The 10 Best Country Albums of 2019

This was a major year for country music. With Lil Nas X, the world saw the shift. But others are helping to move country from near homogeneity to a diverse pastiche.

                                      
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The 10 Best Country Albums of 2018

As our 2018 list demonstrates, women continue to make some of today's most spectacular country music, regardless of what gets played on the radio.

Music

Willie Nelson and Phil Lesh Lead an Outlaw Music Festival of Resistance at the Hollywood Bowl

Outlaw Music Festival shows that America's musicians remain one our nation's best cultural weapons against the ever cunning forces of avarice and tyranny.

Music

Willie Nelson Doesn't Want to Be the 'Last Man Standing', or Maybe He Does

From Last Man Standing, it seems Willie Nelson has lost his faith in people and feels pretty alone these days.

Music

Willie Nelson: Teatro: The Complete Sessions (review)

Remastered and re-released as Teatro: The Complete Sessions, Willie Nelson's late '90s resurgence is lovingly presented in both sound and vision, providing a holistic experience that is essential for any Nelson fan.

Music

Willie Nelson: For the Good Times: A Tribute to Ray Price

You already know what this album sounds like. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t good.

Music

Austin City Limits 2016 Weekend 2: Sunday

Popular acts like Haim and under-the-radar gems like Amasa Hines deliver big on the final day of ACL 2016.

Music

Packing Bags and Hittin' the Road: A Look Back on Music Gatherings of Yore

Remember when Mumford and Sons spent their pre-show hours swinging from tires in a lake crowded with fans?

Music

Holding on to Hag: Remembering Merle Haggard 1937-2016

Merle Haggard died at age 79, leaving behind a legacy of authentic country music.

Music

Loretta Lynn - "Lay Me Down" feat. Willie Nelson (Singles Going Steady)

"Lay Me Down" is a moving, inspiring, and meaningful piece of country music, qualities of which the modern genre seems to have nearly lost all connection to.

Music

The Best Albums of 2014

From Polish black metal to mind-blowing progressive R&B and electronic music, 2014's best albums certainly have something for everyone.

Music

Eric Clapton and Friends: The Breeze: An Appreciation of JJ Cale

It’s safe, which only gets The Breeze: An Appreciation of JJ Cale so far, but, this record will undoubtedly get a lot of people to revisit, or discover JJ Cale, which is a win in itself.

Music

Ranking the Performances: The 56th Annual Grammy Awards

Was music’s biggest night worth staying up all night for? Read on to find out.

Music

Willie Nelson and Family: Let's Face the Music and Dance

For Willie's 80th birthday, the Family brings it all back home.

Music

John Medeski: A Different Time

Take away the funky jazz organ, replace it with a naked piano. Turn down the volume. A Different Time.

Music

Is Hero Worship All There Is to Country Music?

All of the albums that critics/fans who fancy themselves “pure” country defenders have praised as the best of 2012 carry a heavy aura of the past about them. But how much can country music progress if it’s spending all of its time looking back?

Music

Willie Nelson: The Classic Christmas Album

A new collection of Willie Nelson Christmas songs provides a warm, rustic accompaniment to your holiday activities.

Matt Arado

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Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real: Wasted

Willie's kid, uh, rolls his own on his jam-friendly second album.

Music

Willie Nelson – “Just Breathe” (Video)

For his latest album 'Heroes', country legend Willie Nelson covered Pearl Jam's "Just Breathe" and now the video release finds Willie and his son Lukas, an up-and-coming musician, on a roadtrip together.

Music

Black Country Communion: Darius Rucker and Lionel Richie

Despite country's southern roots, there remains a dearth of black artists. Darius Rucker dipped his toes in those muddy waters in the past, but alas, Lionel Richie's new country album doesn't wade in much deeper.

Music

Waylon Jennings / Willie Nelson: Live! at the US Festival

The US Festivals took place during the post-Woodstock/Altamont and pre-Live Aid years, when rock festivals were equated with hippie values and squalid sanitary conditions.

Reviews

Willie Nelson & Family + Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real: 7 March 2012 - San Diego

Few acts will see as many people eagerly awaiting the arrival of the tour bus as a beloved icon like Willie Nelson.

Music

The Little Willies: For the Good Times

Norah Jones and co. took some of their most beloved country tunes and recreated them with the love you’d expect from the original songwriters themselves.

Music

Merle Haggard: Working in Tennessee

Merle Haggard's new album sounds good, but doesn't add anything to his legacy.

Reviews

The 18th Annual Telluride Blues & Brews Festival - Telluride, CO

In mid-September each year, the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival caps off the summer season with musically varied artists and a three-hour Grand Tasting featuring over 150 beers from 50 microbreweries.

Music

Blind Boys of Alabama: Take the High Road

Few surprises, but there's no moment of this album that doesn't sound good.

Reviews

Willie Nelson's Country Throwdown: 21 June 2011 - Red Rocks Amphitheater

The smell of chewing tobacco, and the sight of cowboy hats and cut-off jean shorts were enough to make even the most weathered cowboy say something along the lines of, “Well, my God, this is a party”.

Music

The Year in Music: October 2010

Continuing out look at the year’s most notable events in the world of music, here’s what happened in October 2010.

Music

Willie Nelson in the Twilight Glow

At 77, Willie's hair is now down to his tailbone, and you can see his trademark red locks fade to gray about midway up his back -- it's like examining the rings of a tree.

Reviews

Farm Aid: 4 October 2009 - St. Louis, MO

America's longest-running annual charity concert keeps rolling along, assisting family farms and bringing plenty of musical highlights.

Reviews

Bob Dylan + Willie Nelson + John Mellencamp: 28 July 2009 - Durham, NC

Who would deny the appeal of the Willie Nelson/John Mellencamp/Bob Dylan ballpark tour, even after we agree that Mellencamp doesn't belong with such a distinguished duo?

Music

Willie Sounds Better Naked

Editing the original RCA tapes makes the songs on Naked Willie so much better that I’m remembering the reasons why I fell in love with Willie Nelson so many years ago.

Music

Willie Nelson / Asleep at the Wheel: Willie and the Wheel

Nelson is the ideal singer for this sort of material, but a magical voice like his just doesn't belong in such mundane, stilted surroundings.

Joshua O'Neill

Reviews

Willie Nelson + Mary McBride

For the entire night, you are not sure if you are present to hear Willie Nelson's music or simply to see the man himself. In the end, you attend for both.

Liberty Kohn

Music

Countrypolitik: What's Right and What's Left About Country Music

At a first glance, country music seems traditionally allied with the sort of down-home, small-town ethics and values touted by the Republicans. But the politics of country music has never been a simple red or blue.

Reviews

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This was a major year for country music. With Lil Nas X, the world saw the shift. But others are helping to move country from near homogeneity to a diverse pastiche.

As our 2018 list demonstrates, women continue to make some of today's most spectacular country music, regardless of what gets played on the radio.

Outlaw Music Festival shows that America's musicians remain one our nation's best cultural weapons against the ever cunning forces of avarice and tyranny.

From Last Man Standing, it seems Willie Nelson has lost his faith in people and feels pretty alone these days.

Remastered and re-released as Teatro: The Complete Sessions, Willie Nelson's late '90s resurgence is lovingly presented in both sound and vision, providing a holistic experience that is essential for any Nelson fan.

You already know what this album sounds like. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t good.

Popular acts like Haim and under-the-radar gems like Amasa Hines deliver big on the final day of ACL 2016.

Remember when Mumford and Sons spent their pre-show hours swinging from tires in a lake crowded with fans?

Merle Haggard died at age 79, leaving behind a legacy of authentic country music.

"Lay Me Down" is a moving, inspiring, and meaningful piece of country music, qualities of which the modern genre seems to have nearly lost all connection to.

From Polish black metal to mind-blowing progressive R&B and electronic music, 2014's best albums certainly have something for everyone.

It’s safe, which only gets The Breeze: An Appreciation of JJ Cale so far, but, this record will undoubtedly get a lot of people to revisit, or discover JJ Cale, which is a win in itself.

Was music’s biggest night worth staying up all night for? Read on to find out.

For Willie's 80th birthday, the Family brings it all back home.

Take away the funky jazz organ, replace it with a naked piano. Turn down the volume. A Different Time.

All of the albums that critics/fans who fancy themselves “pure” country defenders have praised as the best of 2012 carry a heavy aura of the past about them. But how much can country music progress if it’s spending all of its time looking back?

A new collection of Willie Nelson Christmas songs provides a warm, rustic accompaniment to your holiday activities.

Willie's kid, uh, rolls his own on his jam-friendly second album.

For his latest album 'Heroes', country legend Willie Nelson covered Pearl Jam's "Just Breathe" and now the video release finds Willie and his son Lukas, an up-and-coming musician, on a roadtrip together.

Despite country's southern roots, there remains a dearth of black artists. Darius Rucker dipped his toes in those muddy waters in the past, but alas, Lionel Richie's new country album doesn't wade in much deeper.

The US Festivals took place during the post-Woodstock/Altamont and pre-Live Aid years, when rock festivals were equated with hippie values and squalid sanitary conditions.

Few acts will see as many people eagerly awaiting the arrival of the tour bus as a beloved icon like Willie Nelson.

Norah Jones and co. took some of their most beloved country tunes and recreated them with the love you’d expect from the original songwriters themselves.

Texans band together for the kids.

Merle Haggard's new album sounds good, but doesn't add anything to his legacy.

In mid-September each year, the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival caps off the summer season with musically varied artists and a three-hour Grand Tasting featuring over 150 beers from 50 microbreweries.

Few surprises, but there's no moment of this album that doesn't sound good.

The smell of chewing tobacco, and the sight of cowboy hats and cut-off jean shorts were enough to make even the most weathered cowboy say something along the lines of, “Well, my God, this is a party”.

Continuing out look at the year’s most notable events in the world of music, here’s what happened in October 2010.

At 77, Willie's hair is now down to his tailbone, and you can see his trademark red locks fade to gray about midway up his back -- it's like examining the rings of a tree.

America's longest-running annual charity concert keeps rolling along, assisting family farms and bringing plenty of musical highlights.

Who would deny the appeal of the Willie Nelson/John Mellencamp/Bob Dylan ballpark tour, even after we agree that Mellencamp doesn't belong with such a distinguished duo?

Editing the original RCA tapes makes the songs on Naked Willie so much better that I’m remembering the reasons why I fell in love with Willie Nelson so many years ago.

Nelson is the ideal singer for this sort of material, but a magical voice like his just doesn't belong in such mundane, stilted surroundings.

For the entire night, you are not sure if you are present to hear Willie Nelson's music or simply to see the man himself. In the end, you attend for both.

At a first glance, country music seems traditionally allied with the sort of down-home, small-town ethics and values touted by the Republicans. But the politics of country music has never been a simple red or blue.