Following the anticipated March 20 release of his sixth studio album, The Way I Am, Luke Combs continues to rank himself as a leading figure in the country music scene and beyond.
The 36-year-old Carolina native, marked by his humble, down-to-earth personality, was just announced as one of 2026’s 100 most influential people in the world by TIME magazine. Even more impressively, the “Hurricane” singer also landed himself on the front cover of the April edition.
With this outstanding feat, Combs delivers his casual yet brooding look on the cover, dressed down in a dark blue baseball cap and a button-up shirt, sporting a serious gaze. In true Combs fashion, this same humility bleeds throughout his cover story based on an interview with TIME editorial director Lucy Feldman.
Reflecting on his chart-topping success and recent record-breaking kickstarter to his My Kinda Saturday Night Tour at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium last month, the feature also showcases his normal lifestyle as a father of three. In a heartfelt remark, fellow Grammy award winner, Lainey Wilson describes Combs in the piece by saying, “Luke represents the down-home people, the people that work hard to take care of their families, the people who would give you the shirt off their back. He’s not about the fluff.”
Combs’ nomination to the Time 100 list was also celebrated with a tribute written by his fellow “Life Goes On” collaborator, Ed Sheeran. The English superstar recalls their 2018 meeting, calling Combs a “good bloke, with talent just spilling out of him.” He also graciously extends his compliments by adding, “People might call that ‘normal,’ but there’s nothing normal about what Luke has achieved.”
Combs joins the likes of 16 artists included in the roundup, such as Noah Kahan, Keke Palmer, and Dakota Johnson. The remaining 100 include influential figures separated by the categories “Titans,” “Innovators,” “Icons,” “Leaders,” and “Pioneers.”
Continuing to prove his commanding presence and ever-growing fan base, Combs will carry his 2026 headlining world stadium tour through the rest of the summer. He’ll be returning with a show this weekend on April 18 in South Bend, Indiana, and rounding things out overseas on August 1 in London.
Tour Dates:
- April 18: South Bend, Ind. @ Notre Dame Stadium†
- April 25: Columbus, Ohio @ Ohio Stadium†
- May 2: Knoxville, Tenn. @ Neyland Stadium†
- May 9: Norman, Okla. @ Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium†
- May 16: Green Bay, Wis. @ Lambeau Field†
- May 30: Montréal, Québec @ Parc Jean-Drapeau†
- June 6: Toronto, Ont. @ Rogers Stadium†
- July 4: Gothenburg, Sweden @ Ullevi‡
- July 7: Paris, France @ Accor Arena§
- July 11: Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Johan Cruijff Arena‡
- July 18: Ireland @ Slane Castle‡
- July 25: Edinburgh, U.K. @ Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium+
- Aug. 1: London, U.K. @ Wembley Stadium#
*with special guests Dierks Bentley, Ty Myers and Thelma & James
†with special guests Dierks Bentley, Ty Myers, Jake Worthington and Thelma & James
‡with special guests The Script, Ty Myers and The Castellows
§with special guests Ty Myers and The Castellows
+with special guests The Teskey Brothers, Ty Myers and The Castellows
#with special guests Thomas Rhett, Ty Myers and The Castellows