For as long as I can remember country radio has had more male country stars than female at any given time. Sure, there were massive individual stars like Dolly, Shania and the Dixie Chicks. But, overall there have always been more male singers and bands getting the majority of slots in the current categories of country stations. However, that dynamic appears to be shifting thanks to the dominance of two female hitmakers that might be taking over the country genre as we speak.

Number one is Ella Langley, who’s song “Choosin’ Texas” hasn’t just been the number one country song for several weeks now nationally and in multiple markets, based on all the data we look at. It’s also been the number one overall song some weeks, which is why it’s crossed over and getting Top 40 airplay despite the fact that Ella has more of a traditional country voice than the pop-friendly vocals of female country artists who have crossed over in the past. In the national US country data we looked at yesterday she had the #1, #3 and the #8 song and one more in the top 20. 

A close second is Megan Moroney whose brand-new album is pulling Morgan Wallen like numbers. Her song “Medicine” is already at #6 in the data we watch nationally here in the US and she has a total of six in the top 20. When we look at the data later in the week to make our add and move suggestions for our clients, which is based on market level data instead of national, I suspect she’ll be doing even stronger.

However, listening to new country stations across the US you would think that these two artists aren’t the A level stars they’ve clearly already become. That’s because most of country radio still programs like it’s 1995 and just watches what every other station adds instead of looking at real time consumption data from their markets that shows what everyone in their area is listening to already on their own on all of their devices. Ella and Megan’s dominance also highlights why country radio has to adjust their antiquated artist separation and gender rules. Plus, they underscore why we’ve all got to get comfortable playing multiple popular new songs from a single artist at once instead of penalizing them by only choosing one and filling our current categories with a bunch of songs that aren’t connecting with listeners in our markets despite charting highly on Mediabase.

Ella and Morgan’s new albums also drive home why it’s so important that radio, in all genres but especially country, stops waiting for an official radio release date to add a song listeners have already been listening to on their other devices for weeks or even years in some cases. Radio programmers have to adapt and evolve because radio cannot be the last platform to feature a popular new song if we have any hope of competing with all of the new platforms that do not wait.

For years country radio has been pretending that Zach Bryan isn’t a country star, because of a couple comments he made or because he didn’t go to Nashville and kiss the ring. Likewise, much of country radio has downplayed how dominant Morgan Wallen has been for several years now, only playing one or two new songs from him at a time even though the whole album does incredibly well. Hopefully, country radio won’t make the same mistake with Ella Langley and Megan Moroney and instead fully embraced their new female superstars that are already bringing tons of new fans into country daily.

What do you think? Comment below or email me at Andy@RadioStationConsultant.com.