Every month, we at Country Central debut a new edition of our proprietary, audience-voted power rankings, affectionately known as the “CC50.” Though I’m obviously very biased, over its two-and-a-half-year run, it’s been the most definitive resource for checking the pulse of modern country music fandom’s listening proclivities.
That’s why I thought it would be a fantastic barometer to do a little stock-up/stock-down analysis on a few interesting artists going into 2026. Given their current chart position (full rankings shown below), we’re offering a few candid thoughts on their trajectories!
- Waylon Wyatt (#33, stock up)
Waylon Wyatt might be the biggest “work in progress” on the entire CC50; barely out of high school, it truly feels like we’re watching him hone his craft as both a singer and a songwriter in real time with each new single. It’s fair to critique his lack of diction and the lyrical strength of his growing catalogue, but you’re starting to see the makings of a soulful, self-serious artist worthy of the name.
More importantly to our analysis, Wyatt has built an impressive audience in his very short time on the scene; like Ty Myers, he’s positioned well as a teenage heartthrob, but with a crunchy, blue-collar veneer that appeals to a more distinctly country audience. As Waylon Wyatt’s artistic acumen and virality continue to grow, consider “buying stock” at the current ranking of #33 while you can.
- Muscadine Bloodline (#27, hold)
As hard as it is to say, Muscadine Bloodline’s place in the mid-20s feels mostly static for the time being. After releasing not one but two full-length records in 2025 and even enjoying a bit of radio play, country music’s hottest duo has ascended to impressive commercial heights rarely seen by fully independent acts. Based on their five-year track record, it’s reasonable to expect another LP by year’s end as well.
Unless they shock the world with a smash hit single, the most likely outcome is another steady-Eddy year, continuing to sell out every limited vinyl drop, but not quite cracking the upper echelon of country music’s elite. Don’t sell your Muscadine stock, but think of it as a longer-term investment beyond this year.
- Dylan Gossett (#23, stock down)
With his debut album Westward, Big Loud Texas’s first signee enjoyed a brief moment in the sun in 2025. Going into the new year, it’s difficult to chart a course for Dylan Gossett to continue his ascent. He has yet to really separate from the other “Zacholytes” permeating the fringes of mainstream country music; if he releases any new music, we have little reason to hope for much more than an unspecial Westward retread, less than a year removed from that record’s release.
As high as he is on the chart, and with the likes of Wyatt Flores, Vincent Mason, and Flatland Cavalry gaining steam on his heels, Gossett looks to be a pretty safe short this year.
- Gavin Adcock (#18, slight stock down)
For better or worse, Gavin Adcock has become one of country music’s most dependable forces. From the Georgian rabble-rouser, you can always expect two things: he’ll release a lot of music as often as he can, and it will always sound “fine.” Most artists couldn’t sustain a momentous rise to stardom on singles this average like Adcock has, but his laid-back charisma and self-styled “DGAF” persona have led him just shy of Nashville superstardom. In 2026, as hopes of being floored by his actual music start to diminish, you have to wonder if this formula has taken him as far as it can for now.
If you’re getting impatient with your Gavin Adcock holdings, his current chart position at #18 might be a decent spot to start unloading some shares, but with his level of clout, I would do so judiciously.
- Red Clay Strays (#12, stock up)
The Red Clay Strays remain a confusing presence in country music fit-wise, but like Chris Stapleton before them, the music is good, and they sell tickets, so no one is really complaining. At #12 with their third LP looming, it’s easy to be bullish on our favorite soul-rock outfit.
In their two years in the spotlight, the Strays have delivered on every possible front, with juggernaut LPs, legitimate hit singles, and immediate sell-out tours. Though they’ve teased a sharper departure from country music on their next venture, their fandom here is cemented, especially with a CMA award under their collective belts. If their trajectory continues, look for these Alabama boys to climb as high as the top five by the time summer rolls around.
- Megan Moroney (#10, stock down)
This is probably the most controversial call on our list, but hear me out!
A year ago at this time, shorting Megan Moroney as country music’s preminent female star would’ve seemed ludicrous, but Cloud 9’s rollout has raised some cause for caution. Though “6 Months Later” reached #1 at country radio, none of the pre-release tracks we’ve heard thus far are quite as sticky as the likes of “Am I Okay?” or “I’m Not Pretty.”
Rather, there’s a sense of sameness across all these songs compared to her first two records; you start to wonder if Meg is going through the motions with the “Megan Moroney type beat” formula; like Morgan Wallen before her, it’s easy to rest on your laurels when you have this much goodwill built up with an audience as big as hers.
With an exorbitant marketing budget, but no immediate standout singles (yet), Cloud 9 could easily spell a precipitous fall out of the top ten for the emo cowgirl.
- Cody Johnson (#5, stock up)
Without releasing much music in 2025 or even touring over the past couple of months, CoJo’s stock on the CC50 has paid remarkable dividends, with Texas country’s biggest star jumping as high as #1 in November.
As he readies his next full-length effort, look for Cody Johnson to hang around as a regular in the top five, perhaps claiming the top spot again for a month or two. It’s not a very good “buy low” spot, but pound for pound, Johnson is one of the safest investments you can make.
- Ella Langley (#1, stock up)
This might seem confusing, since Ella has already achieved the highest possible accolade on our country music power rankings. However, buying Ella’s stock here is a bet on her sustained success in the power rankings to come. As discussed here, we’re still waiting for Ella Langley’s seminal sophomore album, but if there’s one thing we know about her in the meantime, it’s that she knows how to write a hit single.
“Choosin’ Texas” is already a monster, and if Ella has really perfected this cheeky, throwback sound that’s propelled her up the charts so far, it’s not impossible that she could spend the majority of 2026 in the top spot, or at least close to it. If this sounds like a stretch, I would refer you to Zach Top’s absurd 11-month run at #1 on these very power rankings.
Neo-traditionalism still sells, and right now, no one is better at delivering something for everyone than Ella Langley.
