- Redneck Roses – Tracy Byrd. I listened to Tracy Byrd a lot when I was a in high school and college. I am so happy that he has new music. This is a great song with a great story.
2. 99 Problems (Fish Ain’t One) – Dillon Carmichael. I had the opportunity to see Dillon Carmichael a couple times during the CMA Music Festival this year. I became an instant fan. He is the whole package. He has the country star looks, he writes great songs and his voice is amazing.
3. Pray On The Radio – Richard Lynch. I remember Richard Lynch playing shows around southwest Ohio 20 years ago or more. I’m glad he’s still writing and recording great country songs. Country music may have evolved a lot in the last two decades, but he is still playing real country music.
4. Ghost – Sara Collins. Sara Collins recently released a surprise new single and music video for “Ghost,” a song that she co-write. It was inspired by the idea of “ghosting” someone.
5. Seven Spanish Angels – Corb Lund. Corb Lund recently released an album of cover songs. This is one of my favorite country songs.
6. Golden Embers – Mandolin Orange. The instrumentation on this song is just beautiful. I love just about any song with a fiddle on it. I like the nostalgic feel of this song. The harmonies are also great.
7. Life Is Good – Steven John Simon. Steven John Simon is a country artist from Louisiana. There is no doubt that this former Marine can sing. I like his more traditional style. This is just a great, positive song.
8. Alonesome – Malin Pettersen. As soon as I listened to Malin Pettersen for the first time, I was absolutely blown away by her voice. This Norwegian Americana artist has one of those voices where she could sing anything and make it sound amazing. This song is such a well-written song and I think a lot people will be able to relate to it. It is an emotional track. It’s easy for me to see why her Americanafest show was sold-out. Look for a review of her upcoming album later this week.
9. Amarillo By Morning – Ronnie Dunn. Ronnie Dunn is releasing a 24-track project of cover songs called “Re-Dunn” and this is one of first songs available from it. Ronnie Dunn does a great job on this George Strait classic.
10. Chevy Don’t Let Me Down – Thomas Mac. I had the chance to see Thomas Mac perform on Saturday night as the opening act for Lee Brice. He has a great voice, great personality and great original songs. I like this song.
11. Band-Aid Girl – Kelly Hoppenjans. You don’t hear songs like this one very often. It is such a honest take about her experience dating someone who was still hurting over a previous relationship. I love the word choice and imagery in this song.
12. Long Year – Gary Allan. I happy to see Gary Allan has new music. I like the fact that his style is the same. This song could have easily been a track from one of his albums in a career, which has spanned more than two decades.
13. Broken Is Beautiful – Anna Rose. Anna Rose is an impressive artist who has already had a song featured in the hit NBC series This Is Us. This song is her new single and I think it can really speak to people who may be down on their luck and perhaps in the lowest place of their life.
14. Love Is A Gift – EG Vines. This is a track from EG Vines’ upcoming album. The lyrics tell us that “love is a gift you give away.” I think we all need a reminder sometimes. Vines is very talented. Look for a full in album review soon from Country Music Views.
15. I Hope You’re Happy Now – Carly Pearce and Lee Brice. I have really liked Carly Pearce’s voice and some of the songs she has released. This is a good song, which was co-written by Luke Combs. I like the fact that Lee Brice is on this song as well.
16. Country Radio – Aaron Watson. This is a wonderful story song that talks about the feeling of listening to the Grand Ole Opry on the radio. I think the song will bring back childhood memories in anyone who grew up listening to the Opry on the radio.
17. Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good – Matt Mason. I have always loved this song. I love that Matt Mason is introducing it to a new generation.
18. Single Man (Bluegrass Version) – High Valley. I don’t always like remixes and new versions of existing songs. I loved this song when it was originally released and I love it with a bluegrass flavor in this new version.
19. Old Hat – Jon Pardi. I love that Jon Pardi is keeping a more traditional sound on mainstream country radio these days. He’s been having a lot of success. This is song with a great message that serves as a reminder that there’s still old fashioned people left in the world.
20. Think Like You Think – Cody Jinks. I have been featuring a Cody Jinks song almost every week. I love his music and he is releasing two new albums in October.