Shinedown have added another milestone to their career, landing their first appearance on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. The band’s single “Searchlight” enters the chart at No. 54, marking a crossover success for the group after years of dominating rock radio.
The track appears on Shinedown‘s latest album, Ei8ht, which was released on May 29 through Atlantic Records. The record was produced by bassist and songwriter Eric Bass at his Big Animal Studio in Charleston, South Carolina.
According to Billboard, “After nearly a quarter century of ruling Billboard’s rock charts, Shinedown crosses over to its first entry on a country ranking, as ‘Searchlight’ debuts at No. 54 on Country Airplay. The song drew 980,000 audience impressions in the June 12-18 tracking week, according to Luminate.”
Speaking about the achievement, Shinedown guitarist Zach Myers said: “It means a lot to us. The fact that we can even be accepted by another format is really cool to us. So, thank you to country radio for playing the song. We know they’re a group of people who are very proud of what they do, so thank you very much for letting us in.”
“Searchlight” has already made a strong impact on rock radio. Earlier this year, the song reached No. 1 on both Mediabase’s Active Rock chart and Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart. The band continues to hold the record for the most No. 1 songs in the history of both charts.
More recently, “Safe And Sound” pushed those records even further, becoming Shinedown‘s 23rd No. 1 hit on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart and their 25th No. 1 on the Mediabase Active Rock chart. Those achievements further strengthened the band’s standing as one of rock radio’s most successful acts.
Away from radio, Shinedown have remained highly visible throughout the year. The band performed during the grand finale of “American Idol”, headlined Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival, and launched the Dance, Kid, Dance Act IIworld tour. They also earned back-to-back honors as “Rock Artist Of The Year at the iHeartRadio Music Awards two years in a row.”
The momentum continues this summer as Shinedown take the Dance, Kid, Dance Act II world tour across North America and Europe, with more than 50 shows scheduled in 11 countries.
The band is also continuing its charitable work by donating $1 from every ticket sold to City Of Hope, supporting cancer research and treatment efforts.
Looking ahead, Shinedown will host their first curated festival, Shinedown’s Lunatic Ball Beach Weekend, from October 23-25, 2026, in Miramar Beach, Florida. The three-day event will feature two headline performances from Shinedown along with appearances by Bush, Hanson, Flyleaf featuring Lacey Sturm, Living Colour, From Ashes To New, Guardians Of The Jukebox, Neon Mooners, and additional artists yet to be announced.
