Newest Additions to Saving Country Music’s Top 25 Current Playlist (#18)
Well damn, it’s less than a week since the last Saving Country Music Top 25 Playlist update, but the badass songs have been rolling out so hard and heavily lately, it’s worth calling a audible and adding them to the playlist post haste.
Leading the pack are a couple of new songs from new artists who were already on the playlist. Sarah Shook‘s lead single from her upcoming album Years was good, but this spanking new one “New Ways To Fail” is the type of ornery, disagreeable, gut-bucket roguish foul-mouthed country we’ve come to love and expect from the Bloodshot Records signee, and she doesn’t let us down here.
Newcomer Dillon Carmichael has released three songs from his upcoming Dave Cobb-produced record, and all three have made it on to the Top 25 Playlist, including his latest “It’s Simple.” Once again Carmichael continues to show great promise. Expect his record to finally show up perhaps late summer. Stay tuned.
Not newcomers, but wily veterans instead, Blackberry Smoke has unleashed one hell of a track off of their upcoming album called Find a Light that will get you breaking speed limits and standing on your couch making air guitar poses. Steel guitar maestro Robert Randolph joins them on “I’ll Keep Ramblin'” which will certainly get the adrenaline pulsing.
And fans of Saving Country Music know the importance of finding great music in the most unexpected places. Trixie Mattel‘s new album One Stone has a lot of folks buzzing, and the superbly-written and touching “Red Side of the Moon” makes the playlist. So does the very old school “Hangover From Your Kisses” from the Norwegian country band Country Heroes. Though the band is from Scandinavia, “Hangover From Your Kisses” was actually co-written with Austin’s Brennen Leigh. The band’s new album Honky Tonk Tears comes out April13th.
The Saving Country Music Top 25 Playlist primarily lives on Spotify, but is also available for those who use Google Play, and now on Apple Music thanks to Country Exclusive. For those who don’t stream, 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.
Saving Country Music’s Top 25 Current Playlist:
- “My Way” – Ervin Stellar – The Moment
- “I’ll Keep Ramblin'” – Blackberry Smoke – Find A Light
- “New Ways to Fail” – Sarah Shook and the Disarmers – Years
- “It’s Simple” – Dillon Carmichael
- “Why Don’t You Introduce Me As Your Darlin’ – Vivian Leva – Time Is Everything
- “Mr. Jukebox” – Joshua Hedley – Mr. Jukebox
- “This Town Is Killing Me” – Caitlyn Smith – Starfire
- “She Ain’t In It” – Jon Pardi – California Sunrise
- “Midnight Bell” – Grace Basement – Mississippi Nights
- “Road Crew” – Mike and the Moonpies – Steak Night at the Prairie Rose
- “Fast Money” – Urban Pioneers – Hillbilly Swing Music
- “Honky Tonk Habit” – Bart Alan Woytek – (single)
- “King of Alabama” – Brent Cobb – Providence Canyon
- “If I Could Make You My Own” – Dori Freeman – Letters Never Read
- “If You Ain’t Cheatin’” – Yellow Feather – And Gold
- “Space Cowboy” – Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour
- “God’s Got It” – The Oak Ridge Boys – 17th Avenue Revival
- “Last of the Houston Honky Tonk Heroes” – Emily Herring – Gliding
- “Country Music’s Dead” – Mike & The Moonpies w/ John Baumann
- “Kelly’s Bar” – Trampled By Turtles – Life Is Good on the Open Road
- “Postcard” – First Aid Kit – Ruins
- “Red Side of the Moon” – Trixie Mattel – One Stone
- “Hangover From Your Kisses” – Country Heroes
- “A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega” – Ashley McBryde – Girl Goin’ Nowhere
- “Flicker & Shine” – Old Crow Medicine Show – Volunteer
March 26, 2018 @ 8:25 pm
Even though its been out for a while, I only recently heard “A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega” for the first time. I love it!
March 27, 2018 @ 11:18 am
I’ve heard that song in the past due to some direction from this site, but just last week the local station added it to their rotation pretty heavily. Where I work, the streaming sites are blocked and I can’t have my phone at my desk, so it’s nice to hear at least one decent song every now and again. Here’s to hoping this is at least a permanent step in the right direction.
March 26, 2018 @ 8:58 pm
You should give Matt Feiden a listen. He’s a new up-and-coming country artist with amazing writing skills. His debut album just hit Spotify, Apple Music, and all other streaming sites. His album is titled “The Path I’m On”.
March 27, 2018 @ 4:51 am
Trig,
Just wondering since you gave me Luke Bryan’s Most People are Good a 8/10, does this mean all 25 songs on this list are an 8 or better? Just curious.
Thanks!
March 27, 2018 @ 6:33 am
I believe that Trigger has stated before that all the scores depend upon context. So what an 8 is for Luke Bryan is not the same for Cody Jinks. But you are probably right when you say all the songs on the lists are a 8 or + on the Luke Bryan scale.
March 27, 2018 @ 7:11 am
I would never say never to putting a Luke Bryan song in the playlist, but generally speaking that’s not the point of it. Luke Bryan has plenty of support. The point of the playlist is to highlight songs and artists that are going unheralded, or mainstream stuff that is boiling under like Ashley McBryde. Plus all the songs have to play well with one another and flow good into each other. There would be people who see Luke Bryan’s name an immediately freak out and think the playlist is junk, and never listen to it again, even if it was the greatest country song of all time. The playlist is very dependent on chemistry, much more so than the songs I select to review.
April 2, 2018 @ 9:22 am
Thanks for the insight!
March 27, 2018 @ 6:46 am
I’m impatiently waiting for that Dillon Carmichael record to drop. 3 killer songs so far…
March 27, 2018 @ 7:02 am
Can’t wait for the Sarah Shook show!!
Strong list..
March 27, 2018 @ 7:58 am
Yay, Brent! Just saw him live the other night I’m St. Louis. He killed it as usual. Love this song.
March 27, 2018 @ 8:06 am
No Spotify…just my current playlist.
More mainstream…but a couple of names & songs to discover.
Amanda Pruitt – “Strong”
Robby Johnson – “What Matters Most” – (not the Ty Herndon song)
Django Walker – “Bloodlines”
Terri Clark – “Damn Right”
Whiskey Business – “The Art Of Being Broke”
Genevieve Allen – “That’s What Cowgirls Do”
Aimee Hannan feat. Drew McAlister – “Better Off”
Wesley Michael Hayes – “Sing Pain”
Jameson Rodgers – “Some Girls”
Kelly Lynn Madison – “Man I Thought You Were”
The Wolfe Brothers – “This Ride”
Amanda Sempf – “Rainy Day Girl”
Derryl Perry – “Just What I Don’t Need”
Judy Rodman – “Girls Ride Horses Too”
Matraca Berg – “The Things You Left Undone”
Homegrown – “People Change” – (on my list for song of the year)
+ my current #1/guilty pleasure song: Karac Hendriks – “This Road Is Mine”
+ most played song 2018 (so far): Jobe Fortner – “Wrong Way” – (on my list for song of the year)
Can’t wait for the release of the Ashley McBryde album (Girl Going Nowhere – 03/30).
The pre-released tracks are ok. Well…sort of: “…love me like Kennedy & Monroe…” (“American Scandal”).
March 27, 2018 @ 8:26 am
Hey Trigg would like to see your thoughts on what country artists are most popular overseas and in which countries and if there is a difference over there to the listener in Americana and mainstream country acts. I’m also interested in country artists who lean left but can’t can’t really voice their opinions because they’re afraid to lose their fan base. I’ve seen it a lot lately. They’ll like and follow popular liberals on social media but won’t retweet or state their own opinions. There’s a couple of artists who are considered Americana where it’s ok to be openly liberal but they’re fanbase is hardcore right so any little hints they make of leaning left their fans bark loud and they shut up. Golden handcuffs!! Or maybe golden duct tape over their mouth. Thanks trig
March 27, 2018 @ 12:11 pm
Just wondering, who are the artists the you noticed?
March 27, 2018 @ 1:22 pm
” I’m also interested in country artists who lean left but can’t can’t really voice their opinions because they’re afraid to lose their fan base. I’ve seen it a lot lately.”
This is a media narrative that is being pushed and pushed again by bias journalists looking to use country music as a conduit to enact political change. I’m not saying that there aren’t some liberal artists in mainstream country that are afraid to talk. But if you would believe the media, it’s the majority of mainstream artists, and they’re being oppressed. This just isn’t true. Most mainstream country artists are conservatives, Christian, pro-gun, pro-military, and many probably voted for Trump. That’s just the way it is. Of course there are exceptions, and yes it’s different in Americana. I have written reams of copy on this subject, often which is misunderstood by readers due to the extreme and vicious political acrimony swirling in the air. I only broach such subjects when it’s ultimately necessary because politics is a practice in stupidity these days. It’s sport, and fashion. And certain bias media members will attempt to destroy country music if it is unwilling to do their bidding. Politics is a contagion that is destroying society way more than any specific political policy, and country music should do its best to insulate itself from such vitriol.
March 27, 2018 @ 2:56 pm
Exactly trig, no need to write an article about it
March 27, 2018 @ 4:07 pm
Country music, like most types of music, has always been political, it leans both ways depending on the state of the country, and it doesn’t need a push one way or the other.
The Dixie Chicks effect was real. Ask anyone with a Tele who lived through it and made their living playing.
And that was the right wing media that beat them down. Blaming the media is a double edged sword. The right has been number one in radio and cable news for decades now.
In 40+ years of playing, most musicians I know lean left, that’s a fact, and the ones I know that lean right are still my buddies because we care more about music than politics. And when we play you can’t tell which way we lean because we stand up straight while we play.
Because a good song is a good song no matter who wrote it or frankly what side of the political spectrum it falls on.
As far as blaming the media, Mr. Trigger, you are the media. 🙂
March 27, 2018 @ 11:48 am
By all means, let’s see SCM turned into yet another internet forum where tribalism reigns supreme.
I’m hardcore right.
Like gray-haired republican-voting business-owning open-carrying genuine homophobe. I’m also
Sarah Shook’s biggest fan, whether she wants me or not, lol. I like to think I’m not the only fan
that values the art separately from the artist, and that I’m not the only one that reads here precisely
*because of* the straightforward concentration on the music.
Why would you want to drag that sort of shit in here? It seems nothing if not divisive, and I hope Trigger will continue to focus on the music and avoid certain fans’ desire to make everything tribal.
There’s plenty of safe spaces where special snowflakes and concern trolls and the virtue signaling
perpetually offended can congregate and hash out the something that needs to be done… I remain
hopeful that this joint will continue to be about the music – first, middle, and last. YMMV
Now, let’s give this cross-dressing Trixie fellow a listen… 😀
March 27, 2018 @ 12:14 pm
I’m just like u except I’m only 20 years old, but I can’t keep
politics out of it- if an artist is a liberal, I dont listen to them
March 27, 2018 @ 1:25 pm
There is a big difference between an artist being liberal (or conservative) and preaching it.
30yo cynic here, I’m mainly right wing but I enjoy plenty of left wing artists.
I don’t even mind them talking about politically sensitive issues as long as its respectful.
If everyone is honest with themselves, there’s lots more common ground than we’re led to believe.
As for the original issue with the right wing fans, the problem isn’t with the left wing issues its the blind retweeting.
Example: I have no problem with my favourite artists saying they performed at a indigenous right rally, or anti logging rally, or climate change, because if they believe in it enough to be there then its great.
But if they display their lack of originality by reposting the same old bs, then yes, there will be a sales drop.
March 28, 2018 @ 10:59 am
I’m 55 and grew up on Johnny and Waylon, love their music. But I can’t imagine I would have anything to say the them or vice-versa. I have never done coke, or popped pills, or burned down a forest. But, like I said, I love their music. I you cant separate the man, or woman, or drag queen from the music, then you are missing a lot of great music.
March 29, 2018 @ 8:05 pm
Thanks for the thoughtful reply Trig. As for you Mr. 3 names, I’ll drag whatever shit in here I please, if the moderator doesn’t like it then it won’t publish. If you don’t like it, tough tittie fat ass!
March 27, 2018 @ 6:58 pm
I saw Brent Cobb last week. The shift to a more southern rock sound wasn’t really doing it for me. But I was really surprised by his opener: Savannah Conley. I hadn’t heard her before but bought both CDs. Live she had a Hope Sandoval/Mazzy Star kind of vibe going, which was likely the product of no bass or drums, since the CDs sound a bit more Americana.
March 30, 2018 @ 3:02 pm
She did. I thought she sounded a bit like Cat Power too. Great voice.