Song Reviews
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This week’s collection of new country music features two songs about the sacrifices made in the name of musical ambitions: Koe Wetzel’s “Damn Near Normal” and Sawyer Brown’s “Desperado Troubadours.” Meanwhile, Mickey Guyton turns in a towering vocal performance on a female empowerment anthem and Country Music Hall of Famer Dolly Parton reunites with CCM artist Zach Williams for another shot of soul-dipped inspiration.
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Also, newcomer indie group Ole 60 continues their promising career start with a bluesy, rock-fueled murder ballad, while bluegrass family trio Indigo Roots Band takes on a Bob Dylan classic. Read about (and listen to) all of these below.
Koe Wetzel, “Damn Near Normal”
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Texan Wetzel, known for his spin of outlaw country, grunge-rock and blues, follows up his 2022 album Hell Paso with this nod to road-weary musicians navigating the challenges of being a touring musician — weeks away from home, odd hours — through a mixture of alcohol, weed and various pills. His voice here is raw and jagged, giving song a definitively lived-in feel, while the churning percussion intimates the relentless cycle of the the road. “High highs, rock bottom blows, been six feet deeper than most,” Wetzel deadpans, excavating feelings of frustration and loneliness. Wetzel is known for music that’s unvarnished and unfiltered — sonically and lyrically — and his latest continues living up to that promise.
Mickey Guyton, “Woman”
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One of country music’s most powerful female vocalists, Guyton shines on this pop-bending track, one that honors women’s strength, adaptability, resourcefulness, courage and vulnerability. Appropriately released on International Women’s Day (March 8), the song features gospel-flavored background vocals and lithe, bright production that make the song sleek, inspirational and right in this versatile vocalist’s wheelhouse.
Ole 60, “Brother Joe”
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This Kentucky six-man band, which has only four tracks available on Spotify, is one of the latest indie country-rock acts to rise swiftly from obscurity to earning a viral hit — with “Smoke & a Light,” from their 2023 EP Three Twenty Four, earning more than three million streams on Spotify. They follow with this grungy, blues-dipped tale, written by the group’s Jacob Young and featuring his burly vocal. Nearly five minutes in length, the song details the devastating aftermath that follows when a small-town pastor’s family is murdered. The group, recently signed with UTA, offers solid musicianship, a willingness to experiment with sounds from psychedelic-tinged rock to more stripped-down fare, and a penchant for detailed storytelling, on both their EP and “Brother Joe.” A promising start for this talented group.
Avery Anna, “Make It Look Easy”
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On her latest, Anna goes from her signature “sad girl” country to rage-fueled rock, and proves she can make both look easy in her own right. She notices all the little details that signal her lover is plotting his exit — clothes missing from the closet, the distant look in his eyes. “Your truck’s in the driveway/ Your mind’s on the highway,” she sings. The ragged edge in her voice tops thrashing drums and a sonic thicket of electric guitars that mirror the lyric’s emotional angst. Anna wrote the song with Ben Williams, David Fanning and Andy Sheridan.
Zach Williams with Dolly Parton, “Lookin’ For You”
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Country Music Hall of Famer Parton and Southern rock-infused CCM vocalist Williams have already proven their blend of passionate vocals is superb, previously earning a Grammy-winning hit when they teamed up for their 2020 collab “There Was Jesus.” They reunite on this stately piano ballad, his soulful, gruff voice matching the power of her smooth, angelic soprano note for note. “Lookin’ for You” was written by Williams, Tony Wood and Jonathan Smith (Williams and Smith were also writers on “There Was Jesus”).
Sawyer Brown, “Desperado Troubadours”
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The title track from the group’s new album (which released March 8) is scaled-back, acoustic-driven tale of guitar-slingers, singers and dreamers and the sacrifices made in the name of chasing musical ambition. Sawyer Brown, having been making music for the past four decades and notching three Billboard Hot Country Songs No. 1s along the way, this group knows more about this sentiment of the rigors, lofty highs and monotonous lows of life on the road than most — as well as the risks and rewards of choosing the life of a musician. “We’ll pass up a sure thing just to gamble on a song,” they sing, later adding, “We’re cowboys and hippies and gypsies at our core.”
Austin Williams, “Can’t Right Now”
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In late 2023, Williams’ broke through the social media noise to earn a viral hit with “Wanna Be Saved,” and followed it with songs including “’90s Rap Mashup,” a tribute to rap titans including Dr. Dre, Master P and more. His latest leans back into the style of foreboding, hip-hop-meshed country that has proliferated over the past couple of years. Williams’ voice is strong and taut on “Can’t Right Now” as he sings of betrayal from a relationship that has suddenly and sharply splintered, leaving him feeling the sting. He continually repeats the title phrase, the frustration and hurt in his voice growing with each iteration, and letting the track’s storm build around him as he falls just short of his resolve to forgive.
Indigo Roots Band, “Maggie’s Farm”
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This sibling trio, which includes Bethany, Victoria and Daniel Kelley, hail from Southern Georgia. Here, after having performed the song live for a few years, they offer up a bluegrass-revved rendition of Bob Dylan’s 1965 classic tale of working-class defiance. Bethany commandeers some air-slicing fiddle work, with Victoria helming the mandolin and offering a spitfire, slightly dusky lead vocal, supported by Daniel’s solid bass playing, and joined by Seth Taylor (guitar), Ron Ickes (banjo) and Rob Ickes (resonator guitar). The group’s sound is tightly-plaited and fresh, with a dash of polished, commercial country.
First Country is a compilation of the best new country songs, videos and albums that dropped this week.
Keith Urban and Carly Pearce each key up new albums with their latest releases. Meanwhile, newcomer Willow Avalon earns forward-facing career surge with a throwback sound, while bluegrasser Tray Wellington offers up a soulful rendering of a John Hiatt classic. Read on all these and more Billboard country favorites from the week below.
Keith Urban, “Messed Up as Me”
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Urban knows his relationship is toxic but he can’t outrun the late-night longings to return to the same comforting mistake here. As always, his voice exudes charisma and warmth as the tumble of verses mimics the frantic thoughts of the song’s protagonist, while churning guitar accompanies the buildup from the sparse verses to a hooky, pop-oriented chorus. Writers on the song include Shane McAnally and Jessie Jo Dillon (who were both up for the songwriter of the year, non-classical Grammy last month), as well as Rodney Clawson and Michael Lotten.
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Carly Pearce, “Hummingbird”
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Heading into her upcoming album Hummingbird, Pearce leans deeper into her Kentucky roots on the title track, to haunting effect. The lush, soft-lit, bluegrass-tinged feel is bolstered by sinewy fiddle and superb dobro, as she sings of finding emotional clarity and far-flung refuge in less-than-ideal circumstances. With Pearce’s sage voice and elegant twang front and center, this track manages to feel simultaneously classic and contemporary. Pearce wrote this track with Jordan Reynolds, Nicolle Galyon and (again) Shane McAnally.
Jon Wolfe, “Start Over Somewhere”
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Wolfe is no stranger to the Texas country scene, and his latest puts forth another solid bid for success with his latest, which is among the songs that have followed his 2019 EP Feels Like Country Music. The memories of an ex-love suspend too thick in the air, so he makes a break for unpolluted areas — places her memory won’t follow, whether that be wide-open spaces of Oklahoma or city life in California. Guitar and piano lines elevate both the sense of restlessness and vastness opportunity ahead of him, while his earthy rumble of a voice grounds the song (written by Brett Jones and Tony Lane) in heartbreak.
Kassi Ashton, “Called Crazy”
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Ashton flirted with Billboard‘s Country Airplay top 40 last year with “Drive You Out of My Mind.” Here, her simmering, pop-rooted vocals float over a snarling, grungy track, bringing potent swagger to a tale of a woman whose been accused by an ex-lover of some crazy stunts — pouring sugar in a gas tank, painting up his driveway. She’s dismissive of his claims because she knows, “I’ve never been called crazy by a man who didn’t come back for more.”
Willow Avalon, “Gettin’ Rich, Goin’ Broke”
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A breakthrough track from newcomer Avalon’s album Stranger, “Gettin’ Rich, Goin’ Broke” succinctly lays out the story of a musician working hard to climb the ranks. As more money flows in for the rising star, it flows out just as swiftly, as she feels obligated to meet the wants and needs of family members — whether an aunt needing a new roof, or a cousin who wants some new party shoes. Avalon’s unique vibrato might be a bit of an acquired taste for some listeners, but the traditional-minded mesh of guitars, fiddle and steel guitar is refreshingly old-school.
Tray Wellington, “Lift Up Every Stone” (bluegrass)
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North Carolina banjo player Wellington reimagines this rocking John Hiatt classic with an entwinement of banjo, mandolin and pedal steel with sterling vocal accompaniment from Wendy Hickman. Wellington’s vocal is warmer and leans more hopeful than Hiatt’s defiant original, while the thicket of bluegrass instrumentation lends this version added depth and resonance. The song follows Wellington’s 2022 album Black Banjo.
MacKenzie Porter, “Coming Home to You”
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Porter previously picked up a Country Airplay chart-topper with the Dustin Lynch collab “Thinkin’ ‘Bout You.” On her latest solo outing, Written by Tofer Brown, Lauren Hungate, Caroline Watkins and Emily Weisband, Porter revels in gratitude. She might not have the fanciest house or a gleaming vehicle, and it would be easy to play the comparison game and come up empty-handed and jealousy-filled. But instead, on this pop-laced track, she’s grateful more for what her modest fixer-upper home contains — her loved ones. The song is from Porter’s upcoming debut album, Nobody’s Born With a Broken Heart, out April 26 on Big Loud Records.
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”
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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.
Cover songs lead the way in this week’s collection of newly-released songs, with Parker McCollum, Dalton Dover, Sam Williams and Carter Faith all releasing new versions of classics. Elsewhere, Nate Smith issues his latest music while his hit “World on Fire” is firmly entrenched atop Billboard’s Country Airplay chart.
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See our roundup of the week’s best new country releases below.
Sam Williams and Carter Faith, “’Til I Can Make It On My Own”
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Wynette was honored with a Grammy lifetime achievement award as part of the Special Merit Awards ceremony, so this tribute to the late singer is timely. Newcomer Faith teams with Williams’ (whose own familial forebears, country music architects Hank Williams Sr. and Hank Williams Jr., had previously lived in the Nashville home on Franklin Pike which Wynette later purchased in 1992) as they evolve Wynette’s 1976 heartbreak classic for a new generation, while simultaneously highlighting the timelessness of its message. These two artists’ voices are like twin flames, refashioning the song as a duet — Faith’s airy, ethereal voice blending and warring with Williams’ dusky tones. The accompanying video for the Williams/Faith version pays homage with moments of gorgeous ‘70s aesthetic.
Nate Smith, “Bulletproof”
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While his smash hit “World on Fire” is burning a hole for the ninth week at the pinnacle of the Country Airplay for a ninth week, Nate releases this brimming heartache tale of a guy who’s tried every libation available to kill the memory of an ex-lover, but as he sings, her “memory is bulletproof.” His vocals tower above a thicket of rocking production that feels tailor-made for radio. Smith knows how to pour emotion into a song, confident without over-throttling a melody, putting his signature spin on this Ashley Gorley/Ben Johnson/Hunter Phelps-written track. “Bulletproof” is included on his upcoming Through the Smoke EP, out April 5.
Bri Bagwell, “The Rescue”
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A moody, tender ode of two lost souls that save each other, Bagwell wrote this song as a tribute to her rescue dog Whiskey, whom Bagwell found on the side of the road in Austin, Texas in 2019. Subtle acoustics here place Bagwell’s crystalline voice and the song’s message of unconditional love at the fore, highlighting the irreplaceable bond between rescue dogs and their owners.
Dalton Dover, Take Me Home: Covers
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Dover follows his recent cover of John Denver’s 1970s classic “Take Me Home, Country Roads” with a decades-spanning, three-pack project that also includes renditions of Alabama’s 1982 hit “Mountain Music” and a particularly stunning vocal display on Vince Gill’s 1995 hit “Go Rest High on That Mountain,” featuring vocals from Gill himself. He remains largely faithful to the original recordings, while even his scaled-back take on “Mountain Music” infuses the song with youthful energy and verve. Kudos to Dover for offering up this well-curated, fresh take on a collection of classics.
The Castellows, A Little Goes a Long Way
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This Georgia familial trio follows their breakthrough hits “No. 7 Road” and “Hurricane,” their inaugural major label EP, a collection of seven songs that highlight their superb harmonies and attention to lyrical detail throughout each of the tracks. The stellar, dreamy “Cowboy Kind of Love” is a standout on this collection, as is the plucky, up-tempo revenge track “Heartline Hill.” Elsewhere, the wisened acoustic-based track “The Part Where You Break My Heart” recalls early Swift song construction. Shimmery fiddle laces many of the tracks, providing an effective counterpoint to the group’s smooth harmonies. Throughout, the rhythm mostly stays in a mid-tempo lane that highlights the voices — though a few more up-tempo moments would be a nice addition to the mix. Overall, this set is an extremely promising outing.
Scoot Teasley, “This Truck Still Misses You”
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This Georgia native possesses a distinct, warm vocal quality, with a power particularly potent in his upper register. He previously broke through with “Nothing on Me.” In his latest song, Teasley sings of being in denial of missing an ex-lover, slyly placing the blame on his truck for the urge to retrace all the couple’s old haunts. Teasley wrote the song with Jon Stark and Mason Thornley, with production from Chris Utley. The track comes courtesy of Hollow Point Records.
Grace Leer, “Best Friend for Life”
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Leer releases the official video for this sweetly-sung tale tale of friendship (which Leer wrote for her friend’s wedding day), which earned millions of views via TikTok earlier this year. The song finds her chronicling a lifelong friendship, reminiscing about supporting each other through years of childhood crushes, first loves, heartbreaks and all the while, holding on to romantic hopes. Now, years later, she’s a proud champion as she watches her friend get married. This tenderhearted anthem is aleady becoming a bridesmaid favorite.
Parker McCollum, “Perfectly Lonely”
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Texan McCollum has long named John Mayer as an influence, and previously performed his cover of this Mayer classic (which was included on Mayer’s 2009 album Battle Studies) as an Amazon Music Original. Now, McCollum’s version has an even wider release. He hews pretty close to Mayer’s original here, but McCollum’s rendering has a brighter feel and of course, his signature relaxed vocal.
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, we highlight a batch of country new tunes that range from poppy and sleek to bluegrass and Western-inflected. “Tennessee Orange” hitmaker Megan Moroney is surging on the streaming charts with her new release “No Caller ID,” while Kelsey Hart has earned a viral hit with his tender love song “Life With You.”
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Meanwhile, Madeline Merlo gets confessional on her new single, while Sierra Ferrell and Colby T. Helms bring their unique brands of hard-edged country to the forefront on new releases.
Megan Moroney, “No Caller ID”
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Moroney’s latest release is this superbly-crafted, fan-favorite track, which she wrote with other powerhouse writers, Jessie Jo Dillon, Connie Harrington and Jessi Alexander. The opening lyrics lay the scene as a woman whose ex always seems to re-enter her life just as she’s settled in to a better romantic situation, thanks to therapy and a newfound healthy relationship. The early verses and choruses seem to find her waffling between exhuming the past and moving on. In the bridge, she reaches the realization that answering her ex’s call equates to emotional self-harm, and refuses to replicate past mistakes, as she sings, “I’m tired of hurtin’ me/ So I let it ring.” Moroney’s debut album Lucky showcased her immense promise as both vocalist and songwriter; here, she proves her talents keep growing in depth and nuance.
Kelsey Hart, “Life With You”
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Hart has earned a viral hit with this tender love song — a tuneful, tasteful track that makes for a powerful performance. Tender piano, guitar and percussion highlight Hart’s at once strong and soft-hearted voice.
Madeline Merlo, “Makeup”
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Searing, courageous truths spill everywhere on Merlo’s latest, as she ponders how much of her innate mannerisms she can actually change. Gorgeously detailed lyrics of both doubt and self-acceptance abound, with Merlo asking, “Could I make love last forever if my parents never could/ Will I ever know the difference between good enough and good?” A scorcher of a performance.
Sierra Ferrell, “Dollar Bill Bar”
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Ferrell sings of the longheld saloon tradition of writing names on dollar bills and stapling them to the walls of the bar. Her enchanting, lilting voice sounds effortless as she describes that she’s legendary on these bar scenes, and warns a potential suitor to not think he’s special — that her name is emblazoned on more than one dollar bill in that bar. Another sterling release from one of Americana, bluegrass and country’s most talented artists.
Colby T. Helms, “Mountain Brandy”
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On his Jan. 19 album release Tales of Misfortune, Helms melds bluegrass with blues and country. Here, fiddle and mandolin wrap around an ode to homemade, mountain-spun brandy for both its medicinal properties and its connection to old-time mountain community, even as newcomers make their way into the area.
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.