The brightest star for country was Taylor Swift, who was the top selling artist in the U.S. last year, racking up sales of just over 4 million units. She also had the third and sixth best selling discs in the country. "Fearless," her sophomore studio effort, has sold 2,112,000 units since its release in November 2008, according to Nielsen SoundScan, good for third behind Lil Wayne's "Tha Carter III" at almost 2.9 million units and Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" at 2.14 million units. Swift's self-titled debut sold a few thousand short of 1.6 million units in 2008. "Fearless" sold 225,000 digital copies. This was the first time one artist had 2 different albums in the Top 10 on the year end album chart.

That means that Swift's two main studio albums (she also has released a Target only CD and a holiday disc) sold almost 8 percent of all country albums sold in 2008.

Swift also was the second highest digital selling artist with almost 8.8 million units sold. Rihanna was number one with 9,941,000.

Sugarland was the only other country act to make it into the top 10 selling artists - at 8 - with 2,063,000 units sold.

Since the SoundScan era began in 1991, Garth Brooks is the number 1 selling artist at 68,143,000 units sold. George Strait is sixth with 40,619,000, Tim McGraw seventh at 37,591,000, Alan Jackson eighth at 36,520,000 and Shania Twain 10th with 33,707,000 units.

Twain's "Come On Over" remains the top selling disc of the Soundscan era with 15,473,000 units sold.

"It's not about the money, it's about the fans," Chesney said. "There will always be tours that gross more than us because I believe in trying to make it possible for anyone who wants to come out and rock with us to be able to do it. To me, I measure how successful these tours are by the faces we see - and last year, I saw some pretty happy people everywhere we went. That they're a lot of fans there makes me feel like we're part of their summer, and part of how they're living their life."

Chesney played to 1,012,804 fans, according to touring trade Pollstar. The Jonas Brothers' 949,943 was the second most attended tour for 2008. With a $71.24 average ticket - for a $72.2 million tour gross, Chesney followed Madonna with $153.88/average ticket and a total of $105 million, Celine Dion at $119/average ticket and a total of $94 million and The Eagles at $128.82/average and a total $73.4 million.

"People make all kinds of claims about how many tickets they sell or how much they make, but they do it before the numbers are published," he said. "I don't think anybody in my camp's head is there; it's always been about how do we make this show the best thing we can for the fans.

"And our fans know every year, we're gonna bring it even hotter and harder than the year before. It's kinda been the thing that drives me and the guys. And those fans... well, you hear 'em and you wanna give even better than you get, and they give pretty good."

Chesney's Poets & Pirates Tour featured LeAnn Rimes, Brooks & Dunn, Keith Urban, Sammy Hagar, Gary Allen and Luke Bryan.

"It's weird to realize these shows could be some people's memories, the way the concerts were for me and my friends growing up are so much a part of who we were - and are," Chesney said. "But I know how important those moments are, and I think our fans know that, too. It's why they come out early and tail-gait... It's why they cram into the Sand Bar... and why they sing even louder than we do on 'Back Where I Come From'... I think it's why they keep coming out, and why we keepp pushing harder to be more every year. They know that, and we do, too."

Chesney's 2009 Sun City Carnival Tour already sold out Boston's Gillette Stadium - in less than 10 minutes, marking his fifth straight year in Foxboro, Mass.

Rascal Flatts have been added to the list of performers at the 35th annual People's Choice Awards taking place Jan. 7 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. As previously announced, Carrie Underwood will also perform on the show.

Rascal Flatts and Underwood are each nominated in two categories. In addition to a nomination for favorite group, Rascal Flatts received a favorite country song nomination for "Take You There." Underwood, up for favorite female singer, also received a favorite country song nomination for "Last Name." Other country nominees for the fan-voted awards include Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley and Taylor Swift. The show will air live on KENS 5.

In the Dec. 29 issue of Country Weekly, Reba McEntire talks about her family's Christmas traditions and her plans for the future. Here's a little bit of what Reba said:

On Christmas Traditions

"A tradition that we started when I got married to Narvel [Blackstock] was from his mother, Gloria Blackstock. Before we open gifts, we sing 'Happy Birthday' to Jesus. When we used to go to her house, she would tell the story about Jesus being born in the manger in Bethlehem, how hard it was on Mary. She'd tell the whole story, then we'd 'Happy Birthday' and open gifts."

On Singing with Her New Record Label, Valory

"I am thrilled to death. When Scott [Borchetta] started Big Machine and then the Valory Music Co., I thought that was the opportunity to team back up with Scott. He understands me and I understand him. We both understand what it takes to be successful in the business and to work hard. Neither one of us is afraid to work hard and get the records out to the public and make sure the fans get to hear the songs, get radio and be able to get the music to the fans. It was very important to me to team back up with Scott and his team. I got to meet them all at the party after the CMA Awards and they are all excited and that is really important to me."

On Her Clothing Line

"I am hands-on with all the designs and stuff. With the clothes, I pick out the fabric, the silhouette. I try on the clothes on also, every piece, and then we make our notes. If something is really selling well but something is wrong with the underarm, we make that note and we will make the corrections on it. All of these things, I am very much involved in."

On Her Evolution

"I think that my music has kept up with the times and my look has kept with the times. I have to stay current, and I think that takes more energy and more time and hanging out with younger people. I think that is why [touring with] Kelly Clarkson has been so good for me. I love to be on stage with her every night. We have fun. I get the biggest kick singing 'Miss Independent' and just having a blast and rockin' out. Then she gets right up there and sings 'How Blue.' Staying in the mainstream of things helps. With Narvel being a manager for Blake Shelton and Kelly Clarkson, I get the information, the inside scoop on what is going on."

On New Year's Resolutions

"I do not make them because I break them. Last year mine was that I was going to quit gossiping and talking bad about people. I kind of imagined that every time I talk bad about people my throat was going to get sore and that was my punishment. I need to quit gossiping. That is a hard habit to break, I promise you."

For more on Reba McEntire, check out the Dec. 29 issue of Country Weekly.

As a way of saying thanks for the multitude of blessings in her own life, Jo Dee Messina is committed to helping others not only throughout the holiday season, but the rest of the year as well.

Despite being six months pregnant, she participated in the five-mile Boulevard Bolt on Thanksgiving Day, which raises money for the homeless. On Christmas Eve, she sang for the homeless who gathered for a meal and service at Riverfront Park sponsored by Brentwood United Methodist Church and the Wildhorse Saloon.

"This is the greatest and the most perfect way to spend the holidays," she says.

But Jo Dee says this community's needs extend beyond Christmastime.

"They always say it's a season for being grateful and for sharing," she says. "All year, every year, should be the season of giving. I always end my shows by saying, 'Do something kind for someone you don't even know because that is how each person can make a difference, whether they are famous, not famous, rich or poor.' You can truly make a difference in someone's life by doing something, not thinking of yourself but thinking of other people."

Jo Dee, who is married to Chris Deffenbaugh, is expecting her first child in about six weeks.

"The last few years have been magical because I have been with my husband," she says. "I always find the magic in the holiday season. I love it so much, the lights and the joy and the cheer."

Her pregnancy made Christmas shopping interesting, especially trying to get in and out of the car. "It's been a little more taxing, but once the holidays are over, that will be our main focus, him coming, because it's just a few weeks away."

For Jo Dee, New Year's Eve will be spent quietly with family. Her father and his wife are in town, as well as Chris' brother. Jo Dee's brother and his wife had a baby about 10 days ago. "If we make it to midnight to the New Year's countdown, it will be great," she says.

"But I'm really looking forward to next year. My life is so blessed and there are so many amazing things happening to kick off the year," says Jo Dee, who will launch an acoustic tour in April. "I am so looking forward to 2009."

Read more in the Tennessean.com

Once Pat Green decided to cut back on the booze, his creative juices started to flow in earnest. "I was going so fast and being so reckless with my life that I kind of lost touch with living," he admits. "[When I slowed down on the liquor,] the writing came alive, and my pen just started flying off the page."

Pat has added a few new concert dates. Click here for his tour itinerary.