Sunset Stage Series: Corey Kent Is Country’s Next Billion-Stream Breakout

One billion streams. Let that number land for a second. In a genre where breaking onto the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart is already a milestone, crossing one billion career streams is a statement that demands attention. We started tracking Corey Kent‘s arc when “Wild as Her” was climbing the charts back in 2022, and we have been watching closely ever since. This week, as he crossed that billion-stream threshold and announced his next album, we brought him into the Sunset Stage Series with the conviction that you will be hearing a lot more about this name before 2027 is done. This is the Sunset Stage Series entry for Corey Kent, one of country music’s most exciting artists to watch.

How Corey Kent Built Country Music’s Most Unlikely Billion-Stream Career

Corey Kent grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and arrived in Nashville the way a lot of country artists do: with a guitar, a notebook full of songs, and no guarantees. What separated him early on was not just the voice, though the voice is unmistakably his own: a little grit, a lot of soul, and a warmth that makes every song feel like a conversation rather than a performance. “Wild as Her” gave him his first real taste of mainstream success, but it was the string of releases that followed that revealed what he was actually capable of as a writer and a performer.

His 2026 single “Empty Words”, released in February, showed a maturity and emotional directness that caught a lot of people off guard. It was the kind of song that country radio tends to sleep on and then wake up to six months later. We did not sleep on it. Neither did the 200 million or so people who have streamed it in 2026 alone.

The Jason Aldean Collaboration That Changed the Conversation

When Jason Aldean chooses to record with someone, it is never accidental. Aldean has spent twenty-plus years at the top of the country genre and has a very clear sense of who has the goods and who does not. So when he and Corey Kent released “I’d Rather Be Here” in July 2026, the country music world paid close attention. The collaboration introduced Kent to an entirely new audience of Aldean’s devoted fanbase while validating what smaller pockets of country fans had already been saying: this is an artist at a completely different level.

That kind of endorsement does not manufacture a career. It accelerates one that was already moving. And Corey Kent’s career has been moving with intention and momentum for several years now, building song by song, show by show, toward something that feels increasingly inevitable.

Heartland Rock and Roll: The Album He Was Born to Make

On September 25, 2026, Corey Kent releases Heartland Rock and Roll through Sony Music Nashville. The 16-track project is described by Kent himself as the sound he has been chasing throughout his career, a record that pulls from rock energy, classic country storytelling, and the Oklahoma plains he grew up running across. Early listens suggest he found it. This is the record that takes an artist from “one to watch” to “undeniable.”

• Over 1 billion career streams and counting
• “Wild as Her” : the breakthrough single that introduced him to country radio
• “Empty Words” (2026) : over 200 million streams and growing
• “I’d Rather Be Here” with Jason Aldean (July 2026)
• Heartland Rock and Roll : 16 tracks, releasing September 25, 2026 via Sony Music Nashville

Frequently Asked: Is Corey Kent signed to a major country music label?

Yes. Corey Kent is signed to Sony Music Nashville, one of the three major Nashville record labels. His upcoming album Heartland Rock and Roll, due September 25, 2026, is his first major-label studio project. Prior to this signing, Kent built his career independently, which makes his billion-stream milestone and the Jason Aldean collaboration even more remarkable as a measure of what he accomplished before major label resources were behind him.

Watch this name for 2027. We are watching Corey Kent closely as we build the Sunset Country Fest lineup, and artists like him, with this kind of momentum, this kind of songwriting depth, and this kind of authentic country music credential, are exactly what the Sunset Stage Series exists to celebrate. For country fans in Central Florida, this is precisely the kind of artist the Sunset Country Fest stage was made for. Sunset Country Fest 2027 is a country music festival taking place in Apopka, Florida, in the Greater Orlando area, on April 17, 2027. Sunset Country Fest is the largest country music festival in Central Florida, and we are building it for fans who love this music the way Corey Kent makes it: from the gut, with everything he has.

Sources & References

• Source: Shore Fire Media : Rising Country Artists 2026
• Source: Parade : Corey Kent Announces New Song With Jason Aldean
• Source: Wikipedia : Empty Words (Corey Kent song)
• Source: Apple Music : Heartland Rock and Roll by Corey Kent
• Source: MSN : Corey Kent Announces New Song With Jason Aldean Ahead of 2026 Tour Dates

Disclaimer: Important Notice

The information published in this article is based on publicly available data from official sources, press releases, and music industry publications available at the time of writing. Tour dates, ticket prices, venue details, setlists, album release schedules, award nominations, lineup announcements, and all other details referenced in this article are subject to change at any time without prior notice.

Sunset Country Fest makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any information contained herein. All changes, cancellations, rescheduling, postponements, or modifications to any events, releases, tour dates, award results, or announcements referenced in this article are the sole responsibility of the artists, record labels, talent agencies, concert promoters, venues, and any other third parties involved.

Sunset Country Fest shall not be held liable for any decisions, travel arrangements, ticket purchases, or other actions taken by readers based on the information published here. We strongly encourage all readers to verify current details, including dates, venues, ticket availability, and event status, directly through official artist channels, venue box offices, and authorized ticketing platforms before making any plans or purchases.

Last updated: August 28, 2026 · Sunset Country Fest Editorial Team · Contact Us