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May 30, 2025 News@CountryAircheck.com

April Quarter Hours: Here are select Nielsen Audio Continuous Diary Measurement (CDM) ratings for April 2025 (three-month rolling average, 2/6-4/30) compared with February and March. Ranks (in parentheses) are among subscribers. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

Baton Rouge (Market 79)	WYNK iHeartMedia 5.0 (4t) - 5.4 (5) - 5.2 (4) WTGE Guaranty Does not subscribe.
Louisville (58)	WAMZ iHeartMedia 6.6 (1) - 6.1 (2) - 6.5 (1) No. 1 in 10 of last 12 surveys. WQNU SummitMedia 3.2 (12) - 2.9 (10) - 3.0 (10)
New Orleans (50)	WNOE iHeartMedia 4.8 (5) - 4.5 (5) - 4.7 (4)
Oklahoma City (48)	KTST iHeartMedia 4.6 (5) - 4.9 (5) - 4.8 (4) KJKE Tyler 3.8 (6) - 4.2 (7) - 4.1 (6) KXXY iHeartMedia Classic Country 2.8 (10) - 2.9 (11) - 2.7 (12)

KSOP-AM To Sign Off: KSOP, Inc. Classic Country KSOP-AM will go silent June 1, with the brand continuing online only. The station celebrated its 70th anniversary in February (CAT 2/3) and was Utah's first all-Country music station. KSOP-AM simulcast with its FM partner from 1964 until 2002, when it moved to Classic Country.

"The choice to discontinue AM broadcasting is not one we take lightly," says a statement from management. "We are deeply saddened to close this historic chapter. However, in recognizing how our audience continues to change, we are proud to announce that our Classic Country format will live on KSOPCountry.com." The station's sole host, Country Radio Hall of Famer and 47-year KSOP-AM & FM veteran "Country Joe" Flint will continue to handle weekdays 8am to noon.

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Texas Duo Revoked: The licenses for Kremling KTXM/Hallettsville, TX & KYKM/Yoakum, TX, which simulcast as "Texas Thunder Radio," have been revoked by the FCC for failure to pay regulatory fees dating back to 2017 and totaling more than $14,000. No word on staff impact. Read the FCC's order here.

Speak Now: Taylor Swift has purchased her first six albums and all associated IP (including videos, concert films and art) from Shamrock Capitol. "All of the music I've ever made now belongs to me," she says in a letter to fans on her website. Terms were not disclosed, but Swift said the money earned on her Eras Tour helped fund the purchase, and tells fans, "I can't thank you enough for helping reunite me with this art that I have dedicated my life to, but never owned until now." The acquired rights were part of Big Machine Label Group's 2019 sale to Scooter Braun's Ithaca Holdings. Ithaca sold the Swift catalog to Shamrock for a reported $300 million in 2020 (CAT 11/16/20).

Marshall Matters: Hanszen KMHT/Marshall, TX GM Ashli Dansby was awarded the 2025 Jason Hightower Award for Broadcast Excellence by the Texas Association of Broadcasters. The award recognizes broadcasters with at least two years’ experience who have demonstrated a proficiency for serving their stations’ audience and communities, and will be presented at the TAB Conference August 6-7 in Round Rock.

Festive All: Post Malone, Chris Stapleton, Keith Urban and Riley Green will headline the 2026 Gulf Coast Jam May 28-31 in Panama City Beach, FL. Twenty other artists are also scheduled, including Koe Wetzel, Jackson Dean, Josh Ross and Ashland Craft. Tickets here.

MCA has added a Jordan Davis fan club party, a Parker McCollum meet & greet, and performances from Sam Williams, Abbie Callahan, Anna Rae, Belle Frantz, Sons of Habit, Franni Cash and others to its June 5-8 Sounds Like Nashville Live at Nashville's Fifth + Broadway Skydeck during CMA Fest (CAT 5/15). Full schedule here.

Tour Support: Max McNown will embark on his 30-date Forever Ain't Long Enough North American tour Aug. 21 in Kansas City, with stops in Houston, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington, DC. Tickets available June 6 here.

Bits & Pieces: Radio One KKBQ/Houston Q Morning Show hosts Andy "Riggs" Riggle, Erica Rico and Katelyn Maida celebrated their 500th show this morning (5/30) with a live broadcast from a Whataburger restaurant, where they gave free biscuits to the first 93 listeners who showed up. The trio also gave away free food for a year and a Scotty McCreery autographed guitar.

Megan Moroney will take over the Westin Nashville's L7 Rooftop Lounge for the summer, beginning June 6 when it will be transformed into The Emo Cowgirl, a pop-up curated by Moroney with signature cocktails, a menu of elevated comfort food and a merch shop.

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

NZME's Mike McClung and Jason Winstanley discuss launching a Country station in New Zealand in Country Aircheck Weekly.
Cumulus/Atlanta's Justin Schaflander was elevated to VP/MM. (5/29)
Results Global added a Digital & Social Media division. (5/28)
WCYQ/Knoxville midday co-host Hanah May exited. (5/27)
Chronicle: Mark "McKay" Cunningham.

ICYMI: Kane Brown will make his film debut alongside Taylor Lautner in The Token Groomsman. Production is scheduled to begin later this year.

Jason Aldean and Brooks & Dunn's Fenway Park show scheduled for tonight (5/30) has been canceled due to structural elements being identified as "not being up to standard," according to Live Nation. Shakira was set to open this year's Fenway Concert Series last night (5/29), but her show was canceled hours before start time.

Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for May 29, according to Mediabase 24/7.

JASON ALDEAN/Whiskey Drink (Macon Music/Broken Bow) 4888 points
MORGAN WALLEN/I'm The Problem (Big Loud) 3732 points
RILEY GREEN/Worst Way (Nash. Harbor) 3668 points
MEGAN MORONEY/Am I Okay? (Columbia) 3321 points
COREY KENT/This Heart (Combustion/RCA) 3204 points

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for May 25-29 compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase 24/7.

JASON ALDEAN/Whiskey Drink (Macon Music/Broken Bow) +2737 points
LAINEY WILSON/Somewhere Over Laredo (Broken Bow) +1940 points
MORGAN WALLEN/Just In Case (Big Loud) +1546 points
BAILEY ZIMMERMAN f/LUKE COMBS/Backup Plan (Atlantic/Warner/WEA/Columbia) +1474 points
SCOTTY MCCREERY f/HOOTIE & THE BLOWFISH/Bottle Rockets (Triple Tigers) +1428 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (5/31): Kolby Cooper, Casey James, Ed Adkins (Derailers), Chip Miller, Heather Davis, Angie Coonrod, Dave Fuller, Augie Myers, the late Hazel Smith, the late Johnny Paycheck.

Sunday's Birthdays (6/1): Ronnie Dunn, Cody Cooper (Waterloo Revival), Drake Milligan, Steve Williams, Mindy Smith, Sandra Lee, the late Johnny Bond, the late Wayne Kemp.

Monday's Birthdays (6/2): Fletcher Foster, Shane Tarleton, Kellie LaJack, Sarah Romero, Clay Bradley, Brooke Trissel, the late Carl Butler.

Wild As Hertz: RCA's Corey Kent plays Fast Cars & Guitars in Lake Norman, NC (top) and visits WKKO/Toledo. Pictured (top, l-r) are WKKT/Charlotte's Graham Bunn and Ashley Wilson, Kent, WKKT's "Sarah Lee" Owensby and the label's Ali O’Connell; (bottom, l-r) the label's Dan Nelson, Kent and WKKO's Jerry Mac.

Who I Am With Y108: Black River's Chris Young (in black) with tour manager Whitney Ingram, the label's Kellie LaJack and WDSY/Pittburgh's Mark Anderson (l-r).

No Ifs, Ands, Or Butts: BMI's Rooftop on the Row continues with Lukas Nelson and Kaitlin Butts. Pictured (l-r) are BMI’s Shannon Sanders, Claire Dodelin and Jackson Kiger, Butts, Nelson and BMI’s Mason Hunter, Nina Carter, MaryAnn Keen, Kelsey O’Neill and Josh Tomlinson.