Luke Bryan crashes the party, nabs Entertainer of the Year (Updated August 30, 2013)

It's official. Luke Bryan has gone from star to superstar.

Though some outlets began peddling copies of Bryan's fourth studio album "Crash My Party," a week before its official release date, the minuscule (unofficial early) sales numbers exploded much like the crooner's career by the following week. The album officially bowed on August 13, 2013 and sold 527,783 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan's count, which was good enough to put him at the top of both the Billboard country albums chart and the Billboard 200 all-genres ranking. It marked the biggest sales debut for a male country artist since Tim McGraw's "Live Like You Were Dying" in 2004, which sold 766,000 copies.

Thanks to the success of "Crash My Party," two of Bryan's earlier albums also enjoyed sales bumps, too. "Tailgates and Tanlines" went from No. 5 to No. 4, and "Spring Break…Here to Party" went from No. 13 to No. 9. All told, it's been a remarkable run for Bryan, who was named Entertainer of the Year at the 2013 Academy of Country Music Awards, topping perennial favorite Taylor Swift, along with Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton and Jason Aldean.

"I don't know what to say, guys...Thank you guys so much...This is a defining moment of my life," he told the crowd. But clearly Bryan, who kicked off the year on his very first headlining "Dirt Road Diaries" tour, is just getting started. Beyond the accolades and awards, he drew a near-record crowd to NBC's "The Today Show" on August 16, is watching the rise of his latest single "That's My Kind of Night" as it rockets up the charts, and is certainly making his mark on Nashville with something that sounds like a country-rock/hip-hop hybrid.

No matter what, Bryan's fans, both old and new, are likely to be booty-shaking, fist-pumping and high-fiving alongside him for years to come.

Luke Bryan: 'Drunk' on success (Updated December 18, 2012)

Rarely do artists experience inside a calendar year what Luke Bryan did in 2012. The Leesburg, Georgia native, whose "Tailgates & Tanlines" album churned out repeated smash hits, including "Country Girl (Shake It for Me)," rode a surging wave of popularity to become one of the hottest acts of any musical genre.

Not everything Bryan touches turns to gold, but he's come pretty close. It took him just two months to land a songwriting deal once he moved to Nashville, and he wrote or co-wrote all but one of 11 songs on his debut album, "I'll Stay Me." Two of his first three singles – "All My Friends Say" and "Country Man" – climbed inside the Top 10 on the Hot Country Songs chart.

Bryan released the sophomore album, "Doin' My Thing," in October 2009. The first single from the project was the hypnotizing ballad "Do I," which he wrote with Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood of Lady Antbellum, and whose lead singer Hillary Scott would also provide backing vocals on. It climbed to No. 2 on the charts, blocked from the top spot by Lady Antebellum's breakout hit "Need You Now." Bryan's follow-up singles, "Rain is a Good Thing" and "Someone Else Calling you Baby" both went to No. 1.
It was "Tailgates & Tanlines," however, that has made Luke Bryan one of music's breakout stars.

"Country Girl (Shake It for Me)" served as the lead single to the album, peaking at No. 4 on the country charts and at No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100. Though it didn't hit the top spot, it pushed the album to a No. 1 debut on the Top Country Albums chart and No. 2 on the Billboard 200. The next two singles, "I Don't Want This Night to End" and "Drunk on You" hit No. 1, and "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" would become one of the most played songs on country radio in 2012.

Bryan wrapped up an incredible year at the American Country Awards on December 10, taking home every award he was nominated for, including artist and album of the year. He is set to perform during the Jan. 7, 2013 pre-game BCS National Championship concert, just days before embarking on his first headlining tour.