking a co-host to join her in mornings. The job offers unlimited vacation time, and a base starting salary of $50,000-$60,000 plus endorsement opportunities. Email audio and résumé to Lynn here
PD/Air Personality
SummitMedia KTTS/Springfield, MO has an opening for PD/on-air talent. Apply online here; send airchecks here
VP/Market Manager
Midwest Communications is seeking a VP/MM for Central Wisconsin. Apply here
Director/Operations
Meredith KSOM/Atlantic, IA is looking for a full-time Dir./ Operations who can also handle an air shift. Send airchecks, résumés and references to VP/GM William Saluk here
NORTHEAST
Account Executive
iHeartMedia is seeking an AE for its five-station Wilmington, DC cluster, including WDSD. Apply here by May 27.
Brand Manager
Townsquare WOKQ/Portsmouth, NH is seeking a Brand Mgr. Apply here
SOUTHEAST
Air Talent and Board Ops
Bristol Broadcasting/Johnson City, TN, which includes Country WXBQ, is looking for full-time and part-time air talent and board ops. Résumés and airchecks to PD Nikki Thomas here
Promotions Dir.
Holston Valley Broadcasting/Tri-Cities TN, VA is looking for a Promotions Dir. for AC WTFM, Classic Hits WVEK and Rock WRZK. Résumé and social media samples here
APD/MD/Afternoon Host
Southern Stone WKRO/Daytona Beach has an APD/MD/airstaff opening. Résumés to VP/ Programming Jonathan Wiley (DJ Tremble) here
APD
Listen Up Y’all Media/Natchez, MS Group PD Kidd
Conley is looking for a five-station APD for the cluster that includes WQNZ. Résumés, cover letters, production demos and airchecks here
Morning Co-Host
Saga Classic Country WSIG/Harrisonburg, VA is seeking a morning co-host. Email aircheck audio and resume to OM Brandy Lindsey here
Details on specific postings can be found searching call letters or company names in the archives at www.countryaircheck.com. Submit available jobs here
PD/Air Personality
Consulting firm RWPC, Inc. is seeking candidates for a PD/ air personality opening at a client station in the Southeast. Send materials to RWPC Pres. Scott Huskey here
VP/Events & Promotions
SummitMedia is seeking a Birmingham-based VP/ Events & Promotions to support and lead its promotions and events teams nationally, and assist on-site with major events. Apply here
Morning Co-host/Promotions Dir.
Hoxeng Trust WYCT/Pensacola, FL is seeking a morning co-host and Dir./Promotions. Send materials to OM Kevin King here
Morning Co-Host
Kensington Digital WECB/Dothan, AL is seeking a morning co-host. Send airchecks and résumés to Dir./ Operations Kris Lake here
Digital Content Manager
SummitMedia is recruiting for a newly created Digital Content Manager position, based in Birmingham. See the job positing and apply here
PD/Afternoon Host
Saga KDXY/Jonesboro is seeking a PD/afternoon host. Send résumé, aircheck, and “anything else that’ll make your case” here
Programming & Production Assistant Stonecom/Cookeville, TN is seeking to fill a Programming & Production Assistant role for the eightstation cluster, which includes WKXD and Classic Country WUCH. Send resume. aircheck, a newscast, a commercial sample and a writing sample to VP/ Programming Marcia Lee Lorance here
Air Personality/Social Media Coord.
Forever WOGY/Jackson, TN is seeking an on-air host/Social Media Coordinator. Apply here
Air Personality
Bristol WXBQ/Johnson City, TN is seeking a fulltime night host, and potentially some part-time positions. Send resume, aircheck and “any other details that show us what you’re all about” here
Air Personality
Beasley Top 40 WXKB/Fort Myers, FL is seeking a full-time air personality “who can excel in any daypart.” The station’s programming includes a mix of country artists. Apply here
SOUTHWEST
Morning Host
Stephens Media Group KKAJ/Ardmore, OK is seeking a morning host. Résumé, aircheck and references to SVP/Programming Bob Thornton here
Dir./Production
Bryan Broadcasting has an opening for a full-time Dir./Production based in College Station, TX for its 12 radio stations. Résumé and examples of produced and voiced audio or spots here
Morning Co-host
Cox KWEN/Tulsa is seeking a morning co-host. Apply here with an audio or video link.
WEST
Air Personality
Owens KUZZ/Bakersfield is looking for future part-time and full-time talent. Send résumés and airchecks to PD Brent Michaels here. No phone calls.
Morning Co-host/Dir. of Promotions
Stephens Media/Yakima, WA is seeking a Dir./ Promotions and KXDD morning co-host. Send résumé, aircheck, imaging and social media samples to OM Justin Henriksen here
Air Personality
Mt. Wilson KKGO/Los Angeles is looking for a full-time “entertainer” to add to the staff in an unspecified daypart. Send aircheck and resume to consultant Joel Raab here
Air Personality
Bonneville KNCI/Sacramento is looking for someone to join the Pat & Cody morning show. Full posting here
OTHER
Junior Agent
Kincaid Entertainment Agency is seeking a full-time Junior Agent to join the team. Applicants should have at least a year of experience in the music industry. Submit resumes here
National Director
Warner Music Nashville VP/Radio Anna Cage is seeking a National Dir. Contact her here
Digital Content Creator
The Country Thunder Music Festivals are recruiting for a suburban Nashville-based Digital Content Creator. Résumés here
Head/Strategic Partnerships & Revenue
The Academy of Country Music (ACM) is looking for a Head/Strategic Partnerships & Revenue; apply here
Management Coordinator
Johnstone Entertainment in Nashville is seeking a Management Coord. to assist in the day-to-day operations of artist management, event coordination and business affairs. Apply here
Management Coordinator
Nashville-based management company Hill
Entertainment Group is recruiting for a Management Coord. Send resumes here
Country Format Lead
Townsquare Media is seeking a Country Format Lead. Find details of this national role and apply here
SEEKING JOBS
• Scott Aber
Former KGWY/Gillette, WY; KKAJ/Ardmore, OK and KXPX/Las Cruces, NM morning host sjaber93@gmail.com • 970-712-0249
• Brandon Adams
Former WYCM/Lafayette, IN PD/midday host badamsontheair@gmail.com
• Liza Anderson
Former Music Row Project & Subscription Mgr. & Writer lizaand12@gmail.com
• Casey Atkins
Former PD/afternoon host WKML/Fayetteville, NC cacasey417@gmail.com
• Presleigh (Webb) Bearden
Former iHeartMedia Custom Country Talent Manager and KTCS/Fort Smith, AR morning co-host heypresleigh@gmail.com
• Jill Brunett
Former Mercury/Southwest Regional jjbrun4882@gmail.com
• Mica Cadena
Former WRNS/Greenville, NC afternoon host micacadena@gmail.com
• Lori Christian
Former EVP/Marketing UMG/Nashville lgeneschristian@gmail.com
• Bryana Cielo
Former CMT Exec. Asst. bryanacielo@gmail.com
• Lyndsay Cruz
Former Exec. Dir., ACM Lifting Lives lyndsaycruz@gmail.com
• Guy David Former KFRG/Riverside morning co-host Guydavidradio@gmail.com
• Sean Dolan
Former Mercury Promotion Coord. sdolan2022@gmail.com
• Bill Gamble
Former Mid-West Family/South Bend, IN VP/ Content gamblechicago@yahoo.com
• Tim “Skeeter Nash“ Goodrich Former KDXY/Jonesboro, AR PD/afternoon host SkeeterOnTheAir@gmail.com
• Sally Green
Former Mercury/West Coast Regional greensa927@gmail.com
• Paul Grosser
Former Sony/Nashville Assoc. Dir./Promotion & Artist Development paulanthonygrosser@gmail.com
• Sarah Holden
Former Dir./Marketing & Promotions, Midwest/ Nashville sarahblu96@gmail.com
• Gunner Jackson
Former KMLE/Phoenix morning host mrericlutz@icloud.com
Rascal Flatts Life Is A Highway: Refueled Duets (Big Machine)
Featuring nine reimagined hits and latest single “I Dare You” with the Jonas Brothers, the band recruited Jason Aldean, Carly Pearce, Blake Shelton, Brandon Lake, Ashley Cooke, Backstreet Boys, Jordan Davis, Lzzy Hale and Kelly Clarkson for the collaboration project.
Louie TheSinger One For The Hometown (MCA)
Written by Louie, Nick Bailey and Josh Dorr, and featuring Chris Pérez, “Hometown” is the opening track on the new EP. “When I was younger and first started chasing this dream of music, I remember my mom telling me ‘No matter how far you get with this, never forget who you are and where you came from,’” he says. “I think of that all the time.”
Whitters took inspiration from fans for the title of her 16-song album. “Fans started calling me the ‘Corn Queen’ because I’m from Iowa,” she explains. “At first, it seemed kind of silly, but the more I thought about it, the more I loved the duality of it. Corn is this simple, humble crop, and ‘queen’ implies royalty passed down through blood. I come from a long line of blue-collar farmers and construction workers. I like the idea of a queen with a little grit and elbow grease.”
B. LAKE w/J. ROLL/Hard Fought Hallelujah (Essential/PLG/Lyric Ridge/Stoney Creek) 2029 points, 622 spins; No adds
Crowe Boys Made To Wander (MCA)
The duo (Ocie and Wes Crowe) penned all 10 tracks featured on their Andrew Campanelli-produced debut, including “Bootstraps,” “Bonfire In My Soul” and “Debris.”
Mary Chapin Carpenter Personal History (Lambent Light/Thirty Tigers)
Carpenter’s 17th album was produced by Bonny Light Horseman’s Josh Kaufman and recorded live at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios in Bath, England. Across the eleven tracks, Carpenter presents a set of songs “more autobiographical” than any collection that has come before.
