CBS has ordered a new singing competition series, The Road (working title), for fall 2025. With Blake Shelton, Taylor Sheridan, Lee Metzger and David Glasser serving as Executive Producers, the docu-style show will follow a to-be-announced headlining superstar on their journey to discover the next big act.

Participants will join the established artist on tour and open for them in venues across the country. They compete to win over local fan bases in order to secure a spot in the next city and remain a part of the trek.

Produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and Glasser’s 101 Studios alongside Shelton and Metzger’s Lucky Horseshoe Productions, The Road aims to show viewers the internal workings of the music industry as well as what happens when top emerging performers pile into a tour bus and tackle a grueling schedule in pursuit of their dreams.

“I’m a big fan of Taylor’s incredible work, and I’m excited to team with him and my longtime collaborator, Lee, on The Road,” shares Shelton. “I know a thing or two about singing competitions, and what it’s like to chase a music dream and live life on tour. I’m looking forward to discovering new talent and giving them this platform.”

“There is a revolution taking place in country music. Building a platform with Blake for the next leaders of that revolution is an incredibly exciting venture,” says Sheridan. “No more shiny floors and studio audiences. This is where the rubber meets the road—literally. Get in the van, go to the next town and win the crowd. Do it enough, and you become the next leader. Simple as that.”

“Blake and I have been working together [for] a long time,” adds Metzger. “Now joining forces with Taylor and David is literally the kind of team you dream about to bring something of this scale to country music fans.”

“This project has been a true labor of love that Taylor, Blake, Lee and I have been talking about for some time now,” notes Glasser. “I can’t thank CBS enough for supporting us on this journey to bring an incredible project to audiences everywhere.”

Ben Folds has released his first-ever Christmas album, Sleigher, via New West Records.

The 10-track collection includes seven original songs, such as “We Could Have This (feat. Lindsey Kraft),” as well as renditions of Mel Torme and Robert Wells’ “The Christmas Song,” Burt Bacharach’s “The Bell That Couldn’t Jingle” and The Mills Brothers’ “You Don’t Have To Be A Santa Claus.” Produced by Folds and recorded by Joe Costa in Nashville and Los Angeles, Sleigher aims to examine the passage of time through the lens of Christmas, reflecting on memory, loss and longing, while exploring the ways in which the holiday season marks chapters of our lives.

“Christmas is constant,” says Folds. “Allowing you to take stock of what’s different, to understand who you are and all the ways you’ve grown and changed.”

He continues, “There’s something about Christmas that really pushes you to ask, ‘Who am I now? How did I get here?’ You can look back on Christmases from your childhood and see the progression, or you can zoom out and look back at Christmas songs from the ‘30s and ‘40s and ‘50s and see we’ve evolved socially and culturally. Having that consistent framework is really illuminating. I love those holiday classics that are totally broad and timeless, but I’ve only ever been able to be myself, and I realized the most generous thing I could do with this album was write the best songs I could, no matter where that took me. Anything else just wouldn’t ring true.”

Folds is currently on his “Paper Airplane Request Tour.” During each performance, the audience is encouraged to send song requests to the stage via paper airplanes. He will stop in Brooklyn, New York tomorrow (Nov. 12), before making his way to Morristown, New Jersey on Wednesday (Nov. 13) and York, Pennsylvania on Friday (Nov. 15).

Sleigher Track Listing:
1. “Little Drummer Bolero”
2. “Sleepwalking Through Christmas”
3. “Me and Maurice”
4. “Christmas Time Rhyme”
5. “Waiting for Snow”
6. “We Could Have This (feat. Lindsey Kraft)”
7. “The Christmas Song”
8. “The Bell That Couldn’t Jingle”
9. “Xmas Aye Eye”
10. “You Don’t Have To Be A Santa Claus”

Storied musician Mickey Raphael will host his first-ever headline show on Dec. 3 at Brooklyn Bowl Nashville, with backing by The Honchos, Chris Stapleton’s band. Special guest performances will be announced at a later date.

Raphael, best known for his harmonica contributions on Willie Nelson’s records for the past three decades, has worked tirelessly across genres. He has collaborated with Stapleton, Paul Simon, Elton John, Mötley Crüe, Snoop Dogg, Bob Dylan, Jason Isbell, Margo Price, Billy F Gibbons, T Bone Burnett and more. He will also be heard on Ringo Starr’s forthcoming Look Up album.

Tickets will go on-sale this Thursday (Nov. 14) at 10 a.m. CST. A portion of proceeds will benefit Outlaw State of Kind, Chris and Morgane Stapleton’s charity supporting a variety of causes including American Red Cross, Creativets and Musicares Foundation, among many others.

Rising artist Ashley Anne will release her sophomore EP, Call Me When You Land, this Friday (Nov. 15).

The six-track project follows Anne’s Dear Dolly EP, released earlier this year. All co-penned by Anne, the new collection dives into the susceptibility and progression of relationships. In her developed narrative style, she will bring listeners on a story containing themes of uncertainty, self-doubt and finding genuine connection and love.

Each track on the project parlays like chapters in a budding romance, exploring the raw and messy emotions that develop when opening your heart to someone new. Starting off with songs that tell apprehension and introspection, the EP moves into stories of affection and trust, highlighting Anne’s talent for capturing moments that resonate universally.

“The Call Me When You Land EP is a journey that takes you through the stages of a developing relationship song by song and step by step,” shares Anne. “The project begins with songs about uncertainty, nervousness, fear and self doubt, and closes with songs about falling in love and finding your person.”

The release of the project will be encapsulating a monumental year for Anne, who joined Charles Wesley Godwin and Avery Anna on select tour dates throughout the year. She has also shared the stage with Lanco, Sara Evans and Tigirlily Gold, and made her CMA Fest debut on the Hard Rock Stage, along with her performance on Spotify House’s Fresh Finds Rooftop stage.

Call Me When You Land Track Listing:
1. “Left My T-Shirt” (Ryan Kohn, Averie Bielski, Olivia Daponte, Ashley Anne)
2. “Makeup Off” (Averie Bielski, Mitch Crego, Trent Wayne, Ashley Anne)
3. “Don’t Ruin This Record” (Ashley Anne, Caroline Watkins, Dylan Guthro)
4. “Call Me When You Land” (Ashley Anne, Axel Diehl, Brandon Ashley)
5. “I Can Be A Woman” (Ashley Anne)
6. “Drive You Anywhere” (Ashley Anne, Alex Angelo, Madelyn Paquette)