Billboard held its Country Power Players event last night (June 3) at Category 10. The event recognized the most influential executives and industry tastemakers shaping the trajectory of the genre today, and the night featured several major honors, including the Icon Award, which was presented to Miranda Lambert by Tom Douglas.

Additional honorees included Tucker Wetmore, who received the Rising Star award from HARDY, and The Red Clay Strays, who were honored with the Groundbreaker Award by Matt Rife. Austin Neal was named Executive Of The Year, presented by his father Kevin Neal following an introduction by Silvio Pietroluongo, while Riley Green took home the Hitmaker Award, presented by Clint Black.

Billboard Country Live will feature a full slate of notable names and surprise guests throughout the weekend. Both days are free and open to the public.

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and Abbeville Press have collaborated to publish Treasures of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, a new illustrated book showcasing iconic artifacts, rare documents and images from the museum’s collection, due out Sept. 29.

Treasures of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum tells the story of country music through the objects and artists that define it, spanning its pre-commercial roots to the present day. Published in a format the size of an album jacket, the book includes vibrant photos that bring readers up close to many of the music’s most important artifacts, as well as narrative by the museum’s staff of historians and writers. It is edited by the museum’s Senior Director of Editorial Paul Kingsbury and features a foreword by Oscar- and Grammy-winning composer, producer and songwriter T Bone Burnett.

The 348-page book also features a selection of rare posters, publicity photos and behind-the-scenes snapshots. Other features include biographies of all the members of the Country Music Hall of Fame and a curated playlist for every era of country music. Inside there are pictures of Johnny Cash’s first black suit worn onstage featuring silver trim sewn on by his mother, c. 1955; Minnie Pearl’s thrift-store straw hat with plastic flowers and dangling price tag she wore at the Grand Ole Opry; Gram Parsons’ “Nudie suit” with embroidered marijuana leaves, pills, poppies, and a cross on the back; and more.

“The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is an archeological exploration into a unique music that has been developed in this country and its crucial contribution to the soul of this country,” writes Burnett in the new book. “Since 1967, the museum has been telling the story of our country principally through the subjects of the photographs you see in this book — treasures of country music — which were once the instruments and implements that working-class people used to turn their sorrows and joys into song.”

“Abbeville Press is honored to have the opportunity to partner with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and celebrate their extraordinary collection, sharing the stories and artifacts that have shaped country music and inspired generations of artists and fans,” says Cynthia Vance-Abrams, Abbeville Press President. “We’re delighted to bring these treasures from their home in ‘Music City’ to country music lovers everywhere with this richly illustrated and giftable volume.”

Maren Morris is celebrating the 10th anniversary of her breakout debut album, HERO, with the release of a newly-expanded anniversary project, HERO: A Second Wind, due out June 26 via Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment.

The project commemorates the album that launched Morris as a chart-topper with a powerful reflection on where it all began, and where her journey has since taken her. Originally released in 2016, the anniversary edition features two newly recorded songs,“We Can’t Be Friends” and “Hard Liquor and Soft Rock,” that were written during the original HERO sessions and will be released alongside four original demos from the album’s creation. “Sugar (Demo)” is out now.

“The last 10 years have felt like the blink of an eye and a century simultaneously,” shares Morris. “The man I made HERO with – my sweet, genius friend Busbee – is no longer physically with us, but his sonic mark on me, these songs, and the musical world is eternalized here. This record was the embrace of twenty-something chaos, confidence (or arrogance depending on the day), humor and resilience. My heart swells and breaks when I hear this album. It felt human then and does even more so now.”

The 10th anniversary celebration will include the full physical and digital release on June 26. Physical copies of the album can be found here.

A special one-night-only performance, “Maren Morris: HERO – A Second Wind – 10th Anniversary,” will take place at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Aug. 15. The exclusive show will feature the full album performed live front to back for the first time ever, along with career-spanning hits. Morris has partnered with PLUS1 to donate $1 per ticket to East Nashville Care Market, providing practical support and essential resources to individuals and families in East Nashville. Ticket information can be found here.

Morris will also celebrate the release with a special performance on The Today Show’s Citi Concert Series on July 3.

HERO: A Second Wind Track List:

DISC 1
Side A
1. “Sugar”
2. “Rich”
3. “My Church”
4. “I Could Use a Love Song”
5. “80s Mercedes”
6. “Drunk Girls Don’t Cry”

Side B
7. “How It’s Done”
8. “Just Another Thing”
9. “I Wish I Was”
10. “Second Wind”
11. “Once”

DISC 2
Side A (Deluxe + 2 new unreleased)
12. “Bummin’ Cigarettes”
13. “Company You Keep”
14. “Space”
15. “We Can’t Be Friends”
16. “Hard Liquor and Soft Rock”

Side B (Demos)
17. “Sugar (Demo)”
18. “Company You Keep (Demo)”
19. “I Wish I Was (Demo)”
20. “Drunk Girls Don’t Cry (Demo)”

The Register of Copyrights has published a rule continuing the Mechanical Licensing Collective’s designation as the statutory collective responsible for administering the blanket compulsory mechanical license for eligible streaming and download services in the U.S.

The Register originally designated The MLC in 2019, and since beginning operations in 2021, The MLC has enrolled nearly 90,000 members, built one of the world’s most comprehensive public databases of song ownership information containing data for more than 54 million songs, and reached total royalties distributed of nearly $4 billion to songwriters and music publishers.

The periodic review process was initiated by The Register in January 2024 through a public notice published in the Federal Register. In April 2024, The MLC submitted a comprehensive filing detailing its operations, governance, and performance under the MMA, followed by a public comment and reply period. The MLC filed a final submission in July 2024.

“We are honored that the Register of Copyrights has continued The MLC’s designation and appreciate the Register’s thoughtful and thorough review,” says Kris Ahrend, CEO of The MLC. “This continued designation validates our success in carrying out our statutory responsibilities, and it reflects the overwhelming support we have received from songwriters, publishers, and the broader music community over the past six and a half years. We are humbled to be able to continue serving this community, and we remain committed to ensuring that every rightsholder receives the mechanical royalties they have earned.”

“On behalf of the Board, I am proud of the organization’s progress and grateful to the songwriters and publishers whose engagement and feedback help ensure The MLC remains effective, efficient, and focused on serving the music community,” said Alisa Coleman, Board Chair of The MLC. “The Register’s decision affirms that The MLC’s governance, operations, and performance continue to meet the standards established by Congress.”