New Music Friday + Why George Strait Won Billboard’s Top Tour Category Explained

New music Friday.

Sturgill Simpson kept Paul awake last night.

Matt Stell’s Better Than That, EP is out, with 5 new songs including the title track and previously released current single Everywhere But On. Plus #1 song  Prayed for You

Parker McCollum, Hollywood Gold. Parker co wrote 5 of the 6 songs including the current single Pretty Heart

Trace Adkins Aint that kind of cowboy.

Tanya Tucker Live from the Troubadour. Not sure when it was recorded but it’s 15 songs long

And tis the season, When I Think about Christmas by Runaway June.

After the 2020 Billboard Music Awards, George Strait was announced as the winner in the Top Country Tour category. That's historic and surprising.

It's historic because, at age 68, Strait was the oldest winner at the 2020 BBMAs (per Billboard). It's surprising because — didn't the King of Country retire from the road?

Let's start with Billboard's Top tours of 2019 list of the other nominees, ranked by total gross:

1. Eric Church: $65 million  2. Florida Georgia Line: $53 million

They used March to March instead of the calendar year.  And most artists go into the studio or prepare for upcoming Summer Tours in January, February and March. But Strait hit the gas, playing five more concerts before March. Five more  concerts at $5 million a show is another $25 million gross. Add that to his $46 million from 2019 and you get a number ($71 million) that exceeds the other two nominees. Case closed.

If you ever are offered a residency in Vegas.  Take it!

Q106.5 Country Music News weekday mornings at 8:20