This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in 2015.
Events January 15 – Parodist Cledus T. Judd announces his retirement from the performing aspect of the music business. February 27 – Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher give birth to their son, Isaiah Michael Fisher. March 4 – Shania Twain announces that her Rock This Country tour will be her last but that she intends to continue releasing albums April – A new syndicated radio program, American Country Countdown Rewind with Bob Kingsley, consisting of Kingsley-hosted ACC programs from 1990–2005, is announced by Nash FM (the media brand and network of country music stations owned by Cumulus Media). The first programs aired the weekend of May 2."NASH Icon Partners With Bob Kingsley For ACC-Rewind," Media Confidential, April 17, 2015. Accessed 04-23-2015."NASH To Launch 'American Country Countdown Rewind With Bob Kingsley'," All Access, April 17, 2015. Accessed 04-22-2015. May 26 – Radio consultant Keith Hill is criticized when stating in an interview that music stations should limit the airplay of female country artists. The story, dubbed Tomato-gate is further ignited when Hill compares female artists to that of "tomatoes in a salad". In response, Sara Evans, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, and Jennifer Nettles criticize Hill's comments via social media. June 15 – Country Weekly is rebranded as Nash Country Weekly, as part of a co-branding with Nash FM's radio product. June 19 – Almost a year after successfully recovering from cervical cancer, Joey Martin Feek of Joey + Rory is diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer. June 22 – With "Love Me Like You Mean It", Kelsea Ballerini becomes the first female artist to send her debut single to No. 1 on Country Airplay since Carrie Underwood did in 2006, and the first female artist to do so on an independent label. July 9 – Luke Bryan causes controversy in an interview with "HITS Double Daily" for implying that Outlaw country artists (particularly Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, and Willie Nelson) spent their career "laying in the gutter, strung out on drugs." Bryan would later call Jennings' widow Jessi Colter, as well as Haggard's son, Ben, to apologize. July 18 – "Girl Crush" by Little Big Town makes country music history by breaking the record of weeks spent at number 1 by a group of three or more members, surpassing the current record holders The Browns and their song The Three Bells. July 20 – Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton announce their divorce after four years of marriage. August 3 – Reba McEntire announces the separation from long-time husband and manager Narvel Blackstock. Although they will be ending their marriage, they will continue to support one another professionally. September 25 – Kenny Rogers announces his plans to retire following a Christmas album and a 2016 farewell tour September 27 – Producer Dave Brainard is hospitalized after being found unconscious with a broken jaw from a beating. October – Joey Martin Feek of Joey + Rory ends treatment for stage IV colorectal cancer after treatments fail to control growth of tumors. November 2 – Chris Cagle announces his retirement from the music business. November 4 - Chris Stapleton becomes an overnight sensation after his performance with Justin Timberlake of "Tennessee Whiskey" and "Drink You Away" at the Country Music Association Awards; the performance is considered the best of the show, and one of the best performances in CMA history. Stapleton wins New Artist, Male Vocalist and Album of the Year for Traveller. November 9 – Joey Martin Feek of Joey and Rory enters Hospice care after terminal cancer diagnosis November 21- Jean Shepard celebrates her 60th Grand Ole Opry anniversary
Top hits of the year The following songs placed within the Top 20 on the Hot Country Songs, Country Airplay or Canada Country charts in 2015:
Singles released by American artists SongsAirplayCanadaSingleArtistReferences3110Ain't Worth the WhiskeyCole Swindell 161033Already Callin' You MineParmalee631Anything GoesFlorida Georgia Line1135Baby Be My Love SongEaston Corbin313Break Up with HimOld Dominion232Buy Me a BoatChris Janson211Crash and BurnThomas Rhett1596Crushin' ItBrad Paisley11310Diamond Rings and Old BarstoolsTim McGraw with Catherine Dunn411Don't ItBilly Currington3211Drinking ClassLee Brice 9918FlyMaddie & Tae241617FreestyleLady Antebellum212032GamesLuke Bryan1311Girl CrushLittle Big Town71642God Made GirlsRaeLynn411GonnaBlake Shelton522Gonna Know We Were HereJason Aldean10216Gonna Wanna TonightChase Rice719A Guy Walks Into a BarTyler Farr718Hell of a NightDustin Lynch211HomegrownZac Brown Band6211Homegrown HoneyDarius Rucker112House PartySam Hunt111I See YouLuke Bryan16——I'd Just Love to Lay You DownBarrett Baber211I'm Comin' OverChris Young242040I'm to BlameKip Moore221John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16Keith Urban512Just Gettin' StartedJason Aldean111Kick the Dust UpLuke Bryan10113Kiss You in the MorningMichael Ray2517—Kiss You TonightDavid Nail928Let Me See Ya GirlCole Swindell936Like a CowboyRandy Houser61132Like a Wrecking BallEric Church51622Little Red WagonMiranda Lambert627Little Toy GunsCarrie Underwood425Lonely EyesChris Young211Lonely TonightBlake Shelton featuring Ashley Monroe231634Long Stretch of LoveLady Antebellum212Lose My MindBrett Eldredge1933—Love Is Your NameSteven Tyler513Love Me Like You Mean ItKelsea Ballerini6120Love You Like ThatCanaan Smith412Loving You EasyZac Brown Band2111Make Me WannaThomas Rhett413Mean to MeBrett Eldredge1——My Baby's Got a Smile on Her FaceCraig Wayne Boyd514Nothin' Like YouDan + Shay5116One Hell of an AmenBrantley Gilbert411Perfect StormBrad Paisley811Raise 'Em UpKeith Urban featuring Eric Church171723Real LifeJake Owen2720—RiotRascal Flatts1711—Run Away with YouBig & Rich311SangriaBlake Shelton411Save It for a Rainy DayKenny Chesney514Say You DoDierks Bentley151428She Don't Love YouEric Paslay311Sippin' on FireFlorida Georgia Line511SmokeA Thousand Horses421Smoke BreakCarrie Underwood133Something in the WaterCarrie Underwood111Strip It DownLuke Bryan312Sun DazeFlorida Georgia Line16919Take It On BackChase Bryant112Take Your TimeSam Hunt211TalladegaEric Church 159—Tennessee WhiskeyChris Stapleton811Til It's GoneKenny Chesney611Tonight Looks Good on YouJason Aldean1156Top of the WorldTim McGraw17——TravellerChris Stapleton191430What We Ain't GotJake Owen913Wild ChildKenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter813Young & CrazyFrankie Ballard
Singles released by Canadian artists SongsAirplayCanadaSingleArtistReferences——1AirwavesBrett Kissel——6Before You Drive Me CrazyWes Mack——4BlameAutumn Hill——7Bring Down the HouseDean Brody——5Cheap SeatsDallas Smith——6Country SideJason Blaine——3Don't Let Her Be GoneGord Bamford——20Go BackLeah Daniels——7Gone Long GoneJason Benoit——17Groovin' with YouGord Bamford——7I'm an Open RoadPaul Brandt featuringJess Moskaluke——10It's All GoodJojo Mason——14Just Like LoveSteven Lee Olsen——7Kiss Me QuietJess Moskaluke——5LiftedDallas Smith——5Make You MineHigh Valley——20MoonshineAlee——17Night We Won't ForgetJess Moskaluke——17NothingPaul Brandt——7Our TownCold Creek County—573Raised by a Good TimeSteven Lee Olsen——19Shake It If Ya Got ItKira Isabella——10She Don't Drink Whiskey AnymoreTim Hicks——6She's with MeHigh Valley——8So Do ITim Hicks——5Something You Just Don't ForgetBrett Kissel——15Till the Wheels Come OffCold Creek County——13UndressedBobby Wills——5Upside DownDean Brody——1Wastin' GasDallas Smith——12The Way You Let Me DownWes Mack——16When the Buzz Wears OffTebey——11When the Lights Go DownChad Brownlee——9Who We AreEmerson Drive——11Young, Alive and In LoveTim Hicks
Top new album releases The following albums placed on the Top Country Albums charts in 2015:
US Album Artist Record label Release date Reference 6 4X4 (EP) Granger Smith Pioneer Music May 5 8 35 Biggest Hits Tim McGraw Curb June 16 2 35 MPH Town Toby Keith Show Dog-Universal October 9 1 About to Get Real Easton Corbin Mercury Nashville June 30 1 Angels and Alcohol Alan Jackson ACR/EMI Nashville July 17 7 Between the Pines Sam Hunt MCA Nashville October 27 2 The Blade Ashley Monroe Warner Bros. Nashville July 24 4 Bronco Canaan Smith Mercury Nashville June 23 4 Buy Me a Boat Chris Janson Warner Bros. Nashville October 30 1 Cass County Don Henley Capitol September 25 7 Closer (EP) Kane Brown Kane Brown June 2 1 Cold Beer Conversation George Strait MCA Nashville September 25 4 Country Evolution Home Free Columbia Nashville September 18 3 Damn Country Music Tim McGraw Big Machine November 6 1 Django & Jimmie Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard Legacy June 2 2 Elvis Forever Elvis Presley USPS/RCA August 12 10 Elvis: Ultimate Christmas Elvis Presley RCA November 6 4 The First Time Kelsea Ballerini Black River May 19 9 Front Row Seat Josh Abbott Band Pretty Damn Tough November 6 10 Happy Prisoner: The Bluegrass Sessions Robert Earl Keen Dualtone February 10 9 HippieLovePunk Cody Canada and the Departed Underground Sound January 13 10 Hits & Hymns Jimmy Fortune Gaither Music Group October 23 4 Hold My Beer Vol. 1 Wade Bowen and Randy Rogers Lil' Buddy Toons April 20 1 Holding All the Roses Blackberry Smoke Rounder February 10 5 Home Pat Green Greenhorse August 14 1 I'm Comin' Over Chris Young RCA Nashville November 13 1 Illinois Brett Eldredge Atlantic September 11 1 Jekyll + Hyde Zac Brown Band Southern Ground/Big Machine April 28 1 Kill the Lights Luke Bryan Capitol Nashville August 7 1 Love Somebody Reba McEntire Nash Icon April 14 7 Me (EP) RaeLynn Valory Music Group January 13 3 Meat and Candy Old Dominion RCA Nashville November 6 4 Michael Ray Michael Ray Warner Bros. Nashville August 7 5 Mono The Mavericks Valory Music Group February 17 2 Mr. Misunderstood Eric Church EMI Nashville November 3 3 The Music of Nashville: Season 3, Volume 2 Various Artists Big Machine May 12 3 Nashville: On the Record, Volume 2 Various Artists Big Machine March 24 3 NOW That's What I Call ACM Awards 50 Years Various Artists Universal March 31 8 NOW That's What I Call Country Christmas Various Artists Universal October 23 1 NOW That's What I Call Country Volume 8 Various Artists Universal June 9 3 Outlaw in Me The Lacs Backroad May 26 1 Pageant Material Kacey Musgraves Mercury Nashville June 23 4 Precious Memories Collection Alan Jackson Arista Nashville November 6 2 Reloaded: 20 #1 Hits Blake Shelton Warner Bros. Nashville October 23 2 Second Hand Heart Dwight Yoakam Warner Bros. Nashville April 14 1 Something More Than Free Jason Isbell Southeastern July 17 2 Southern Drawl Alabama BMG Chrysalis North America September 18 1 Southern Style Darius Rucker Capitol Nashville March 31 3 Southernality A Thousand Horses Republic Nashville June 9 1 Spring Break...Checkin' Out Luke Bryan Capitol Nashville March 10 5 Spring Break...The Set List: The Complete Spring Break Collection ZinePak Luke Bryan Capitol Nashville March 10 2 Start Here Maddie & Tae Dot August 28 2 Still the One: Live from Vegas Shania Twain Mercury Nashville March 3 1 Storyteller Carrie Underwood Arista Nashville October 23 2 Suffer in Peace Tyler Farr Columbia Nashville April 28 3 Summer Forever Billy Currington Mercury Nashville June 2 2 Tangled Up Thomas Rhett Valory Music Group September 25 3 Terraplane Steve Earle New West February 17 3 Thirty One Jana Kramer Warner Music Nashville October 9 9 Today Is Christmas LeAnn Rimes Kobalt October 16 8 The Traveling Kind Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell Nonesuch May 12 1 Traveller Chris Stapleton Mercury Nashville May 5 3 The Turnpike Troubadours Turnpike Troubadours Bossier City September 18 1 The Underdog Aaron Watson Big Label February 17 2 Untamed Cam Arista Nashville/RCA December 11 2 Wild Ones Kip Moore MCA Nashville August 21
Other top albums