December 11, 2024 News@CountryAircheck.com

Better Rate Than Never: Here are select Nielsen Audio Continuous Diary Measurement (CDM) ratings for November 2024 (three-month rolling average, 8/15-11/6) compared with September and October. Ranks (in parentheses) are among subscribers. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

Dayton, OH (64)	WHKO Cox 11.9 (1) - 9.7 (1) - 9.2 (1) WZDA iHeartMedia 1.5 (11) - 1.5 (12) - 1.9 (11) WCLI Alpha Classic Country 1.1 (13) - 1.6 (11) - 1.5 (12)
Fort Myers, FL (52)	WWGR Renda 4.9 (4) - 5.6 (3t) - 4.8 (5) WCKT iHeartMedia 2.3 (13t) - 2.2 (13) - 3.1 (9) Largest share since Sept. 2023.
Grand Rapids, MI (69)	WBCT iHeartMedia 8.7 (1) - 8.3 (1) - 8.2 (1) WTNR Cumulus 1.7 (16) - 1.4 (16t) - 1.7 (15)
Tucson, AZ (62)	KIIM Cumulus 7.5 (2) - 7.3 (1) - 7.0 (1) KHUD iHeartMedia 2.1 (14) - 2.6 (15) - 3.1 (13)
Tulsa, OK (63)	KWEN Cox 4.9 (5) - 4.5 (5) - 5.1 (4t) KVOO Griffin 4.7 (6) - 4.9 (4) - 4.8 (6) KXBL Griffin Classic Country 4.3 (8) - 3.9 (9t) - 4.0 (9t) KTGX iHeartMedia 3.6 (11t) - 2.8 (13t) - 2.3 (15)

In Kline: "What Coran [Capshaw] and team have built is one of a kind, and I look forward to being a part of its continued evolution and success," says the newest member of the Red Light Management executive leadership team, Ben Kline (Breaking News). In his newly created role, Kline will help oversee the company's Nashville operations as well as focus on new business opportunities for the company and its artists. Kline exited Warner Music Nashville in September (CAT 9/24) after 10 years with the label group; reach him here.

Cumulus' Quinn Exits: Cumulus/Youngstown, OH Dir./Production Dave Quinn, whose oversight included Country WQXK, has exited. Quinn had been in the position since 2000, and also previously hosted WQXK's K-Country Sunday Classic Show. Reach him here.

Face Booked: As reported via Breaking News, next year's New Faces of Country Music are Drew Baldridge, Ashley Cooke, Dasha, Zach Top and Warren Zeiders. The New Faces show closes CRS 2025, taking place Feb. 19-21 at the Omni Nashville Hotel; ticket and registration info here. Nominations for the 2025 CRS/Country Aircheck Awards are now open here.

For Tour Consideration: Borman Entertainment's Elisabeth Ashley, 377 Management's Enzo DeVincenzo, Neon Coast's Martha Earls, KP Entertainment's Kerri Edwards, Morris Higham's Clint Higham, Big Loud Mountain Management's Troy "Tracker" Johnson and Make Wake Artists' Chris Kappy are up for Manager of the Year at the 2024 CMA Touring Awards; full nominee list here. The Keith Urban-hosted ceremony will also honor the late Ben Farrell with the CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award March 3 in Nashville. Final round voting opens Jan. 6.

Havin' A Record New Year: Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Tyler Hubbard, Miranda Lambert, Post Malone, Shaboozey, Brittney Spencer, Chris Stapleton, Zach Top and Lainey Wilson have been added to the New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash (CAT 10/8) lineup. The show airs on CBS Dec. 31 beginning at 8pm ET.

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

Country Aircheck Weekly offers a sneak peek at the year's top artists, songs and labels.
Cumulus and PickleJar ended their partnership on the Patrick Thomas-hosted overnight show.
WKLB/Boston's Ben Beaulieu was named MD/afternooner.
Leighton Media/St. Cloud, MN GM Jim Allgeier exited. (12/9)
Chronicle: Larysa Jaye, Si Siman.

ICYMI: Performances from last night's (12/10) season finale of The Voice included Reba McEntire and Danny Joseph's "You Don't Know Me," Dan + Shay's "Officially Christmas," Carly Pearce and Michael Bublé's "Maybe This Christmas" and Riley Green and Ella Langley's "Don't Mind If I Do."

American Masters – Brenda Lee: Rockin’ Around featuring Keith Urban, Tanya Tucker, Trisha Yearwood and more premieres Monday (12/16) at 10pm ET on PBS (check local listings), pbs.org/americanmasters and the PBS App.

Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for Dec. 10, according to Mediabase 24/7.

GEORGE BIRGE/Cowboy Songs (Records Nashville) 3941 points
KOE WETZEL & JESSIE MURPH/High Road (Columbia/Records Nashville) 3478 points
MORGAN WALLEN/Love Somebody (Big Loud) 3067 points
DYLAN MARLOWE & DYLAN SCOTT/Boys Back Home (Columbia/Curb) 2921 points
TUCKER WETMORE/Wind Up Missin' You (EMI Nashville) 2593 points

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for Dec. 8-10 compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase 24/7.

GEORGE BIRGE/Cowboy Songs (Records Nashville) +1724 points
MORGAN WALLEN/Love Somebody (Big Loud) +1507 points
JELLY ROLL/Liar (BMG/Republic/Stoney Creek) +1273 points
JORDAN DAVIS/I Ain't Sayin' (MCA) +1102 points
LOCASH/Hometown Home (Galaxy) +838 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (12/12): Hank Williams III, LaCosta Tucker, Jay Thomas, Liz Kiley, Carson Blackley.

Krisp Kringle: KYGO/Denver's two-day radiothon and benefit show raises more than $700,000 for St. Jude. Pictured (l-r) at St. Jude Jam are the station's Shawn Patrick, singer/songwriter Bayker Blankenship, Columbia's Kameron Marlowe, the station's Michael "Big Mic" Buhrman and Tracy Dixon and Brothers Osborne's TJ and John.

Somewhere In My Cards: Capitol's Keith Urban at Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY. Pictured (l-r) are WOLF/Syracuse, NY's Sam Furco, Urban, the label's Annie Sandor and WOLF's Skip Clark.

Megan Sparkle: Columbia's Megan Moroney at KSON/San Diego's Country Christmas (top) and KKBQ/Houston's Star Party. Pictured (top, l-r) are the label's Lisa Owen, Moroney and the station's Scott Roddy and Greg Ranieri; (bottom) Moroney and the station's Travis Moon.

I'll Be Hometown For Christmas: Leo33's Zach Top (c) with Audacy's Drew Bland and the label's Tracy Gibson at KKWF/Seattle's Hometown Holiday.

Greenback: WTQR/Greensboro's 26th annual St. Jude radiothon raises $177,890. Pictured (l-r) are ALSAC/St. Jude's Jennifer Phillips, the station's Betsy Harris and Hannah Tyler, Kevin Powell Motorsports' Kevin Powell and the station's Kellie Holeman, Kyle Presley, JT Bosch and Zac Davis.