Major release-week breakthrough: “Thorns & Roses” climbs to #86 on CDX AAA, The Game debuts at #104 on the extended Americana album airplay rankings and #38 on The Big Blues Chart, with 26 radio stations now reporting heavy or medium rotation.
DAYTON, OHIO — November 6, 2026 — Just one week after the worldwide release of his tenth nationally distributed album, The Game, acclaimed guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Eric Jerardi is celebrating one of the most significant national radio breakthroughs of his career.
The independent artist's ambitious new release is gaining meaningful traction across Adult Album Alternative (AAA), Americana, blues, college and independent radio, with the latest promotional reporting showing 133 radio stations have aired and/or added music from The Game.
That represents an increase of 25 stations since the previous reporting period — approximately 23% growth — as national airplay continues to accelerate.
But the even bigger story is what is happening inside those stations.
At least 26 stations now have Jerardi's music in heavy or medium rotation, an increase of nine stations from the previous report. Another nine stations are reviewing the music for potential airplay.
For an independent recording artist, these are encouraging indicators that the music is doing more than generating initial interest. Programmers are committing to regular rotation, listeners are being introduced to the record, and additional stations are evaluating its potential.
A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH AT AAA RADIO
Perhaps the most consequential achievement of release week comes from the CDX TRACtion AAA radio rankings.
“Thorns & Roses” has officially broken into the Top 100 for the first time, climbing from #114 to #86 — a remarkable 28-position jump in a single reporting period.
The single registered 51 monitored spins, an increase of 16 from the previous week, demonstrating continued growth for the song that has helped lead Jerardi's national AAA campaign.
Meanwhile, the album's first single, “Setting Sun,” remains active on the extended CDX AAA rankings at #157, giving Jerardi two songs with a measurable presence on the format's national airplay reporting.
The milestone is especially meaningful considering the crowded AAA radio landscape and the competition independent artists face for attention alongside established national acts and major-label releases.
What began as a campaign to introduce Jerardi's distinctive blend of blues, soul and rock to new audiences is developing into a genuine crossover opportunity.
AMERICANA RADIO IS RESPONDING
The growing national response is not limited to AAA.
For the reporting week of November 4, The Game enters the extended CDX TRACtion Americana Albums airplay rankings at #104, establishing a new foothold for Jerardi in a format that increasingly embraces soulful storytelling and music that moves beyond traditional genre boundaries.
At the track level, “Thorns & Roses” climbs to #156 on the Americana tracks rankings, advancing more than 125 positions from its previous placement.
The album now has two songs represented in the extended Americana track reporting.
The parallel growth across AAA and Americana points to one of The Game's greatest strengths: its ability to reach listeners through several musical traditions without sacrificing the identity of the artist behind it.
THE BLUES FOUNDATION REMAINS STRONG
Even as the music expands into new formats, Jerardi's longstanding blues audience continues to provide an important foundation.
The Game entered The Big Blues Chart at #38 in its first appearance on the October 2026 monthly chart.
The Top 50 ranking places Jerardi among an established field of blues recording artists, affirming that the album's increasingly adventurous musical direction remains connected to the blues tradition that helped shape his career.
This is an especially promising combination: a record building recognition with blues audiences while attracting growing attention from Americana and AAA programmers.
Rather than dividing its audience, the album's crossover potential creates opportunities for each format to introduce listeners to the others.
FROM CALIFORNIA TO NEW MEXICO — AND BEYOND
The national radio campaign has already generated support and engagement from influential regional stations, including KPND in the Spokane/Sandpoint market, WBPT in Birmingham, WAPS in Akron, WZEW in Mobile and KTAOS Solar Radio in Taos, New Mexico.
Northern California has also become an important part of Jerardi's radio story, with KRSH in Santa Rosa and KVYN in Napa Valley hosting the artist for on-air interviews and intimate acoustic performances.
These opportunities demonstrate the kind of relationship-building that matters in independent music: programmers are doing more than receiving a record. They are giving the artist an opportunity to connect personally with their audiences.
Earlier campaign reporting has also documented international radio activity in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, Poland and Bulgaria, extending the music's reach beyond the United States.
A RECORD THAT IS CONNECTING ON MULTIPLE LEVELS
The new radio accomplishments arrive amid an impressive collection of milestones surrounding the October 30 release.
On release day, Jerardi's deeply personal song “Hard Being Here” reached the #1 position on Apple Music's Best New Blues Songs editorial list, providing the album with important recognition on a major global streaming platform.
The record's singles have also earned back-to-back Apple Music New in Rock editorial placements, while “Setting Sun” was selected by Immersive Audio Album as one of the Best Dolby Atmos Songs of Summer 2026.
Critical attention has followed.
Veteran music critic Hal Horowitz of Rock & Blues Muse described The Game as an “often riveting dozen song collection.”
In a November 3 review published by Americana Highways, music journalist Eric Thom recognized Jerardi's creativity, highlighting “an arsenal of imaginative songwriting ideas.”
The reception reflects the artistic evolution that sits at the heart of The Game.
Originally conceived through a challenge to write 12 songs in 12 weeks, the record pushed Jerardi beyond familiar songwriting habits and into emotionally revealing material exploring loss, love, memory, mortality and human connection.
Produced by Michael James, with contributions from Eric Colvin and Rachael Schroeder and executive production by filmmaker Allen Farst, the album pairs Jerardi's expressive guitar playing with deeply personal storytelling and soulful arrangements.
THE MOMENTUM IS BUILDING
Nearly three decades into his recording career, Eric Jerardi is finding new audiences without abandoning the musical foundation that brought him here.
133 stations. 26 in heavy or medium rotation. A first-ever CDX AAA Top 100 breakthrough. An Americana album ranking. A Top 40 appearance on The Big Blues Chart. And a #1 Apple Music editorial recognition.
Individually, each achievement represents an important step forward.
Together, they tell the story of an independent artist whose new music is beginning to connect across formats, markets and generations of listeners.
Special thanks go to the dedicated radio promotion teams at M Music, Powderfinger Promotions and MAC Promotions, along with the programmers, music directors and on-air personalities who continue to champion original music and independent recording artists.
The album may be called The Game, but for Eric Jerardi, the response to this record is becoming something much bigger than a songwriting challenge.
It's a new chapter in a career built on persistence, authenticity and the power of a great song.
The Game is available worldwide through Alternator Records and Niche Records, with distribution through Sony/The Orchard.
Discover the album at www.ericjerardi.com.