July 27, 2026 News@CountryAircheck.com

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Catty Corner: Here are select Nielsen Audio Continuous Diary Measurement (CDM) ratings for June 2026 (three-month rolling average, 4/2-6/24) compared with April and May. Ranks (in parentheses) are among subscribers. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

Albany, NY (Market 68)	WGNA Townsquare 4.7 (4t) - 4.9 (4) - 5.6 (3) WKLI Pamal 2.7 (9t) - 3.6 (7) - 3.9 (8t) Largest share since Spring 2017. WINU Pamal Classic Country 1.7 (13t) - 1.3 (15t) - 1.2 (17t)
Syracuse, NY (101)	WBBS iHeartMedia 8.9 (1) - 9.5 (1) - 8.2 (1) WOLF FoxFur 2.6 (6t) - 2.5 (7t) - 2.7 (7)

Maine-splaining: Here are select Nielsen Audio Spring 2026 (4/2-6/24) two-book per year diary ratings for subscribing stations compared with their last books (Spring 2025 and Fall 2025). Ranks (in parentheses) are also among subscribers. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

Augusta, ME (Market 231)	WEBB Townsquare 4.9 (5t) - 5.7 (4) - 5.9 (4) WCTB Mountain Wireless Cl. Country 3.9 (8) - 3.8 (7t) - 3.0 (7t)
Bangor, ME (208)	WQCB Townsquare 8.1 (2) - 8.7 (3) - 9.0 (1t) WBFB Blueberry 3.7 (7t) - 3.7 (7t) - 5.1 (7) Largest share since Fall 2013. WCTB Mountain Wireless Cl. Country 1.9 (12t) - 0.6 (15t) - 1.9 (11t)
Manchester, NH (191)	WOKQ Townsquare 5.7 (3) - 5.3 (3) - 4.0 (3t) WMLL Saga 3.1 (5t) - 1.8 (5t) - 1.7 (6)
Portland, ME (92)	WTHT Binnie 4.9 (3t) - 3.6 (7) - 5.2 (4) WPOR Saga 4.9 (3t) - 4.5 (5t) - 5.0 (5)
Portsmouth, NH (118)	WOKQ Townsquare 6.7 (2) - 6.1 (2) - 6.8 (2) WTBU iHeartMedia 0.8 (8t) - 1.1 (8t) - 0.8 (7t)
Utica, NY (172)	WFRG Townsquare 9.6 (1) - 7.1 (2) - 11.0 (1) WBUG Roser 2.5 (6t) - 1.3 (8t) - 0.9 (9t)
Watertown, NY (237)	WFRY Stephens 16.9 (1) - 16.7 (1) - 15.0 (1) WEFX Community 3.6 (6) - 2.6 (7) - 3.8 (6t)

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Rittberg Moves On: Hybe America Pres./Global Distribution Mike Rittberg has departed and is seeking his next opportunity. Rittberg joined the then-new division last year (CAT 10/6/25) from the COO post at BMLG, and has prior stops at Bill Silva Management, Verve Records and Warner Bros. Records. No word on plans for the position. Rittberg can be reached here.

BEG To Differ: Vector Management's Henley Halem and Kevin Spellman have joined Borchetta Entertainment Group as co-VPs. Prior to his two-and-a-half years at Vector in Los Angeles, Halem's roles include Dir./Marketing at Imperial/Capitol Records, Sr. Dir./A&R at Ultra Records & Publishing and Mgr./A&R at TMWRK. In his new position, Halem will manage a roster that includes YungGravy, Getter, Terror Reid and DJ 4B. Spellman spent 17 years with Vector, most recently serving as Nashville office head. In his new role, he will manage a roster that includes Molly Tuttle, Easton Corbin, John Foster and Mark Collie. Reach Halem here and Spellman here.

Major News: Big Loud Dir./Special Events Taylor Venis and MCA Coord./Promotion Kenzie Couch have joined G Major Management as Day-to-Day Mgr. and Asst. Day-to-Day Mgr., respectively. Additionally, Mae Estes and Clayton Mullen have been added to the company's roster. “Kenzie and Taylor are incredible additions to our operations team who are already making an impact with their energy and professionalism," says Founder Virginia Bunetta. Prior to Big Loud, Venis held roles with Red Light, SB Projects, Q Prime South and Riser House. Couch joined MCA in 2024 after interning in the promotion department at Curb (CAT 5/8/24).

Tour Support: Tyler Braden's The Days Of Gold Tour will visit seven cities in Canada, beginning Oct. 27 in Toronto. Tickets go on sale Friday (7/31) here.

ICYMI: Scotty McCreery’s “Five More Minutes” is featured in the new Apple TV+ movie The Dink, starring Jake Johnson, Mary Steenburgen and Ed Harris, around the :39 mark. The song – and country music in general – are prominent plot pointa. More here.

Crib Note: The Band Loula's Logan Simmons announced on the Grand Ole Opry stage that she is expecting her first child, a boy, in early December. Watch here.

Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for the week ending July 25, according to Mediabase.

MORGAN WALLEN/Don't We (Big Loud)
ELLA LANGLEY & MORGAN WALLEN/I Can't Love You Anymore (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers/Big Loud)
LUKE COMBS/Be By You (Columbia)
JASON ALDEAN/Don't Tell On Me (Macon Music/Broken Bow)
BAILEY ZIMMERMAN/Chevy Silverado (Atlantic/Warner/WRN)

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for July 26, compared with the same day last week, according to Mediabase.

MORGAN WALLEN/Been By Now (Big Loud) +896 points
ELLA LANGLEY/Loving Life Again (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers) +325 points
STELLA LEFTY/Boston (Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost) +254 points
ANNA VAUS/Human Being (---) +230 points
LUKE COMBS/Be By You (Columbia) +207 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (7/28): Heath Sanders, Ray Vega, Jonathan Edwards, Todd Anderson (Heartland), Evan Farmer, Valerie Hart, Glenn Noblit, Wes Poe, Theresa Ford.

Wheel Of Fortune: Old Crow Medicine Show’s Ketch Secor (l) and MCA's Darius Rucker are surprised at Red Rocks with a Spotify Billions Club plaque for Rucker’s version of “Wagon Wheel."

Cloud Aisle 9: Columbia's Megan Moroney (c) with iHeartMedia's Gregg Swedberg, the label's Anna Widmer and KEEY’s Rich Davis and Pat Knight (l-r) at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

Songs About Kansas: Broken Bow's Jason Aldean in Wichita (top) and Kansas City (bottom). Pictured (top, l-r) KFDI's JJ Hayes, Aldean, KZSN & KTGX/Tulsa's Michelle Buckles and the label's Dawn Ferris; (bottom, l-r) guest Tyler Stone, Aldean and KBEQ's Codie Allen.

Glory B-Days: MCA's Parker McCollum (top) and Warner/WAR's Gabby Barrett play WHKO/Dayton's 37th Birthday Bash at the Nutter Center. Pictured (top, l-r) are the station's Nancy Wilson, the label's Donna Jo Passuntino, McCollum and the station's Nikki Montgomery; (bottom, l-r) the station's Gracie Ray, Dalton Mathews and Montgomery, Barrett and the station's Dylan James, Wilson and Grayson Zelik.