Dear friends and country music lovers,

In this week’s Country Buzz Top 10 (see below), we’ve rounded up all the hottest trends as usual, from Megan Moroney holding down the #1 spot, to Ryan Bingham (of Yellowstone fame) starting his climb at number 10.

Having Ryan on the list is always a blast because he’s a personal favorite of mine (hint, hint!). That said, we can be pretty sure he’ll have a tough time climbing much higher. Our rankings take all the online buzz, throw it into one big bowl, and mix it up to see who’s creating the most TOTAL noise right now.

Artists like Ryan Bingham have that "too-cool-for-school" vibe that makes us love them, even if it sometimes keeps them out of the brightest mainstream spotlight. But we love having him there regardless, it feels right, and he’s earned it. If you’re going to check out one artist from this week’s list, make today your "Ryan Bingham Day." Trust me, he’s worth it.

As for the rest of the heavy hitters, scroll down to see this week’s COUNTRY BUZZ TOP 10.

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,

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Album Release Frenzy: The week of February 12–18 was defined by massive album activity. Megan Moroney's Cloud 9 (Feb 20) and Luke Combs' The Way I Am (March 20) generated the biggest pre-release waves, with both artists teasing star-studded collaborations. Country fans are spoiled for choice heading into spring.

Viral Drama as a Buzz Engine: Zach Bryan's "Chili on a Hot Dog" feud with Brantley Gilbert and Jason Aldean proved that social media controversy still moves the needle in 2026—even when it involves chili dogs. The exchange dominated TikTok and Reddit for days.

Radio Milestones: Jason Aldean’s 31st #1 and the Thomas Rhett/Jordan Davis collab topping the MusicRow chart prove that traditional country radio is still a powerhouse for established stars.

Tour Announcement Season: Dierks Bentley’s Off The Map Tour with Ricky Skaggs continued the breakneck pace of 2026 tour reveals. The strategic connection to his opening slot for Luke Combs adds an extra layer of hype.

Americana Stirrings: Ryan Bingham's album announcement signals that the roots and Americana community is ready to reclaim the spotlight after a quiet few weeks following the Grammys.

Ten great songs from this week’s buzz list. Liten here:

Generated: February 18. (Capturing the buzz for the period February 12 – February 18)

Buzz Score: 97/100
Why She's Hot: The story of the week belongs to Megan Moroney. Her third album, Cloud 9, drops Feb 20, and the hype is deafening. She just released the title track, revealed a 15-song track list featuring Ed Sheeran and Kacey Musgraves, and announced a "9 Cities, 9 Days" fan event. With over 450,000 tickets already sold for her May tour, this is officially Moroney's moment.

Buzz Score: 94/100
Why She's Hot: After hitting #1 on the Hot 100 last week, Langley kept the fire burning with her Valentine’s Day single "Be Her." Co-written with HARDY, who called her a "rocket ship," the track features a disco-tinged vibe and a self-directed video. She’s also the new face of American Eagle, proving her mainstream crossover appeal is real.

Buzz Score: 91/100
Why He's Hot: Combs dominated the news by revealing the 22-song tracklist for “The Way I Am” (due March 20), featuring a surprise Alison Krauss duet. He also dropped the single "Be By You" to a massive fan reception. His stadium tour kicks off in Vegas next month and wraps up at Wembley Stadium in August.

Buzz Score: 86/100
Why He's Hot: Bentley announced his Off The Map Tour alongside bluegrass legend Ricky Skaggs. The reveal featured a viral video of the two jamming on "Free and Easy." This tour marks a full-circle moment for Dierks, as he’ll also be opening for Luke Combs this spring - his first time in an opening slot since 2012.

Buzz Score: 83/100
Why He's Hot: Aldean hit a massive milestone as "How Far Does a Goodbye Go" became his 31st career #1. This puts him in the elite company of George Strait and Alan Jackson. He also gained huge engagement this week by firing back at Zach Bryan’s social media trolling.

Buzz Score: 80/100
Why He's Hot: Zach "broke the internet" with his "Chili on a Hot Dog" parody, aimed squarely at Brantley Gilbert. The resulting feud involving Aldean became the most-discussed moment on Reddit and TikTok. Controversy aside, his album With Heaven On Top is still a juggernaut on the Billboard 200.

Buzz Score: 75/100
Why He's Hot: Wallen continues to defy gravity. “I’m the Problem” is still going strong in its 38th week on the charts. While it was a "quiet" news week for him, his sustained dominance and upcoming Still The Problem Tour keep him firmly in the top tier

Buzz Score: 71/100
Why He's Hot: Rhett and Jordan Davis hit #1 on the MusicRow chart with "Ain’t A Bad Life." He’s also making waves in the business world; following the HYBE AMERICA shake-up, it was revealed he will be a flagship artist for the newly branded Blue Highway Records.

Buzz Score: 67/100
Why He's Hot: The hype for the BIG ASS Stadium Tour (with Jelly Roll) remains high as general sales began this week. While the initial shock of the announcement has cooled, the scale of this tour—and rumors of two upcoming albums—keeps Posty at the center of the conversation.

Buzz Score: 63/100
Why He's Hot: Bingham makes the list after announcing his first studio album in seven years, recorded with The Texas Gentlemen. Described as a mix of a "dance record" and a "protest," the anticipation among the Americana community is sky-high for this long-awaited return.

Methodology Note: Rankings based on aggregated signals from 10+ country news sources (MusicRow, Saving Country Music, Taste of Country, Holler, Country Standard Time, and more) plus streaming charts (Spotify/Apple Music), TikTok trends, radio airplay (Mediabase/MusicRow CountryBreakout), social media engagement, and Billboard chart data over February 5-11,
Buzz scores are calculated using: News volume (40%), News quality/prominence (15%), Streaming chart position (20%), Social media engagement (15%), Recency factor (10%)

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