Chris Young

Young is quickly piling up the country music credentials and when his next album comes out, chances are it will be high enough up Nielsen SoundScan’s totem pole that everybody will be paying attention.

Need some convincing? Young’s had three No. 1 country singles from 2009’s sophomore project The Man I Want To Be. One, “Voices,” was the first country record in 25 years to be re-released to chart-topping success after an initial release reached the Top 40.

The first song from Neon is already out. “Tomorrow” sold 30,000 downloads its first week and is Young’s fastest-rising single. Meanwhile, Young just made his first appearance at the ACM’s Fremont Street Scene in Las Vegas. And it doesn’t hurt that readers just voted him Country Weekly’s hottest bachelor.

“He is building his career the right way, fan by fan,” Young’s agent, Rob Beckham, told Pollstar. “He has been the opening act for Rascal Flatts, Alan Jackson, Blake Shelton and now Jason Aldean. Over the past year he has worked as hard as anyone in the genre. He is relentless at building his fan base.”

Beckham unsurprisingly made the pronouncement that Young will soon be an arena headliner. That comes from the man who helped get Rascal Flatts and Brad Paisley to that level.

“Chris is a budding superstar,” he said. “He is a great singer, songwriter and entertainer. He is the complete package.

2011 Grammy nominee for Best Male Country Vocal Performance.