I’m thrilled to be back with a new edition of the only list you need to truly understand what’s happening in the world of country music. As always, this week’s Buzz List features the top ten names, completely free of charge.

To help us continue the tireless work of bringing you the best of the best, we’ve added positions 11 through 20 as an exclusive benefit for our paid subscribers. If you’re a true music lover, this is for you.

Spots 11–20 are usually where the most exciting up-and-comers live. Subscribe to the FULL LIST now to ensure you never miss a rising star climbing the ranks. This is where you’ll discover the NEXT BIG THING. Stay tuned!

This Week's Spotlight:

Two of the most interesting names in the 11–20 bracket this week sit on opposite ends of the "hipster-o-meter." Kashus Culpepper ranks high on the indie/hipster scale, while Gavin Adcock appeals more to the Everyman country fan.

BUT, musically, which is what really matters, they are closer than you’d ever think. To prove it, I’ve curated this week’s playlist by mixing my five favorite tracks from both Culpepper and Adcock. You can find the link to the playlist below.

It’ll be fascinating to see if one (or both!) of them breaks into the Top 10 anytime soon. To see the full Top 20, please subscribe below. Thank you for your incredible support. I love country music, and I love you, the fans, for keeping it alive.

Thank you for subscribing. It truly means the world to me. If you’re enjoying the newsletter, please spread the word! Remember: we’re all in this country music journey together.

Your friend,

Ideas and feedback are always welcome at [email protected] (just hit reply!)

🏆 Triple Crown: One Song Rewrites Country Chart History: For the first time ever, a single country song holds #1 on Billboard Hot 100, Billboard Country Airplay, and Mediabase Country simultaneously, and "Choosin' Texas" pulled off the trifecta after the historic feat of returning to Country Airplay #1 following a three-week absence, a chart first in the format's history.

🏟️ Stadium Season Opens: Major Tours Hit the Road: Zach Bryan launched With Heaven On Tour at The Dome at America's Center on March 7, 40+ stadium dates through October. Luke Combs' My Kinda Saturday Night Stadium Tour follows March 21. Morgan Wallen's Still The Problem (23 stadiums) goes April 10. Country's stadium era is in full swing.

💿 Album Avalanche: Multiple Major Releases Stacking in March: Luke Combs drops The Way I Am (22 tracks, feat. Alison Krauss) on March 20. Gavin Adcock's Country Never Dies arrives March 13. Sturgill Simpson's Mutiny After Midnight gets its official physical release March 13 after a controversial early YouTube leak. Sam Barber's new album Broken View is also imminent following his March 6 single "Borrowed Time."

🌍 C2C Country to Country: UK Festival Draws Nashville's Biggest Names: Brooks & Dunn headline C2C Festival (March 13-15, Belfast/Glasgow/London) for the first time, their first UK appearances since 2010. Keith Urban makes his first C2C appearance in seven years. The festival signals renewed momentum for country music's international footprint.

🏢 Industry Reset: ACM Leadership Exit, New Management Firm Formed: ACM CEO Damon Whiteside announced his departure (effective June 30, then CEO Emeritus through year-end), capping a significant executive run at the academy. Separately, industry veterans Bill Simmons, Kendal Marcy, and Chris DuBois teamed with Domain Capital Group to form a new management company, signaling fresh structural moves in Nashville's power landscape.

Two of this week’s biggest climbers—Kashus Culpepper and Gavin Adcock—share this unique playlist, composed exclusively for my subscribers. Listen here!

Week of March 5 – March 11, 2026 (generated: March 11)

Buzz Score: 97/100
Why She's Hot: "Choosin' Texas" achieves an unprecedented triple crown, #1 Billboard Hot 100 (second straight week), #1 Billboard Country Airplay (historic return after three-week absence, a chart first), and #1 Mediabase Country, all simultaneously.

Buzz Score: 95/100
Why She's Hot: Cloud 9 holds #1 on the Billboard 200 (dated March 7) with 147K units, the biggest week for a country album by a woman in nearly two years. She tops the MusicRow Songwriter Chart (March 9) and performed "Medicine" on The Tonight Show (March 4). Multiple Cloud 9 tracks are driving TikTok content this week: "Wish I Didn't" and her Ed Sheeran duet "I Only Miss You" are fueling breakup-content and emotional carousels at scale, making her the dominant country presence on the platform.

Buzz Score: 88/100
Why He's Hot: With Heaven On Tour launched March 7 at The Dome at America's Center in St. Louis, a 32-song setlist with nine live song debuts. The 40+ stadium-date world tour runs through October 10 and represents Bryan's largest international touring undertaking to date.

Buzz Score: 85/100
Why He's Hot: The Way I Am (22 tracks, feat. Alison Krauss) drops March 20, preceded by a 24-hour Bootleggers-only preview of 15 unreleased tracks on his birthday (March 2). Two Combs songs sit in the Billboard Country Airplay Top 10 simultaneously, the first time he's achieved that. My Kinda Saturday Night Stadium Tour launches March 21.

Buzz Score: 80/100
Why He's Hot: "Don't We" impacted country radio March 2 as the eighth single from I'm the Problem. I'm the Problem remains at #5 on the Billboard 200, and Wallen is named a CMA Triple Play Award recipient (ceremony April 13). The Still The Problem Tour (23 stadiums) launches April 10.

Buzz Score: 74/100
Why He's Hot: The Night Champion World Tour artist presale went live March 10, with general on-sale set for March 13. The 45-city world tour (U.S., Canada, Australia) runs May through October, and a new album has been teased for summer 2026.

Buzz Score: 68/100
Why He's Hot: The Brunette World Tour was extended by 17 dates (tickets on sale March 6), and new single "Sunburn" is set to drop March 13. "Brunette" sits at #18 on Country Countdown USA and is confirmed as an active trending sound on TikTok this week. Wetmore has surpassed 2 billion career streams and received a MusicRow feature in the Women of Music Row issue.

Buzz Score: 62/100
Why He's Hot: Eight new RIAA certifications announced March 9-10, including "Rock and a Hard Place" (8x Platinum) and "Fall in Love" (6x Platinum).

Buzz Score: 58/100
Why They're Hot: C2C Country to Country Festival (March 13-15, Belfast/Glasgow/London) marks their first UK appearances since 2010 and their first-ever C2C headline slot. The Neon Moon Tour (14 arenas) still looms in September-October, keeping long-term momentum building.

Buzz Score: 54/100
Why He's Hot: C2C co-headliner for March 13-15 in Belfast, Glasgow, and London, his first appearance at the festival in seven years. The Crush Management signing and the end of his 25-year partnership with Borman Entertainment continue to generate industry discussion.