August 20, 2026 News@CountryAircheck.com

French Quarter Hour Share: 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.

Baton Rouge (Market 78)	WYNK iHeartMedia 5.3 (2) - 4.4 (3) - 4.8 (3) WTGE Guaranty Does not subscribe.
Louisville (58)	WAMZ iHeartMedia 6.7 (2) - 6.5 (2) - 6.3 (2) WQNU SummitMedia 2.7 (11) - 3.5 (11) - 3.1 (12) WRKA SummitMedia Cl. Country 2.2 (13) - 2.7 (12) - 2.0 (16t)
New Orleans (50)	WNOE iHeartMedia 5.0 (4) - 5.3 (4) - 6.0 (4)
Oklahoma City (49)	KTST iHeartMedia 5.4 (2) - 4.5 (2) - 4.1 (2) KXXY iHeartMedia Classic Country 2.1 (4t) - 2.0 (5) - 2.4 (4) KJKE Tyler Does not subscribe.

Honor Society: The Academy of Country Music celebrated its 19th ACM Honors Wednesday (8/19) at Nashville’s The Pinnacle, recognizing its Industry and Studio Recording Award winners alongside Artist-Songwriter of the Year Ella Langley, Songwriter of the Year Jessie Jo Dillon and Special Award honorees Bill Anderson, Brett James, C2C: Country to Country, The Carter Family, Dolly Parton, Eric Church, Kacey Musgraves, Landman, Leslie Fram, Mike Curb and Scott Zolke.

Dierks Bentley delivered one of the night’s most emotional moments with “I Hold On” in memory of James, while Sheryl Crow put her spin on “Drink In My Hand” before presenting Church with the ACM Lifting Lives Award. Avery Anna, Kaitlin Butts and Gabriella Rose teamed for a medley of Langley songs, and Megan Moroney saluted three-time Songwriter of the Year Dillon with “Beautiful Things.” Full recap in Monday's (8/24) Country Aircheck Weekly.

Zea And Be Seen: Nielsen subsidiary GfK, which issues three diary-based surveys per year in New Zealand, has released its second survey for 2026. This is the third survey since the launch of NZME's iHeartCountry New Zealand (CAT 5/2/25), covering Feb. 8 to Aug. 1. In Auckland, the country's largest market, the station moved from a 1.2 to 1.3 share among Persons 10+, ranking 19th. The addition of 11 signals across the islands (CAT 5/4) increased the station's nationwide cume 43% to 77,800.

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

Kidney disease continues to hit close to home for the country music industry; full story in Country Aircheck Weekly.
Beasley/Charlotte VP/MM Mac Edwards is stepping down. (8/19)
iHeartMedia's Alissa Pollack was upped to President/Mediabase at RCS Worldwide. (8/17)
Bob Delmont rejoined WPOC/Baltimore in middays and WMZQ/Washington, DC in evenings. (8/17)

Benefit News: Dasha donated $50,000 to Cowboy Ranch Rescue in Antioch, TN, $25,000 to Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) and $25,000 to a pregnancy and parenting support organization in her hometown of San Luis Obispo, CA.

After wildfires burned more than a million acres in west Idaho and east Oregon, Cumulus KIZN/Boise, ID asked listeners to donate water, Gatorade and snacks for the firefighters, ultimately collecting more than 100 cases that station staffers delivered today (8/20).

Bailey Zimmerman, Lanie Gardner and Fancy Hagood will perform at the third annual benefit concert for animal rescue Wags & Walks Oct. 21 at Skydeck at Nashville's 5th & Broadway. Tickets here.

City National Bank celebrated 15 years of serving the Nashville entertainment community by donating $15,000 to six nonprofits, totaling $90,000. Beneficiaries were ACM Lifting Lives, Leadership Music, Music Health Alliance, Musicians On Call, The Alex LeVasseur Memorial Fund and the W.O. Smith Music School.

Contact Update: Former Midwest KVOX/Fargo morning co-host and midday host Mandy Morgan (CAT 8/13) can now be reached here. She will continue to do some part time work with the station, in addition to working as Dir./Communications for her church.

ICYMI: Ashley McBryde performed "What If We Don't" on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live (8/19).

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

LUKE COMBS/Be By You (Columbia) 4341 points
BAILEY ZIMMERMAN/Chevy Silverado (Atlantic/Warner/WRN) 4314 points
ELLA LANGLEY & MORGAN WALLEN/I Can't Love You Anymore (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers/Big Loud) 3623 points
STELLA LEFTY/Boston (Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost) 3583 points
KANE BROWN/Woman (RCA) 3445 points

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for August 16-19, compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase.

BAILEY ZIMMERMAN/Chevy Silverado (Atlantic/Warner/WRN) +1929 points
STELLA LEFTY/Boston (Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost) +1269 points
MORGAN WALLEN/Been By Now (Big Loud) +1213 points
KOE WETZEL f/ELLA LANGLEY/Jaded (Col. NY/Records Nashville) +1065 points
ELLA LANGLEY/Loving Life Again (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers) +549 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (8/21): Kacey Musgraves, Preston Brust (LoCash), Shy Carter, James Burton, Heather Larson, Darcy Ferris, Johnny Rose, Melissa Torres, the late Jack Lameier, the late Kenny Rogers, the late Harold Reid (The Statler Brothers).

We Row: Average Joes' Bryan Martin celebrates the platinum (3x) certification of “We Ride" during BMI’s Rooftop on the Row. Pictured (l-r) are Inside Music Publishing's Nick Gibbens, the label's Ben Roberts and Dave Downey, Martin, the label's Forrest Latta and Andrew Davis, and BMI's Mason Hunter.

Tennessee Oregano: Columbia's Megan Moroney and Boots with Audacy's Tim Roberts at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.

Solar Flair: Singer/songwriter CJ Solar (in hat) with Country Aircheck's Chuck Aly, Addie Smiley, Caitlin DeForest, April Johnson and Phyllis Stark (l-r).

Signage: Canadian singer/songwriter Jade Eagleson signs with BBRMG. Pictured (back, l-r) are BMG's Jen Morgan, CAA’s Karen Schillinger and Bennett Beckner, BMG’s Quinn Bauducco, Range Music’s Shawn McSpadden and Trey Wilson, and BMG Canada’s Lindsay Hyslop; (front, l-r) BMG's Katie Kerkhover, BMG Canada’s Bryan Columbus, BMG's JoJamie Hahr, Eagleson and BMG's Jon Loba, Peter Strickland and Camille Kenny.

Signage: Producer/songwriter/artist Ben Van Maarth signs with Back Row Publishing. Pictured (l-r) are BRP's Lindsay Will and Taylor Antle, Maarth and BRP's Michael Kozelj.

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