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This is a list of notable events in country music that will take place in 2026.
Overview of the events of 2026 in country music
January 13 – "Tennessee Whiskey " by Chris Stapleton becomes the first country song in history to be double diamond certified by the Recording Industry Association of America .[ 1]
January 14 – Sarah Trahern, CEO of the Country Music Association announces that she will retire at the end of 2026 after twelve years in the role.[ 2]
January 16 – Suzy Bogguss is inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry by Reba McEntire , who was also celebrating her 40th anniversary as an Opry member that night. Bogguss was invited on October 11, 2025 by Kathy Mattea , Terri Clark , and Trisha Yearwood .[ 3]
January 17 – Blake Shelton scores his 30th number one single on the Billboard Country Airplay chart with "Stay Country or Die Tryin' ", placing him second to Kenny Chesney 's 33 for the most number one singles on that chart since its inception in 1990.[ 4]
January 24 – Paul Brandt makes a post on X using lyrics from his 2005 single "Alberta Bound " that leads to a controversy, with some viewing it as an endorsement of the Alberta separatism movement[ 5]
April 24–26 – The 2026 edition of Stagecoach Festival takes place at Empire Polo Club in Indio, California , featuring headline performances from Cody Johnson , Lainey Wilson , and Post Malone .[ 6] Top hits of the year [ edit ]
The following songs placed within the Top 20 on the Hot Country Songs, Country Airplay, or Canada Country charts in 2026:
Singles released by American and Australian artists [ edit ] Singles released by Canadian artists [ edit ] Top new album releases [ edit ]
^ Leimkuehler, Matthew (13 January 2026). "How Chris Stapleton's 'Tennessee Whiskey' Became A Record-Breaking Hit" . Forbes ^ Sharpe, Josh (14 January 2026). "Country Music Association CEO Sarah Trahern to Retire at the End of 2026" . BroadwayWorld ^ Reiher, Andrea (18 December 2025). "Reba McEntire to Induct '90s Country Icon Into the Grand Ole Opry" . Parade ^ Penuell, Russ (January 9, 2026). "Blake Shelton Marks Milestone 30th Country Airplay Chart Leader" . Billboard . Retrieved January 10, 2026 . ^ Hunt, Stephen (January 25, 2026). "Singer Paul Brandt teases support for Alberta separatist movement" . CTV News Calgary. Retrieved January 27, 2026 . ^ "Stagecoach Festival 2026 Lineup Announced: Post Malone, Lainey Wilson, and More" . Pitchfork ^ a b "Morgan Wallen - Chart History" . Billboard . Retrieved February 6, 2026 .^ a b "Megan Moroney - Chart History" . Billboard . Retrieved February 4, 2026 .^ "Thomas Rhett - Chart History" . Billboard . Retrieved February 4, 2026 .^ "Shaboozey - Chart History" . Billboard . Retrieved February 6, 2026 .^ "Max McNown - Chart History" . Billboard . Retrieved February 2, 2026 .^ "Tucker Wetmore - Chart History" . Billboard . Retrieved February 6, 2026 .^ "Ella Langley - Chart History" . Billboard . Retrieved February 6, 2026 .^ a b "Luke Combs - Chart History" . Billboard . Retrieved February 6, 2026 .^ "Ty Myers - Chart History" . Billboard . Retrieved February 6, 2026 .^ a b "Cody Johnson - Chart History" . Billboard . Retrieved January 30, 2026 .^ "HARDY - Chart History" . Billboard . Retrieved February 4, 2026 .^ "Hudson Westbrook - Chart History" . Billboard . Retrieved February 6, 2026 .^ "Jason Aldean - Chart History" . Billboard . Retrieved February 6, 2026 .^ "Rascal Flatts - Chart History" . Billboard . Retrieved January 30, 2026 .^ "George Birge - Chart History" . Billboard . Retrieved February 2, 2026 .^ "Old Dominion - Chart History" . Billboard . Retrieved January 30, 2026 .^ "Chris Janson - Chart History" . Billboard . Retrieved January 30, 2026 .^ a b "Zach Bryan - Chart History" . Billboard . Retrieved January 20, 2026 .^ "Miranda Lambert - Chart History" . Billboard . Retrieved January 30, 2026 .^ "Blake Shelton - Chart History" . Billboard . Retrieved February 4, 2026 .^ "Justin Moore - Chart History" . Billboard . Retrieved February 4, 2026 .^ "Jordan Davis - Chart History" . Billboard . Retrieved February 4, 2026 .^ "Dylan Scott - Chart History" . Billboard . Retrieved February 4, 2026 .^
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^ Paul, Larisha (2026-01-09). "Zach Bryan's New Album, 'With Heaven on Top,' Is Here" . Rolling Stone . Retrieved 2026-01-16 . ^ "Megan Moroney Steps Into Her Most Confident Era Yet With New Album, 'Cloud 9' . Country Now . Retrieved November 11, 2025 .^ McNamara, Lauren (October 10, 2025). "Morgan Evans Announces New Album, Shares Single" . Rolling Stone Australia . Retrieved October 12, 2025 . ^ Daykin, James (January 14, 2026). "Road to C2C 2026: Ty Myers Announces new sophomore album 'Heavy On The Soul' . Entertainment Focus . ^ "Ella Langley Announces Sophomore Album, 'Dandelion', Reflects On the Hearts and Stories Behind the Songs" . Country Now . Retrieved January 27, 2026 .^ Black, Lauren Jo (November 7, 2025). "Jason Aldean Reveals 20-Track Songs About Us Album Featuring Wife Brittany, Luke Bryan, & More" . Country Now . Retrieved November 7, 2025 . ^ "Matt Lang dévoile Ain't That Bad, un 4e album aux allures cinématographiques" . Info Lanaudiere . January 8, 2026. Retrieved February 6, 2026 .^ Javon Williams (January 7, 2026). "Alabama Music Hall of Famer, Huntsville native Jim McBride, dies at 78" . WAFF. Retrieved January 7, 2026 . ^ Legendary KVOO DJ Billy Parker dies at the age of 88
