Country Aircheck

In This Issue (2/23)

“I’ve always been that kid in a record store and I’ve never lost focus on that.”

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Radio Vision

Armadillo By Morning: Warner's Gavin Adcock (c) with the label's James Marsh and WQMX/Akron's Sarah Kay at the Dusty Armadillo.

Bless The Road Less Traveled: Nashville Harbor's Rascal Flatts (top) and Big Loud's Lauren Alaina in Oklahoma City. Pictured (top, l-r) are the trio's Gary LeVox, iHeart/Oklahoma's JJ Ryan and the trio's Joe Don Rooney and Jay DeMarcus; (bottom, l-r) Ryan, Alaina, the label's Kelley Bradshaw and KJKE’s Kevin Christopher.

The It Cloud: Columbia's Megan Moroney (r) talks Cloud 9 with Apple Music's Kelleigh Bannen.

Heel The World: KXKT/Omaha's Hoss Michaels, Steve Lundy and Gina Melton (l-r) help collect more than 1,400 pairs of socks and gloves for Completely KIDS.

iHardy: Big Loud's Hardy at iHeartMedia's Nashville Summit. Pictured (l-r) are the company's Gregg Swedberg, Hardy, the label's Lauren Thomas, the company's Dusty Panhorst and the label's John D’Amico.

'FRE Bird: WFRE/Frederick, MD’s Free Country Cares For St. Jude Kids raises $640,320, bringing their 20-year total to more than $10 million.

Cin City: MCA's Vincent Mason with iHeart/Kentucky's Rachel Elliot and WUBE's Grover Collins in Cincinnati.

Oil Gig: Disruptor/Sony Music Nashville's Graham Barham celebrates the gold certification of "Oil Money." Pictured (l-r) are SMN's Taylor Lindsey, songwriter Beau Bailey, Barham, The PRNT Co.’s Dillon Goldberg and SMN's Ken Robold.

Schmoozin' Texas: Sawgod/Columbia NY/Triple Tigers' Ella Langley surprises iHeartMedia staffers at Lainey Wilson's Bell Bottoms Up during the company's Nashville Summit.

All My Flexes Live In Texas: Don Cook, Miranda Lambert, George Strait and the late Keith Gattis are inducted into the Texas Songwriters Hall of Fame (CAT 8/19/25). Pictured (l-r) are Parker McCollum, Bubba Strait, Lambert, Strait, Jamey Johnson, Dean Dillon, Ashley Monroe and Penny Gattis.

Top Stories

Fall Diary Ratings

Sioux Per Duper: 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.

Bismarck, ND (Market 229)	KQDY iHeartMedia 5.3 (7t) - 7.0 (3t) - 7.7 (3t) Largest share since Spring 2023. KUSB Townsquare 5.3 (7t) - 4.0 (8t) - 3.8 (8t) KBMR-AM iHeartMedia Cl. Country 6.3 (5t) - 4.0 (8t) - 2.9 (10t)
Jackson, TN (241)	WOGY Forever 7.5 (3) - 9.6 (2t) - 9.3 (3) WWYN Thomas 3.8 (6t) - 2.7 (7t) - 2.7 (7t)
San Angelo, TX (235)	KKCN Townsquare 2.3 (7t) - 2.4 (8t) - 3.9 (4t) KGKL Townsquare 5.7 (3) - 4.8 (4) - 2.6 (6t) KDCD Four R 2.3 (7t) - 2.4 (8t) - N/A Did not subscribe this survey.
Sioux City, IA (233)	KSUX Powell 8.6 (2t) - 8.7 (2t) - 10.8 (1t) Largest share since Fall 2021. KKYY Powell Classic Country 4.8 (9) - 3.3 (10) - 3.6 (10)
Sioux Falls, SD (168)	KTWB Midwest 11.9 (1) - 13.0 (1) - 13.5 (1) Largest share since Fall 2021. KIKN Townsquare 3.5 (10) - 3.2 (9) - 4.3 (8) Largest share since Spring 2001. KXRB Townsquare Cl. Country 4.4 (9) - 4.2 (7t) - 2.9 (10)

Feb 9, 2026 Share

Fall Diary Ratings

Panama Jacked: 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.

Columbia, MO (212)	KCLR Zimmer 11.2 (1) - 9.9 (1) - 8.2 (2) KFAL-AM Zimmer 1.7 (11) - 1.7 (12t) - 1.8 (8t)
Eau Claire, WI (217)	WAXX Mid-West Family 12.6 (1t) - 12.7 (1) - 11.9 (1) 11th consecutive No. 1. WQRB iHeartMedia 4.2 (7) - 4.8 (5t) - 5.6 (5t) WATQ iHeartMedia Classic Country 5.9 (3t) - 4.8 (5t) - 4.8 (8)
Joplin, MO (215)	KIXQ Zimmer 11.8 (1) - 11.3 (1t) - 11.8 (1)
La Crosse, WI (210)	WCOW Sparta-Tomah 10.3 (1) - 12.8 (1) - 12.6 (1) WQCC Magnum 4.8 (3) - 4.0 (3) - 3.5 (7t)
Panama City, FL (204)	WPAP iHeartMedia 8.1 (3) - 8.9 (2) - 10.7 (1) Largest share since Fall 2020.
Parkersburg, WV (226)	WNUS iHeartMedia 8.8 (1) - 10.4 (1) - 10.6 (1) Largest share since Spring 2023.
Rochester, MN (207)	KWWK Townsquare 7.0 (2) - 7.1 (2) - 6.8 (2) KMFX iHeartMedia 5.4 (3t) - 4.3 (4t) - 6.0 (3)
Wheeling, WV (230)	WOVK iHeartMedia 14.2 (1) - 13.7 (1) - 11.8 (1)

Feb 6, 2026 Share

Fall Diary Ratings

What The Forks? 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.

Cedar Rapids, IA (199)	KHAK Townsquare 10.0 (1t) - 13.0 (1) - 10.9 (1) KKSY iHeartMedia 4.0 (8t) - 3.9 (7t) - 3.6 (9)
Duluth, MN (202)	KDKE Midwest Classic Country 4.8 (5t) - 7.7 (2) - 4.8 (4t) KKCB Townsquare 5.4 (4) - 4.7 (6t) - 4.8 (4t) KTCO Midwest 4.2 (7t) - 4.1 (8t) - 3.6 (10)
Fargo, ND (183)	KBVB Radio Fargo-Moorhead 6.2 (4t) - 7.1 (2t) - 8.1 (3) Largest share since Fall 2013. KVOX Midwest 5.7 (6t) - 6.6 (4) - 5.6 (6)
Grand Forks, ND-MN (242)	KYCK Leighton 7.1 (3t) - 6.2 (5t) - 9.2 (1t) First No. 1 since Fall 2015. KSNR iHeartMedia 7.1 (3t) - 6.2 (5t) - 7.7 (5t) Largest share since Fall 2012.
Harrisonburg, VA (228)	WSIG Saga Classic Country 9.9 (1t) - 9.2 (1t) - 9.8 (1t) WKCY iHeartMedia 8.8 (3) - 9.2 (1t) - 8.5 (3)
Laredo, TX (190)	KRRG Guerra 8.1 (3t) - 9.9 (3) - 10.5 (3) Largest share since Spring 2020.
St. Cloud, MN (181)	KZPK Leighton 5.3 (2t) - 6.7 (2) - 7.9 (1) Largest share since Spring 2014. WWJO Townsquare 8.7 (1) - 8.0 (1) - 6.6 (2) KDDG Starcom Classic Country 2.9 (7t) - 4.0 (5) - 4.8 (4) Largest share to date. WVAL-AM Tri-County Cl. Country 1.4 (13t) - 1.8 (11t) - 2.2 (12)
Waterloo, IA (221)	KOEL Townsquare 7.3 (2) - 7.5 (2) - 10.5 (1) KPTY-AM NRG Classic Country 2.8 (8t) - 3.7 (7t) - 2.9 (8)
Winchester, VA (196)	WUSQ iHeartMedia 15.6 (1) - 13.3 (1) - 10.6 (1) 51st consecutive No. 1, dating to 2000.

Feb 5, 2026 Share

Recent Stories

Feb 24, 2026 Walton's Mountain: JVC/Fort Walton Beach, FL AE and Country WHWY APD/afternoon host Scott Mallory has added OM duties for the cluster where ... Read full story

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Feb 24, 2026 Signage: Sony/Disruptor Records' Bryan Andrews signed with WME. He is managed by 10 and 8's Nicholas Mishko, and his new single “Are We Great Yet... Read full story

Feb 24, 2026 Chronicle: Retired WBCT/Grand Rapids News Dir. Reese Rickards has died. An obituary on the site of Townsquare's crosstown WLHT called him a ... Read full story

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Feb 23, 2026 Staszak Seeking: Former Big Machine Dir./Promotion & Marketing Jane Staszak has decided not to join the new Big Machine/Nashville Harbor... 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

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

Inside This Issue:

Exstream: What Is Mainstream Country?

You Never Forget Your First … Cousin

Survey Says: NuVoodoo Research