Ashley McBryde Reveals Details for New “Wild” Album
Ashley McBryde has never been short on critical acclaim. That’s the one thing she’s had in spades. She’s been nominated for Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, and other such awards, and from the CMAs, ACMs, and Grammys. Translating that into commercial success and widespread acceptance has always been the challenge.
McBryde’s enjoyed mainstream label support as well, and champions in the business like Eric Church. You can certainly do worse for yourself than what Ashley McBryde has assembled for a career. But after her super critically-acclaimed 2022 album Lindeville barely raised a blip on the charts, and her frankly more commercially-oriented The Devil I Know also failed to break through, you can understand why she might have been rendered a little crestfallen. In fact, she thought about quitting music altogether.
But instead of worrying about sales and stats, Ashley’s decided to double down on what she does best, and what brings here the most meaning: unflinchingly brutal and honest songs that burrow deep into the emotional reservoirs of life. That is what you can expect on her new album Wild to be released on May 8th.
McBryde officially announced the album a week or two ago, but has finally revealed the track list and further details. Though she still co-wrote most of the songs, she also selected five that she felt fit the boldness of the project better than her own. It also includes songs she’s been performing live for a while.
“At the time I was told I needed to be more palatable than what those songs were offering,” McBryde says. “I’ve kept them in my live show over the years, and I’m so thankful that I never cut them before this album. When I hear myself playing them now, I can finally believe the woman who’s singing.”
Instead of going with the often controversial Jay Joyce again as producer, she instead chose to work with John Osborne of Brothers Osborne who produced the critically-acclaimed Lindeville. Instead of recording with session musicians, she worked with her live band Deadhorse. Co-writers include Lori McKenna, Randall Clay, Matraca Berg, and Jon Randall. McBryde’s sobriety also played a role in how the album came together.
“We brought an entirely new approach to the studio every day, where we cut what spoke to us in that moment,” McBryde says. “No plan for an album, no timeline, no pressure – just me, John, the boys and a feeling. These songs that have lived with us for years, and new songs that found their way to us and immediately felt like mine, they all started to outline the shape of a story I knew too well. They fell together to tell my story; I think that’s what happens when you let the Wild back in.”
Ahead of the album, McBryde has already released the tracks “Rattlesnake Preacher,” “Arkansas Mud,” “What If We Don’t,” and most recently the well-written “Bottle Tells Me So” (listen below).
Wild is now available for pre-order/pre-save.
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TRACK LIST:
1. Rattlesnake Preacher (Randall Clay)
2. Arkansas Mud (Ashley McBryde, Jessie Jo Dillon, Chris Tompkins)
3. Water in the River (Randall Clay, Blue Foley, Roger Hodges)
4. Creosote (Ashley McBryde, Lisa Carver)
5. Bottle Tells Me So (Ashley McBryde, Shelly Fairchild, Terri Jo Box)
6. What If We Don’t (Ashley McBryde, Terri Jo Box, Randall Clay)
7. Lines In The Carpet (Lauren Hungate, Caroline Watkins, Lori McKenna)
8. Behind Bars (Jeff Hyde, Jessie Alexander, Jon Randall)
9. Hand Me Downs (Ashley McBryde, Jessie Jo Dillon, Laura Veltz)
10. Wild (Jeremy Spillman, Makayla Lynn, Matraca Berg)
11. Ten to Midnight (Ashley McBryde, Travis Meadows)
March 26, 2026 @ 7:51 am
“Bottle Tells Me So” is the kind of truth everyone who is embracing sobriety knows too well. What a great song. All my best to you, Ashley, and my most sincere good wishes wishes as you continue your journey.
March 26, 2026 @ 9:35 am
She’s been saying interesting things about the upcoming album in recent interview. Lots of stuff about learning things in therapy. I think she even dropped the word “deconstruction” in some interview which is kind of hinted at in the rattlesnake preacher video. I am really really really really looking forward to this.
March 26, 2026 @ 10:06 am
I think this is very much the case. Ashley was raised in the Church of Christ church-extremely conservative, no instruments and her father (who was also a physician) was a preacher in the church. She often brings these experiences in to her music and interviews, as well as how real life would contradict these teachings (ie: “Learned to Lie” from The Devil I know). I’m extremely excited about the upcoming album and hope it gains more commercial success than some of her previous releases. Ashley has remained true to herself, basically autobiographical in much of her writing and generous in sharing her talent with others. She deserves the best.
March 26, 2026 @ 7:53 am
So excited to hear the entirety of the album together. Ive also been surprised by the success that her first single off the album has been enjoying early on. Though as you say, The Bottle Tells Me So is one of the best songs Ive ever heard that covers the topic of alcoholism. I have a question maybe someone knows the answer to? Is a career like Ashley McBrydes worthy of being in the Country Music Hall of Fame one day?
March 26, 2026 @ 8:39 am
I feel way, way to early to make that call. But can critical acclaim get you into the Hall of Fame? It did for Marty Stuart and Kris Kristofferson. But they also had other intangibles that helped their case. McBryde has been nominated for quite a few and won a couple of CMA Awards, and it’s a CMA committee who chooses inductees. But I would say McBryde would have to do a lot more to earn Hall of Fame induction that what’s on her resume so far.
March 26, 2026 @ 9:47 am
Thanks Trigger. I just was curious if commercial or radio success was the most important aspect. Hopefully her commercial success will come one day, if not then at least she will always be an opry member entertaining future generations of country music listeners.
March 26, 2026 @ 9:09 am
…the dwight yoakam (and some other’s) example says: expect delays.
March 26, 2026 @ 7:53 am
One to look forward to. I have enjoyed her albums and her concerts. She deserves commercial success.
March 26, 2026 @ 8:43 am
Ashley McBryde has the best voice regularly heard on radio in the past few years. She is simply a powerhouse. I’m excited for this album and love the pre-released songs so far.
March 26, 2026 @ 8:44 am
No Jay Joyce is like music to my ears. I thought he was detrimental to her sound and others.
March 26, 2026 @ 9:49 am
I don’t know about John Osborne’s other producing credits, but Lindeville was a masterpiece and heads above the production choices on her other albums, so Im excited to hear it.
March 26, 2026 @ 9:54 am
John Osborne has better musical instincts than he’s allowed to showcase through Brothers Osborne. You also see this if you see them perform live. Their “Port Saint Joe” album is pretty good, but otherwise they’re pretty hit and miss.
March 26, 2026 @ 10:13 am
Pawn Shop and Port Saint Joe and both so easy to listen to in their entirety.
March 26, 2026 @ 9:04 am
…no one shines like ashley mcbryde time after time, when taking the stage at big occasions that celebrate country music. she the consumate artist. by the way, “what if we don’t” in combination with its video clip is a masterpiece of pun intended.
March 26, 2026 @ 9:38 am
My god, that video! It’s a weird choice to take that very happy major key song and couple it with what happens in the video but it just creates a whole new layer .
March 26, 2026 @ 9:08 am
Just saw Ashley at Chief’s last week with nothing more than a microphone and an acoustic guitar and she had every soul in that room in the palm of her hand. She is engaging, fun, quick witted, incredibly talented, and shall I say quite full of piss and vinegar. “Bottle Tells Me So” completely stunned the room into even more silence than she was already being given as it had not been released until later that night. And I’ll add that the venue in Chief’s is world class – no matter where you are you feel like you’re right on top of the stage and the sound is phenomenal. Ashley McBryde should be a household name and it’s crazy she’s not. Maybe it’s that piss and vinegar thing….?