There are some great new songs being released and a lot of albums due out before the end of the year. I compile this list every week of songs that I like and explain why I have included each songs. The songs in the list include singles as well as album tracks.
- Up In The Air – Curt Chambers. I had never heard of Curt Chambers before I listened to this song. I like his voice and this is a good song. Chambers is relatively new to country music, but he also has music experience in the hip-hop genre. He also won a Grammy for Best Music Film of The Defiant Ones.
2. The Wanting – Cody Jinks. Cody Jinks announced a second new album this week will be released on Oct. 18, a week after this After The Fire album. This song i the title track of the album to be released on Oct. 18. I love the sound of this song. The album will also feature “Same Kind Of Crazy As Me,” which has previously been listed on this playlist. I hope the rest of the album is as good as these two tracks.
3. Footsies At Tootsies – Tim McDonald. I’ve know Tim McDonald for years and I used to listen to his play on Lower Broadway in Nashville. He’s a great musician and singer. This song showcases McDonald’s personality. I love the fact that he mentions Tootsie’s, which is one of the most famous honky tonks in Nashville.
4. Over Drinking – Little Big Town. I enjoy Little Big Town’s music because they have great harmonies and their songs usually tell a great story.
5. I Hope I’m Stoned (When Jesus Takes Me Home) – Charlie Worsham featuring Old Crow Medicine Show. This is one of those songs that got stuck in my head. It has clever lyrics and bluegrass type music. Charlie Worsham is a great singer and Old Crow Medicine Show add something special to this song. I bet you will be singing along by the second chorus.
6. Redneck Tendencies – HARDY featuring Trace Adkins and Joe Diffie. I have been impressed with HARDY so far. I think this song is the example of an artist who understands his audience. This is a fun song and it could easily turn into an anthem.
7. Bright Side Of The Earth – Tyler And The Tribe. This is the title track from the fifth album of the Texas-based Tyler and the Tribe. The song has a great song and a great message.
8. One Way Highway – Blessid Union Of Souls. This is not a country song. I wanted to put it on this list because it is a well-written song. I think Elliot Sloan is one of the best vocalists in any genre. I had the opportunity to see them perform live this summer and this entire band is great. This song was used recently on The Young and the Restless.
9. It Ain’t Me Babe – River Whyless. This is a cover of a Bob Dylan song. I like this one because of their harmonies and its stripped-down feel. This is how you take a decades-old song and bring it to a new generation.
10. Way Back In The Woods – Alexis Ebert. Fiddles are featured prominently on this song and it really makes the song stand out. Alexis Ebert’s voice is well suited for this song. The video for the song premiered on the Heartland Network on Friday and will be featured on The Country Note on Monday.
11. Patient Man – Del Barber. This a realistic love song that speaks to how the influence of a good woman can inspire a man to be better.
12. Dollar Store – Cort Carpenter. This is a song that will appeal to those of us who work hard and still seem to still come up short on money. I like country songs that find a way to put a fun spin on a topic on a topic that can be rather depressing at times. Cort Carpenter comes up with a good idea here. It would be awesome if you could buy beer for a dollar. He suggests that he could save money and still have a good time.
13. Hazard Coal – Tim Combs. I like this song for a lot of reasons. My parents are both from Eastern Kentucky and I have spent a lot of time there. The sentiment in this song is one that is familiar to a lot of people in Appalachia. The lyrics in this song are very good and I like the music as well.
14. Hill Country Boogaloo – Stoney LaRue. Stoney LaRue is talented Texas-based artist. This is the first single from his upcoming album and I like the sound of it. It’s easy to tell that LaRue is proud to be from Texas and loves to share the best things Texas has to offer with others. This song is likely to make you want to dance.
15. Lodi – Dallas Moore. I have heard the Creedence Clearwater Revival version of this song since I was a boy. I’ve always really liked this song and I was really glad when I learned that Dallas Moore recorded it on his upcoming album. I’ve heard him play “Lodi” live a couple times this summer and he does a wonderful job on the song.
16. That’s Why I Drink – Emma White. I love the idea of this song. There are different reasons why people drink. It can be a need to unwind, stress, loneliness or a variety of other reasons. Emma White has a great voice and does a great job on this song.
17. Stand Up And Fight – Highway Women. The Highway Women are a great all-female group made up of Kristen Kae, Amanda Pruett and Heather Harper. These women are all strong vocalists on their own and their harmonies together are phenomenal. This is a great inspirational song.
18. Nothing Good In Life Ever Lasts – Jay Clark Band. The Jay Clark has a great sound. It reminds me of the 90s band sound of groups like Little Texas. I wish there were more of these groups still around and getting more radio airplay. I like this song because it has a lot great advice in the lyrics.
19. Will There Be Someone – Rick Allen. Rick Allen has a great voice and I like the lyrics of this song. It’s about that hope that he will leave a legacy and there will be someone that will miss him when we are gone. I know that I hope I’ve made a difference in my life and that I will continue to be remembered when I pass away.
20. Living The Dream – Tori Martin. I had the opportunity to interview Tori Martin this summer. It is an inspiring song about following dreams. One thing I love about this one is that it isn’t just about dreaming about about a career in the music business. It can apply to anyone who is pursuing their dream. She told me at that time that she’s received a lot of positive feedback about the song. She recently released a video for the song.
21. His Name Was The Color That I Loved – The Good Graces. Even before I heard the lyrics, I already liked this song because of the guitar. The is a well-written song that is original, unique and creative.
22. Marietta – Driftwood Soldier. The first thing that caught me attention was the deep voice of Owen Lyman-Schmidt, who is half of this duo along with Bobby Szafranski. The music created between these two is great.
23. My First Everything – Riley Green. This is an album cut from Riley Green’s recent album. It’s a great song about being young and falling in love for the first time.
24. Evel Knievel – Stephanie Quayle. I like songs that encourage people to follow their dreams. There’s more than one of those on this list. I love the analogy made here. It’s not one I have ever thought about before hearing this song. She is comparing the act of following a dream like doing something scary like daredevil Evel Knievel was famous for doing. It’s easier not to follow dreams, but it is worth taking the chance and risk necessary to make the dream come true.
25. Ocean – Lady Antebellum. This is a really emotional song. The piano melody seems to match the emotional lyric. Hillary Scott delivers a powerful performance on this song, which she sings alone for the first half of the song.