Kip Moore Gets Candid About Today’s Country Radio: ‘This Isn’t Working’

Kip Moore recently sat down with Stephan Hogan to discuss the state of country radio in 2025, and he didn’t hold back. The country singer and songwriter reflected on how much he’s seen the industry change over the years and how that shift is now impacting the current generation of both artists and listeners.

“It’s a hell of a concept when a radio guy loves music because there’s not a lot of those left,” he admitted during an interview on The Stephan Hogan Podcast.

Thinking back to his early career, Moore recalls his first years doing a radio tour and meeting program directors and DJs who genuinely had a love for music and had a say in what was being played over their airwaves. Unfortunately, he recognizes how much more “corporate” the world of radio has become since then.

“To their defense, a lot of these program directors want to play music like ‘Solitary Tracks,” he said referring to his latest album. “They want to play these songs, but their hands are tied because everything’s coming from these corporate guys that own all the stations from the top down. And it’s the same exact playlist in Dallas as it is in Kentucky. And it’s like those are completely different people. That’s why this isn’t working.”

Moore went on to compare today’s radio environment to the golden age, when stations were run by people who loved music and had the creative freedom to showcase new artists at their own discretion.

“When we’re talking about the times of your Springsteen, your Petty, you’re Dylan, your George Strait, even though radio was still a business, they still had freedom…most of those guys that were running those stations, they did love music. So it was still a business, but they actually love music. And I think that’s a big part of what’s happened is that they love to around and listen to music and DJs had some freedom…their hands are so tied now. And I know that I taught a lot of these people and everybody’s kind playing defense instead of offense,” he explained.

Plus, he noted that with the addition of technology and the overwhelming amount of consumption, Moore finds that so many rising artists are trying to replicate the biggest artists of today. In some cases, this is paying off, but he doesn’t believe these kinds of acts will stand the test of time.

While having a first-hand look at the changing scene of the industry, Kip Moore has made a great effort to remain his most authentic self through it all. So instead of trying to keep up with the constant flow of content on social media or record songs that are just written with the intention of making airtime on the radio, he’s simply making the music that feels right to him.

This is evident in the Multi-PLATINUM singer/songwriter’s latest release, “The Crown.” Written by Moore with Luke Preston, Andrew DeRoberts and co-produced by Moore and DeRoberts, the hard-hitting, country-rocker tune turns up the intensity as Moore wrestles with temptation, rebellion, and the chase for something bigger. He encourages the listener to fight for their own version of success and “burn it all down, set it on fire” in pursuit of life’s metaphorical throne.

“‘The Crown’ is about having a lot of pent up of frustration – within your own fears and failures – along with your look at society,” Moore explained in a recent statement. “It’s choosing to finally say ‘f*** it’ and telling that fear to take a hike. And then there’s a fore bearing at the end of the chorus, that if you let it rip too much there are consequences.”

The new song follows the release of his sixth studio album SOLITARY TRACKS through Virgin Music Group. The Georgia native hinted that his next project is already finished, but will not be unveiled until next year or later. Fans can look forward to what Moore deems to be “the best” collection of songs that he feels he’s capable of creating at this point in his career.

“This is the first time where I’ve ever made a record where I feel whole when it’s done. I’ve never felt whole ever making a record. I’ve always felt like I missed some spots. I’ve always been hard on myself, but I’ve always felt like I could have done this better. I could have sonically done this better. That song was not as strong as I thought it was. I’ve never made a record that felt so stacked in every element and I didn’t miss it. I didn’t go in the room and miss it in the recording process. I didn’t miss it in the writing process. It was as good as I had at that particular time in my life.”

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Kip Moore will continue his SOLITARY TRACKS WORLD TOUR with his next stop in Columbia, MO on November 6, and remaining dates through December 20.

The tour to date has seen Moore play sold-out shows across Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Germany and the U.K. Additionally, he has tapped a stacked lineup of supports act to join him across the run including McCoy Moore, Leon Macjen and Caylee Hammack.