Country duo The Shires release new album and discuss the rise of country music in the UK
British country duo The Shires released a new album and discussed the growing popularity of country music in the UK.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
British country duo The Shires have released their sixth studio album, their first in four years, and are set to embark on a UK tour that includes a date at the Bristol Beacon later this year. The duo, who are the biggest selling UK country act, spoke about the rapid rise of country music in the country, which has become the fastest growing genre with over three billion streams in 2025.
In an interview with ITV News West Country, recorded during a show in Dorset, the pair said they had not overthought the album. Instead, they wrote and recorded it while on the road, working with different songwriters. They noted that country music has shifted from being seen as uncool to becoming a mainstream trend, helped by artists like Beyoncé, Shaboozey and Taylor Swift. The Shires said they now feel they are returning to a world where country is "the coolest thing".
The album is filled with upbeat, positive tracks designed to offer escapism. The title track, 'Bonfire Song', is one such example. Both members of the duo are parents, and they spoke about the importance of keeping things real on social media. Chrissy, in particular, shares glimpses of life on the road and the reality of juggling parenthood with a music career. Ben recalled being asked to take the bins out just before a major show, saying: "I'm about to play to like 30,000 people. Can I not take the bins out?"
The Shires' tour will see them perform across the UK, with the Bristol Beacon show among the highlights. The duo's new album is out now.
On screen
Stills are sampled automatically at 60-second intervals. Where shown, the still is the nearest available frame from the relevant broadcast segment and is included to show what was on screen during that part of the broadcast. A still may not correspond to the exact second of a quoted phrase.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | ITV |
|---|---|
| Country music is the fastest growing genre in the UK, with over three billion streams in 2025. | |
| The Shires are the best-selling UK country act. | |
| The Shires released their sixth studio album this month. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The report focused on the local angle, highlighting the duo's upcoming show at the Bristol Beacon and their performance in Dorset. It also emphasised the personal side of the story, including the challenges of balancing parenthood with a music career and the duo's down-to-earth social media presence. The tone was supportive and celebratory, framing The Shires as pioneers of UK country music.
- “country music is the fastest growing music genre in the UK with over three billion streams in 2025”
- “we always felt like not the cool kids. Whereas now we're coming back with this new album into a world in the UK where country is the coolest thing”
- “I've literally taken the bins out with these cowboy boots”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.