This Easter week, I’ve got a real "Easter egg" for you, my dear followers. I wanted to do something truly fun and inspiring to thank you for following my work and for helping me open the world of country music to more and more people.

I know how much joy country music has brought to my life over the years, and I want everyone to have that same gift—melodies and stories that can guide you through life’s thickets.

Starting today, you can play and discover new country music in a fun way directly on your iPhone, iPad or Mac. (We’re hoping Android and PC versions might be coming down the road, so stay tuned!)

Find the game here: https://apps.apple.com/se/app/songster-music-quiz/id6760907389

Give it a try and let me know what you think! If you enjoy the experience, I’d be so grateful if you’d leave a rating in the app: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Before you spend your entire Easter weekend playing country games on SONGSTER, you can sharpen your skills by checking out this week's BUZZ LIST below. Find out what’s really moving the needle in the country world and which names are getting the most hype right now.

The Top 10 List: Available right here for free. Scroll down.

The Full Top 20: To see the complete list (spots 11–20), please consider supporting my work by becoming a SUPPORTER. It’s a small cost for you, but it makes a massive difference for me. Scroll down.

Thank you for all your invaluable support. Here are a few teasers regarding this week's movers and shakers:
DROPS OUT: Carrie Underwood (#14), Koe Wetzel (#15), Zach Bryan (#18)
NEW ENTRIES: ERNEST (#9), HARDY (#15), Jackson Dean (#16)

Thanks 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!)

📻 Radio's Biggest Night Hands Country Four Awards to Three Artists: The March 26 iHeartRadio Music Awards swept all four country categories to a tight triumvirate: Morgan Wallen (Country Artist of the Year, Country Album of the Year for I'm the Problem), Ella Langley (Best New Country Artist), and Shaboozey (Country Song of the Year for "Good News"). No other ceremony this cycle has mapped the current chart order to a single night's hardware so precisely, or confirmed country's top tier so emphatically.

🏟️Stadium Season Enters Final Countdown, With New Music Upping the Ante: Morgan Wallen's March 26 studio Instagram post (500,000+ likes, with comedian Theo Von in frame hinting at a live show role) ignited fresh speculation about a deluxe I'm the Problem release timed to the April 10 Still the Problem Tour launch in Minneapolis. With Ella Langley's Dandelion (April 10), Charley Crockett's Age of the Ram (April 3), and Jackson Dean's Magnolia Sage (April 24) all imminent, country's spring release window is stacking up as one of the most loaded in recent memory.

🤠 The Sagebrush Trilogy Closes In on Its Finale: Charley Crockett's Age of the Ram arrives April 3 via Island Records, a 20-track conclusion to a trilogy completed across three albums in 13 months. Co-produced by Shooter Jennings at Sunset Sound, the project draws pre-release coverage from every major roots and Americana outlet this week, cementing Crockett's position as the most prolific roots act operating at a major label in the current era.

💰 Publishing Money Keeps Flowing Into Country Songwriting: ERNEST's global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music (March 25) and Domain Capital's close of a $768 million entertainment fund, featuring Miranda Lambert's catalog as a headline investment (also March 25), arrived on the same day. The back-to-back announcements reinforce that country songwriting rights remain among the most sought-after assets in entertainment finance.

👣 Nashville's Live Business Expands Its Global Footprint: Cody Johnson announced UK and Ireland dates for his Live '26 Tour, building on his record-breaking Houston Rodeo momentum. Luke Combs is confirmed for three Wembley Stadium sell-outs (the first country artist ever to do so), and Morgan Wallen's Still the Problem Tour includes college football stadium stops that no country act has previously claimed at this scale. Country's live infrastructure is operating at its widest international reach to date.

Jason Aldean has built his massive career on a foundation of bombastic, arena-ready country rock, earning him a huge following in the U.S. where he is celebrated as one of the genre’s modern-day giants.

For years, I found it difficult to get past that "tough guy," arena-rock persona. However, upon closer inspection of his extensive catalog, his deep country roots are actually easy to spot. So, I’ve put together a playlist of ten "more country-ish" favorites from the Aldean vault.

Hat on, volume to 11 - enjoy: Listen here!

Week of March 26 – April 1, 2026 (generated: April 1)

Buzz Score: 97/100
Why She's Hot: Ella Langley's week starts with a Best New Country Artist win at the March 26 iHeartRadio Music Awards (presented by Shaboozey, with Langley seated between Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus), adds a fourth consecutive week at Hot 100 #1 for "Choosin' Texas" (chart dated March 28, record-breaking by any female country artist), and keeps "Be Her" locked at Hot Country Songs #2, a double she now holds for a second straight week. With Dandelion nine days out (April 10), Stagecoach approaching (April 24), and the Dandelion Tour launching May 7, she is the unambiguous center of gravity in country music.

Buzz Score: 91/100
Why He's Hot: The March 26 iHeartRadio Music Awards handed Wallen Country Artist of the Year and Country Album of the Year for I'm the Problem, and the same evening his viral studio Instagram post (500,000+ likes, featuring comedian Theo Von) sent fans and media into a new music frenzy just 10 days before the Still the Problem Tour launches in Minneapolis. I'm the Problem holds at over 224 weeks total at Hot Country Albums #1 per published records, "Don't We" is active at radio, and the tour's rotating support roster (Brooks & Dunn, HARDY, Thomas Rhett, Ella Langley) keeps his name in every opening-act story this week.

Buzz Score: 84/100
Why He's Hot: The Way I Am (March 20, 22 tracks) is one week into its release cycle and still generating deep-dive coverage, with Billboard tracking "Days Like These" and "Sleepless in a Hotel Room" as simultaneous Country Airplay Top 10 entries, the first time any artist has managed that since Wallen in 2023. The My Kinda Saturday Night Stadium Tour is underway, with three confirmed Wembley Stadium sell-outs in August making Combs the first country artist to achieve that feat. The album's critical conversation is just getting started.

Buzz Score: 77/100
Why She's Hot: Wilson delivered the most-discussed live performance of the March 26 iHeartRadio Music Awards, a three-song set ("Wildflowers and Wild Horses," "Hang Tight Honey," "Heart Like A Truck") that opened in black and white before bursting into color, followed by her presenting Miley Cyrus with the Innovator Award in a full-circle moment rooted in her Hannah Montana days. She stays confirmed for the 61st ACM Awards (May 17) for the world premiere of "Can't Sit Still," and the Netflix documentary arrives April 22. Stagecoach is also on the calendar.

Buzz Score: 72/100
Why He's Hot: Age of the Ram (April 3, Island Records) is two days from release at week's end, completing the Sagebrush Trilogy, a three-album run in 13 months with producer Shooter Jennings. The pre-release press cycle is at full pitch, with Pitchfork, Consequence, Rolling Stone, Holler, and Saving Country Music all publishing this week. The 39-date Age of the Ram Tour, featuring Durand Jones & The Indications and Margo Price, is on sale. His Canada border controversy continues circulating in coverage, adding an adversarial narrative that amplifies the traditional-versus-industry framing he leans into.

Buzz Score: 65/100
Why He's Hot: The Country Music Hall of Fame induction announcement (March 20) continues generating second-cycle coverage this week, with Kenny Chesney publicly praising the selection and Saving Country Music renewing its Dwight Yoakam/Clint Black bypass debate. "McArthur" (with HARDY, Eric Church, and Morgan Wallen) holds at #25 on Mediabase Country Airplay, keeping him on radio playlists. No new major event this specific week, but the CMHOF announcement has more shelf life than most single-cycle stories.

Buzz Score: 60/100
Why He's Hot: Country Song of the Year at the March 26 iHeartRadio Music Awards for "Good News" is Shaboozey's biggest single-night recognition since logging 19 weeks at Hot 100 #1 in 2025. He also presented Ella Langley's Best New Country Artist award on the same show, making him a double presence on music's most-watched country night of the spring. "Amen" with Jelly Roll continues climbing radio, Stagecoach is on the horizon, and his streaming baseline stays exceptionally high.

Buzz Score: 56/100
Why He's Hot: The Houston Rodeo record (80,203 fans, March 22) is now in its second news cycle, with residual coverage still generating social shares. He remains a confirmed first-round ACM Awards performer (May 17, Las Vegas) and announced UK and Ireland dates for his Live '26 Tour this week, expanding his international footprint on the back of the rodeo momentum. Stagecoach headlining (April 24-26) is the next major event milestone. The drop from #3 reflects the natural news-cycle fade from last week's record-breaking event, not any loss of fundamentals.

Buzz Score: 51/100
Why He's Hot: The biggest business week of ERNEST's career hit in 48 hours: a global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music (March 25), followed immediately by the Deep Blue album announcement (May 1, Big Loud Records) and the release of the title track and "End Of The Night" (March 27). Deep Blue is a 13-track tropical-influenced set co-produced with Jacob Durrett, featuring a Lukas Nelson collaboration and rare outside cuts from the vaults of Toby Keith and Paul Overstreet. He is also confirmed for a fourth CMA Triple Play Award in April, a 4X CMA Triple Play winner operating at peak creative and business momentum.

Buzz Score: 47/100
Why She's Hot: Cloud 9 holds inside the Billboard 200 Top 5 for a third straight week. She appeared at the She Is The Music Awards ceremony this week, where she redirected attention to the organization's mission from the stage. TikTok engagement on "Wish I Didn't" and "I Only Miss You" (with Ed Sheeran) remains very high, sustained by the ongoing love-triangle narrative with Ella Langley and Riley Green. The Cloud 9 arena tour launches May 26.

Methodology: Rankings based on aggregated signals from primary country news sources (MusicRow, Saving Country Music, Taste of Country, Holler, Maverick Country, Country Standard Time, Country Beat Magazine, Lone Star Music Magazine, Texas Country Music Magazine, Roots Music Magazine, Feedspot) plus secondary editorial sources (Billboard, Rolling Stone, Variety, American Songwriter, Consequence). Spotify/streaming chart data, Mediabase/Country Airplay data, and social media engagement over the past 7 days.
Buzz score formula: news volume 40%, streaming/chart position 20%, news quality 15%, social media engagement 15%, recency 10%.