Shades Of May: Here are select Nielsen Audio Continuous Diary Measurement (CDM) ratings for May 2026 (three-month rolling average, 3/5-5/27) compared with March and April. Ranks (in parentheses) are among subscribers. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

Passing The CMAntle: "I wish Brittany [Schaffer] every success as she steps into this role, and I look forward to cheering this entire industry on for many years to come," says outgoing CMA CEO Sarah Trahern of her successor. As reported via Breaking News, Schaffer will join CMA Sept. 8 and officially take over as CEO Jan. 1. Her previous stops include Spotify, Loeb & Loeb and, most recently, Belmont University, where served as Dean of the Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business.

Bits & Pieces: Songwriter Trey Fanjoy will be this year's honoree at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's 18th annual Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum, set for Aug. 19 at 6:30 pm in the Nashville museum's Ford Theater. Reserve free tickets here.

Epiphone has teamed with Eric Church to launch the Eric Church Hummingbird Dark limited edition signature acoustic-electric guitar, retailing for $799. Details here.

Rainmaker Pathway's Loyd Ford will host a free radio sales webinar tomorrow (7/9) at 8pm (ET) on his The Encouragers: The Radio Rally podcast (available to stream live on all podcast platforms, and on demad after that). Titled "How Local Radio Wins The Next Revenue Battle," Ford's guests are Cox/Jacksonville, FL VP/MM Brian McGhee and ADX/Pensacola GSM Jeff Wayne. CD Media Consulting's Chris Fleming will co-host.

Stories Of The Week: Search for news and people in the archives at countryaircheck.com.

• RadioAnalyzer makes the case for stream-based music research in Country Aircheck Weekly.
• Triple Tigers Co-President Kevin Herring moved to an advisory role, and was succeeded by Raffaella Braun. (7/7)
• Clark Mims Tedesco joined Morris Higham Management as VP/Marketing. (7/7) 
• KUPL/Portland, OR's Jamie "J.T." Tanchyk transitioned his airshift to afternoons at KBFF. (7/6)

Life Note: After cancelling shows last month to focus on his health (CAT 6/9), Justin Moore returns to the stage Saturday (7/11) in Knoxville, IL; full touring schedule here.

KPNW/Seattle morning host Tanner Chambers will return to the air tomorrow (7/9) followng an extended medical absence (CAT 5/27). In a social media post, Chambers says he will "share the full story" at 7:20am (PT). Listen here.

Chronicle: WOKK/Meridian, MS personality Ken Rainey, Sr. died July 6 at the age of 86. The station shared on its Facebook page, "His passion for radio, his love for Meridian, and his unwavering support for the people around him made a lasting impact." Artist Randy Houser, who grew up listening to Rainey, also paid tribute on social media, calling Rainey "the greatest person I ever knew ... The man I am is always trying to be the man he was." Rainey had been in broadcasting since 1965. No word on services.

Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for July 7, according to Mediabase.

1. JASON ALDEAN/Don't Tell On Me (Macon Music/Broken Bow) 4452 points
2. MORGAN WALLEN/Don't We (Big Loud) 4185 points 
3. ELLA LANGLEY & MORGAN WALLEN/I Can't Love You Anymore (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers/Big Loud) 4172 points
4. COREY KENT f/KOE WETZEL/Rocky Mountain Low (Combustion/RCA) 3946 points
5. LUKE COMBS/Be By You (Columbia) 3389 points

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for July 5-7, compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase.  

1. COREY KENT f/KOE WETZEL/Rocky Mountain Low (Combustion/RCA) +2423 points
2. JELLY ROLL/Hands Up (Stoney Creek) +913 points
3. LUKE COMBS/Be By You (Columbia) +890 points
4. STELLA LEFTY/Boston (Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost) +585 points
5. BAILEY ZIMMERMAN/Chevy Silverado (Atlantic/Warner/WRN) +531 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (7/9): David Ball, Monty Holmes, Jesse McReynolds, Mark D. Sanders, Bob James, Nicole Pope Gaia, the late Ronnie Bowman.

What Took You So Long (Island): MCA's Jacob Hackworth and Triple Tigers' Shane Profitt play for WWWF/Nassau-Suffolk's listeners. Pictured (l-r) MCA's Summer Harlow, the station's Robby Bridges and Andrew Blitz, Profitt, the station's Kelly Ford, Hackworth and TT's Diane Lockner.