For many artists, releasing an album is a dream deferred. For Peterborough-born, Brantford-based Americana artist KC Armstrong, that dream became reality with Finally Crafted—and now, that dream comes with a new thrill: watching his music climb the charts.
Since releasing Finally Crafted in September 2024, Armstrong has been making waves internationally, earning radio play across multiple countries and securing the coveted #1 spot on two different stations—one in the U.S. and one in the U.K. But in Canada, the journey of “I Don’t Care” is proving to be the most exciting chapter yet.
A chance discovery of the Canadian Independent Country Countdown (CICC) led Armstrong down an unexpected path. Despite identifying as an Americana artist, he noticed that the chart welcomed the genre alongside country. A quick submission, a bit of good fortune, and a few weeks later, “I Don’t Care” entered the CICC chart at #150.
“I wasn’t expecting much from a country-based chart,” Armstrong admits. “I kept an eye on it, but I didn’t even promote it at first.” Yet the song had other plans. Climbing steadily, it cracked the Top 40 before Armstrong turned his promotional efforts toward it.
Then, a twist: without his knowledge, CICC also began playing his track “Someone Else Tonight.” That song entered at #148 and quickly gained traction—so much so that Armstrong split his focus, rallying support from family, friends, and even his local euchre league to help both tracks gain momentum.
What followed was an exhilarating race to the top. As “I Don’t Care” climbed to #26, Armstrong tapped into a community that had supported his career from the start: his hometown of Lakefield, ON. A single Facebook post mobilized an entire network, propelling the song into the Top 20 nationwide.
Currently, “I Don’t Care” sits at #18, while “Someone Else Tonight” continues to rise at #73—and Armstrong has his sights set on even higher ground.
With six Peterborough-area musicians contributing to Finally Crafted, Armstrong is calling on his home region to help push “I Don’t Care” into the Top 10 nationally.
“I’ve been writing and performing for years, but this is a whole new experience,” Armstrong says. “Seeing the support roll in, watching my songs find their audience—it’s been unreal.”
A testament to passion, perseverance, and the power of community, Finally Crafted is proving to be more than just an album title—it’s a rallying cry. And as Armstrong’s songs continue to rise, one thing is certain: he’s just getting started.
