New Adds to Saving Country Music’s Top 25 Current Playlist (#173)
If you only pay attention, interact, or share one thing from Saving Country Music, make it be this playlist. It’s all about boiling it all down to the songs, artists, and albums that are saving country music right here, right now.
The Saving Country Music Top 25 Playlist is built to keep you informed on all the best songs and albums coming out right here, right now in country and roots music. It’s available on most all streaming formats (see below), or you can just use the song, artist, and album recommendations to find something new to listen to.
Newest Additions:
Braxton Keith – “I Own This Bar” – Braxton continues to build a strong case for himself as one of the premier young neotraditionalists in country music. “I Own This Bar” reminds you a bit of Zach Top’s “I Never Lie” in how it takes a flip of perspective to tell it’s story in a clever and compelling manner. It’s co-written by Liz Rose.
Muchacho Sanchez – “First Mind” – Austin-based Muchacho Sanchez benefits from the production of Billy Horton and the guitar playing of Dave Biller to turn in this excellent little classic country track, then adds his own Hispanic spice. It comes from Muchacho’s debut album When I Get This Way.
Randall King – “Thinkin’ ‘Bout Drinkin’” – On paper, maybe this looks like a cliche country song. But that’s what exposes what a great singer, and timeless country sounds can do: make a common theme feel evergreen.
Rachel Brooke – “I Chose Poorly” – Rachel Brooke uses a little humor to chase the darkness in the debut track from her upcoming album This One’s For You out April 24th. All indications this new album will be COUNTRY.
Flatland Cavalry – “On and On” – Great country tune from the boys from West Texas, with great fiddle and a halftime beat, getting you excited for their new album Work of Heart out March 27th.
Ward Davis – “Downright Awful Stupid Beautiful Lie” – Ward’s new record Here I Am is a great exploration into the nature of sin, redemption, and addiction. The opening song is an excellent way to start that journey.
Danny Harrington w/ Brendan McCormack – “9 O’Clock News” – With his second single, Danny Harrington gives you a reason to get this emerging songwriter on your radar. Heartfelt writing with an enrapturing melody makes “9 O’Clock News” a memorable listen.
Josh Grider – “Tough” – Added by request, Josh Grider once again shows his ability to take a song somewhere unexpected, and change your perspective on life by where it goes. It was co-written by Gunnar Latham and Rachel Loy.
Nick Sizemore – “Long Time Coming” – Sizemore has just released a very tasty album with lots of variety appropriately titled Everything. Though he dabbles in a lot of different country styles, it’s the Outlaw influences in songs like “Long Time Coming” that make the greatest impact.
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The Saving Country Music Top 25 Playlist primarily lives on Spotify, but is also available for those who use Amazon Music, YouTube, and Apple Music. For those who don’t stream music, you can still find the song recommendations in list form below.
CLICK HERE to follow Saving Country Music on Spotify, and/or follow the Spotify Top 25 Playlist.
Please Note: The songs on this playlist are curated for listening pleasure and flow. Otherwise, they are not in any specific order.
Saving Country Music’s Top 25 Current Playlist:
- “Long Time Coming” – Nick Sizemore – Everything
- “I Gave Her The Moon” – Kenny Whitmire – (single)
- “First Mind” – Muchacho Sanchez – When I Get This Way
- “Dirtbag Saloon” – Emily Scott Robinson – Appalachia
- “Downright Awful Stupid Terrible Lie” – Ward Davis – Here I Am
- “On and On” – Flatland Cavalry – Work Of Heart (3-27)
- “Thinkin’ ‘Bout Drinkin'” – Randall King – (single)
- “One Mile At A Time” – Tyler-James Kelly – (single)
- “Choosin’ Texas” – Ella Langley – Dandelion (4-10)
- “I Ain’t Tryin’” – Braxton Keith – (single)
- “‘9 O’Clock News” – Danny Harrington with Brendan McCormack – (single)
- “Keep Your Powder Dry” – Doug Armento and the Iron Mules – River of No Return
- “Making Mama Cry” – The Kruse Brothers – Heartbreak & Honky-Tonk
- “Tucson” – Trey Hensley – Can’t Outrun The Blues (3-6)
- “Change The Man” – Abbey Cone – (single)
- “Cotton Fire” – Red Shahan – (single)
- “Warning You Whiskey” – Brit Taylor – Land of the Forgotten (3-6)
- “Half My Heroes” – Carlisle Wright – (single)
- “18 Wheels and a Headache” – Canola – Canola
- “Tough” – Josh Grider – (single)
- “I Chose Poorly” – Rachel Brooke – This One’s For You (4-24)
- “Clinton County” – Colton Bowlin – Grandpa’s Mill (3-13)
- “Heroes” – Low Gap – Geneva
- “I Own This Bar” – Braxton Keith – (single)
- “Crown Vic” – Red McAdam – (single)
- “The Time For Flowers” – Emily Scott Robinson – Appalachia
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February 22, 2026 @ 9:48 am
Flatland Cavalry are one of my all-time favorite bands. But I have to say, their last singles, “On and On” and “Never Comin’ Back,” didn’t really grab me. We’ll see how the new album turns out. I thought “Wandering Star” was outstanding. In my opinion, their last truly great work was their collaboration with the Castellows, “A Place Called Home.”
And I think the more Braxton Keith releases, the more apparent is the difference between a good artist (Braxton Keith) and a great artist (Zach Top). Somehow, Braxton Keith lacks the youthful energy, the modern freshness and the vibrancy that other neo-traditionalists like Zach Top, the Castellows, or William Beckmann bring to the table. He sounds too staid and too purely retro to me. But of course, that’s all a matter of personal taste.
February 22, 2026 @ 11:14 am
“On and On” is one of the best Flatland Cavalry country songs we’ve gotten in years in my opinion.
Braxton Keith might not be for everybody. His slightly higher-pitched voice can be a little much. But saying he “lacks the youthful energy, the modern freshness and the vibrancy that other neo-traditionalists” is a stand-in for saying, “I’ve never seen Braxton Keith perform live.”
The dude brings more energy and enthusiasm for traditional country than Zach Top and The Castellows combined, and I’m a big fan of both of them.
February 23, 2026 @ 8:47 pm
Well , trigger there are five songs on my you tube channel, with more to come , give me a look , you won’t regret it , I think you’ll be surprised, James b Lincoln lll is you tube channel name…
February 22, 2026 @ 12:27 pm
I realize it’s very early in 2026 but I’ve got Ward in the lead on my scorecard so far with Low Gap nipping at his boot heels. Glad to see one hanging on and one jumping in this week. Taylor Hunnicut and John Moreland’s “Did We Forget About Love” is sad song perfection with two of my favorite voices sounding amazing together. The Castellows’ “Love is a Game” is basically Fleetwood Mac with pedal steel and I’m predicting it will be their biggest single to date. The Mac is cool again and they really channeled a Christine McVie essence on it. I’m warming up more and more to Randall King and by virtue of listening to The Ranch more than a body should, I cannot get Kylie Frey and Randall’s “Fort Worth” out of my head. Quintessential two-stepper right there.
February 22, 2026 @ 2:50 pm
Thanks for mentioning Taylor Hunnicut and John Moreland’s “Did We Forget About Love.” It’s a really powerful song. I’d missed its release but listened to it now. I also really like Drayton Farley’s “I Need Your Love,” released last week, as well as Ryan Bingham’s “Ballad Of The Texas Gentleman” and Charley Crockett’s “Kentucky Too Long.” “Basically Fleetwood Mac with pedal steel” pretty much sums up the new Castellows single, “Love is a Game.” And this song is damn catchy.
February 22, 2026 @ 12:52 pm
I love pretty much every song and artist on your list but may be the only person here to have four or five tracks from Megan Maroney‘s newest album on my current rotation as well – I realize that may be grounds to ban me 😉
February 22, 2026 @ 2:11 pm
Great selections Trigger! Listen on my 40 minute bike ride.
February 22, 2026 @ 2:38 pm
Alrighty, I love the Braxton Keith song, and I know I’m a little late, but the Carlisle Wright track has been getting tons of spins, as have Taylor Hunnicutt and The Castellows even though it’s a bit on the poppy side. Somehow I imagine the Warner A&R guy telling them, “Here girls, this is the song you’re going to record so we can take it to radio”…. wait huh? What??? Am I the only one that’s diggin’ the latest Vince Gill EP? It’s the best of his current ones so far, and Ben Jarrell quietly released his new song Iroc-Z. The song and vehicle are A+ in my book.
I’ll give you all a break from Sizemoremania to let you know. The Rangers are releasing their self-titled album on Friday along with the single Fox In The Chicken Coop, and David Quinn is coming out of hibernation for a show here in May and heading down to Nashville to record a “Country record”……his words not mine….lol, still loved the last 2, but sure, we’ll take some Country!!!
February 23, 2026 @ 10:15 am
I too have Sizemoremania and I can’t tell if his album or the Muchacho Sanchez one is my favorite of this year so far.
Also not related to this month’s releases but pug Johnson just put out a hilarious 50 minute fake telethon comedy video as a fundraiser for his next album. Go look for it on youtube.
February 24, 2026 @ 6:44 am
i like the Sizemore’s album but i found it a little bit too much all over the place. Always good to find out about a new exciting songwriter though.
February 24, 2026 @ 9:50 am
Have you checked out Ben Jarrell (I think he produced this album and a few other independent artists’ albums)? His own work is kind of like this- timeless traditional country, but more ‘in one lane’, often the outlaw lane. Super A++++ artist and voice too. I think he’s working on a new album and just released a single from it.
February 22, 2026 @ 4:39 pm
Hope you review Clay Street Unit’s album soon.
February 22, 2026 @ 8:10 pm
Ill check some of those out but i found some new release stuff on spotify that wasnt bad.
1. Mamas boy by cody webb. I like this guys sound,plain but def country.
2. Ill hold you by drayton farley. Maybe more roots than country but still a great song.
3. All it takes is you by the reeves brothers. Def old time country,maybe trying a little too hard to make it so but its good.
4. Veangeance and grace by benjamin tod. Great folkish song, i think trigger may have already covered this, not sure.
5.Tennessee songbird by hannah juanita. Ive always liked her voice. This is a little more tame by her standards but a fine song.
6. Time well spent for a man by jesse daniel. Maybe my favorite of these this is also a duet but i cant think of the name right now.
7. A world away by john r miller. A weird one for here cause its def not country. But i find i really like it. It has distortion which i dont appreciate but it still is really good. Now from reading up on it, the guy is trting to basically pay homage to music he grew up on. Which didnt surprise me cause at first listen the voice n song remind me of social distortion for anyone that knows that group. But regardless i still like it.
February 22, 2026 @ 9:44 pm
“Tennessee Songbird” and “Time Well Spent for a Man” are both older tracks from early 2025, and both were featured on this playlist. That might be why you’re getting recommended them.
February 23, 2026 @ 7:02 am
Didn’t know that, thanks for that info.
February 24, 2026 @ 10:15 am
thanks for the heads-up about the Reeves single. Nice one. Hope we get another album from them sometime soon. The 70’s sound seems to be coming back around and they do a specific outlaw piece of it really well.
February 22, 2026 @ 9:52 pm
Luke Callen — Clean Me Up
Devyn Brinsfield — Moonshiner’s Ballad
Colton Bowlin — State Lines
Cotton Clifton — Dauphine Street
Timbo — the Saddle Song
The Reeves Brothers — All it Takes is You
Josh Grider — Tough = early SOTY candidate
February 23, 2026 @ 5:32 am
I hope I’m not stepping out of line, but Larry Fleet? His latest release is resonating with myself and my kids and seems rooted in the traditional sounds. Trigger, I’ve searched the archives. No mention of Fleet in SCM. Another Year Older.
February 23, 2026 @ 7:49 am
The new Larry Fleet album is on my radar and being considered for review. I am constantly listening to albums and songs, and posting coverage for artists. My priority is to post about artists people DON’T know about and making sure they’re getting attention like Nick Sizemore and Muchaco Sanchez. I will try to get something up on Larry Fleet soon.
February 23, 2026 @ 5:59 am
As always, many great tracks. I am impressed with the new Ward Davis album. The new Randall King song is very good. Hopefully, there is an album from him coming soon.
February 23, 2026 @ 5:26 pm
A superb indie rock release with strong country influences:
Ratboys – Singin’ to an Empty Chair
February 24, 2026 @ 6:53 am
Love the SCM playlist as my absolute favourite one and i don’t wanna take it away from any artist featured here but i’m currently obsessed with Presley Haile, what do you think about her?
February 24, 2026 @ 6:57 am
Presley Haile is fantastic. Her duet with Logan Ryan Band, Bandit’s Ballad, is probably my favorite song of the year so far.
February 24, 2026 @ 7:10 am
Presley is great and she’s a very big deal in TX. Every song she releases makes the top 10 on the Texas charts. I remember the first time I heard “Mosquito” and it floored me. She can tell a story. Getting a chance to see her this weekend at The Fort Worth Music Fest. Her and Stoney are my two absolute must-sees out of a stellar lineup or artists.
February 24, 2026 @ 10:22 am
last year many of my favorite albums were from the ladies (so far I’m impressed mostly with the dudes of 2026). Presley Haile is SO GODDAMN GOOD.
February 24, 2026 @ 10:16 am
Whoa who’s the Red McAdam dude? I checked out the rest of his album. New York/New Jersey centric songwriting, sounds loosely like an early Springsteel/E Street Band influence, in a good way.
February 26, 2026 @ 9:40 pm
I swear I didn’t post that question in order to answer it with a link but it turns out Red McAdam wrote a pretty cool story for Saddle Mountain Post , basically introducing himself and describing what the apocalypse West Texas song that he recorded with Nicky Diamonds was about (spoiler terrifying sandstorm that he drove a rickety RV through because… bad ideas). It’s quite an interesting story and so is his background. Apparently he was an EMT in the New York area at the height of COVID and later moved back to the Southwest. The 2023 album is full of songs that seem to be about New York and New Jersey but also a bunch of songs about the West so that story finally made that makes sense
February 26, 2026 @ 9:49 am
Really digging the Braxton Keith song there, captain obvious and shit, the Bellamy brothers did that really well once but lotsa folks missed the +KT Oslin version a year or two back, es good.
https://youtu.be/L0kPRe63-Gs?si=PmvNftB8in1SGmTN
Then still imma lobby for the Natalie Prauser – only record on my 2026 AOTY candidate playlist so far.
February 26, 2026 @ 9:43 pm
I finally checked out Braxton Keith and it’s pretty good fun neotraditional. Kinda reminds me of Christopher Seymour but explicitly 90:s flavored instead of trad honkytonk
I had a brutal day at work today and it was made better by listening to an entire playlist of Braxton keith, Randall king, and one other band in the same neotraditional vein. No major crazy surprises in any of their songwriting but it’s all good and clever and danceable.
February 28, 2026 @ 2:56 am
Thanks for the Prauser recommendation, she’s really good.
March 2, 2026 @ 7:58 am
If that flavor suits you don’t miss that Meels record a few weeks ago, Across the Racoon Strait, it’s fun.