Amazon Music Celebrates Country Music Month With New Music and Livestreaming Events Featuring Reba McEntire, Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde, Reyna Roberts, and More
Walker Hayes and Carin Leon collaborate on a brand-new Amazon Original song, out today on Amazon Music
New data reveals Country Heat, the global country music brand for Amazon Music, has surpassed 13 billion streams in the U.S. since its first station launched in October 2016
(ad)This post is sponsored by Paramount+. Go behind the journey. Go behind the inspiration. Go Behind the Music. The groundbreaking music documentary series is now streaming, with new episodes dropping weekly on Thursdays, exclusively on Paramount+. Try it FREE!
Today, Amazon Music kicks off Country Music Month, a celebration of music and entertainment with brand-new songs, livestreaming events, and more surprises to come. This month, fans will hear new and exclusive Amazon Original songs from Walker Hayes and Carin Leon, Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde, Kolby Cooper, and Ryan Hurd, plus a special virtual performance from the legendary Reba McEntire, and much more.
“For us, every month could be Country Music Month, but today gives us a new opportunity to celebrate the best in the genre with so much new programming, and by giving our country music listeners even more reasons to celebrate,” said Emily Cohen, principal country music curator at Amazon Music. “Today we’re also celebrating 13 billion streams of our playlists and stations within the Country Heat brand. That’s a lot of streams, and we’re thrilled to know that it’s not only fans streaming the major stars coming out of Nashville. New artists on the rise, like Niko Moon and Gabby Barrett, have been skyrocketing to the top of our charts across the past year, and it’s been so exciting to come up with new ways to introduce them, and their peers, to new audiences around the world.”
Today marks the exclusive release of country star Walker Hayes and regional Mexican icon Carin Leon’s reimagination of “Fancy Like (Carin Leon Remix – Amazon Original)”. The first version of “Fancy Like” became a smash hit, and on Amazon Music, it has been one of the three most requested songs via Alexa over the last three months. The new Amazon Original remix leads the brand-new “Whiskey & Tequila” playlist—which seamlessly connects regional Mexican and country music, two of Amazon Music’s most popular genres. On October 8, Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde will release an acoustic version of “Never Wanted to Be That Girl,” followed by a new track from Kolby Cooper, “Storm’s Coming,” on October 15, and the final Amazon Original for the month from Ryan Hurd, premiering October 29.
“Hearing my song sung in Spanish for the first time was pretty mind-blowing,” said Walker Hayes. “Carin just sounds awesome; he has a lot of swag. It sounds great and I hope his fans will love what he’s come up with for ‘Fancy Like.’”
“When I first started, we did not think of achieving this level of success or think that our regional Mexican music would reach spaces in the Anglo market, much less in a genre as strong as country,” said Carin Leon. “As a musician and also as a person, it means a lot to be one of the first to be doing this kind of collaboration. As a musician, being able to do something like this refreshes what we’ve been doing, especially being able to collaborate with such a talented artist as Walker and his entire team. Going to Nashville, a city which is home to country music, blows my mind; at times I feel like I need to be pinched to believe it a little bit.”
Listen to Walker Hayes’ and Carin León’s “Fancy Like (Carin León Remix – Amazon Original)” HERE
Watch Walker Hayes & Carin León Explore Nashville with “Fancy Nashville” HERE
Download Track & Country Heat Artwork HERE (CREDIT: Amazon Music)
Check out the “Whiskey & Tequila” playlist HERE
Amazon Music is also making it possible for fans to watch exciting live concerts from home, with virtual events including an October 12 performance and live Q&A from mega-star Reba McEntire on Amazon.com/live, following the release of her highly anticipated box set, Revived Remixed Revisited. Additionally, the Amazon Music Twitch channel will feature live country music programming including Group Thread, Amazon Music’s weekly live panel discussion—featuring a range of country music talent—on Fridays at 4 p.m. CDT. On October 5 at 4 p.m. CDT, fans can watch the new Breakthrough Country Live event to celebrate developing artists including Reyna Roberts, Sophia Scott, and Ryan Garrett.
“I’m so grateful for everyone at Amazon Music championing rising artists like myself,” said Reyna Roberts. “They are continuously evolving and exceeding expectations; creating new opportunities for country artists to reach more fans through Amazon. I’m so excited about Breakthrough Country Live and for what’s to come! We are already doing incredible things together.”
Since the launch of the original Country Heat station in October 2016—formerly known as Top Country—the overall Country Heat brand (playlist and stations) have amassed more than 13 billion streams total in the U.S. And according to new data, the breakout successes rule the Amazon Music country charts:
- Carly Pearce, Niko Moon, Gabby Barrett, and Tenille Arts are among the 20 most streamed artists on “Country Heat” in the U.S. so far this year.
- Gabby Barrett and Niko Moon have the top two most streamed songs on the Amazon Music country chart in 2021 with “The Good Ones” and “Good Time,” respectively.
- Mickey Guyton’s Amazon Original cover of Beyoncé’s “If I Were a Boy” has remained one of the ten most streamed country Originals of all time on Amazon Music since it was released in February.
- In 2020, Breland was a top-performing artist with his debut single, “My Truck,” through Amazon Music’s Launchpad program, which promotes emerging artists via programming and increased visibility across the service. Currently, Breland’s “Throw It Back (feat. Keith Urban)” is one of the most popular tracks on the “Country Heat” playlist this year.
- Meanwhile, superstars such as Luke Combs, Garth Brooks, Miranda Lambert, Kane Brown, and more continue to top the Amazon Music charts as some of the most streamed country artists across the service.
Today also marks a reveal of a brand-new look for Country Heat programmed content. Inspired by the neon buzz and sweaty glow of live music venues, the new imagery embodies the rich and lively culture of the country music scene. In addition to “Country Heat,” Amazon Music listeners can listen to hundreds of country music playlists, from “Fresh Country” and “Breakthrough Country” for stars on the rise, to “Texas Forever,” featuring stars from the Lone Star State and Red Dirt country scenes.
