With a half-dozen #1 career singles, ten Top 10 hits and high-energy live show, Joe Nichols is more than qualified to teach a crash-course on success is the music industry, but when it comes to some of today’s most talked-about stars — he may be the one needing a crash course.

With his new 11th studio album, 'Honky Tonks and Country Songs,' revolving around his love for the Country scene, Joe reflected on his favorite bars to perform at (Billy Bobs in Fort Worth and The Grizzly Rose in Denver) but when it came to watching a show, Nichols was stumped.

“I don’t think I’ve seen a show at a bar in a long time, or any show… I’d have to ask my wife what’s the last show I saw,” he said before revealing he did recently buy tickets.

“I just bought the first concert tickets in, decades maybe, for Sabrina Carpenter for my girls,” he said before admitting, “I have no idea who she is.” He laughed, “Still, to this day, I have no idea who she is, but I know she’s a big deal…. I bought tickets to her show, they’re really expensive.“

While he may not be up to date on Carpenter, there’s one modern day hitmaker he’s very familiar with and that’s Post Malone. Nichols shared that Post reached out to him multiple times to get him at a show, and it all came together for Post’s 'F-1 Trillion' album release show in Nashville.

“I should say, Post is great and I was super surprised by his knowledge of Country music and me. I’m like, ‘Why are you such a big fan of me? I’m kind of a random Country guy,’” Nichols laughed. “He was amazingly, genuinely nice, caring, thoughtful and complimentary… I walked in and I mean, you would’ve thought Santa Claus walked in the room ‘cause he’s like,’ Oh my God! Joe Nichols!’ And I’m like, ‘Alright, you’re excited! This is exciting to me, it feels great…' He’s like a giddy little kid.”

After helping Post celebrate his album, Nichols is now onto celebrating his own new music with the release of his own new album, 'Honky Tonks and Country Songs.' With it, he proves he’s both timely and timeless with 11 tracks highlighting his true Country sound and love for Honky Tonks.

While it marks his 11th album, Nichols says the creative-process only gets harder with time as he’s more aware of failure and flops. “In the studio, I really second-guess everything,” he admitted. “I’m afraid of lying to myself about what’s good and what’s not, what’s good enough? What’s not ready? I have that bad habit, I know.”

He continued, “Everything’s gotta be thought out, we get prepared for everything” Hear what the result of all of it sounds like by checking out Nichols’ new album, 'Honky Tonks and Country Songs,' available now. Also, hear more about the songs, why it reminds him of chicken noodle soup, and so much more by checking out his full conversation on the Friday Night Takeover above.

Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Rob + Holly

It’s a big day for Riley Green, who is not only celebrating his 36th birthday, but the release of his third studio album, Don’t Mind If I Do.

“It feels fitting that this album is out on my birthday because this project feels very true to who I am, where I come from and what I’ve learned along the way,” Green shared of the project, available now. “I learned to play guitar to my granddaddy’s favorite Country songs from back in the day and this new album is a throwback to the era when I first became a fan.”

Don’t Mind If I Do delivers more of the Alabama-native’s signature sound fans have fallen in love with including featured songs like “Damn Good Day to Leave,” which is just one of two current singles Green has climbing the charts at Country radio.

“A break-up song that was fun I thought was a good idea,” Green told Audacy’s Rob + Holly of the track during an interview earlier this year at Faster Horses Festival. “I loved the Brad Paisley, ‘I’m Gonna Miss Her’ — I love that thought of, ‘it doesn’t sting as much when she leaves if the fish are bitin’ and I’m listening and you’ve got a cooler of beer,’ you know?”

“Obviously ‘You Look Like You Love Me,’ the song I have with Ella Langley is doing really well,” he said before sharing he didn’t initially plan on having another duet with her so soon, but it was meant to be. “She was on tour with me and I wanted a female voice on [this song]. I asked her to come by and sing on it, just to get somebody there, then I was going to figure out who I was going to get and she just crushed it,” he shared. “So, we may have another song together.”

Hear additional details about the album, Green’s athletic abilities, past Halloween costumes and more by checking out his entire interview with Audacy’s Rob + Holly above.

Hear more about the new music, the tour and his bar checking out the Friday Night Takeover With Rob + Holly and Riley Green this Friday at 7PM!

Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Rob + Holly

The Country music door is wide open these days with several cross-genre artists stepping through to immerse themselves in the family-like fanbase. In turn, established Country artists have had their own fun with cross-genre collabs and trying on new sounds, but if you ask Jon Pardi — there is a limit.

“You’re missin’ out if you’re not going to take advantage of all this influence coming in from everyone,” he said of welcoming new influences.” You’ve got HARDY screamin’ and playing out crazy amphitheaters, then you got Post Malone here — he actually cut a really great, pretty Country, Country record — so it’s just like everybody is kind of having fun and I feel like you’ve gotta experiment a little bit.”

He continued, “It’s fun, but you don’t wanna go too crazy… I’m not gonna do nothin crazy.”

Pardi shared traditional Country will always be at the root of his music as he recalled listening to the greats in the ‘80s alongside his grandmother. He loved it so much, in preschool his teacher shared he came to class each week claiming his name was a different Country artist.

“I was told I came to preschool with a different Country singer’s name every other week or so,” he shared. “One week I was Randy Travis one week I was Merle Haggard. I was George Strait one time.”

While childhood was all about Country for Pardi, he ventured out to some Pop/Punk music in his high school years, which he still enjoys today. While the Alternative sound isn’t something he plans to incorporate into his music, the lyrics and overall feel is something that he says helped him with songwriting.

“In high school I was really into Rock and Punk Rock… If we’re going to throw it out — I’d really love to meet Blink-182,” he shared. “I’ve pretty much X’d out [met] all the Country heroes, so I’m moving on.” He continued, “It was fun music, it was happy and it pumps you up. I took a lot of that kind of style of writing and energy to bring it to Country music.”

Some of that songwriting will be featured on Pardi’s forthcoming album, which is expected to be announced in the coming months. Fans got their first taste of what’s to come with the brand new single, “Friday Night Heartbreaker,” available now.

“We went a little more Rock ’N Roll, it’s still got fiddle and steel [guitar],” he said of the record. “There’s just a little more of Soul and Rock in this next record. Even in 'Friday Night Heartbreaker,' you kind of hear it.”

Find out more about the album, Pardi’s greatest influences and additional info by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Rob + Holly above.