New Adds to Saving Country Music’s Top 25 Playlist (#186)

It’s no longer good enough just to be “country.” In fact, many of the ’90s country knockoff singles are getting rejected for this playlist these days. Country is in a more country era for sure. But the quality of songs is also in a resurgence. You see this in the latest update to this playlist.
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:
Jonathan Terrell – “Peeling Labels” – Austin-based honky tonk disruptionist Jonathan Terrell goes into his vault and pulls out this gem of a country heartbreak song that many country artists couldn’t compose as a featured single. It’s the first offering of what Terrell says is multiple volumes of unreleased material coming soon.
Pug Johnson – “Second Chances” – Texas songwriter Pug Johnson has a new album called From A Beaumont Bar on the way Oct. 23rd that promises to explore the different shades of heartbreak. “Second Chances” lives up to that promise with a stellar hook, a timeless story, and a honky tonk sound.
Tyla Rodrigues, The Kruse Brothers – “What’s Left To Hold Onto” – Two of the coolest up-and-coming names in true country music combine forces to sing about holding onto the last dying gasps of hope in a relationship with harmonies that pull you right in.
Morgan Wade, John Paul White – “Old History” – John Paul White made his name harmonizing in The Civil Wars. He’s perhaps found his next best singing partner in Morgan Wade, paired up on a song they wrote together during the pandemic. This is one of those collaborations that just feels natural, and becomes something greater than the sum of its parts.
Shota Adamashvili – “Cowboy in Berlin” – Saving Country Music previously profiled Shota as the Republic of Georgia’s only country singer. Taken from first-hand experience, his new single chronicles the unlikely perspective of a cowboy in the capital of Germany. There’s no twang lost in the translation though. This is an excellent honky tonk heater co-produced by another European country performer, Larry Peninsula.
Lucas Hudgins – “Perfect Time for Leavin’” – It’s been a long journey back for Lucas Hudgins who released a couple of killer throwback country records in the late oughts, but then disappeared for years due to health reasons. Now he’s back working on a record produced by Billy Horton and Dave Biller, and executive produced by Charley Crockett who Hudgins has been opening for. “Perfect Time for Leavin'” is a perfect introduction to his ’70s-inspired sound (Only available on Spotify).
Ian Noe – “She Familiar (In the Strangest Ways)” and “Antarctica”– Many folks are talking up Ian Noe’s new album Canyon Falls Trailer Band as the best in 2026. There’s still a few more months to determine that for certain. But “She’s Familiar” shows off the great country side of the double record, while “Antarctica” explores the emotional turmoil and metaphorical songwriting side of this Kentucky-based songwriter.
Joe Stamm – “Sing Along” – By weaving in such beautiful imagery about a child stacking blocks and an old dog dreaming of chasing a racoon, Stamm puts you right in the room where the song was written, and the scene where it was inspired. Joe has such keen vision for songs, finding them in places many other songwriters would miss. “Sing Along” is from his new EP More Than Just Bones.
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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:
- “Second Chances” – Pug Johnson – A Beaumont Bar (10-23)
- “Run Me Ragged” – Alicia Blue – Country Desire
- “She’s Familiar (In the Strangest Ways)” – Ian Noe – Canyon Falls Trailer Band
- “What’s Left To Hold Onto” – Tyla Rodrigues, The Kruse Brothers – (single)
- “Cowboy in Berlin” – Shota Adamashvili – (single)
- “Perfect Time for Leavin'” – Lucas Hudgins – (single)
- “Peeling Labels” – Jonathan Terrell – (single)
- “Watch The Money” – The Ransom Brothers – Cryin’ Shame
- “All Outta You” – Wyatt McCubbin – 650 (10-16)
- “American Shoestring” – Darby Sparkman – (single)
- “Tiger’s Blood” – Brandon Flowers – Thrasher
- “Wilson Silverstar 402 Blues” – Noeline Hofmann – (single)
- “Taking to a Dreamer” – Robert Henry & the Repeaters – Down The Road
- “It Takes a Man to Say Goodbye” – Tony Hannah – Love It Or Leave It
- “Sing Along” – Joe Stamm – More Than Just Bones
- “Universal Thump” – Pony Bradshaw – Ode to Humidity
- “Another Day In A Nightmare” – Jason James – Cut The Chain
- “Old History” – Morgan Wade, John Paul White – (single)
- “The Hunt” – The Wilder Blue – Cinco
- “There’s The Door” – Grey DeLisle – Don’t Turn Around (10-23)
- “Gas Is Cheap” – Lena Rich – Emerald City
- “Blink of an Eye” – Bronwyn – Rattlin’ Bones
- “The Diamond Saloon” – Chasen Wayne – The Diamond Saloon
- “Azaleas” – Mason Lively, Presley Haile – The Hill Country Sound
- “Texas Angel” – Denitia – Texas Angel (2-5-27)
- “Antartica” – Ian Noe – Canyon Falls Trailer Band
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October 11, 2026 @ 8:04 am
Very interesting to see Antarctica on here. I do not think it’s a bad song to be clear. I would personally pick what I’d give as the standout songwriter track but I am certainly less qualified than trigger.
With Antarctica though I feel like it’s the only song on the album where the production inhibits my ability to be immersed in the songwriting. The droning piano production feels like it’s somehow blocking me from hearing the lyrics from following the narrative. I have looked up the lyrics and it’s very interesting but the performance doesn’t connect for me.
Thanks for the playlist I need to get fully caught up on some of the newer adds
October 11, 2026 @ 8:33 am
Lucas Hudgins deserves more love from the Texas/Red Dirt fans. He sounds like he was just zoomed in from a Willie Nelson picnic in the mid-70s.
October 11, 2026 @ 7:50 pm
Saw him opening for Charley a few years ago and was blown away by his voice and stage presence. He got a long, loud ovation from a crowd that had never heard of him. Thrilled to see him making his way back in the ring – a real talent.
October 11, 2026 @ 9:09 am
Cowboy in Berlin is sooo good!!! Perfect Time for Leavin’,and Second Chances are as well. Myron Elkins, who’s now calling his band The Dying Breed’s song Colorado High is in my heavy rotation and says his new album The Middle America Sessions will be out in early 2027. Whitey’s Hell on a Highway is gettin’ spins, and the Jinks/Alice Cooper song is interesting, but it’s Kimberly Kelly who knocks it out of the park this week blasting into the #1 slot in the Jeep with her new single “40”. For those who like to Rock, Ben Jarrell and The Night Sights’ album will be out any day, and it’s incredible! The Filthy Heathens record is solid too.
Around town, today is Wild Earp’s annual celebration, Honky Tonktoberfest over at Fitzgeralds, and to coincide, he and his lovely wife, Michelle Billingsley, dropped their new single Little Old Yodel Lady. 8 hrs of nonstop Tonk on 2 stages on a beautiful day for free!! Marian Runk released her new single Scorpions Nest and The Simple Remedy’s debut album is coming Oct. 23rd. The town is still buzzin’ from the sold out John Prine Tribute show that had many big names like Margo Price, Emily Scott Robinson, and Hayes Carll, but we’re proudest most of all of Andrew Sa who represented our little scene with a killer rendition of Bad Boy. There are a few show vids up on YouTube, so check em out. Busy day here at the mansion, the Sox broke my heart, so go Bears!!!
October 11, 2026 @ 10:31 am
I just listened to an older Wyatt Earp song and was JUST thinking I should figure out how to follow him beyond Bandcamp (I’m not on instagram/FB). Anyways, that sounds amaaaaazing.
I have been OBSESSED with 4 albums for the past couple of weeks:
Chasen Wayne’s epic masterpiece concept album
Red McAdam’s slightly shorter new masterpiece (he’s kind of like early raucous Bruce SPringsteen meets John Prine meets Kris Kristofferson with a healthy dose of darkness, also he and Chasen Wayne sometimes resemble each other’s music)
Noel McKay’s Stories About Bad People (multiple vintage genres, kind of like Leonard Cohen meets the late-60’s weird country universe of It’s Nothing To Me and Psycho). maybe my favorite country storytelling almost ever.
Jack Browning- phenomenal album from this UK artist, also super varied but in the Kentucky and alt-country vein
Ian Noe (duh of course)
the Orville Peck cowpunk album about nearly dying of his addictions and ego. Super good storytelling that doesn’t sound anything like the rest of his songwriting.
It’s really rare for me to not have a female singer’s music on constant rotation but the boys have knocked it out of the park this year, especially in the last few weeks.
October 11, 2026 @ 9:47 am
Shes familiar is one of my most favorite songs in a long time,along with noeline hofmans new song. Shes familiar is a great song on a great album. Still listening to it a lot. But this is a good thread for me to post about another album that came out a week or so ago. I found out about it from the billboard website. This is mainly for any on here that like me really love old time music. The album is called the a century of strings, stories, and songs: The delmore brothers. Its got performances of their songs by a bunch of artist. The songs are really well done. Only negative is some of their better stuff is missing but whats there is great. Not as good as the originals though even with the modern technologies of music. For those that dont know them, the delmore brothers were awesome in their time but dont get the fanfare of many older artust. Unlike a lot of others in their day, they were also very progressive for their time. Ive been listening to the album almost as much as Ians album.
October 11, 2026 @ 2:53 pm
“For those that dont know them, the delmore brothers were awesome in their time but dont get the fanfare of many older artust.”
Thank you, David, for introducing folks to the Delmore Brothers. With Grandpa Jones and Merle Travis, they made up the Brown’s Ferry Four gospel quartet. I sometimes hear the Delmores on the ‘Born in the Mountain’ radio show with Ivy Sheppard.
October 12, 2026 @ 9:34 am
Interested in that part of country music history? Check out bill C. malone’s book Sing Me Back Home. It’s a series of essays about different artists and eras of country music, mostly older stuff like this, and he talks a lot about the business side of the gospel music industry in the early radio days. I think he did his PhD in business but focusing on country music, back in the 1960s when people weren’t taking it seriously, and he’s the author of Country Music USA. The Sing Me Back Home book is more recent and some of the essays were liner notes for really extensive compilations about individual artists I believe.
October 12, 2026 @ 12:28 pm
Thanks for the info, Stellar!
October 11, 2026 @ 11:17 am
Great adds as always, Tyla and the Kruse bros mighty fine, just go together like peanut butter and jelly.
I think that I arrived at Paige Plaisance from this list, too, and Swampwater has been super sticky in my recents- if’n greasy delta suits ya, spin that.
October 11, 2026 @ 12:03 pm
“Cowboy in Berlin” is such a cool song! Shota Adamashvili exactly captures the vibe of Berlin. Living not far away from Berlin and trying to see every independent/Red Dirt/neotrad country act who’s playing there, I strongly reaffirm the lyrics of this song. Coming from a family which is part a farmers family with cattle breeding and used to work with cattles from early childhood, I’d never do this cosplay cowboy thing at concerts because of respect to the real cowboy culture, which is an American thing. But even without obviously dressing as a cowboy, you feel like an alien if you go to country concerts in Berlin, because the vibe there is so un-country, so un-cowboy. I think it’s hard for you American fellows to imagine HOW unusual it is to be a country fan in Germany, at least in East Germany. But the scene is growing here and it’s just great to meet like-minded people at country concerts here.
October 11, 2026 @ 1:45 pm
Sure would be nice to add some Margo Cilker to this, such as the song Pauline
October 11, 2026 @ 6:10 pm
No Stella Lefty?