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In This Issue (1/12) 

“The big bang theory of CMT is an image of Hank Williams, Jr. and Kid Rock shooting a civil war cannon.”

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Radio Vision

Priscilla11626.jpg Chevy With A Thrift Kit: Mercury's Priscilla Block talks thrifting, new music and more on SiriusXM Highway Mornings with Cody Alan. Pictured (l-r) are SXM's Victoria Alfonso, the label's Houston Gaither, Block, Alan and SXM's Lauryn Snapp and Lexi Sidders.
Blake-Shelton11626.jpg Stay Country Or Dice Tryin': Wheelhouse's Blake Shelton kicks off his Las Vegas residency last night (1/15). Pictured (l-r) are Country Aircheck's Lon Helton, KCYE's Aimee Thomas, Shelton and KCYE’s Shawn Stevens.
ALEX-LAMBERT11626.jpg Signage: Singer/songwriter Alex Lambert signs with Big Loud Texas. Pictured (l-r) are the label's Jon Randall and Miranda Lambert, Lambert and the label's Brendon Anthony.
MADDEN-METCALF11626.jpg Signage: Singer/songwriter Madden Metcalf signs with MCA and songwriter/producer Freddy Wexler's Wexler Records. Pictured (l-r) are MCA's Rob Femia, Wexler, Metcalf and MCA's Mike Harris and Katie McCartney.
Cody-Lohden11626.jpg Signage: DeVille/Big Loud's Cody Lohden (c) signs with The Neal Agency for booking. Pictured with (l-r) TNA's Simone Chretien, Greenhouse Management's Kiley Donohoe and TNA's Adi Sharma and Ryan Beuschel.
Lainey-Wilson11526.jpg No Rest For The Wicked: Broken Bow's Lainey Wilson celebrates her ninth No. 1, "Somewhere Over Laredo." Pictured (back, l-r) are BMI’s Clay Bradley, ASCAP’s Duane Hobson, Studio Bank’s Kari Barnhart, Riser House’s Brandon Perdue, Concord’s Matt Turner, Sony Music Publishing’s Rusty Gaston and the label's JoJamie Hahr; (front, l-r) writers Dallas Wilson, Wilson, Trannie Anderson and Andy Albert.
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Signage: Songwriter Allison Veltz Cruz signs with Reservoir Media. Pictured (l-r) are the company's John Ozier and Beth St. Jean, Cruz and the company's Greg Gallo and Sarah McDaniels.

Will-Terry11526.jpg Signage: Singer/songwriter Will Terry (front) signs with Track Mgmt. Pictured with (l-r) the company's Drew Magid, Troy "Tracker" Johnson and Kelly Carrazzone.
Preston-Cooper11426.jpg Swamp Meet: Valory's Preston Cooper (c) with WTGE/Baton Rouge's Jimmy Brooks, Bri Lynn and Brittany Rose, and the label's Chris Waters (l-r) during a station visit.
atlus11426.jpg Wife Style: Stoney Creek's Atlus (c) with WPOC/Baltimore and WMZQ/Washington D.C.'s Jeff Kapugi and wife Laurie.
tymyers11326.jpg Select Group: Columbia/Records Nashville's Ty Myers celebrates the gold certification of The Select and platinum certification of “Thought It Was Love.” Pictured (l-r) are Starstruck's Narvel Blackstock, Records Nashville's Barry Weiss, Myers and Records Nashville's Andrew Saltman and Joe Fisher.
Tyler-Nance11326.jpg Tour de Nance: Santa Anna/Akando's Tyler Nance (in hat) with the label's JC Coffey and WWKA/Orlando's Steve Stewart and Melissa Quinones (l-r).
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This Chucktown's Been Too Good To Us: Curb's Dylan Scott (c) with WCKN/Charleston, SC's Jeff Cushman (l) and Hunter Meyer.

Top Stories

December CDM Ratings
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Under The Whistle-toe: Here are select Nielsen Audio Continuous Diary Measurement (CDM) ratings for December 2025 (three-month rolling average, 9/18-12/10) compared with October and November. Ranks (in parentheses) are among subscribers. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

Birmingham, AL
(Market 61)

WZZK SummitMedia 
5.6 (4) - 5.1 (5) - 4.9 (5t)
WDXB iHeartMedia
4.3 (7t) - 4.4 (7t) - 4.2 (7)

Buffalo, NY
(59)

WYRK Townsquare
8.4 (3) - 8.4 (3) - 7.6 (3)
WLKK Audacy
1.3 (14) - 1.4 (14) - 1.4 (11)

Greenville, SC
(53)

WSSL iHeartMedia
5.8 (4) - 6.4 (2) - 6.7 (3)
Largest share since April 2025.
WESC iHeartMedia Classic Country
5.4 (5) - 5.7 (4) - 5.2 (5)

Richmond, VA
(52)
WKHK SummitMedia
7.3 (2) - 6.2 (3) - 5.4 (4)
WRXL-HD2
Audacy
1.1 (15) - 1.0 (15) - 1.4 (15)
Largest share since Jan. 2025.
Rochester, NY
(60)
WBEE Audacy
8.2 (2) - 7.3 (2) - 5.9 (3t)
WDVI iHeartMedia
2.1 (10) - 2.1 (9) - 1.9 (10t)
Jan 16, 2026 Share
Fall Diary Ratings
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Kickin' Ashe: Here are select Nielsen Audio Fall 2025 (9/18-12/10) two-book per year diary ratings for subscribing stations compared with their last books (Fall 2024 and Spring 2025). Ranks (in parentheses) are also among subscribers. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.


Asheville, NC    
(Market 149)

WKSF iHeartMedia
16.2 (1) - 9.5 (2) - 11.9 (1)

Fredericksburg, VA
(130)

WFLS Connoisseur
7.7 (2) - 8.7 (2) - 7.2 (2)
WGRX Telemedia
2.6 (5) - 4.0 (4) - 4.0 (3)

Tuscaloosa, AL   (193)

WTXT iHeartMedia
3.5 (5) - 4.4 (4) - 4.3 (4)
WFFN
Townsquare
5.3 (4) - 3.8 (5t) - 3.1 (6t)

Jan 16, 2026 Share
December CDM Ratings
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Q-tip: Here are select Nielsen Audio Continuous Diary Measurement (CDM) ratings for December 2025 (three-month rolling average, 9/18-12/10) compared with October and November. Ranks (in parentheses) are among subscribers. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

Baton Rouge
(Market 78)

WYNK iHeartMedia
4.7 (4t) - 6.0 (3) - 5.2 (4)
WTGE Guaranty
Does not subscribe.

Louisville
(58)

WAMZ iHeartMedia
6.1 (2) - 5.9 (3) - 5.8 (2t)
WQNU SummitMedia
3.1 (10) - 3.4 (10) - 3.8 (10)
Largest share since Dec. 2023.
WRKA SummitMedia Cl. Country
1.3 (16) - 1.1 (17) - 1.1 (16)
Switched from Urban AC to Classic Country on July 14 (CAT 7/14).

New Orleans
(50)

WNOE iHeartMedia
5.3 (5) - 5.6 (5) - 5.1 (5)

Oklahoma City
(49)

KTST iHeartMedia
5.7 (4t) - 5.7 (5) - 5.2 (5)
KJKE Tyler
4.1 (7) - 4.4 (6) - 3.6 (8)
KXXY iHeartMedia Classic Country
3.7 (8t) - 3.7 (9) - 3.3 (10)

Jan 15, 2026 Share
Recent Stories
Jan 16, 2026 WQXK's Graaf Retires: In the wake of Cumulus WQXK/Youngstown, OH morning co-host Doug James' Jan. 8 death (CAT 1/12), his longtime co-host&... Read full story
Jan 16, 2026 Nouveau Rich: Nashville Music Guide magazine's Randy Rich has launched music publishing company Get Rich Trying and signed John Major as its first ... Read full story
Jan 16, 2026 Tour Support: Drake Milligan has added 23 U.S. and Australian dates to his now 40-show Tumbleweed World Tour, which kicks off Feb. 22 in Hampton,... Read full story
Jan 16, 2026 Festive All: The Marcus King Band, Kaitlin Butts, Zach John King, Lauren Watkins, Waylon Wyatt, Tiera Kennedy, McCoy Moore and more will perform ... Read full story
Jan 16, 2026 Bits & Pieces: Craig Morgan has been promoted to Chief Warrant Officer 2 in the Army Reserve. The promotion ceremony took place yesterday (1/... Read full story
Jan 15, 2026 Tour Support: Aaron Lewis' 2026 American Tour opens Jan. 22 in Quapaw, OK and continues to markets including Tampa, Nashville, Las Vegas and Fort... Read full story
Jan 15, 2026 Smart Watch: Warner's Braxton Keith and Sony's Zach John King are included in Amazon Music's list of 49 "artists to watch" in 2026. Those artists will... Read full story
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Jan 15, 2026 ICYMI: Vince Gill has been named the recipient of the 2026 Ken Burns American Heritage Prize, an honor created by nonprofit American Prairie... Read full story
Jan 14, 2026 Aloha: Audacy KSON/San Diego afternoon host Kimo Jensen, known as "the Smilin' Hawaiian," will retire in mid-June after more than 30 years there,... Read full story
Jan 14, 2026 Live And Hern: As announced this morning via Breaking News, CMA CEO Sarah Trahern will retire at the end of the year, saying she is “incredibly ... Read full story
Jan 14, 2026 Speed Reeder: OM Bryan Reeder has been promoted to GM at HEH Communications' KSAM/Huntsville, TX and Classic Hits sister KHVL. He ... Read full story
Jan 14, 2026 Tour Support: Clay Walker hits the road on his 29-city Doin' What I Love Tour Jan. 23 in Tulsa. Tickets here. Additional shows will be ... Read full story
Jan 14, 2026 Love & Marriage: Premiere Networks and iHeartPodcasts will launch weekly podcast Married To The Music Feb. 13 with Nashville-based ... Read full story
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Jan 13, 2026 Watch Dog: Sony Music Publishing Nashville has acquired Nashville-based independent publishing and artist development company Big Yellow Dog ... Read full story
Jan 13, 2026 Necessary Emissary: KDPM/Marshall, TX Dir./Sales & Marketing Seth Necessary has joined crosstown Hanszen KMHT/Marshall as an ... Read full story
Jan 13, 2026 Calling Card: Songwriter Rob Williford ("Beautiful Crazy"), studio manager/engineer Spencer Coats of FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, AL and ... Read full story
Jan 13, 2026 Tour Support: Leo33's Jenna Paulette is adding dates to her 26-show Back In The Saddle Tour, which kicked off Jan. 9 and is currently scheduled to ... Read full story
Jan 13, 2026 Four Score: Nonprofit Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio (MIW) has added four to its Board of Directors: KKBQ/Houston APD/MD Lauren "Lo"... Read full story
Jan 13, 2026 Mercury Rising: The Radio Advertising Bureau has called for entries in its 35th annual Radio Mercury Awards, which celebrate radio creative in 18 ... Read full story
Jan 13, 2026 Bits & Pieces: BMI/Nashville has named songwriter Lee Thomas Miller as its 2026 Songwriter Ambassador in Residence. The ... Read full story

 

 

 

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The Year End Print Special

featuring: 
The Year In Music:
Morgan, Ella & More

CMA Radio Winners
Recap The Week

Label Of The Year
Big Loud Turns 10

BMG's Jon Loba:
The Interview



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The 2026 Grammy
Voter's Guide
A quick reference guide to the 2026 Grammy Nominees



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Inside This Issue: 

Exstream: What Is Mainstream Country?

You Never Forget Your First … Cousin

Survey Says: NuVoodoo Research



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