August 18, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images for The Recording AcademyGarth Brooks continues to collect diamonds. 

The legendary star learned the news earlier this week that his 1993 album, In Pieces, has been Diamond certified by the RIAA, signifying sales of more than 10 million copies. 

The addition brings Garth’s total of diamond-certified albums up to nine, the most of any artist in history, surpassing The Beatles, Adele and Elton John, among others. 

Garth’s other albums with sales of at least 10 million include his 1989 self-titled debut, No Fences, Ropin’ the Wind, The Hits, and Sevens, which collectively are home to some of his biggest hits, including “If Tomorrow Never Comes,” “The Thunder Rolls” and “The Dance.” 

“The crazy thing that I try to digest in my head is Garth Brooks, No Fences, Ropin’ [the Wind], The Chase, In Pieces and The Hits — the first six albums of our career — you guys have taken diamond. That’s crazy,” Garth reflected during Inside Studio G on Monday. 

The hitmaker also revealed that 1992’s The Chase is his favorite among his diamond-certified work. 

“It was just so loving, so forgiving, so patient, so all those beautiful things,” he remarks of the album that features the unity anthem “We Shall Be Free.” “That was the album that really, really was my baby,” Garth says.

By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

August 18, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Sony Music NashvilleLuke Combs is delivering more new music to his fans. 

The superstar singer is set to release a deluxe edition of his sophomore album What You See Is What You Get this fall. 

On the album, with the revised title What You See Ain’t Always What You Get, Luke will offer five new songs in addition to the 18 tracks featured on the original album.  Those include his three consecutive number one hits “Beer Never Broke My Heart,” “Even Though I’m Leaving” and “Does to Me” featuring Eric Church, plus the current single “Lovin’ On You.”  

Luke’s COVID-19 pandemic-themed number “Six Feet Apart” was officially released in May and added to the digital version of What You See is What You Get. 

Following its 2019 release, Luke’s second studio album debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and all-genre Billboard 200. He made history in July when he became the first artist to have his first two studio albums spend 25 weeks or more at number one on the Top Country Albums chart. 

What You See Ain’t Always What You Get will be released on October 23. 

By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

August 18, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Trae Patton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty ImagesIt was The Voice versus American Idol on Monday when Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan became tangled up in a brief but hilarious war of words about their music.  

Shelton cast the first stone when he doctored a news infographic claiming that people shouldn’t mix Bryan’s singing with driving because it causes people to fall asleep at the wheel.

“Wow! Just catching up on the news… Shocking!,” the “God’s Country” crooner scoffed on Twitter when sharing the bogus screenshot. “I have noticed some fatigue when @lukebryanonline comes on.”

Bryan, 44, was obviously not going to take that insult lying down, calling the fake study “Interesting” before deftly clapping back with, “Your girlfriend is the only reason people are listening to your last two singles.”

The songs the “One Margarita” singer is referencing are “Happy Anywhere” and “Nobody But You,” which features Gwen Stefani, Shelton’s girlfriend and fellow judge on The Voice.  

Both songs went on to top the country digital sales charts.

Of course, Shelton returned fire one last time by teasing, “Hey don’t hate just cause I know how to work the system!!!”

Unfortunately for fans delighting in the comedic musical spat, the argument ended just as quickly as it started, with the two opting to leave their conflict unresolved.

However, Shelton did return his focus to his music about an hour later, encouraging fans to stream “Happy Anywhere” in a subsequent tweet.

This isn’t the first and definitely not the last time the two country superstars have roasted each other.

Last year, the two tossed in a few hilarious digs when they interviewed the other on Good Morning America and jokingly gave themselves the new moniker, “Bluke.”

Your girlfriend is the only reason people are listening to your last two singles

— Luke Bryan (@LukeBryanOnline) August 17, 2020

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By Megan Stone
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

August 18, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Broken BowIf you’re watching the country chart, you know that the war for number one has zeroed in on LOCASH and Chris Janson lately. 

The interesting thing is, they’re the best of friends — co-writing hits together like Tim McGraw‘s “Truck Yeah” and LOCASH’s own “I Love This Life.” And as “One Big Country Song” and “Done” both vied for the top, everyone involved couldn’t have been happier.

“It takes you back to… when we were at Tootsie’s and we were in the backroom, Chris was in the front room,” Chris Lucas tells ABC Audio. “We started together and we were on the phone with him the whole time that week…”

“And that’s goosebumps…”  Chris Lucas reflects. “That’s hard work is what that is. There’s nothing else to say. I mean, you have a great team behind you, but that is hard work and persevering.”

Preston Brust sees both acts’ success as proof Nashville can still make stars out of the musicians who play the bars in Music City.

“In the end, we both got number-one songs out of the deal, and I think we’re all just high-fivin’ and just enjoying it…” Preston says. “It just goes to show that startin’ on Broadway, startin’ in the honky tonks and workin’ your way up, pullin’ a U-Haul behind your truck and playing county fair after county fair, it really does pay off.”

“And I think it’s a testament to this town that good songs and hard work will find their way to the top of the chart,” he adds.  

In another bit of irony, LOCASH is the face of a new MTN DEW contest. If you’re keeping up, you know it’s Janson who has a major MTN DEW obsession. Preston and Chris have promised to hook him up.

By Stephen Hubbard
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

August 17, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Universal Music Group Nashville Luke Bryan has landed in the top 10 on the all-genre Billboard 200 album chart.

The country superstar’s new album, Born Here Live Here Die Here, bowed at #5 with 65,000 equivalent album units, 48,000 of which were in album sales. 

This marks the American Idol judge’s 11th turn in on the Billboard 200 top ten, beginning with his sophomore album, Doin’ My Thing, in 2009. 

Tailgates and Tanlines, which spawned Luke’s signature hit “Country Girl (Shake it For Me),” peaked at number two in 2011, while 2013’s Crash My Party, Kill the Lights in 2015 and What Makes You Country in 2017 have all clinched the number-one spot on the chart. 

“One Margarita,” the third single off Born Here Live Here Die Here, reached number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart this summer, following in the footsteps of “Knockin’ Boots” and “What She Wants Tonight.”

By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.