Released in 2016, RIPCORD, Keith Urban’s eighth studio album, continued its incredible run well into 2017. Not only did it produce Urban’s 23rd #1 song with “The Fighter,” the album was certified platinum, making Urban the second artist to achieve that status in 2016. “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” RIPCORD’s fourth #1 song, recently won Best Single at the 2017 CMA Awards (his 12th CMA) and Favorite Country Song at the American Music Awards, where he also collected trophies for Favorite Country Album and Favorite Male Country Artist.
November 8, 2017 saw the release and performance debut of a brand new song “Female.” A poignant track written by Ross Copperman, Shane McAnally and Nicolle Galyon, Urban felt compelled to record and share the song as he continues to work on a new album for 2018.
The release of RIPCORD marked the second time that one of his albums debuted simultaneously atop the all-genre charts in the U.S., Canada and Australia. He is the only male Country artist to achieve this mark. The album produced five #1 songs, which moved Urban to #8 on Billboard’s All-time Country Airplay Chart and it leaves Urban’s streak as the artist with the most consecutive top 10 songs on Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart (38) well intact – a streak that started in August of 2000.
In conjunction with the release of RIPCORD, Urban took to the road for his ‘ripCORD WORLD TOUR,’ his first major concert tour in two years. Throughout 2016 and 2017, the tour played on four continents in front of more than 1.4 million people, further solidifying Urban’s already established reputation as one of the most electrifying and dynamic live performers.
In 2001, the Country Music Association honored Urban with its Horizon Award; he was the first Horizon Award winner in history to go on to win the CMA’s Male Vocalist of the Year, a title he’s captured three times, and the coveted Entertainer of the Year. Since then, Urban’s career has seen a long list of groundbreaking firsts and accomplishments reserved for the music industry’s elite.
The 2015 CMA Awards brought Urban his third win for Vocal Event of the Year for “Raise ‘Em Up” featuring Eric Church. It marked the first time in history that an artist has received the award in three consecutive years.
Besides four Grammy Awards, Urban has won twelve Country Music Association Awards, eleven Academy of Country Music Awards, a People’s Choice Award and four American Music Awards. He is also a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Urban’s reputation as a premier songwriter, vocalist, musician and virtuoso guitarist has afforded him the opportunity to collaborate with the likes of The Rolling Stones, John Mayer, Steven Tyler, Miranda Lambert, John Mellencamp, Alicia Keys, Tim McGraw and Taylor Swift, Vince Gill and Eric Church.
He’s long supported numerous charities. His “All For The Hall” benefit concerts for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum© have raised over $3.4 million. He is the first Ambassador of the CMA Foundation, is an advisory board member at the St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and is a longtime supporter of The Mr. Holland’s Opus Fund and The Grammy Foundation. In 2013, he introduced his new URBAN™ Guitar Collection via HSN, proceeds of which benefit both the Grammy Foundation and Mr. Holland’s Opus Fund.
