3x GRAMMY Award-winners Dan + Shay released their first-ever holiday album, It’s Officially Christmas: The Double Album, via Warner Music Nashville.

For the past ten years, Dan + Shay have put this cheerful project on their list for Santa, and today they, along with their fans across the globe, awoke to find It’s Officially Christmas: The Double Album under their tree.

About It’s Officially Christmas: The Double Album Dan + Shay shared “We are so excited to announce our very first Christmas album, and surprise, IT’S A DOUBLE ALBUM. This project has been a decade in the making, and we are so proud of every single note. We truly leaned into our love for the holiday season and think we found some magic in these songs.”

They added “Our hope is that you are able to enjoy + share that same magic with your loved ones for years to come. As always, thank you for continuing to believe in us and allowing us to live our dream. We’re grateful for you, and we’re grateful for Christmas!”

The new It’s Officially Christmas: The Double Album features 21 songs; ten traditional, well known and widely loved, standards (“Disc 1”) and eleven originals written/co-written by Dan + Shay, including three written solely by Dan Smyers himself. Sharing production duties on It’s Officially Christmas: The Double Album is the band’s Dan Smyers, and Scott Hendricks.

Prior to release of It’s Officially Christmas: The Double Album, tracks “Take Me Home For Christmas” and “Pick Out A Christmas Tree” from the album are already wrapped in “gold” tinsel, reaching GOLD certification by the RIAA. Warner Music Nashville’s Co-Chair/Co-President Cris Lacy surprised Dan + Shay with the joyful news at an intimate industry event at the WMN label’s office in Nashville, Tennessee.

John Anderson’s iconic voice was permanently etched into history when he was formally inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. During the official Medallion Ceremony, held in the Country Music Hall of Fame’s CMA Theater in Nashville, an emotional Anderson graciously accepted the honor.

Anderson reacted to his induction with the following statement:

“I can’t count the times in the last couple of days when a great feeling would come over me and a smile would be on my face. Getting inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame at the ceremony on October 20th is one of the greatest honors I could have or ever hope to have. I’m so very grateful to Kyle Young and everyone at the Country Music Hall of Fame, as well as everyone who voted for me. I’m glad my family and friends were at the ceremony as the entire show was really wonderful and full of surprises. It also reminded me how fortunate I am to go in with Toby Keith and James Burton, as they are both American heroes. I’d also like to send a special gratitude to Shawn Camp, Del McCoury and Lucinda Williams for their great performances. And a special thanks to Bobby Braddock for his great induction speech. The Class of 24 is a great class to be in. As always, I thank the fans who have supported the music and the shows for the last 50 years. I could never have done it if it weren’t for you. I’m proud to have a spot in a place that preserves such greatness. I will proudly carry this honor for the rest of my life. Thanks to all of you and God Bless.”

Anderson was inducted by his longtime friend and colleague, Bobby Braddock, also a Country Music Hall of Fame member. During the ceremony, several artists paid tribute to Anderson with live performances of his songs: Shawn Camp sang “I Just Came Home to Count the Memories,” Del McCoury Band performed “Would You Catch a Falling Star” and Lucinda Williams closed with “Wild and Blue.”

As part of the Country Music Hall of Fame Class of 2024, Anderson was inducted in the Veterans Era Artist category, alongside the late Toby Keith in the Modern Era Artist category and James Burton in the Recording and/or Touring Musician category.

A steadfast force for traditionalism in country music, Anderson made an enduring impact in country music with his down-home, instantly recognizable singing style and memorable recordings. Influenced by Country Music Hall of Fame members Lefty Frizzell, Merle Haggard and George Jones as well as Levon Helm of the Band, the Florida native fashioned his own breathy, note-bending vocal approach, which put a distinctive stamp on hard-country ballads (“Wild and Blue”) and up-tempo numbers (“Seminole Wind”) alike. In 1983, he won the CMA’s Horizon Award and Single of the Year for his best-selling hit “Swingin.’” Between 1981 and 1995, he earned 20 Top 10 country singles and five #1 hits.

After concluding two years on the road touring his third studio album with his record-setting One Night At A Time tour, 15-time Billboard Music Awards winner Morgan Wallen has doubled down in the studio setting up his next era. Today, to commemorate Friday’s (10/18) release of “Love Somebody” and his homecoming shows in Knoxville in September – which became the largest weekend on-record for the city with 156,161 fans in attendance – Wallen releases his “Love Somebody (Live from Neyland Stadium)” music video.

Directed by David Lehr & David Forehand and co-directed by Global Extreme, “Love Somebody (Live from Neyland Stadium)” was filmed Sept. 22 on the second of two nights at University of Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium. Wallen became only the fourth artist ever to play the venue, which is the sixth largest college football stadium in the U.S., and surpassed the attendance record previously held by The Jackson 5 across three shows in 1984 (148,407).

“‘Love Somebody’ is a little bit of a new approach lyrically and sonically,” Wallen shared upon the song’s release on Oct. 18. “I wanted to try something different, with what I wanted to talk about, how I wanted it to sound, and we were inspired by Latin-leaning influences. I’m really excited about this song and pumped that it is out.”

“Love Somebody,” celebrated by HITS Daily Double as a “heartbreak hit-in-the-making,” was written by Wallen alongside John Byron, Ashley Gorley, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, Elof Loelv and Ryan Vojtesak, and was produced by Joey Moi and Charlie Handsome (Dangerous: The Double Album and One Thing At A Time). Craving something different against a neon-lit backdrop, the East Tennessean singer/songwriter offers a candid glimpse at the difficulties of finding someone “Who ain’t hypnotized / By dollar signs and blindin’ lights,” as he searches for authenticity.

Also in 2025, Wallen will host his inaugural Sand In My Boots Festival on the beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama. Wallen, Post Malone, Brooks & Dunn and HARDY will headline the festival across three days and three nights, with additional guests including Riley Green, Bailey Zimmerman, T-Pain, Diplo, Wiz Khalifa, The War on Drugs, 2 Chainz, Chase Rice, Three 6 Mafia, 3 Doors Down, Ella Langley, ERNEST, Morgan Wade, Moneybagg Yo and more.

George Jones fans are in for a treat with the announcement of the new album, George Jones: The Lost Nashville Sessions set to release on November 15 on Country Rewind Records. Originally recorded for radio airplay in the 1970s, these tracks have been enhanced, capturing Jones’ signature sound by bringing the audio quality up to twenty-first-century standards. This was achieved by subtly adding instrumentation and background vocals beneath Jones’ voice where needed.

The record features sixteen tracks, including both beloved hits and lesser-known recordings. Many will recognize iconic songs like “The Race Is On,” “The Grand Tour,” “White Lightnin’,” and “Tender Years.” This collection also brings to light rare recordings of tracks such as “Old Brush Arbors,” “She’s Mine,” “Four-O-Thirty-Three,” and “The Honky Tonk Downstairs,” which was premiered by American Songwriter.

“Music truly is the gift that keeps giving,” shares Nancy Jones. “Even after all these years, we’re still releasing new music from George. This collection features sixteen songs, and while some may be familiar hits, these versions are ones you’ve never heard before. I’m thrilled to share them with all of his devoted fans.”

These recordings were initially made exclusively for artist promotion, often completed in just one or two takes with an announcer’s voice between songs. Once aired, the tapes were often discarded or destroyed by the stations. Country Rewind Records President and Executive Producer Thomas Gramuglia discovered the original boxed master tapes and recognized that true fans would appreciate hearing these timeless recordings despite their poor condition after years of neglect. With the help of producer Paul Martin, George Jones: The Lost Nashville Sessions provides a unique collection of George Jones’ music that showcases his emotional depth and lasting influence on country music.

Nancy Jones recently released Playin’ Possum: My Memories of George Jones, offering an intimate look at her life with the legendary country singer. Married for over 30 years, Nancy stood by George through his battles with addiction, alcoholism, and self-destructive behaviors, becoming instrumental in saving both his life and career. Known as “The Possum,” George Jones is regarded as one of the greatest country music singers of all time, and Nancy’s account reveals the highs and lows of their tumultuous life together. Her unwavering love and determination shine throughout the memoir. To purchase Playin’ Possum: My Memories of George Jones.

Also recently at the 45th annual Telly Awards, country music was well-represented as Still Playin’ Possum: Music & Memories of George Jones emerged as a top winner. The program took home a Gold statue for Best Music Performance (Television), along with Bronze statues for Best Entertainment Program (Television) and Best Live Event & Experience (Television).

Artists included in Still Playin’ Possum: Music & Memories of George Jones were Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, Jelly Roll, Tanya Tucker, Wynonna, Jamey Johnson, Trace Adkins, Travis Tritt, Sam Moore, Sara Evans, Justin Moore, Joe Nichols, Lorrie Morgan, Uncle Kracker, Gretchen Wilson, Aaron Lewis, Tracy Lawrence, Michael Ray, Tracy Byrd, Blackberry Smoke’s Charlie Starr, Dillon Carmicheal, The Isaacs, T. Graham Brown, Janie Fricke, Tim Watson, and Lisa Matassa all performed songs that Jones made hits.

What happens when you combine the artistry of a Purple Heart recipient, a Country music hitmaker, and a living legend? Magic, in the form of a haunting ballad honoring our fallen veterans while a “prayer for peace” emerges.

Artist, songwriter and Purple Heart recipient Scotty Hasting enlisted the help of country music hitmaker Lee Brice and the iconic Dolly Parton on the deeply personal and thought-provoking, “Til The Last Shot’s Fired,” available now (10/18).

The song, initially recorded by Trace Adkins (with the West Point Choir), was written by Doug Johnson and Rob Crosby and deeply affected Scotty Hasting while recovering from being wounded in action.

“The first time I heard ‘Til The Last Shot’s Fired,’ I was at Walter Reed,” shared Hasting, who spent six months at the National Military Medical Center in recovery after being shot ten times while serving in Afghanistan. “It was like something inside of me flipped. I started sobbing, and I couldn’t stop. At that moment, I knew that I had to live life to the fullest for my friends who would never have the opportunity to. I wasn’t going to let my injuries dictate how I lived my life or for their sacrifice to be in vain.”

Fast-forward ten years to 2023, and a chance encounter in Nashville led Hasting to Doug Johnson, one of the song’s writers and the VP of A&R at Black River Entertainment. That meeting quite literally changed the course of Hasting’s life and led to his recording and publishing deals.

Hasting’s release of his own version of “Til The Last Shot’s Fired,” produced by Doug Johnson, is an emotional, full-circle moment. Having Lee Brice and Dolly Parton on the track takes it to an unbelievable new level.

“This collaboration means the world to me,” confessed Hasting. “I’m honored that Lee and Ms. Dolly want to be a part of not only this song but also my story and my journey. My hope for ‘Til The Last Shot’s Fired,’ is that it brings peace to fellow Veterans, and their families, who are struggling.”

The solemn track opens with Hasting painting a lyrical scene just outside of Nashville in 1864 during the Civil War before leading into the chorus begging for a prayer for peace. Brice picks up the grave story in 1944, where the soldier “waded through the blood of Omaha Shore.”

“This song shook me to the core the first time I heard it,” shared Brice. “I am a huge supporter of our military community, and every word of ‘Til The Last Shot’s Fired’ makes me think of the surreal circumstances our brave service members endure to keep us safe. It was an honor to record this song with Scotty, who is a huge talent, and of course, the one and only Dolly being a part of this made it even more special.”

As the chilling story continues to unfold through the fields of Vietnam and the mountains of Afghanistan, the heartbroken and exhausted soldiers are met with an unexpected respite.

Like a ray of light straight out of Heaven, Dolly breaks the desperation with hope and a prayer for peace for every daughter and every son, even adlibbing a final “Pray for Peace” in a whisper as the song closes.

“I am proud to be a part of this wonderful song,” said Parton. “May we all lift up a prayer for peace.”