On the eve of the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards, an exclusive gala was held to honor the achievements of none other than 25x award-winning duo, Brooks & Dunn. Hosted by Bobby Bones, the night featured the likes of Eric Church, Lainey Wilson, Zach Top, Megan Moroney, Cody Johnson and Keith Urban performing songs from the legendary duo throughout the night at the Omni PGA Frisco. After the gala kicked off with a dinner, a silent auction which benefited the Academy’s mental health-focused charity partner, ACM Lifting Lives, and a highlight reel of memorable moments to honor the show’s…
Author: Brennen Kelly
Brennen Kelly
Hailing from the Chicagoland area, Brennen graduated from Valparaiso University with a BA in Communication and a minor in Cinema and Media Studies. After covering Arts & Entertainment at his university's newspaper, he began writing for Country Chord in March of 2023. Known for his love of independent country and authentic songwriters, Brennen has a long-history of championing the likes of Zach Bryan, Jason Isbell, Tyler Childers and many others.
It’s hard to imagine a more fascinating artist in today’s country music landscape than Zach Bryan. In a six-year span, the “Something in the Orange” singer has gone from recording his debut album, DeAnn, in a Florida Airbnb and scoring viral hits online to recently selling his publishing catalog for a staggering $350 million and most notably breaking George Strait’s record for largest ticketed show in U.S. history with his upcoming Michigan Stadium show. Despite all the momentum gained over the past few years, Bryan has made it clear that he wants to take a step back from touring. With…
The cover I didn’t think I needed. At this point, the secret is out with Zach Top. With many proclaiming the Washington native as the savior of the classic ’90s sound that so many are craving, it’s no stretch to say that he’s one of the buzziest artists on social media at the moment. Recently scoring his first-ever entries on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart with his breakout hit, “Sounds Like The Radio,” and “I Never Lie,” Top is clearly here to stay as a regular on the charts. However, before the release of “Sounds Like The Radio,” Top was just another up-and-coming…
Fresh off an incredibly busy two weeks which included a killer Stagecoach performance in front of over 80,000 people in Indio, California, rumors of a potential collaboration with Creed and a viral Las Vegas house party which was shut down by police, it seems as if Zach Bryan has been on top of the world lately. Despite his usual transparent nature online regarding everything from his personal life to music taste, there’s been one thing that has been highly speculated: his current record deal. Bryan has gone on record multiple times noting that he and Warner Records have one final…
It’s hard to imagine a hotter artist in country music today than Zach Top. After an incredibly successful 2024 which included the release of his debut album, Cold Beer & Country Music, viral hits such as “I Never Lie” and “Use Me” and a fanbase that has grown at an exponential rate, 2025 looks to be an even bigger year for the Washington native. After scoring his first-ever platinum record for “I Never Lie,” an ACM Award win for New Male Artist of the Year as well as an Album of the Year nod for Cold Beer & Country Music…
We are so back. In an alt country scene that continues to grow stronger seemingly every single day, it’s hard to come to a general consensus on who truly is the best of the best. One name that continually tops many spots (including mine) is none other than Dylan Gossett. Starting off hot right from the start with his certified platinum single, “Coal,” in 2023. The Texan singer/songwriter has continually turned heads with quality release after quality release. With two EPs, No Better Time and Songs in the Gravel, under his belt, many were wondering when Gossett would deliver a…