ACountry

Ever wondered who actually picks the CMA winners? It's not the fans, and it's not a panel of TV executives.

Here's how it works. Winners are chosen by the CMA's voting Professional members, the artists, songwriters, producers, label folks and industry pros who make this music for a living. This year that's more than 7,000 people.

The final ballot goes out Oct. 1. Voting closes Oct. 27. The votes are tallied by the accounting firm Deloitte, and nobody knows the results until the envelopes open on Nov. 18.

So when your favorite wins (or gets snubbed), that's the industry talking. Do you think the CMAs should add a fan-voted category? Yes or no, and why? 🗳️

Keep an eye on Canada. 🇨🇦

Cameron Whitcomb was the big winner at the 44th Canadian Country Music Association Awards, taking home Entertainer of the Year, Male Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for "The Hard Way." James Barker Band picked up the Fans' Choice award.

Country music has always drawn from Canadian talent (Shania, anyone?), but right now the scene north of the border feels especially alive. Rougher edges, big voices, and artists building real fanbases before Nashville ever calls.

Are you listening to any Canadian country artists right now? Drop a name so the rest of us can check them out. 🎧

23 weeks. That's how long Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas" has now sat at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, officially the longest run at the top in the chart's history. It just passed Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" to get there.

Let that sink in. A country song, written and sung like a country song, beat every pop, hip hop and holiday juggernaut that ever charted.

Here's our take: this isn't a crossover fluke. It's proof that fans outside Nashville are hungry for the real thing when it's done this well.

So we have to ask. Is "Choosin' Texas" the defining country song of the decade, or is there one you'd put above it? Make your case below. 🤠

Luke Bryan's ninth studio album, "Signs," has been out for a week now, and we want the honest verdict from people who've actually been listening.

Luke has spent almost two decades as the life of the party in country music. The big question with every new record is whether he's still chasing that sound or showing us something new.

So here's your review assignment:
1️⃣ Favorite track so far
2️⃣ One word to describe the album
3️⃣ Where it ranks against his earlier records

Go. We'll share the best takes in a future post. 🎸

Do you think country music has a chance to be featured for the Super Bowl halftime show?

Country music star on playing the Super Bowl halftime show: ‘I think it’s time’ There is a renewed push for a country music halftime show, and one star sounds interested.

Happy 101st birthday to Marty Robbins, the man who turned a cowboy standoff into a three minute movie called "El Paso." This week in country music history also brought us the first ever Farm Aid concert, Shania Twain's big CMA night, and the record breaking Zach Bryan show that proved country music can still fill a football stadium a story song at a time. Get the full rundown (and tell us your pick for the greatest story song in country music) on the blog. Read the full "This Week in Country Music History" roundup at acountry.com (link in the comments).

Country music star Jon Pardi is opening up after it was revealed earlier this year that he and Summer Pardi are getting divorced.

The singer opened up his DMs for questions on Sept. 7, according to Taste of Country, and after one fan asked how Pardi was “truly” doing, he replied, “Hanging in there. Just a little defeated right now.”

Country music star feeling ‘just a little defeated’ after split from wife The singer shared his thoughts with fans on social media.

The Biggest Takeaways from Earl Scruggs Fest 2026

The Biggest Takeaways from Earl Scruggs Fest 2026 From the festival’s inception, the clear goal is to honor the great Earl Scruggs legacy by bringing in artists of all backgrounds, motivated by a love of the banjo and the music in its various forms, with the intention of inspiring future generations.

1971 John Denver Hit, Reimagined by Ella Langley, Ranked Among ‘Greatest Country Songs of All Time’

1971 John Denver Hit, Reimagined by Ella Langley, Ranked Among ‘Greatest Country Songs of All Time’ The song, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, remains a beloved classic and an iconic road trip anthem.

Pull up a chair. Every genre has a cornerstone, one name it keeps circling back to no matter how far the sound travels, and country’s cornerstone has a birthday this week. So before we get to everything else that happened on these dates, let’s start where country music kind of starts.

This Week in Country Music History: The Hillbilly Shakespeare Gets a Birthday (Sept. 14–20) | ACountry Pull up a chair. Every genre has a cornerstone, one name it keeps circling back to no matter how far the sound travels, and country’s cornerstone has a birthday this week. So before we get to…