This week on the BluegrassToday Weekly Top 20 Countdown, we’ve got a chart full of movement — including a brand new number one debut, some big jumps, and a few familiar names continuing their strong runs.

There’s also time to step just outside the main chart with a couple of special features — including a visit to the Bluegrass Gospel chart and the Grassicana chart.

Williamson Branch check in at number five on the gospel chart with These Old Burdens from their album Southern Sunshine — a song that carries a strong message wrapped in the family harmonies they’re known for.

And over on the Grassicana chart, Shelby Means makes a debut at number four with Million Reasons. You might recognise that title — it was written by Mark Ronson, Hillary Lindsey, and Steffani Germanotta, better known as Lady Gaga — and it takes on a whole new life in this bluegrass setting.

Along the way, we remember Ronnie Bowman, whose voice helped define a generation of bluegrass through his work with Lonesome River Band and beyond.

All up, it’s another packed countdown — the top 20 songs in bluegrass this week, based on the airplay survey conducted by BluegrassToday and published on Friday.

If you enjoy the show, feel free to get in touch — we always love hearing from listeners.

And just quietly… we don’t just talk about the music here — we play it. Every song in this week’s Top 20, in full.

This week on the countdown, we’ve got plenty happening at the top end of the countdown — including a brand new number one song leading the way.

There’s also a big shake-up across the list with seven songs making their debut in the Top 20, along with three returning favourites finding their way back onto the countdown.

All songs are played in full.

And with St Patrick’s Day this week, we’ve added a special bonus segment featuring a selection of songs with an Irish flavour to round out the show.

Join Mike Kear in Sydney, Australia for the latest from the BluegrassToday Weekly Top 20 Countdown — the world’s most widely heard bluegrass chart show, bringing you the top songs in bluegrass radio airplay each week.

This week on the BluegrassToday Weekly Top 20 Countdown, we count down the twenty most-played songs on the Bluegrass Today airplay chart. The chart is compiled from bluegrass radio stations across the United States and reflects what broadcasters are spinning this week.

The countdown features a brand new #1 song, along with eight songs making their debut and seven returning to the chart. It’s another busy week on the chart with plenty of movement throughout the Top 20.

Along the way we also take a short musical detour to mark the 25th anniversary of the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou?. The soundtrack from that film introduced acoustic roots music to millions of listeners around the world, and we revisit a few memorable performances from the album including Tim Blake Nelson, the Peasall Sisters, the Cox Family with Alison Krauss, and of course the Soggy Bottom Boys with Man of Constant Sorrow.

As always, the show features the latest bluegrass releases along with background notes about the artists and the songs making their way up this week’s chart.

Thanks for listening to the BluegrassToday Weekly Top 20 Countdown, produced and presented by Mike Kear in Sydney, Australia.

This week on the BluegrassToday Weekly Top 20 Countdown we run down the most-played songs on bluegrass radio, based on the BluegrassToday.com airplay chart.

There are Four brand new debuts on the chart this week, including new music from Della Mae, Nick Dumas, and Milan Miller. We also hear from longtime favourites like Blue Highway, Dailey & Vincent, Ashby Frank, and Wyatt Ellis.

Trey Hensley appears twice on the chart this week, while Chris Jones & The Night Drivers continue their strong run with one of the most consistent hits on the chart in recent months.

And at the top this week, Buddy Melton’s “Blue Skies” returns to the number one spot once again — proof that this song has truly found a home with bluegrass radio.

Along the way we also check in with the BluegrassToday Weekly Grassicana Chart, and play some of the top songs from this week's chart. You can also check out some of the songs that didnt makt it to the podcast at our patreon page http://patreon.com/bttop20

Thanks for listening, and remember — you can always find the full chart at BluegrassToday.com/Chart.

It’s another big week on the BluegrassToday Weekly Top 20 Countdown, with a brand-new number one, four songs making their debut, and six tracks returning to the countdown.

Taking over the top spot this week is Daniel Grindstaff & The Uptown Troubadours with “We See Love,” jumping from a debut at #11 last week straight to #1.

There’s a tie for #2 this week between The Lonesome River Band with “Bernadette” and Larry Cordle with “This Weary Road,” while strong movers, former chart-toppers, and fresh new voices keep things moving right across the Top 20.

You’ll hear new music from Dailey & Vincent, Caroline Owens, and Volume Five, plus returning favourites from Trey Hensley, Chris Jones & The Night Drivers, Buddy Melton, Irene Kelley, Nick Dumas, and many more.

From classic traditional sounds to modern bluegrass energy, it’s a packed two hours of the music bluegrass fans are loving this week.

Thanks for listening — and congratulations to all the artists on the chart.

Welcome to Show 182 of the BluegrassToday Weekly Top 20 Countdown, coming to you from Sydney, Australia.

This week we’ve got an extra-special brand new #1 song, plus a chart absolutely bursting with movement — including six debut songs and six returning favourites making their way back into the Top 20.

We’ll also feature the Top 5 from the BluegrassToday Gospel Chart, and spotlight a great new song from Tina Adair, along with plenty of the best and latest bluegrass from today’s top artists.

Two solid hours of today’s most-played bluegrass music, straight from the BluegrassToday radio airplay chart.

Thanks for listening, and for supporting bluegrass radio around the world.

Countdown number 181 is in the books, with a busy and lively chart this week.

We’ve got two songs debuting on the countdown, along with nine returning favourites, based on the BluegrassToday airplay survey of the world’s most influential bluegrass DJs, conducted last week and published on Friday.

This week’s countdown features new and returning music from Billy Strings, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Trey Hensley, Milan Miller, Chris Jones & The Night Drivers, and many more — plus a strong showing from independent artists alongside major bluegrass labels.

🔹 Longest-running song this week:
Shelby Means’ Streets of Boulder, now 18 weeks on the chart and already a two-time #1.

🔹 Big movers:
Rebekah Speer jumps from #20 straight into the Top 10.
Several songs continue to dominate the upper reaches of the chart, spending most of their time in the Top Four.

🔹 This week’s #1 song:
Buddy Melton – Blue Skies
Now in its ninth week on the chart, this marks its second visit to the top spot.

To round out the show, we also feature the Top 5 songs from the BluegrassToday Gospel Chart, adding nearly twenty minutes of uplifting bluegrass gospel from Authentic Unlimited, Ashleigh Graham, Nick Chandler & Delivered, Eighteen Mile, and a tie at #1 between Pitney Meyer and Jeff Tolbert & Primitive Road.

Hosted by Mike Kear, from Sydney, Australia.
Thanks for listening — and we’ll do it all again next week.

This week’s BluegrassToday Weekly Top 20 Countdown is one of those charts that tells a bigger story.

We’ve got a returning number one, a long-awaited debut, and strong staying power across the board — with more than half the chart made up of songs that listeners and programmers keep coming back to. In fact, eleven tracks return to the countdown this week, proving that connection and longevity still count.

Along the way, we also take time to shine a light beyond the Top 20, with selections from the BluegrassToday Gospel and Grassicana charts — songs that broaden the picture of what’s resonating across bluegrass, Americana, and roots music right now.

From hard-driving tradition to thoughtful songwriting and gospel classics, this episode reflects the depth and diversity of today’s bluegrass world — all wrapped up in a chart shaped entirely by radio airplay.

Thanks for listening, and enjoy the music.
Cheers
Mike Kear
Windsor NSW Australia