Name the top two songwriters in the history of the Billboard country charts — go ahead.

Is Willie Nelson one of them? Nope.

Dolly Parton? Nope.

Hank Williams? Still nope.

Kris Kristofferson? Not quite.

Two modern songwriters — Ashley Gorley (“I Had Some Help,” “I Am Not Okay”) and Shane McAnally (“Body Like a Back Road,” “Mama’s Broken Heart”) — ranked No. 1 and No. 2 on Record Research’s first-ever study of the Top Country Songwriters 1944-2025, based on the Billboard charts. Billboard unveils the top 10 exclusively in this edition, while a full list of the top 40 appears in Joel Whitburn’s Top Country Singles 1944-2025, due to be published by Record Research June 4. The book arrives concurrently with the launch of the annual CMA Fest in Nashville.

Gorley and McAnally benefit from longevity and volume — both have consistently seen their names in parentheses on the country charts for more than 15 years — but also from their era. The study weights Billboard’s Country Airplay charts more heavily than the multimetric Hot Country Songs, but the latter chart still has allowed more titles to burst into public consciousness for short windows through its inclusion of streaming data. Songs featured on major new albums, or that benefit from some cultural event, tend to make a splash on that list, and McAnally and Gorley have had a number of those, in addition to hits that emerge through more traditional, longer-term patterns. That trend is indebted to the democratization of music that analysts predicted in the early stages of the industry’s digital age.

“I think this chart actually reflects that,” says Record Research partner Vinnie Freda, who played a key role in rejuvenating the company. “Because of the impact of streaming services, there tends to be less of a curation that takes place compared to, say, the 20th century. The consumer has a little bit more of a say.”

Only two of the top 10 all-time writers were also artists from start to finish in their career, a fact that will likely not surprise many Nashville publishers or country music professionals. But it might come as a shock to consumers. (Full disclosure: I’ll be moderating a panel June 6 during CMA Fest built around the full top 40 list with Freda, Gorley and McAnally).

The list’s two artist-writers, Bill Anderson (No. 4) and Merle Haggard (No. 10), developed the kinds of careers that at least two of the other top 10 writers originally targeted. Bob McDill (“Gone Country,” “Good Ole Boys Like Me”), who ranked No. 3; and Rhett Akins (“Dirt On My Boots,” “Honey Bee”), No. 9; had artist aspirations early on but discovered writing better suited them.

Also in the top 10 are Harlan Howard (“I Fall to Pieces,” “Why Not Me”), No. 5; Billy Sherrill (“Stand by Your Man,” “The Most Beautiful Girl”), No. 6; Craig Wiseman (“Live Like You Were Dying,” “Summertime”), No. 7; and Tom Shapiro (“You Look Good in My Shirt,” “Wink”), No. 8.

Top Country Singles 1944-2025 is the first title released since Record Research was rejuvenated. The company produced a string of essential chart references — generally recognized as the “Whitburn books” — that presented artist chart histories compiled across many of Billboard’s authoritative charts. Programmers, journalists, industry pros and intense music geeks all used them to do their jobs and/or settle scores. But Record Researchstruggled following Whitburn’s death in 2022, and when the company sent an email to customers in May 2025 saying it needed help, Freda — a Universal Music Group and Warner Music vet who’d been a customer since 1982 — stepped forward with plans to revive it.

As work on the Country Singles book began, KCCS Productions president Nan Kingsley (who oversees the estate of late broadcaster Bob Kingsley, host of Bob Kingsley’s Top 40) and Results Global co-head John Zarling suggested expanding that product with songwriters’ chart histories. The idea resonated with Freda.

“I’ve always felt that songwriters were [the] unsung heroes of the business,” Freda says. “And generally, country has always respected songwriters more than any other genre.”

Freda picked CMA Fest as the ideal time to publish the new Country Singles book. It fit the timeline as the company plotted a release date, and it was also an event that involves many of the genre’s artists and executives, in addition to attracting its most avid fans.

“Perhaps my biggest problem at the company is the demographic of my customers is generally 50 and above,” Freda says. “If you talk to somebody [that] age or older, and you say ‘Joel Whitburn,’ they immediately know what you’re talking about. If you talk to a 30-year-old, they’re like, ‘Who the hell was Joel Whitburn?’ Generally, our audience are certainly anyone in radio, record label people and any other kind of collector or nerd out there. They’re on our customer list.”

But Freda hopes to expand that base, both with books and a reinvigorated online offering. Record Research jumped into a subscription service around the mid-2000s, but it lasted only a year or two.

“They were a bit ahead of their time,” Freda says. “The technology was not yet in a place where it was a very good experience for the consumer.”

Freda plans to reintroduce the digital product in a year or so, with artificial intelligence helping to make the site more fluid. It would include games and trivia that would make it more interactive.

Other offerings on the horizon include a new iteration of the Hot Country Albums book, which hasn’t been updated since 2007, and a producer section that will highlight the chart histories and rankings of the figures behind the glass. The songwriter and producer information, if all goes to plan, will also be featured in other genres as Record Research celebrates the music lists that reflect the culture.

“Charts are not a replacement for what’s the best song out there,” Freda says. “The greatest song of all-time isn’t the song that went to No. 1 on the chart necessarily, but what I think chart positions represent are memories. A song that spends 10 weeks on a chart tends to be more in the collective memory of our society than a song that spent one week at 34.

“As human beings, we are nothing more than a collection of memories, and so that’s why it’s just fun to read the charts.”

When Eric Church Had A ‘Hell Of A View’ From The Top Of The Chart

The singer created his rebel ‘Soul’ entry in a single day in the mountains of North Carolina.

Most people visit a restaurant for a meal.

For Eric Church, it might be the site of a creative endeavor.

In January 2020, he settled in with his band at the Artisinal restaurant on the North Carolina side of the Smoky Mountains for a month of music-making. The goal was simple: write and record a new song each day until he built up enough material for three albums: Heart, & and Soul. The latter would include “Hell of a View,” which topped Billboard’s Country Airplay chart dated May 29, 2021.

“Hell” became an exercise after Church and his co-writers got their steps in one morning. Casey Beathard (“Homeboy,” “Don’t Blink”) returned from his walk with an idea about a couple living and loving on the edge, and he developed the initial lines with Monty Criswell (“Bottle Rockets,” “Handle On You”). Church joined in once he got back from a run.

After they finished writing it, they recorded the song that day with drummer Craig Wright miked up in the wine cellar. Producer Jay Joyce (Miranda Lambert, Brothers Osborne) finished “Hell” overnight when Church and the rest of the musicians went to bed.

Released to country radio via PlayMPE on Oct. 20, 2020, it arrived at the top of Country Airplay in its 29th week on the list; it also peaked at No. 2 on the multimetric Hot Country Songs.

Track 5 on the Soul album — issued April 20, 2021, by EMI Nashville — “Hell” was certified gold by the RIAA that June and went double-platinum on July 17, 2023.

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John Summit is hitting the road this fall with a massive arena tour titled CTRL ESCAPE.

The concert series, named after Summit’s 2026 sophomore album released on April 15, begins Oct. 1 and spans 20 dates. CTRL ESCAPE will start in Champaign, Ill., the city where Summit went to college to study accounting. The opening date is fitting, considering Summit’s CTRL ESCAPE album focuses heavily on leaving the accounting world to pursue music full time.

After a brief stint in Canada lasting three days, the DJ will cross the border to perform in Philadelphia, Boston, D.C., Houston, Atlanta, Chicago and Miami before finishing the tour at the Oakland Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Dec. 4. Beyond his CTRL ESCAPE tour, Summit is also playing a residency at [UNVRS] in Ibiza this summer, and headlining Lollapalooza in late July, adding to his already busy 2026. If you can’t make those gigs, this arena tour is your best bet to see the DJ live.

If you’re looking to catch the musician in an arena near you, you’ll want to check out official sites such as Ticketmaster. For sold-out shows, you’ll want to look to resale sites includuing StubHub and SeatGeek. Below, we’ve shared the best sites to snag tickets to Summit’s shows at inexpensive pricing. Keep reading to learn more.

Where to Buy Affordable Tickets to John Summit’s 2026 CTRL ESCAPE Arena Tour

As of writing, pricing for seating to the DJ’s show on Ticketmaster is pretty budget friendly at certain venues. We’ve seen tickets go for as low as $31.25 for spots in higher sections of venues like the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. If you’re looking for an up-close view, floor seats are available for $200+. The ticketing service offers a fan guarantee, which allows for cancellations, refunds or exchanges within 24 hours of booking, subject to certain exclusions.

StubHub is a great option when searching for reasonably priced seating. As of this writing, we have seen ticket prices for the musician’s arena shows go for as low as $52. That said, competition for seating is strong, and tickets at this price are scarce. When searching on StubHub, you’ll find certain venues labeled with a “great value” sticker that indicates pretty hefty markdowns on tickets. The site will also indicate if seats are selling fast, helping buyers strategize their purchase.

The platform makes buying tickets easy with its “FanProtect Guarantee,” which protects your purchases with authentic tickets and refund policies. Plus, if your event is canceled and not rescheduled, you will receive a credit worth 120% of the amount you paid, or the option of a cash refund.

SeatGeek is a ticketing site with inexpensive options for CTRL ESCAPE. Summit’s United Center show in Chicago features seating for as low as $39. Seats on the floor are around $300+. Right now, you can use promo code BILLBOARD10 at checkout to receive $10 off for new members. The ticketing service features a Buyer Guarantee that ensures smooth ticket purchases every time.

A great option for price-conscious ticket shoppers is Vivid Seats. The site has a slew of affordable options on prime venues like the United Center in Chicago for $36 or the Kaseya Center in Miami for $40. To sweeten the deal, you can use our promo code BB30 to snag $30 off your purchase for new members only. The ticketing service offers a “100% Buyer Guarantee” policy that vows your transaction will be secure, that your tickets will be delivered before your event, and that your tickets will be valid and authentic. 

More savings can never be bad. You can grab stubs to Summit’s set through TicketNetwork with the code BILLBOARD150 to save $150 off orders of $500. TicketNetwork has $48 seats for the DJ’s Miami show at the Kaseya Center. If you don’t have the funds to buy your tickets just yet, you can also buy the tickets on the website now and pay later with help from Affirm. Plus, the website includes all-in pricing that lets you see exactly what you’ll be paying upfront (fees included).

We’ve also found that Gametime has great pricing and tons of seating for the musician’s arena tour. Tickets are going for as low as $37 at some venues. Gametime’s in-depth maps show that there are still ample seats available for spots on the floor or higher up. The site will also notify you when certain venues/dates feature deals, allowing you to find the best pricing every time.

Given how in demand Summit’s sets are, seating can be sparse. Gametime guarantees the lowest prices, event cancellation protection and on-time ticket delivery for a smooth ticket-buying experience every time, no matter the occasion.

John Summit 2026 Arena Tour Dates

Oct. 1 – Champaign, IL @ State Farm Center
Oct. 29 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden
Oct. 30 – State College, PA @ Bryce Jordan Center
Oct. 31 – Washington, D.C. @ Capital One Arena
Nov. 5 – Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
Nov. 6 – Austin, TX @ Moody Center
Nov. 7 – Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena
Nov. 13 – Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center
Nov. 14 – Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center
Nov. 15 – Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
Nov. 20 – Miami, FL @ Kaseya Center
Nov. 21 – Miami, FL @ Kaseya Center
Nov. 24 – Chicago, IL @ United Center
Nov. 25 – Chicago, IL @ United Center
Nov. 27 – Philadelphia, PA @ Liacouras Center
Nov. 28 – Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
Dec. 4 – Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena

Keznamdi’s Blxxd & Fyah era isn’t over yet!

The 2026 recipient of the best reggae album Grammy officially announced the full slate of U.S. dates for his upcoming tour, billed Blxxd & Fyah Live, on Monday (June 1). The five-date trek will begin in San Francisco’s Café du Nord on Oct. 4, playing several shows across California and Pennsylvania before concluding with a Brooklyn Bowl show on Oct. 14 in New York.

“The production is going to be bigger; we’re going to raise the bar in reggae and dancehall,” Keznamdi promises Billboard the morning after his jam-packed S.O.B.’s show. “Reggae music can’t exist without the live aspect because it’s music that speaks about life. And that direct human connection, especially with [the rise of] AI, is something that cannot be replicated.”

Keznamdi celebrated his inaugural Grammy win with a pair of U.S. shows. He played the Hotel Café in Los Angeles on May 13, followed by a stop at New York City’s S.O.B.’s on May 20. Those two towering performances came just a month after storied hip-hop trio The LOX remixed “Bun Di Ganja,” a standout cut from Blxxd & Fyah, underscoring the impressive momentum Keznamdi has maintained since his show-stealing acceptance speech at the Grammy Premiere Ceremony (Feb. 1). Before his tour kickoff, Keznamdi will also headline a free concert at Eisenhower Park in New York’s Long Island on July 17.

“From the first song, people were in tune and locked in,” he reflects. “They sang the songs word for word, and that’s every artist’s dream: being able to share music you wrote by yourself and have people relate to it. My voice is still a little fatigued from the New York show, which had such a strong Caribbean community present. … The S.O.B.’s show was also the first time the industry came out to see me; they knew about me, but I don’t think they understood that I actually had a fan base. The word of mouth is going to be crazy after this show.”

According to the Kingston-born star, Live Nation wanted to handle his first post-Grammy win shows, but he really wanted to “do something special with S.O.B.’s.” As an independent artist, Keznamdi found that freedom of choice meant everything — and it also makes his upcoming Brooklyn Bowl show that much more special. Mounted in partnership with Live Nation, that concert will mark the reggae sensation’s largest New York headlining show to date.

Outside of music, Keznamdi has kept busy in the film world. Beach Inna Bondage: The Fight for Jamaica’s Coastline, a documentary short Keznamdi crafted in collaboration with Jamaican activist group JaBBEM, premiered at Kingston’s Café Rosa on May 2. The film traces the debilitating effects of beach privatization on Jamaica’s coastline, and the grassroots resistance efforts local communities are waging against large-scale tourism developments. Though he’s setting up some stateside screenings for the short, Keznamdi is already hard at work on his next album.

“There have been a lot of big features that have reached out since the [Grammy] win; a lot of big international and U.S. acts, and also some from across the Caribbean diaspora,” he teases. “I’ve been doing a lot of features, which should be coming out on other people’s albums within the next couple of weeks. I’m about 50% done with the new album; we did a live session recording before we left L.A., and it’s finally sounding like an album now. Hopefully, we can keep the momentum going and drop another album this year.”

Check out the U.S. dates for Keznamdi’s Blxxd & Fyah Live and watch the official tour announcement below.

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Olivia Rodrigo has worked her magic in the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge once again, delivering an exquisite cover of CMAT’s “When a Good Man Cries” on Tuesday (June 2).

The pop star, who will release her third LP, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, on June 12, surprised listeners by including the CMAT track in her session, alongside a performance of new single “The Cure.”

The moment didn’t go unnoticed by CMAT (born Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson), who reacted via a playful Instagram post, writing: “She sang it better than me, so now I’m toast.”

Fans are reacting to the cover as clips began circulating online. On Reddit, listeners described the cover as “so random and wonderful,” while others celebrated seeing “two worlds coming together,” suggesting it could introduce CMAT’s music to a larger audience.

“When a Good Man Cries” features on CMAT’s breakout record Euro-Country, which was released in summer 2025 to critical acclaim. The album, which marked the 30-year-old’s third studio album, landed a Mercury Prize nomination and earned the Ivor Novello award for best album at May’s ceremony.

Her profile has continued to rise through major festival appearances, including a Pyramid Stage slot at Glastonbury in 2025, and the viral success of Euro-Country single “Take a Sexy Picture of Me.” The latter inspired a TikTok dance trend dubbed the “Woke Macarena” and earned CMAT her first placement on the Official U.K. Singles Chart (No. 42 peak). 

Rodrigo’s performance comes at a particularly meaningful moment for CMAT. In recent days, the Irish singer publicly addressed body-shaming comments she received following a set at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend on May 23, sharing her frustration and “deep sadness” over the scrutiny directed at her appearance. The post prompted an outpouring of support from fans and artists alike, while Rodrigo has also recently spoken out against online commentary against a series of babydoll dresses worn during her current album campaign. 

Rodrigo is no stranger to the Live Lounge format. During her last BBC Radio 1 appearance in 2023, the singer put her own spin on Noah Kahan’s smash hit “Stick Season,” which quickly became one of the most viewed covers from that year’s Live Lounge Month.

The 23-year-old kicked off the You Seem Pretty Sad … era in April with the release of the album’s lead single, “Drop Dead.” The track, which was accompanied by a video filmed at the Palace of Versailles in Paris, debuted atop both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Official U.K. Singles Chart.

Watch Rodrigo cover “When a Good Man Cries” above, and perform “The Cure” for Live Lounge below: