This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in 2013.
Events January – A brief feud erupts between Blake Shelton and country legend Ray Price when Shelton criticized veteran country performers who don't agree with the direction in which the genre is going, claiming "(n)obody wants to listen to their grandpa's music." Price was offended and publicly expressed his disapproval in a Facebook post, prompting Shelton to issue an apology on Twitter. Several days later, Price accepted the apology. "I agree that he should be given a chance to restore his credibility with the millions of fans who were deeply offended by those hurtful words," Price wrote as part of his Facebook post responding to Shelton's apology.WENN, "Ray Price accepts Blake Shelton's apology over country music comments," MSN Entertainment, January 29, 2013. Accessed 01-29-2013. January 21 – The first Nash FM-branded station – a media brand and network owned by Cumulus Media – is WNSH (Nash 94.7) in Newark, New Jersey (serving the New York City metropolitan area). The Nash FM brand focuses on current hits (along with scattered recurrents from the past 2–3 years); a year later, a Nash Icon brand will be added, mixing in current hits with songs from the 1980s onward. The first song played on the station is "How Country Feels" by Randy Houser. It becomes the first country music radio station in NYC and NJ since 1996. February 17 – Mindy McCready, whose personal and legal problems overshadowed her promising future as a rising female vocalist of the late 1990s, is found dead of an apparent suicide at her home in Heber Springs, Arkansas. Her death came a month after the death of her boyfriend, songwriter David Wilson.Parker, Lindsey, "Report: Mindy McCready Dead Of Apparent Suicide," Our Country, Yahoo!, February 17, 2013. Retrieved 02-17-2013 Gray, Melissa, "Embattled country star Mindy McCready dead at 37," CNN.com, February 17, 2013. Retrieved 02-17-2013 March 2 – The Country Top 30 with Bobby Bones, a radio show hosted by Austin, Texas, radio personality Bobby Estell (aka Bobby Bones), debuts in syndication. April 24 – The Chatham County, Georgia Grand Jury indicted Billy Currington on felony criminal charges of "abuse of an elder person by inflicting mental anguish" and "making terroristic threats". Both criminal charges stem from an April 15 incident involving Charles Harvey Ferrelle, with the indictment alleging that Currington made terrorist threats and drove too close to Ferrelle's boat in a manner that he nearly knocked the elderly man into the water. Currington – released after posting $27,000 bond – faces a prison term of 1 to 5 years if convicted. July 7 – Randy Travis is hospitalized in critical condition with viral cardiomyopathy. Four days later, he suffers a stroke and undergoes surgery to relieve pressure on his brain. August 10 – With 22 weeks at No. 1, "Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line sets a new record for most weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, breaking a three-way tie of 21 weeks at No. 1 jointly held by Eddy Arnold ("I'll Hold You in My Heart (Till I Can Hold You in My Arms)," 1947), Hank Snow ("I'm Movin' On," 1950) and Webb Pierce ("In the Jailhouse Now," 1955). "Cruise" benefited from changes in Billboard's methodology, made in 2012, from a country airplay-only chart to one that reflects all-genre airplay, music downloads and streaming, similarly to the Hot 100. The song had earlier spent five weeks at No. 1 in late December into January, began falling but never dropping out of the top 40, before rebounding in April following the release of a remix with Nelly and eventually reclaiming the chart's No. 1 position. August 17- Jim Ed Brown of The Browns celebrates his 50th Grand Ole Opry anniversary August 18 – Jody Rosen of New York coins the term "bro-country" to describe the genre's then-ongoing trend of hip-hop influenced country songs with a theme of partying. August 23 – In an interview with AARP, Linda Ronstadt reveals she has Parkinson's disease and can no longer sing. October 16 – Record producer Tony Brown, best known for producing George Strait, is arrested for domestic assault against his wife. November 19 – Carolina country singers Kellie Pickler and Aaron Tippin in a state in United States. December 15 – Numerous media outlets, from Rolling Stone to the USA Today, prematurely reported that Ray Price had died from pancreatic cancer. The information came from Price's son, Cliff, who posted via Facebook his father's apparent passing, but it was later retracted, according to The Tennessean (which also published a news story on Price's death that was later removed).http://popcultureblog.dallasnews.com/2013/12/reports-of-country-legend-ray-prices-death-have-been-premature.html/ Wilonsky, Robert, "Reports of country legend Ray Price’s death have been premature," Dallas Morning News, December 15, 2013. Accessed 12-16-2013 Price died the next day, with family spokesman Bill Mack confirming the death.Cooper, Peter, "Ray Price, famed for his country shuffle, dies at 87," USA Today, December 16, 2013. Accessed 12-16-2013
Top hits of the year The following songs placed within the Top 20 on the Hot Country Songs, Country Airplay or Canada Country charts in 2013:
Singles released by American artists SongsAirplayCanadaSingleArtistReferences1014181994Jason Aldean241512All Kinds of KindsMiranda Lambert 9312All Over the RoadEaston Corbin 2917—American BeautifulThe Henningsens 714Anywhere with YouJake Owen 435Aw NawChris Young 923Beat This SummerBrad Paisley 2619—Beer with JesusThomas Rhett 1037Begin AgainTaylor Swift 111Better Dig TwoThe Band Perry 20——Born to FlyDanielle Bradbery211Boys 'Round HereBlake Shelton featuringPistol Annies and Friends 2059—BuzzkillLuke Bryan 2016—Can't Shake YouGloriana 2112CarolinaParmalee 252043ChangedRascal Flatts 281342Could It BeCharlie Worsham 211Crash My PartyLuke Bryan1——Cruise (Remix)Florida Georgia Linefeaturing Nelly 2414—Crying on a SuitcaseCasey James 16——Danny's SongThe Swon Brothers191528Days of GoldJake Owen 513Don't YaBrett Eldredge 811DoneThe Band Perry 211DowntownLady Antebellum 281730Drinks After WorkToby Keith 312Drunk Last NightEli Young Band 211749EasySheryl Crow 111Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain)Gary Allan 181533Everybody's Got Somebody But MeHunter Hayesfeaturing Jason Mraz 511Get Your Shine OnFlorida Georgia Line 7230Give It All We Got TonightGeorge Strait 511Goodbye in Her EyesZac Brown Band 221111Goodbye TownLady Antebellum 5118Hey GirlBilly Currington 826Hey Pretty GirlKip Moore 412Highway Don't CareTim McGrawwith Taylor Swift 291840Hope on the RocksToby Keith 611How Country FeelsRandy Houser 1644I Can Take It from ThereChris Young 613I Drive Your TruckLee Brice 221I Want CrazyHunter Hayes 7114If I Didn't Have YouThompson Square 214It Goes Like ThisThomas Rhett 1323Jump Right InZac Brown Band 2616—Let There Be CowgirlsChris Cagle 1365Like Jesus DoesEric Church 611Little Bit of EverythingKeith Urban 221Mama's Broken HeartMiranda Lambert 141026Merry Go 'RoundKacey Musgraves 211Mine Would Be YouBlake Shelton 16——The Moment I KnewTaylor Swift21733More Than MilesBrantley Gilbert 211Night TrainJason Aldean 311One of Those NightsTim McGraw 512The Only Way I KnowJason Aldean withLuke Bryan and Eric Church 62537The OutsidersEric Church 2515—Outta My HeadCraig Campbell 1168Parking Lot PartyLee Brice 291834PiecesGary Allan 736Pirate FlagKenny Chesney 1026Point at YouJustin Moore 14410RadioDarius Rucker 2717RedTaylor Swift 237Redneck CrazyTyler Farr 311Round HereFlorida Georgia Line 311Runnin' Outta MoonlightRandy Houser 722See You AgainCarrie Underwood 291637She Cranks My TractorDustin Lynch 715Somebody's HeartbreakHunter Hayes 1022Southern Comfort ZoneBrad Paisley 421Southern GirlTim McGraw 411Sunny and 75Joe Nichols 111Sure Be Cool If You DidBlake Shelton 122That's My Kind of NightLuke Bryan 718Til My Last DayJustin Moore 165—Tip It On BackDierks Bentley 624TornadoLittle Big Town 423Two Black CadillacsCarrie Underwood 111Wagon WheelDarius Rucker 112We Were UsKeith Urban andMiranda Lambert 251414When I See This BarKenny Chesney
Singles released by Canadian artists AirplayCanadaSingleArtistReferences—12Anything At AllAutumn Hill —19Beer NecessitiesJake Mathews—18Blame It on Your TruckKira Isabella—1BountyDean Brody —8Buzz Buzz BuzzingTim Hicks—19Can't Keep WaitingAutumn Hill —10CrashChad Brownlee—9DirtDean Brody—9DuetWes Mack—11Farm Girl StrongGord Bamford—9Get ByTim Hicks —20Half Broke HorsesJaida Dreyer—9Hell Raisin' Good TimeTim Hicks —16Hope and GasolineBeverley Mahood—10Let It RollEmerson Drivewith Doc Walker —10Living on the OutsideSmall Town Pistols5613Love You for a Long TimeHigh Valley—19Must Be a WomanGord Bamford—17Never Done It Like ThisSteven Lee Olsen—11Never Gonna Let YouMacKenzie Porter—6Nothing but SummerDallas Smith —12Put It Into DriveDoc Walker—13Rock It Country GirlJason Blaine—17She Always Gets What She WantsEmerson Drive—14Slow DanceGeorge Canyon—9Somebody WillBobby Wills—11Somewhere in the CountryTebey—13Songs About YouKira Isabella—3Started with a SongBrett Kissel —18Suntan CityAaron Pritchett—10Take the Week OffDeric Ruttan —8Till It's GoneTebey—12Underneath the Apple TreesDean Brody—7What Kinda LoveDallas Smith —1When Your Lips Are So CloseGord Bamford —13Where the Party At?Chad Brownlee—11Where the Train Don't StopDeric Ruttan—12With YouEmerson Drive
Notes "—" denotes releases that did not chart
Top new album releases The following albums placed within the Top 50 on the Top Country Albums charts in 2013: