Kenny Chesney is holding it down for country music in Billboard's recent list of Top Live Acts of the past quarter century. His live shows grossed ninth highest, which is surprising considering Chesney has taken a little break from the road.

The top 10 list was full of talented individuals aside from Chesney -- the Rolling Stones, U2 and Bruce Springsteen all keep the country boy company on the list. The list, which took the quarter century from 1990 to 2014 into account, saw two years where Chesney wasn't touring. He took a break from the road in both 2014 and 2010 yet he was still able to sell 12,681,629 tickets.

“You look at a list like this ... with so many iconic rock acts, people like Madonna, or Elton John, and you think, ‘Man ...’.” Chesney says in a release. “When you get on the bus for the first time, you’re just hoping people will come. You never expect to be in this kind of company, unless you’re buying a ticket.”

He's played NFL Stadiums and even had the privilege of doing a homecoming show at University of Tennessee's Neyland Stadium. Chesney's tours make fans feel like it's summer all year long and that's one of the reasons fans flock from all over to see the entertainer in person.

“Knowing people work hard, have stress whether its their family or their job or their friends, you strive to create a place where they can forget all that for a few hours,” he says. “They’ll come out, and they come back with their friends. Just like when you sing songs that speak to how they really live, they listen. They listen and they hang onto those songs like it’s their life – because it is.”

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