Author: 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.

After sending the internet into a frenzy Wednesday morning with a brand-new teaser video that contained references to long-awaited unreleased tracks, Tyler Childers has officially announced that his 7th studio album, Snipe Hunter, will be released on Friday, July 25th. As of now, the only confirmed track on the album is none other than today’s newest release, “Nose on the Grindstone,” which has remained one of Childers’ most popular releases since its appearance on his acoustic OurVinyl Session back in 2017. With that being said, however, the aforementioned teaser video from Wednesday morning also hinted towards the inclusion of his…

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Tyler Childers, much like his contemporaries such as Jason Isbell and Kacey Musgraves, has never been one to shy away from expressing his politics and beliefs quite regularly. Being one of the most prominent liberal voices in the genre, the “Whitehouse Road” singer has never shied away from speaking out on controversial topics. This, of course, was highlighted most prominently on his 2020 album, Long Violent History. Though eight of the nine songs present on the record were instrumentals, the album’s closer and title track was written in response to the infamous killing of fellow Kentuckian, Breonna Taylor, as well…

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On a weekend intended to be a celebration of country music, tragedy struck on the final day of CMA Fest in Nashville. Conner Smith, who had previously played at the festival on Saturday, struck and killed a 77-year-old Nashville resident, Dorothy Dobbins, on Sunday, June 8th. As reported by TMZ, Smith, who rose to fame with viral hits such as “Creek Will Rise” and “I Hate Alabama,” was behind the wheel of his Chevy Silverado heading north on 3rd Avenue around 7:30 p.m. when he accidentally hit Dobbins while she was crossing the street inside a marked crosswalk. Dobbins was…

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As each day passes, it becomes more apparent that Morgan Wallen’s I’m The Problem is going to continue to smash records both in country music and abroad. After spending its third straight week at #1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 albums chart, Wallen’s fourth studio album just became the best-selling album in 2025 in the US by total units in just three weeks. According to Chart Data, one of the leading chart insiders on X, I’m The Problem surpassed Kendrick Lamar’s GNX which was released on November 22, 2024. Riding the massive popularity of his 2024 smash hit, “Not Like…

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Coming off a highly successful inaugural year in 2024 which featured the likes of Colter Wall, Megan Moroney, Zach Top, ERNEST and more, RedWest is running it back in 2025 with an even more star-studded lineup. Just announced, RedWest 2025 will feature Post Malone, Kacey Musgraves and folk superstar, Noah Kahan as headliners across the festival’s three days, promising a diverse selection of musical styles. In addition to the star headliners, RedWest is enlisting some of the brightest rising stars in the genre. Koe Wetzel, Ella Langley, Treaty Oak Revival, Sam Barber, Avery Anna, Braxton Keith, Hudson Westbrook, Ty Myers,…

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With rumblings of a sophomore album release aplenty online over the past few weeks, many were wondering when exactly Zach Top would make an official announcement. After promising a new record this summer back in March, today, the “I Never Lie” singer officially announced that his brand new LP, Ain’t In It For My Health, and it’s releasing on Friday, August 29th. Minutes ago, Top took to Instagram with the caption, “The subtle hints and cryptic announcments are over. Your new favorite summer banger, ‘Good Times & Tan Lines,’ is out now! And if that’s not enough, my second record,…

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