Luke Combs Revealed Among TIME's Most Influential People Of 2026

Luke Combs appears on TIME’s list of the Most Influential People of 2026.

TIME unveiled the TIME100 list on Wednesday (April 15), which includes artists, innovators, leaders and others whose work has made a significant impact. Find out more about how TIME selected the 2026 TIME100 list here. Grammy-winning artist Ed Sheeran reflected on meeting Combs in 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee, immediately knowing “he was a good bloke, with talent just spilling out of him.

“Over the years, I’ve watched him move from album to album and tour to tour, constantly evolving—not just as an artist, but also as a human, and always for the better,” Sheeran wrote in an essay in Combs’ honor. “He’s scaled the highest heights of music while remaining loving and kind to those around him. People might call that ‘normal,’ but there’s nothing normal about what Luke has achieved.”

Sheeran revealed his favorite album by Combs is Fathers & Sons, a heartfelt glimpse into his family life. Combs and his wife, Nicole Combs, welcomed their third child, son Chet Wiley Combs, in February 2026. Baby No. 3 joins big brothers Tex Lawrence Combs, who was born on Father’s Day in June 2022, and Beau Lee Combs, who was born in August 2023. Most recently, Combs released his 22-track studio record, The Way I Am, and Sheeran said, “I’m looking forward to whatever is next, because really, it can be anything.”

Combs spoke with TIME in an interview published on Wednesday morning. The “Hurricane” megastar shared how he balances touring with family life, why he feels he appeals to massive audiences, his upbringing in North Carolina, his journey to becoming an award-winning country artist, and more. Find the interview here.