Song Reviews

This week’s batch of new country tunes features Dierks Bentley’s take on a Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers classic, plus Bailey Zimmerman’s nostalgic new ballad, Jordan Davis’ thoughtful new track and stellar, pop-fueled work from Camille Parker and Tenille Arts.

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Bailey Zimmerman, “Holy Smokes”

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This moody, reminiscing ballad mixes romance and religious overtones, depicting nights of rebellion and young love in a church parking lot. Zimmerman excels at these kind of lost-love vignettes, as evidenced by “Rock and a Hard Place” and some of Zimmerman’s other hits. Between stately piano, driving percussion and a cathartic, country-rock chorus, it’s clear that this short-lived romance had a lasting impact. Zimmerman co-wrote the track with frequent collaborator Austin Shawn, as well as Ben Stennis, Michael Tyler and Lauren Hungate.

Dierks Bentley, “American Girl”

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Following his previous album Gravel and Gold, Bentley takes on this classic rock track from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ 1976 debut album. Spright Banjo, mandolin and guitar fusions lead this jaunty number, which melds perfectly with Bentley’s own grainy, rock-leaning vocal. The song is included on the upcoming album Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty, which will be released via Big Machine and the Tom Petty Estate.

Camille Parker, “Spinning Out”

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Parker, a member of this year’s CMT Next Women of Country class, also recently made her debut performance on the Grand Ole Opry and was a contestant on the musical competition My Kind of Country. Here, she issues a superb, dancefloor-ready, pop-leaning track, one that makes the most of her delicate-yet-earthy vocals. This new song finds Parker offering an uplifting, musical respite for those who need a self-care moment away from the stressors that come with the daily grind.

Jordan Davis, “Good News Sold”

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Davis has notched a slew of previous hits with warmly-produced songs rooted in slightly nostalgic, commonplace-yet-momentous life milestones, such as “Next Thing You Know” and his Luke Bryan collab “Buy Dirt.” He continues in that overall vein with his latest, which muses that the world would be happier and less divided if “Good News Sold” and spread across communication avenues in the same speed that bad news seems to proliferate. Written by Jacob Davis, Cole Taylor and Jordan Rowe, this track amounts to another solid contender for radio success.

Tenille Arts, “Next Best Thing”

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“You already had a queen in your California king,” she sings on this well-written song, adding “I’d wish you the best/ But you already had me.” Swiftian, swirling pop and razor-sharp wit guides Arts’ newest release, which she wrote with Ross Copperman and Emily Weisband. She draws the listener in with her charismatic vocal and keeps them with a track as danceable as it is relatable.

This week’s roundup of the best new country songs stars Lainey Wilson, who over the past year has been crowned the CMAs’ entertainer of the year and picked up her first Grammy, in addition to notching multiple No. 1 Country Airplay hits. With her latest, she offers an assessment of country music’s current boom. Meanwhile, Dasha earns a viral hit with her new song “Austin,” and newcomer Graham Barham brings some Louisiana swamp-rock feel to his new track.

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See all these and more of Billboard‘s selections for the finest new country music of the past week below.

Lainey Wilson, “Country’s Cool Again”

Trending on Billboard

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“Blue collar must’ve caught a new wind,” sings reigning CMA entertainer of the year Wilson on her latest release. In the process, she channels the surge in popularity that has carried country music and Western aesthetics to its current lofty heights. But Louisiana native Wilson also makes it clear that for so many artists like herself, “country” is far from a trend, but rather her birthright — from her unmistakable twang to her working-class roots. Lyrically, the song at times relies too heavily on expected country tropes such as beer and front porches, but sonically, this track is richly layered with sinewy guitar, funky percussion and piled high with soulful backing vocals, all led by Wilson’s charismatic lead vocal. Wilson wrote this track with Aslan Freeman, as well as her frequent co-writers Dallas Wilson and Trannie Anderson, with production from Jay Joyce.

Dasha, “Austin”

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This California native has a huge viral hit on her hands with “Austin,” which is currently in the upper ranks of Spotify’s U.S. Viral 50 chart. Not to be confused with the 2001 Blake Shelton hit, Dasha employs handclaps, folksy fiddle and boot-stomping, made-for-line-dancing rhythms to propel this tale of calling out an ex-lover who ghosted her. “Did your boots stop working? Did your truck break down?” her voice drips with sarcasm, before she delivers a caustic blow, making her way back to Los Angeles and telling him, “In 40 years you’ll still be here drunk/ Washed up in Austin.” Dasha wrote the track with Kenneth Travis Heidelman, Adam Wendler and Cheyenne Rose Arnspiger. “Austin” is included on Dasha’s recent album What Happens Now?

Graham Barham, “Bayou Boy”

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This is a delightfully churning, swamp-rock stomper praises Louisiana life, from catching beads at Mardi Gras to navigating a fan boat through thick swamp waters and turning up to Sunday morning church in your best Mossy Oak. Meanwhile, Barham’s vocal pulses with urgency and exhilaration. Barham wrote the track with Beau Bailey and Will Bundy, with production by Bundy.

Drake Milligan, Jukebox Songs EP

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Across this succinct quartet of songs, Milligan offers a jolt of down-home country flavor, roping listeners in with his honeyed, smooth vocal and an adoration for “that so cool, old-school country sound,” as he puts it on the EP’s “Jukebox Songs and Barstool Beers.” “What I Couldn’t Forget” and “I Got a Problem (Full Length)” sound like classic dancehall staples, while the up-tempo set is tempered by the gently rolling track “Don’t Leave Me Loving You.” Milligan previously proved he’s got plenty of onstage charisma and is adept at a multitude of styles through his time portraying Elvis on the CMT series Sun Records and through his time on American Idol and America’s Got Talent. But here, as with his breakthrough hit “Sounds Like Something I’d Do,” his unabashed love for country and his stone-cold country inspiration is in heavy rotation.

Josh Ross, “Matching Tattoos”

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Ross is known for the perky-tempoed “First Taste of Gone” and the soulful “Trouble,” but on his latest, he muses that the ink on his arm remains a permanent reminder of a short-lived romance. Stately, somber piano underscores his vocal shift from fond reminiscing on starry-eyed, youthful promises to wishful hoping that his ex-lover still somehow holds on to a love that mirrors his own. Ross’ voice has an appealing raspy quality, while the ballad’s melody offers ample space to showcase his upper range in the final chorus.

Breland, “Heartbreak & Alcohol”

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Over the past couple of years, country music has more heavily embraced pop music’s interpolations trend, with the bulk of country music’s interpolations bringing new life to some country classics. With his latest, the always genre-melding writer-singer-producer Breland interpolates the melody and groove of Lil Wayne’s 2013 trap hit “Love Me” (which featured Drake and Future). There’s little twang to be heard here, as he keeps the song’s smooth R&B-pop melody and groove, but trades the original’s braggadocio-fueled lyrics for words of classic country heartbreak, led by Breland’s honeyed vocal. The combination feels even more organic to the production’s moody atmosphere.

The Steel Wheels, “Sideways”

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The title track to the group’s recently-released project, “Sideways” blends superb musicianship, with a latticework of mandolin, guitars, percussion, bass and keyboards. This group has been melding bluegrass, Americana and folk for more than two decades. Here, they offer up shades of soft-focused, jam band rock and polished, ‘70s Laurel Canyon-reminiscent harmonies. Written by The Steel Wheels  vocalist/guitarist/banjo player Trent Wagler, he maintains an urge to seek love and connection without facades and fear, while acknowledging that growth and love rarely evolve in a linear fashion. A superb look into the Virginia-based band’s stellar album.

Tyler Hubbard, “Wish You Would”

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Hubbard previously offered an early look at his upcoming second solo album, Strong (out April 12) with his current top 20 Country Airplay hit, the nostalgia-driven “Back Then Right Now.” With “Wish You Would,” he delves deeper into a mesh of hook-filled rock elements. “We been dancin’ around it/ We been walkin’ that edge,” he sings, crafting a narrative of hoping to take a relationship to the next level. From there he catalogs his wishes that she would “wreck my plans, rock my world, be my brown-eyed, blue-jean girl.” While the lyrics feel slightly paint-by-numbers at moments, Hubbard’s warm, laid-back vocals and the hopeful fervor in his delivery make this track feel fresh and conversational. Hubbard wrote the track with frequent collaborators Corey Crowder and Chris LaCorte.

Keith Urban offers a joyous, retro feel with his new release, while Lee Brice and CCM duo for King + Country team up for an introspective ballad. Relative newcomers Karley Scott Collins and Tyler Braden offer stellar releases, while Stephanie Lambring delves into the complex nuances of motherhood in her latest release.

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Keith Urban, “Straight Line”

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His first release since 2022’s “Brown Eyes Baby,” Urban’s newest feels like a glorious throwback to some of this Aussie singer/guitar slinger’s classic hook-filled hits. Lively lead guitar, propulsive rhythms, an instantly singable melody and layers of harmonies lead this energetic track. Urban’s vocal, crackling like a warm fire, is at the fore in the mix, as he sings of wanting to shake off monotony and rekindle a zest for life. The song, an early glimpse into his upcoming album, was written by Urban, Chase McGill, Jerry Flowers and Greg Wells, with Urban and Wells producing.

Karley Scott Collins, “Marlboro Reds”

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Sony Music Nashville artist Collins, who was recently named to CMT’s Next Women of Country Class of 2024, wrote this soulful groove with Alex Kline and Scott Stepakoff. Operating over soulful, bluesy twang and swamp-rock, Collins pays homage to her cigarette-smoking, coffee-drinking, thrice-married, wisdom-imparting grandmother. Collins’s voice is equal parts cool gravel and mysterious haze, perfectly suited to this moody groove.

Tyler Braden, “Devil You Know”

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Warner Music Nashville artist Braden officially released “Devil You Know” after teasing the song with a TikTok video that went viral a few weeks ago. On the full track, the Alabama native is all burly-voiced bravado, noting that he’s put his demons in the rear view but warning, “Don’t mistake my kindness for weakness/ ‘Cause I can flip that switch.” Crunchy guitars, galloping rhythm and a ferocious production meld on this confessional grit-country track written by Sam Martinez, Graham Barham, Zack Dyer and Jon Robert Hall.

Stephanie Lambring, “Good Mother”

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With a song both lyrically and melodically haunting, Lambring excavates the complex range of emotions that accompany motherhood, detailing both the mundane (laundry) and fun (pink fingerpaint), as she wrestles with both a child’s overwhelming dependency and the ever-present notion that every meal, every day, every nap means one less day her child will be this little. Along the way, she finds a way to conceal her darker emotions from her child in the name of being a good mother. “Good Mother” is the debut single from Lambring’s upcoming album, Hypocrite, out in April via Thirty Tigers.

Lee Brice and for King + Country, “Checking In”

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Adding to the recent canon of country-Christian collaborations, eight-time Country Airplay chart-leader Lee Brice teams with CCM sibling duo and Curb Records labelmates for King + Country on this tender, well-crafted composition that delves into the regret of an adult too busy to spend time with a parent who calls just to “check in,” and longing to reconnect with them when it’s too late and they’ve passed on. Brice’s voice is warm and conversational as always, and pairs well with the duo’s polished tones. Michael Farren, Kenneth Cooper Hart and Garrett Jacobs wrote “Checkin’ In,” with production from Ben Glover. The song is included on the soundtrack to for King & Country’s film Unsung Hero.

Collaborations rule the day in this week’s Must-Hear Songs column, as triple-threat singer-songwriter-musician Charlie Worsham teams with newcomer Jordyn Shellhart, Grammy-nominated The War and Treaty pair with Wilder Woods, while Kameron Marlowe and Ella Langley trade vocal harmonies. Conner Smith, who just released his top-shelf debut project, also teams up with Hailey Whitters on a new track.

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Jordyn Shellhart feat. Charlie Worsham, “A Nice Thing to Do”

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Labelmates Worsham and Shellhart team up for an important and timely message of civility and kindness in this track, setting the scene of a high-powered businessperson who brushes off an industry admirer at a party. “What if your castle ever crumbles under you?” they sing, delivering a word of caution that there is no merit in embracing a manner of rudeness, and noting that whether or not the dismissed person ends up being powerful themselves at some point, kindness is still optimal.

Shellhart and Worsham both possess amiable, relaxed vocal styles, which bubble atop clean, graceful pop-country production; Shellhart wrote the song with Cameron Jaymes, with Jaymes producing.

Wyatt Flores, “Milwaukee”

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Even before releasing his EP Life Lessons, “West of Tulsa” singer Wyatt Flores has demonstrated his knack for wielding musical prose and melding it with a jangly country-rock style that frames a charismatic voice.

On his latest, which Flores wrote with Graham Barham, Gavin Lucas and Cole Miracle, fiddle and guitar drive this track depicting a wrenching moment of crashing into the realization that he should attempt to convince an exiting lover to return, but isn’t. “You can hate my eyes for watching you leave/ Hate my should-have-chased-you-down feet,” he sings. Along with his new project, he also recently made his Grand Ole Opry debut, and is opening shows for Charles Wesley Godwin at the Ryman Auditorium, as he steadily continues his impressive ascent to star status.

Kameron Marlowe and Ella Langley, “Strangers”

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Langley and Marlowe offer a mighty vocal pairing here, with each vocalist’s octave-jumping talents pushing the other’s to ever-heightened moments of angst. A moody, waltzy rhythm heightens the tensions here, as the song depicts two lovers caught in the grey area between remaining friends, lovers or strangers — knowing their emotions run too high for any of those categories to quite encompass their feelings and history. As they put it, “There’s too much love, there’s too much anger.” Langley and Marlowe wrote “Strangers” with Will Bundy and Chase McGill.

Conner Smith feat. Hailey Whitters, “Roulette on the Heart”

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Nashville native Conner Smith has a top 15 Country Airplay hit with “Creek Will Rise,” and he just released his stellar project Smoky Mountains. The album includes this collab with “Everything She Ain’t” hitmaker Hailey Whitters — one that further cements his place as one of country music’s most promising newcomers. Written by Smith with Jessi Alexander, Chase McGill and Mark Trussell, this churning mid-tempo track showcases the tale of a couple caught in a relationship that runs hot and cold. “Are you tryin’ to love me, are you tryin’ to kill me/ every night is a shot in the dark,” they sing, though it’s clear no resolution is coming swiftly. His crackling firewood burnished tones are a match for her airy, bright-lit twang.

Corey Kent, “This Heart”

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Heartbreak, crunchy guitars and sleek production collide as he blames his latest emotional-relational ache on his own heart, wishing he could stop the pain from seeping through. “I’d rip it out, girl, if I didn’t need it,” he sings, his beseeching tenor at once raspy and resonant. A collective of hit radio songcrafters are behind this one, written by Thomas Archer, Blake Bollinger, Jacob Hackworth and Michael Tyler.

Kylie Frey, “Miss Thang”

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Frey was recently feted as one of CMT’s Next Women of Country, and this Louisiana native offers plenty of reasons for the accolade with her latest release. This rollicking barnburner of a track is a lyrical confection, but rocks with driving percussion and sizzling fiddle. Frey, a third-generation rodeo gal, sings with a powerful dose of charismatic twang.

Wilder Woods feat. The War and Treaty, “Be Yourself”

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Singer-songwriter Bear Rinehart, a.k.a. Wilder Woods, teams with Grammy-nominated duo The War and Treaty for a new version of this song from Woods’ 2023 project Fever/Sky, resulting in this wondrous soul-Americana collab. The affirming, inspiring anthem of acceptance embedded in this song begs to be sung by high-caliber talents — the kind that Woods and The War and Treaty bring to the table — and they don’t disappoint.

Sammy Arriaga, “The Boat“

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Miami native Arriaga faces head-on a difficult but necessary conversation in this ballad, detailing the back-and-forth between a father and son, laying out which siblings will inherit certain belongings after the father’s death. Written by Arriaga with Devin Barker and Emma Lynn White, the song quickly dispels any notion that mere physical items are the crux of the conversation, as the son makes it clear that all those days spent with his father fishing on their boat were never really about casting lines and reeling in a good catch. A heart-tugging, solid release here from Arriaga.

This week’s roundup of new music features plenty of twangy country fare from Zach Top and Catie Offerman, soulful wistfulness from Chris Young and Peytan Porter, and a sterling new work from Lizzie No and Conner Smith.

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Zach Top, “Sounds Like the Radio”

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The fiddles sizzle, the guitars twang as much as Top’s voice, and this barroom shuffle feels ripped from ’90s country radio in the best way. A highly promising track that sounds like a harbinger of more “country gold” to come from this newcomer.

Peytan Porter, “Lemonade”

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Porter teams up with co-writers Ian Christian and Matt Willis on this darkly stomping country track, driven by thriving percussion and sinewy guitar. Porter possesses a nimble voice that adeptly shifts between bluesy tones and an ethereal airy upper register and pairs it with an eye for lyrical detail, on this song that non-judgmentally showcases a range of vices (“cheatin’, drinkin’, cheatin’, prayin’”) used as escape mechanisms to help numb the pain of soul-killing situations.

Chris Young, “Right Now”

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Eleven-time Country Airplay chart-topper Young turns in another distinguished vocal delivery on this sultry, soulful track, which finds him torn between pride and pining, embellished by moody guitar and driving rhythm. Ultimately, he dares to be the the first to put his ego and hurt aside for the chance to rekindle a romance whose embers are still glowing. Young wrote this standout with Chris DeStefano and Josh Hoge, with production by Young and DeStefano.

Lizzie No, “The Heartbreak Store”

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This singer, songwriter and podcaster released the 2017 debut project Hard Won, and returns Jan. 19 with their latest album Halfsies, out on Thirty Tigers/Miss Freedomland. The 11-song project, in solid singer-songwriter tradition, proliferates with keen observations, excavating both internal and external struggles. The project includes this lilting story of a post-heartbreak shift aimed at putting the past behind and moving toward liberation. No’s warm, welcoming voice, emotional clarity and eloquent songwriting skills gleam.

Catie Offerman, “Sound of Missing You”

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Offerman is steadily building her calling card as a promising country neo-traditionalist, with her latest –an uptempo track about barrooms that serve as bandaids for broken hearts — being one more ace. Her voice is a potent simmer of twangy and silky, bolstered by fiddles that would sound right at home on a George Strait song (fitting, as Offerman also namechecks King George here).

Conner Smith, “Meanwhile in Carolina”

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Smith previously hit the top 15 on the Country Airplay chart with his swampy, country come-on “Creek Will Rise,” and is part of Country Radio Seminar’s New Faces of Country Music Class of 2024. His latest, which Smith wrote with Blake Pendergrass, is a tender ballad that traces the lives two lovers lead long before meeting each other, laying the groundwork to love. This charmer of a song marks some of Smith’s best work to date, feeling reminiscent of some of Brad Paisley’s tender earlier works, and nicely showcasing the unhurried warmth and earnestness in his voice.

This week’s Must-Hear New Country column features newcomers, legends and legends-in-the-making. Charley Crockett teams with Willie Nelson for a duet, while Brittney Spencer, Megan Moroney, Elvie Shane and more reliable favorites offer up stellar new releases.

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Charley Crockett and Willie Nelson, “That’s What Makes the World Go Around”

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Two of Texas’ most towering truth-tellers combine forces, as Crockett and the nonagenarian Red Headed Stranger team up for this sacredly country tale, which Crockett co-wrote with Kullen Fox, Rich Brotherton and Taylor Grace. Nelson’s music has been a key influence on Crockett’s own unique hybrid of styles, with Crockett having previously performed as part of Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival. Here, the two convey the story of a woman torn between the allure of dark bars with a vibrant honky-tonk sound, and the wholesome appeal of lighthearted moments such as soaking in the joy of watching children playing outdoors. This unadorned track adeptly weaves Nelson’s distinctive voice and guitar playing with Crockett’s earthy, soulful sound.

Brittney Spencer, “Night In”

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This electrifying groove makes an evening staying in with comfy clothes, good friends and favorite tunes spinning as irresistible as any dressed up night on the town. Spencer mixes up rock riffs, vivid lyrics and her nimble, captivating voice, then further heightens the fun and girl power with backing vocals from her friend and fellow singer-songwriter Maren Morris. Written by Spencer, Jessica Cayne and Summer Overstreet, with production by Daniel Tashian, this makes for an alluring preview to Spencer’s upcoming album My Stupid Life, out Jan. 19.

Elvie Shane, “What Do I Know”

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Shane broke through with the tender stepfather/stepson ode “My Boy” in 2021. Since then, he’s issued songs that remind listeners of his affiliation for hard rock anthems. He continues that vision on his latest preview to his upcoming album, Damascus (out April 19). He wrote “What Do I Know” with Dan Couch, Jonathan Sherwood and Oscar Charles, with Charles producing.

Lyrically, Shane is in reflective mode, cataloging things he feels to be true, ranging from his preference for Coke mixed with Jack Daniels, a six-string guitar as the premier vessel for storytelling, and his belief that grudges mostly harm those who hold them. The production starts out more sparse than some of his previous efforts, but swiftly accelerates into his signature full-bodied, guitar-driven sound. His voice retains a world-weary edge, but it’s when the song draws to a close that he showcases the Southern rock rawness it possesses.

Tigirlily Gold, “I Tried a Ring On”

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Tigirlily Gold previously earned a Country Airplay top 40 hit with the feel-good anthem “Shoot Tequila.” Here, this harmonically savvy sibling duo unearths the nuance of reticence of moving on after a relationship that once held so much hope has fizzled. The duo’s sisters, Kendra and Krista Slaubaugh, wrote the song with Josh Jenkins and Pete Good. They describe the relational aspirations held to the heart — envisioning the wedding day, the dress and all the matrimonial ceremony details — before taking the blame for not seeing the relationship for the short-lived moment that it was.

Annie Bosko, Annie Bosko EP

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Bosko issues this self-titled, five-song EP, chock-full of ’90s country sounds and a stellar roster of writers contributing to the project, including Hannah Dasher, Wynn Varble, Bridgette Tatum and Trent Tomlinson. The sinewy R&B-country come-on of “Neon Baby” is superb, as the singer/songwriter sets up essentials for a romantic evening with candles and classic country tunes spinning. Meanwhile, “Boots On” is a countrified female empowerment anthem, a twangy celebration of hard-working ladies who know how to have fun when the workweek winds down. She continues her rollicking ways on “Honky Tonk Highway” and the Lainey Wilson-penned “He Gone.” Overall, Bosko’s vocal is energetic and competent, with a set of songs seemingly tailor-made for rousing live shows.

Drake Milligan, “Don’t Leave Me Loving You”

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Milligan has previously gained fans through his rowdy boot-stompers such as “I Got a Problem” and “Sounds Like Something I’d Do.” But here, he artfully employs his silky, hearty twang to this pleading ballad. He knows a relationship is coming to an end, but he asks not for another chance, but rather an irrefutable certainty to its ending. “Come leave me hurt, come leave me mad/ Come leave my heart broken in half,” he sings, on this solid throwback ’90s country arrangement, crafted by Ben Stennis, Bobby Pinson and Matt Rogers.

Megan Moroney, “What Are You Listening To?“

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It’s a tall order for any artist to take on a song previously recorded by lion-throated singer Chris Stapleton, but “I Ain’t Pretty” singer-songwriter Moroney puts her own introspective spin on this early 2013 Stapleton release. Moroney previously released a live performance video of the song and quickly followed with this studio version. Here, Moroney eschews any attempt to replicate Stapleton’s penchant for full-throated angst, but rather wraps her elegant voice, all purr and scratch, around the lyric, drawing out more sadness and resignation than agony. Her debut album Lucky has already proven her skill as a writer — this track further evinces her skill as a vocal interpreter as well.

Shaylen, “Been There Before”

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When a potential lover invites her back to his place, she turns him down, knowing his ruse makes him practically indistinguishable from suitors that have come before him. “I bet you’ll take my coat to show you’re a gentleman/ Hang it in the closet next to your skeletons,” she sings on this track that spills with specific, accusatory details, also noting a photoframe facedown in his room, a bottle of whiskey by his bedside and “dirty laundry all over the floor.” The song’s pop-country production gives off early Taylor Swift vibes at moments, but Shaylen delivers with strong, wisened confidence.

In this week’s collection of new country music, Chase Wright and Michael Ray offer up somber, reflective numbers, while bluegrass-rockers The Dead South bring a rollicking new track.

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This week’s crop of songs also showcases the top-shelf musical talents of several female artists. Meg McRee teams with award-winning songwriters Lori McKenna and Hillary Lindsey for a heartbreaking ballad. Additionally, Mae Estes and Laci Kaye Booth offer up intensely vulnerable tracks.

Chase Wright, “Who I Want to Be”

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Wright follows his breakthrough song “Why Should We” with this redemptive ballad, which Wright crafted with Josh Jenkins, Chris Lacorte and Andy Albert, with production from Ned Cameron. This pensive pop-country track, filled with understated piano and guitar, finds Wright reflective and regretful, ruminating over past transgressions while vowing to change his ways. “I’m tasting my own medicine, I’m swallowing my pride/ Thе moments I was weakest ain’t how I’ll bе defined,” he offers, delivering one of his strongest vocals to date.

Meg McRee feat. Lori McKenna and Hillary Lindsey, “The Moon”

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Newcomer McRee teams with Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member (and current Songwriters Hall of Fame nominee) Lindsey as well as three-time Grammy winner McKenna for this superb song about a “love” relationship with a web of strings attached. “For unconditional love, yours sure did come with a lot of conditions,” McRee deadpans here, as this trio of singer-songwriters trade harmonies over rippling, tender acoustic guitar. This understated ballad brings plenty of vulnerability and bite.

Mae Estes, “Town Left Me” (Acoustic)

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Singer-songwriter Estes deftly captures the disconnected, disappointing feeling of returning to a childhood hometown only to find that, like herself, that rural space has grown and shifted in the intervening years — as gravel lots become coffee shops, high school hangouts are paved over and once-close relationships fade into vague acquaintances. This acoustic version further accentuates Estes’ evocative vocal.

Michael Ray, “We Should Get a Drink Sometime”

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This time of year is rife with reflections and the urge for relational restoration. This older ballad, written by Thomas Rhett, Rhett Akins, Josh Kerr and Mike Busbee, centers on a chance encounter between two old flames, which kindles his desire to reconnect. Though he casually tosses off the request to get together “like old friends do,” it’s clear his feelings run closer to hoping for a revived romance than a simple platonic meetup. As always, Ray’s smoothly understated, country vocal delivers the song’s sentiments with ease.

Laci Kaye Booth, “Cigarettes”

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This Texas native is a clear-eyed truth purveyor, and she doesn’t hold back from chronicling the lessons she’s learned from years of heartbreak, both personally and professionally. The images of smoke and cigarettes become metaphors for moments of letdown, particularly as she details being touted as the “next big thing” in a fickle music industry that can be filled with smoke and mirrors. She later etches a heartbreaking scene of being released from her record label deal with the succinct line: “And the same champagne that they bought me/ I popped it when they dropped me.” A stunning song from a towering talent.

Colin Stough, “Sleep Tonight (Acoustic)”

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This former American Idol contestant offers up a pared back version of his song “Sleep Tonight,” which ponders the fear of death and leaving behind his loved ones too soon. “What if I leave here without a warning?/ Start dancing in the sky,” he muses. This version places the spotlight on Stough’s smooth-yet-textured vocal and further highlights country music’s current moment of turning from the “girl-truck-alcohol” paint-by-numbers songs of the past decade, toward more songs torn from personal revelation.

Written by Stough with Sean Thomas Rogers and Brian Congdon, the original version appeared on Stough’s six-track EP Promiseland.

The Dead South, “A Little Devil”

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This quartet’s fleet-fingered picking on cello, mandolin, banjo and acoustic guitar infuse heavy metal intensity into their unique bluegrass sound, led by singer/guitarist Nate Hilt’s warm, gritty voice. This group’s high-powered harmonies further escalate this tale of deception and wanting. “A Little Devil” will be included on the group’s upcoming album Chains & Stakes, out Feb. 9, 2024.