With 2027 right around the corner, Luke Combs was still adding a few accolades to his ongoing career before the year ended. Throughout the year, the singer focused on promoting his newest album, The Way I Am. Not only did the country star hit the road for a tour that included stops in London and Ireland, but he also watched the album top the charts. And speaking of charts, Combs scored another record when he extended his reign on country radio with his 23rd solo No. 1 hit.
Looking back on the last year, Combs returned to the center of country music with The Way I Am and tracks like “Back in the Saddle” and “Days Like These.” The album climbed the charts, peaking at No. 1 on the US Top Country Albums and the UK Country Albums charts. On the US Billboard 200, it finished at No. 2. And when kicking off his My Kinda Saturday Night tour, Combs continuously sold out shows.
While it had been months since Combs released The Way I Am, fans weren’t done with the album, as recent numbers showed “Be By You” bringing him his 23rd solo single No. 1 on the Country Aircheck/Mediabase chart. Shared as the fourth single from the album, the song already proved its success on the charts. But the latest milestone followed other accomplishments that included being nominated for Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year at the 60th annual CMA Awards.
Luke Combs Shares His Goal For His Music
Although Combs loved the success, his main goal was always country music. And besides adding his voice to the genre, he hoped to bring a few people along with him. “It’s more diverse than ever, and that was ultimately the goal of last summer: Don’t just give me a chance, but give country music a chance.”
Expanding on that initial statement, Combs explained to GQ that most people turned away from the genre before listening to a single song. “So many people have a tendency to say, ‘I just don’t like it,’ when it comes to country music. But they’ve never even listened to it. Country music is so vastly different now, though. You can love Sierra Ferrell, or you can love Post Malone, and there are thousands of artists in between and something for everybody, whether or not you like to admit it.”
For Combs, bringing new listeners into country music mattered just as much as adding another No. 1 to his career. His songs might have opened the door, but once fans stepped through it, he wanted them to see just how much the genre had to offer.
(Photo by Jamie Schramm/Variety via Getty Images)
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Author: Chris Piner
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