August 31, 2026 News@CountryAircheck.com

Rate Against The Machine: Here are select Nielsen Audio Continuous Diary Measurement (CDM) ratings for July 2026 (three-month rolling average, 4/30-7/22) compared with May and June. Ranks (in parentheses) are among subscribers. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

Colorado Springs, CO (Market 91)	KCCY iHeartMedia 4.4 (4) - 3.6 (5) - 3.1 (6) KATC Cumulus Does not subscribe.
Des Moines, IA (70)	KHKI Cumulus KJJY Cumulus Classic Country Do not subscribe.
Mobile, AL (100)	WKSJ iHeartMedia 7.3 (1) - 7.7 (1) - 5.6 (1t)
Spokane, WA (90)	KICR Blue Sky 2.7 (6) - 2.8 (8t) - 2.4 (8) KISC-HD2 iHeartMedia 1.3 (9t) - 1.1 (12) - 0.4 (15) KDRK Stephens KXLY QueenB Do not subscribe.
Wichita, KS (104)	KZSN iHeartMedia 5.7 (1) - 5.4 (4) - 5.5 (3) KFDI SummitMedia 4.5 (8t) - 4.7 (6t) - 4.3 (7) KVWF Murfin 1.7 (15) - 1.7 (15) - 1.9 (15)

Bones Density: iHeartMedia WDXB/Birmingham & WDRM/Huntsville, AL have added The Bobby Bones Show following Spencer Graves' departure during companywide cuts (CAT 6/23). The Spencer Graves Show's Blair Davis moves to 9am-1pm on WDRM, while Dan McClain comes out of retirement to host 1-3pm there. Davis will also be part of the Bones show locally, reporting on news and events. She will additionally be heard from 12-3pm and McClain from 3-7pm on Classic Hits sister WQRV. Davis joined WDRM in 2021 from crosstown Hot AC WRSA and had been doing mornings there before becoming part of Graves' show (CAT 8/19/24), also handling 10am to noon on the station. McClain handled mornings at WDRM for 27 years prior to his retirement (CAT 4/14/20).

KYGO's Jones Departs: Bonneville/Denver Digital Content Specialist and KYGO weekend air personality & staff photographer Brailey Jones has departed the company after eight years following the elimination of his position. Prior to joining Bonneville in 2018, he was an air personality and Dir./Production at Rock KDDX/Rapid City, SD. Jones is Denver-based, but open to the right opportunity elsewhere; reach him here.

Fire And Bernstone: NZME iHeartCountry/New Zealand MD Dan Bernstone has added the 6am to noon airshift, becoming the first personality on the 16-month-old station (CAT 5/2/25). Bernstone joined in January (CAT 1/21) after spending three years with streaming station Southern Cross Country. Additionally, the station is adding Premiere Networks' Country Top 30 with Bobby Bones and Women of iHeartCountry with Amy Brown to its lineup at noon on Saturdays and Sundays, respectively. Dir./Content David Brice says an afternoon show will be added in the near future. Stream here.

I Hope You Chance: Good Morning America’s Lara Spencer will reveal nominees in select categories for the 60th Annual CMA Awards Sept. 10, followed by the remaining categories during an 8am CT livestream hosted by Lee Ann Womack and American Idol season 24 winner Hannah Harper on the CMA’s YouTube channel. Tickets for the awards go on sale Sept. 18 here.

In related news, CMA Awards Week will include Country Forward (11/15); Media Remote (Nov. 16-17 9am-4pm CT); and the CMA Broadcast Awards Presentation, where radio winners will be honored during the pre-telecast ceremony before the show. More events and details are forthcoming.

Festive All: DollyFest, an unannounced event planned for Parton's 80th birthday, is being reimagined as a multi-city festival in Nashville and London in 2027. More information on tickets and dates are forthcoming; sign up for ticket notifications here.

Trace Adkins, Brantley Gilbert, Justin Moore, Priscilla Block and more will perform during Boots on the Bayou Oct. 24-25 in Gonzales, LA; tickets here.

Bailey Zimmerman and BigXThePlug will headline Live At The Station Nov. 7 at Aggie Park in College Station, TX. Other performers include Bayker Blankenship and Mackenzie Carpenter. Tickets (9/4) here.

Bits & Pieces: In honor of Dolly Parton, Audacy KSON/San Diego MD/morning show Exec. Producer Jessica Chenoweth teamed up with 10th grader Ellie of the San Diego Book Project at a local Boot Barn (8/29), resulting in what RVPP Scott Roddy reports was "their largest book drive ever."

Sister KFRG/Riverside, CA's "Back to School Supply Drive" benefiting Riverside Unified School District raised more than a thousand pounds of supplies for the community.

At its Aug. 29 show honoring Parton, the Grand Ole Opry donated a portion of ticket proceeds to her Imagination Library.

Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for Aug. 30, according to Mediabase.

KANE BROWN/Woman (RCA)
LUKE COMBS/Be By You (Columbia)
STELLA LEFTY/Boston (Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost)
TAYLOR SWIFT/I Knew It, I Knew You (Disney/Republic/MCA)
KENNY CHESNEY/Carry On (Hey Now)

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for Aug. 30, compared with the same day last week, according to Mediabase.

TAYLOR SWIFT/I Knew It, I Knew You (Disney/Republic/MCA) +1043 points
ELLA LANGLEY/Loving Life Again (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers) +385 points
KOE WETZEL f/ELLA LANGLEY/Jaded (Col. NY/Records Nashville) +380 points
RUSSELL DICKERSON/Worth Your Wild (Triple Tigers) +267 points
HUDSON WESTBROOK/Painted You Pretty (River House/Warner/WAR) +230 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (9/1): Angaleena Presley, Charlie Worsham, Steve Goetzman (Exile), Chris Tompkins, Sammy Cruise, Savannah Jones, Mitch Mahan, Wix Wichmann, Jeff Wyatt, Caryl Healey, the late Dick Whitehouse, the late Conway Twitty, the late Boxcar Willie, the late Charlie Robison.

Take It From ME: MCA's Jordan Davis in Portland, ME. Pictured (l-r) are WPOR's Jon Shannon, Davis, the label's Annie Sandor and WTHT’s Jadd Naamani.

I Like It, I Glove It: Big Machine's Tim McGraw at Target Field in Minneapolis. Pictured (l-r) are Em.Co's Scott Siman and KEEY's Pat Knight and Gregg Swedberg.

The Day I Hang Out: Warner's Gavin Adcock with WHKO/Dayton’s Cindy Carusone, Nikki Montgomery, Nancy Wilson and guest Rachel Murray (l-r) at The Day I Hang it Up Tour in Newport, KY.