Colt Ford announced on Instagram on Tuesday (January 21) that he is ready to return to the stage. The 54-year-old country star shared in the video post that he is planning on hitting the road soon, following the near fatal heart attack that he suffered back in April of 2024. "What's up y'all, it's your boy Colt Ford," the singer enthusiastically said in the clip. "Y'all come check me out. I'm gonna be back on the road this year. The devil couldn't keep me down, baby." Ford also took time out to show off his stylish new set of clothes. "You might even see me out there wearing some of my new Amigo Provisions," Colt said proudly, while mentioning the Texas-based outdoor clothing brand’s camo-styled vests, shirts, and hats. He signed off with an encouraging word to fans who have been concerned about his health, "I'll see y'all on the road." (People) 

Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa music festival took place in Cancún, Mexico, last week (January 15-18), and Bailey Zimmerman’s set went viral for all the wrong reasons. Clips of the 24-year-old country star’s performance captured him singing off-key while also being visibly intoxicated. Zimmerman took to Instagram on Tuesday (January 21) to share an apology video with his fans. “I’m sure everybody’s seen the videos of me playing absolutely awful and singing absolutely awful,” Zimmerman said in the clip. “And I feel like you guys deserve an explanation from me because you’ve had my back through the highs and lows and through every mistake.” Zimmerman admitted that drinking before his set was a “mistake,” and that he “was too drunk to play.” “Nobody got the show that they wanted or paid for. And I’m disappointed in myself,” Zimmerman admitted. “I want to show you guys the person that I truly am. So I’m just asking for a little bit of grace.” (People)

Lauren Alaina teased her pregnancy in the music video for her new single, "Those Kind of Women," which premiered on Wednesday (January  22). In an interview with People following the debut of her video, the 30-year old country singer – who was the runner-up on the 10th season of American Idol back in 2011 – confirmed the exciting news that she is indeed expecting her first child with husband Cam Arnold. "[I didn't know] I can love something that I haven't even really held yet,” Alaina shared. “I feel the baby inside me, and it's kicking me and doing all of the things. It's like I was the Grinch or something, and my heart grew.” Alaina and Arnold got married in February of 2024, and she reveals that the pregnancy has "bonded" them "even more" than their marriage did. (People)

On Tuesday (January 21), Record Store Day event organizers announced that Post Malone is the official 2025 Record Store Day Ambassador. Posty’s Billboard No. 1 album, F-1 Trillion, was a big seller in record stores since it was released back in August, with the breakout country star also making a guest appearance on “Fortnight,” the lead single from the best-selling album of 2024, Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department. Malone hasn’t announced a special release for this year’s Record Store Day – which is set to take place on April 12th – but in the past he has released limited edition RSD versions of his compilation, The Diamond Collection, and singles like “White Iverson” and “Circles.” “What an honor, I can’t believe I was chosen to be Record Store Day’s Ambassador for 2025,” Posty said in a statement. “Record Store Day is so important, and I really hope to do my part to keep it alive. We love hitting local shops when we’re on the road. The whole energy in a record store is just super inspiring. I feel at home.” (Consequence of Sound)

On Wednesday (January 22), the Songwriters Hall of Fame revealed their inductee class of 2025. This year’s distinguished inductees feature the leader of Parliament/Funkadelic, George Clinton; award-winning country music songwriter, Ashley Gorley; Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé, and Lady Gaga collaborator, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins; Beach Boys vocalist and songwriter, Mike Love; nine time Ivor Novello Award-winning British songwriter, Tony Macaulay; and three members of the beloved rock and soul band, the Doobie Brothers – Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald, and Patrick Simmons. In order to receive a nomination for the SHOF, a songwriter with a catalog of notable hits qualifies for induction 20 years after their first significant commercial release of a song. Notably, this is the first Songwriters Hall of Fame class to not include any women inductees since 2017. Four women were included in this year’s list of nominees – Franne Golde, Sheryl Crow, Janet Jackson, and Alanis Morissette – but none received enough votes to be inducted. The Songwriters Hall of Fame 2025 Induction and Awards Gala will take place on Thursday, June 12 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. (Billboard)

In a new interview with Variety during the recent Girls Just Wanna Weekend annual music festival outside of Cancun, Shania Twain and Brandi Carlile opened up about how important it is for women to support women in the music industry and everywhere else. The 6th annual iGirls Just Wanna Weekend took place from January 16-20, featuring multiple sets from the Grammy-winning Carlile, as well as performances from Twain, Maren Morris, Muna, Brandy Clark, Lucius, Brittney Spencer, Jensen McRae, and other talented women musicians. “Everybody is united here and it’s very peaceful,” Twain said of the festival. “Girls Just Wanna is one of those places that you can feel really free and good and fun.” Carlile was appreciative of Twain’s involvement in her festival. “I’m not sure I could really overstate how much you’ve changed the course of the festival by being here,” she said to Shania. “That kind of validation for these people was just huge for us.” (Variety)

In a new interview with US99’s Scotty Kay, Kelsea Ballerini thought back on all the small shows that eventually led her headlining her first arena tour in 2025. Ballerini’s high-profile run of shows got underway on Tuesday (January 21) in Grand Rapids, Michigan, but the 31-year-old country superstar couldn’t help but reflect on all the gigs that got her to this point. “It’s been such a journey,” she said about her career. “There have been so many times in the last decade where I’ve been like, ‘Am I ever going to be able to make that jump from the big room?’” Ballerini poured her heart into her shows no matter the size of the room, which is why audiences connected with her. “They’re all such good memories and there were no sets that were skipped,” she recalls. “Going from the Texas Roadhouse to the local bar and then the club and then the theatre. I’ve gotten to see every side of each of these cities, which is really special.” (Audacy)

Jason Aldean took to Instagram on Tuesday (January 21) to announce the dates and details of his Full Throttle Tour 2025. The 30-date North American run gets underway on May 23 in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and finishes up on October 4 in West Palm Beach, Florida, with stops at major music markets throughout the U.S. and Canada in between. Special guest opening acts for Aldean’s Full Throttle Tour will be Nate Smith, RaeLynn, and Dee Jay Silver on select dates. In addition to his own headlining shows, Aldean also has a special co-headlining show with country legends Brooks & Dunn scheduled to take place at Boston’s iconic Fenway Park on May 30. Tickets for all shows go on sale starting at 10 a.m. local time on January 24, with presales beginning on January 22. (All Country News) 

On Monday night (January 20), Billy Ray Cyrus performed as part of the 2025 Inauguration Liberty Ball in Washington, D.C. The country star’s twelve minute set was plagued by technical difficulties and confusing improvisations, and ultimately unraveled into what some attendees described on social media as “an epic disaster” and “A Billy Cyrus trainwreck.” One person on X went as far as to describe the brief performance as "Possibly the cringiest few minutes in entertainment history.” Cyrus’ set got off to a rocky start, as the singer was frustrated with sound issues while a video accompaniment to "Old Town Road" played on a screen behind him. His ramshackle a cappella version of the hit only made things worse. "Y'all want me to sing more, or do you want me to just get off the stage?” Cyrus asked the crowd. “I don't give a damn," he said, before eventually being ushered off the stage. (Taste of Country)

On Friday, January 31st, Grateful Dead will be honored as the 2025 MusiCares Persons of the Year in a concert and ceremony taking place at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The all-star tribute show is one of the few annual Grammy week events that will take place as scheduled this year due to the fires that have devastated the L.A. area, with this year’s event also serving as a fundraiser for wildfire relief organizations. The stacked lineup of special guests set to perform and pay tribute to the psychedelic rock legends include Dead & Company (which includes Grateful Dead co-founders Bob Weir and Mickey Hart), along with John Mayer, Dave Matthews, Vampire Weekend, Billy Strings, Mick Fleetwood with Stewart Copeland, Norah Jones, Maren Morris, Noah Kahan, My Morning Jacket, Bruce Hornsby, Dwight Yoakam, Sammy Hagar, Wyonna Judd, the War and Treaty, and more. Dead superfan Andy Cohen will host the event, with comedian Bert Kreischer serving as presenter. (Consequence of Sound)

On Tuesday (January 21), FireAid organizers took to Instagram to share complete details about its upcoming benefit concerts on January 30. FireAid disclosed the full music lineups for their two host venues – Inglewood, California’s Intuit Dome and neighboring Kia Forum – while also revealing that they are waiving all ticket fees in order to ensure that all proceeds go directly to those affected by the recent L.A. wildfires. Kia Forum will feature performances by a reunited No Doubt, Pink, Alanis Morissette, Green Day, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dave Matthews & John Mayer, Stevie Nicks, Joni Mitchell, and more, with showtime beginning at 6 p.m. Intuit Dome will host performances by Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Olivia Rodrigo, Gracie Abrams, Katy Perry, Peso Pluma, Sting, Lil Baby, Stevie Wonder, and others, with the concert beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the benefit concerts go on sale starting Wednesday (January 22) at noon PT via Ticketmaster, and the shows will be broadcast live worldwide on a variety of media outlets and streaming services. (Rolling Stone)

Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With a Smile” scores its third consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. This marks Gaga’s second longest chart-topping reign of her career, tying the three-week run at No. 1 of her 2009 debut hit “Just Dance,” featuring Colby O’Donis, which sits behind the six-week rule of her 2011 smash, “Born This Way.” Bad Bunny’s Billboard No. 1 album, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, places three songs in this week's Hot 100 Top 10, as “DtMF”  surges 36 spots to claim No. 2, “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” jumps 25 places to No. 3, and “NUEVAYoL” vaults 19 slots to No. 8. Bad Bunny’s total career Top 10 hits now rises to 15, the most all-time among Latin music artists. Elsewhere in the Hot 100 Top 10, Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” drops two spots to No. 4, ROSÉ and Bruno Mars’ “APT.” holds at No. 5, Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther” jumps up a spot to No. 6, Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather” falls four slots to No. 7, Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control” slides three spots to No. 9, and Gracie Abrams’ “That’s So True” drops two places to No. 10. (Billboard)    

The Recording Academy announced on Instagram on Tuesday (January 21) that Trevor Noah will once again serve as host of the 67th annual Grammy Awards on February 2. This will be the fifth consecutive year that the Emmy Award-winner will be master of ceremonies at the Grammys, becoming the first comedian to host the music awards show five times. In addition to his hosting duties, Noah will serve as a producer on the show, and is also nominated for a Grammy for Best Comedy Album for Where Was I. “Trevor Noah will lead a special GRAMMY telecast, a night that will not only celebrate the year in music, but raise additional funds to support wildfire relief efforts, pay tribute to the bravery and dedication of first responders, and honor the resilient spirit of Los Angeles,” the Recording Academy wrote. The Grammys will be broadcast live from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on CBS beginning at 8 p.m ET, and will stream live and on-demand on Paramount+. (Variety)

On Saturday (January 18), Martina McBride revealed the sad news that her father, Daryl Schiff, has died at the age of 86.  The country star made the announcement with an Instagram post where she paid tribute to her dad, who was also a beloved musician as well as a proud third-generation farmer. McBride disclosed that Schiff died “suddenly and peacefully at his home” in Sharon, Kansas, on Tuesday (January 14). “Our hearts are broken,” McBride wrote. “He was 86 and had an amazing life. He was also the leader of our family band, The Schiffters. He taught me so much about music, about life, about how to treat others.” Schiff lived his entire life in Sharon, running the family’s dairy farm and becoming a fixture at the town co-op. “So much of who I am came from him,” McBride shared. “There is so much more I could write, and probably will. Thank you for keeping us in your prayers during this time.” (People)

Last week, Kenny Chesney revealed that he will be the first country artist to perform at Las Vegas’ iconic Sphere when he headlines the venue this May. During Chesney’s 2024 Sun Goes Down stadium tour, the singer became friends and occasional live collaborator with his opening act, Megan Moroney. Now, the reigning CMA New Artist of the Year shared a subtle hint that has country fans speculating that Moroney might open for Chesney during his historic Sphere residency. Chesney shared additional ticketing details of his Vegas shows on Instagram on Sunday (January 19), writing “My crew, band and I are working tirelessly to make this residency one of a kind. See you this summer in Vegas!” Moroney suggestively responded in the comments, “👀,” which has started rumors about the rising country star possibly being involved in Chesney’s high-profile Vegas shows, though nothing has been confirmed as of yet. (Holler) 

Melba Montgomery, a country singer who was famous for singing memorable duets, has died at the age of 86. Montgomery’s death was confirmed in a Facebook post shared by her daughter, Melissa Solomon Barrett, on Wednesday (January 15). The late singer is best known for her celebrated duets with country legends Gene Pitney, Charlie Louvin, and most famously with George Jones on the 1963 Top 10 country hit single,  “We Must Have Been Out of Our Minds.” As both a solo artist and a duet partner, Montgomery charted 30 hit country singles between 1963 and 1986, with her 1974 song “No Charge” reaching No. 1, even breaking in to the Top 40 of the pop chart. “It is with great sadness that we announce our family has lost our mother, Melba Montgomery Solomon,” wrote Barrett. “She fought a long battle with dementia but is now with her loving husband, Jack Solomon in Heaven.” (People)

Carrie Underwood was forced to perform an a cappella rendition of “America the Beautiful” at Donald Trump‘s inauguration on Monday due to an audio malfunction. Shortly after Underwood was introduced to perform at the ceremony, the audio accompaniment abruptly cut out, leaving the Grammy winner and the accompanying Armed Forces Chorus to sing the patriotic tune a cappella. After the technical difficulties at the start of her performance, Underwood stood awkwardly waiting for the issue to be resolved. A White House official eventually appeared to encourage Underwood to sing without the planned backing music. The country superstar then announced to the crowd, “You know the words, help me out here,” before launching into an impromptu a capella version of “American the Beautiful” while joined by the Armed Forces Chorus. (Variety)

On Friday (January 17), Morgan Wallen shared a new behind-the-scenes clip taken from his music video shoot for “Smile.” In the video, Wallen shares his personal thoughts about his current hit single, with the country superstar admitting that he had a good feeling about “Smile” right from the start, similar to how he felt about his record-setting No. 1 smash hit, “Last Night.” “There’s been a couple songs where I have a feeling that they’re gonna do well, and ‘Last Night’ was the last one that I had that feeling on. My feeling was right, you know?,” Wallen admits. “And I have that same feeling with this song [“Smile], and I actually like this song better. It’s just one of those songs where, no matter how many times I’m singing it or listening to it, I get goosebumps at some point in the song. Those songs don’t come around very often, so I’m super excited about it.” (Holler)

During a recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Kenny Chesney recounted a story about his planned tour with Taylor Swift in her early days that never materialized. The 56-year-old country star said that Swift was set to open for him back when she was a rising 17-year-old country singer, but because the tour was sponsored by a beer company, Swift couldn’t take part because she was a minor. "I had to call Taylor personally and tell her she couldn’t go on tour with me, which now seems absurd, right?" Chesney recalled, saying he felt bad because “she was going to lose some money.” So Chesney personally wrote Swift a check to make up for it. Later that year, both singers were nominated for CMA Entertainer of the Year. "Well, she won," Chesney said. "So backstage I went up to her and gave her a big hug. I said, 'Congratulations but give me my money back.’” (People)

Jelly Roll’s current single, “Liar,” jumped up five spots this week to reach No. 8 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. That move helped Jelly secure his seventh consecutive Top 10 on the Country Airplay chart in as many tries. “Liar” is the second single drawn from Jelly Roll’s recent album, Beautifully Broken, which debuted as his first No. 1 on both Top Country Albums and the Billboard 200 charts last October. Jelly co-wrote “Liar” with the award-winning songwriting team of Ben Johnson, Ashley Gorley, and Taylor Phillips, and the track was produced by Zach Crowell. All six of Jelly Roll’s previous Country Airplay entries have gone on to reach No. 1, most recently with “I Am Not Okay,” which topped the chart for three weeks back in November of 2024. Jelly’s debut Country Airplay entry was “Son of a Sinner,” which hit No. 1 back in January of 2023. Koe Wetzel and Jessie Murph’s smash hit “High Road” is No. 1 on this week’s Country Airplay chart for a fifth consecutive week. (Billboard)