RISING 25
Discover country music's next generation.
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Greylan James
Greylan James makes the week's biggest climb, jumping seven spots into the Top 10.
HIGHEST DEBUT: Gabriella Rose at No. 15
HOT SONG: BELLES — “Son of Jolene” (feat. Dolly Parton)
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CRE Rising 25 – Week 11: October 20, 2026
BELLES retains the No. 1 spot on the CRE Rising 25 for Week 11, followed by Hannah McFarland and Laci Kaye Booth. But farther down the chart, major gains and a new debut shake up the rankings.
Greylan James makes the week's biggest leap, climbing seven positions to No. 7, while Gabriella Rose debuts at No. 15. BELLES also takes the Hot Song spotlight with “Son of Jolene” featuring Dolly Parton, and Belle Frantz is this week's On the Verge selection.
Week 11 Highlights
CRE Rising 25 — Week 11
Green ▲ rising • Red ▼ falling • — holding • NEW debut
| Rank | Artist | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BELLES | — |
| 2 | Hannah McFarland | — |
| 3 | Laci Kaye Booth | — |
| 4 | Zach John King | ▲ 2 |
| 5 | Elizabeth Nichols | ▼ 1 |
| 6 | Kevin Powers | ▲ 4 |
| 7 | Greylan James | ▲ 7 |
| 8 | Kinsley | ▼ 3 |
| 9 | Noah James | ▼ 2 |
| 10 | Mae Estes | ▲ 1 |
| 11 | Kashus Culpepper | ▲ 1 |
| 12 | Just Jayne | ▼ 3 |
| 13 | The Jack Wharff Band | ▼ 5 |
| 14 | Abbie Callahan | ▼ 1 |
| 15 | Gabriella Rose | NEW |
| 16 | Brandon Wisham | ▲ 1 |
| 17 | Nathan Dean & The Damn Band | ▼ 1 |
| 18 | Lily Meola | ▲ 2 |
| 19 | Tyce Delk | ▲ 1 |
| 20 | Slater Nalley | ▲ 1 |
| 21 | Ashley Wineland | ▲ 2 |
| 22 | Jacob Hackworth | — |
| 23 | Kaleb Austin | ▼ 5 |
| 24 | Hudson Macready | — |
| 25 | Matt Farris | — |
The Week 11 Story
BELLES Stays on Top
BELLES keeps the No. 1 position for another week. Hannah McFarland remains No. 2 and Laci Kaye Booth holds No. 3, preserving the chart's top three. Zach John King moves up two places to No. 4, while Elizabeth Nichols settles at No. 5.
Greylan James Delivers the Biggest Jump
After appearing at No. 14 last week, Greylan James surges seven spots to No. 7, earning the Week 11 Biggest Mover distinction. Kevin Powers also makes a notable advance, up four positions to No. 6, while Zach John King strengthens his place in the Top 5.
Gabriella Rose Joins the Top 25
Following last week's On the Verge recognition, Gabriella Rose arrives on the main chart at No. 15 as the week's highest debut. Her entry highlights how quickly an artist can move from the watchlist into the national ranking.
Hot Song: “Son of Jolene”
This week's Hot Song spotlight belongs to BELLES for “Son of Jolene” featuring Dolly Parton. The selection gives the chart leader another prominent moment in Week 11.
A Competitive Middle of the Chart
Mae Estes and Kashus Culpepper each gain one spot to Nos. 10 and 11. Lily Meola climbs two places to No. 18, while Ashley Wineland advances two to No. 21. Meanwhile, The Jack Wharff Band drops five spots to No. 13, matching Kaleb Austin's five-place decline to No. 23.
Just Outside the Top 25
Four more emerging artists are on the Week 11 watchlist:
| #26 | Belle Frantz |
| #27 | Cody Lohden |
| #28 | Julia Golden |
| #29 | Grace Tyler |
On the Verge spotlight: Belle Frantz is drawing growing attention on the road and at radio, putting her firmly on the watchlist for future weeks.
What Is the CRE Rising 25?
The CRE Rising 25 is Country Road Entertainment's weekly nationwide editorial ranking of emerging country artists. The chart considers music and streaming activity, social audience growth, live performances, industry recognition and CRE's independent editorial evaluation.
No paid placement. Ever.
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