2025 New Faces of Country Music Nominees Include Ashley Cooke, Dasha, Drew Baldridge, Zach Top & More
Voting is open now.
Ashley Cooke, Bryan Martin, Chase Matthew, Chayce Beckham, Dasha, Drew Baldridge, Dylan Marlowe, Tucker Wetmore, Warren Zeiders, and Zach Top; Photos Provided
The Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) announced the nominees for the 2025 New Faces of Country Music, showcasing a talented group of up-and-coming artists.
The newly released list of nominees features Ashley Cooke (Big Loud/Back Blocks), Bryan Martin (Average Joes), Chase Matthew (Warner Music Nashville), Chayce Beckham (19 Recordings/BBR/BMG), Dasha (Warner Records), Drew Baldridge (Lyric Ridge/BMG/Stoney Creek), Dylan Marlowe (Sony Music Nashville), Tucker Wetmore (UMG Nashville), Warren Zeiders (Warner Records), and Zach Top (Leo33).
The artists who were nominated are being recognized for achieving notable success on Country Radio during the qualification period, which spans from November 1, 2023, to October 31, 2024, for the 2025 edition. In order to qualify, the artists must have never appeared on the New Faces show, however, solo performers who join a group or duo, or a group or duo member who transitions to a solo career, will be recognized as an individual artist and will be eligible. Additionally, according to the official qualification criteria, “acts must have had at least ONE but no more than FIVE top 25 singles on the Mediabase Country Chart as published in Country Aircheck OR at least ONE but no more than FIVE top 25 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart during the qualification period.”
Voting for the New Faces Class of 2025 is open now and will close on Friday, December 6. Eligible voters must be full-time employees who are primarily engaged in programming, promotion, and distribution of country music. This includes professionals from broadcast radio, satellite radio, television outlets, and digital service providers, but excludes those with financial stakes in individual artists or music, such as labels, managers, agents, and publishers. Voting is open now HERE.
The five acts with the highest number of votes will be selected as part of the New Faces of Country Music Class of 2025. These artists will have the chance to perform at the much-anticipated New Faces of Country Music Show, presented by the ACM and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This event will conclude the 2025 Country Radio Seminar and is scheduled for Friday, February 21st, at the Omni Nashville Hotel.
Since its launch in 1970, a select group of emerging artists has been chosen to join the New Faces of Country Music based on their success at Country Radio and the anticipation that their influence on the airwaves will endure for years. The 2024 class included George Birge, Megan Moroney, Conner Smith, Dillon Carmichael, and Corey Kent.
Superstars such as Jelly Roll, Parker McCollum, Luke Bryan, Taylor Swift, Brad Paisley, Eric Church, Jason Aldean, Thomas Rhett, Luke Combs, Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, Brooks & Dunn, and more were previously named New Faces of Country Music.
2025 Country Radio Seminar will take place in Nashville February 19-21, 2025.
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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