October 20, 2026 News@CountryAircheck.com

Bakers Spiel: Here are select Nielsen Audio Continuous Diary Measurement (CDM) ratings for September 2026 (three-month rolling average, 6/25-9/16) compared with July and August. Ranks (in parentheses) are among subscribers. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

Bakersfield, CA (Market 83)	KUZZ Owens 6.6 (3) - 7.0 (3) - 8.6 (2) Largest share since February. KRJK Owens 0.5 (24) - 1.0 (17t) - 1.7 (12t) Largest share since Jan. 2025. KCWR Owens Classic Country 1.3 (15) - 1.5 (13t) - 1.4 (15)
Knoxville, TN (71)	WCYQ SummitMedia 4.8 (4t) - 4.4 (4) - 3.1 (7) WDKW Midwest Classic Country 1.5 (10t) - 1.9 (10) - 2.1 (10) WIVK Cumulus Does not subscribe.
Omaha, NE (74)	KXKT iHeartMedia 9.8 (1) - 8.6 (2) - 8.7 (1) KOPW Usher Media N/A - 5.5 (3) - 3.5 (7t) Switched from Hip Hop to Country during the final week of the August survey (CAT 8/13). KFFF iHeartMedia Classic Country 2.3 (15) - 2.8 (13t) - 3.3 (10)
Tulsa, OK (63)	KXBL Griffin 4.9 (5) - 5.7 (1t) - 5.2 (4t) KVOO Griffin Classic Country 5.3 (2) - 5.6 (3t) - 5.4 (3) KTGX iHeartMedia 2.7 (10) - 2.2 (10t) - 1.8 (11) KWEN Zoellner Does not subscribe.

MCA's Davis Exits: MCA Dir./Digital Marketing Ian Davis was among last week's cuts (CAT 10/15). Davis joined the label group earlier this year after more than three years at KP Entertainment. He's seeking his next opportunity; reach him here.

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One Year: Hardy, Little Big Town and The Red Clay Strays will perform during the nearly five-hour New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash, airing live from downtown Nashville Dec. 31 beginning at 8pm ET on CBS and Paramount+. Additional performers are forthcoming.

Humble And Enshrined: Tim McGraw, Paul Overstreet and The Stanley Brothers take their place in the Country Music Hall of Fame, while changes to the CRS New Faces selection process aim to expand the pool of rising talent. Full stories in last night's (10/19) Country Aircheck Weekly.

Tour Support: Emily Ann Roberts' inaugural headline tour, The Thread Tour, kicks off in Chattanooga Feb. 4; tickets here Friday (10/23).

49 Winchester's 2027 Change of Plans Tour runs from Feb. 5 in Atlanta to May 8 at Billy Bob’s in Fort Worth, TX. Tickets go on sale Friday (10/23) here.

Gig Alert: Midwest Communications is seeking part-time on-air talent/brand ambassadors for its Fargo cluster, including Country KVOX. Responsibilities include on-air content, station appearances, promotions and behind-the-scenes operations. Candidates must have a valid North Dakota driver's license and pass background and motor vehicle checks. Apply here. Additional materials, including airchecks, audio/video samples and cover letters, can be sent to Coord./Talent & HR Lauryn Calkins.

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

Nominations are being accepted for the Country Radio Hall of Fame through Oct. 30 here.
Audacy flipped WTDY/Philadelphia to Country. (10/19)
Keith Gale launched Gale Brothers Entertainment. (10/19)

ICYMI: Kimberly Perry raised money for The Dollywood Foundation on ABC's Celebrity Wheel of Fortune; stream on Hulu.

Brooks & Dunn took CBS Mornings backstage closing weekend of their Neon Moon Tour 2026.

Brothers Osborne performed "Doors," "Bottle It Up" and "R.I.P." on CBS Saturday Morning.

Country Aircheck Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for Oct. 19, according to Mediabase.

ELLA LANGLEY/Loving Life Again (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers) 4551 points
MORGAN WALLEN/Been By Now (Big Loud) 4474 points
LUKE BRYAN/Country And She Knows It (MCA) 3628 points
ZACH JOHN KING/Get To Drinkin' (SMN) 3495 points
DAN + SHAY/Say So (Warner/WRN) 3334 points

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for Oct. 18-19, compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase.

KOE WETZEL f/ELLA LANGLEY/Jaded (Col. NY/Records Nashville) +995 points
ELLA LANGLEY/Loving Life Again (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers) +821 points
MORGAN WALLEN/Been By Now (Big Loud) +738 points
CHASE MATTHEW/Holdin' It Down (Warner/WAR) +513 points
CHRIS JANSON f/DAVID LEE MURPHY/Fun (Harpeth 60/WMN) +471 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (10/21): Kane Brown, Matthew Ramsey (Old Dominion), Martha Earls, Paul Orr, Jess Jennings, Tess Connell, the late Owen Bradley, the late Chet Flippo.

Good Times & Hat Lines: Leo33's Zach Top (l) and WITL/Lansing, MI’s Jonathan “JR” Ruppel.

The Ex Factor: Big Loud's Lauren Alaina (c) celebrates No. 1 "All My Exes" with KSSN's Jess Jennings and the label's John D'Amico in Little Rock.

Signage: Songwriter/producer Jared Conrad signs with Sony Music Publishing Nashville and Taycan Entertainment. Pictured (back, l-r) are attorney Rachel Guttmann, Taycan's Scott Hendricks, BPM's Brandon Perdue and SMP's Cam Caldwell; (front, l-r) Taycan's Blake Duncan and Conrad.

Signage: Singer/songwriter Elizabeth Nichols signs with Warner Chappell Music Nashville. Pictured (l-r) are WCM's Spencer Nohe, Nichols and WCM's Katy Wolaver and Austen Adams.