Newest Adds to Saving Country Music’s Top 25 Current Playlist (#133)
It’s a new year with new singles and a lot of new albums on the way. If the stuff we’re getting early in 2024 is any indication, it’s going to be another good year for good country music as twang and quality songwriting continue their comeback.
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. New songs just added.
Newest Additions:
Randall King – “Coulda Been Love” – Randall King can’t help but be country, and has a smooth voice that cuts through the crowd of country singers these days to distinguish itself from all others. Mixing traditional country style with mainstream appeal, “Coulda Been Love” gets you excited for his new album Into The Neon out Jan. 26th.
The Castellows – “I Know It’ll Never End” – Keep your eye on the Castellows because they may become the big traditional country story of 2024. This trio of sisters is signed to a major label, and as they show in this song, they love to keep it rootsy, and aren’t afraid to instill a little darkness in a melody as well. From their A Little Goes A Long Way EP out February 9th.
Hayden Baker – “Is It Cold in Oklahoma” – Hayden Baker is a guy you want to get on your radar right here, right now if he isn’t already, and “Is It Cold in Oklahoma” proves why. A cutting traditional country heartbreaker exquisitely co-written with Jacob Doucet, this is what country music is all about.
Charley Crockett w/ Willie Nelson – “That’s What Makes The World Go Around” – Could a 90-year-old and an up-and-comer have one of 2024’s earliest hits? Released on New Year’s Day, this song became the most streamed track in country during the first week of the year. Charley and Willie find great chemistry in this collaboration.
Chasen Wayne – “No Stranger” – Zach Bryan recently called Chasen Wayne, “The only fuck’n legend left in Texas.” Willie might have something to say about that. But Chasen Wayne is the guy who books Austin’s Sagebrush honky tonk, along with slinging out authentic honky tonk tunes like “No Stranger” when he can.
Brit Taylor – “Saint Anthony” – Saint Anthony is the saint of lost objects and lost people. In this case, the song is about an absent and wayward lover. “It reminded me of my grandparents’ courtship and love story – my Pawpaw Hillard was a bit wild in his drinking days and my Mamaw was always hunting him down,” Taylor says. It’s from her upcoming album Kentucky Bluegrassed out February 2nd.
Jesse Daniel – “Workin’ Hard (Day and Night)” – Originally from the Santa Cruz area in California, you can tell Jesse Daniel took direct inspiration from folks like Merle Haggard and the pickin’ of Don Rich to make “Workin’ Hard” come to life. Co-written with Jodi Lyford, hopefully it’s the first taste of a new album from this true-to-life honky tonker in 2024.
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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, Apple Music, and Tidal. 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:
- “Coulda Been Love” – Randall King – Into The Neon (1-26)
- “I Know It’ll Never End” – The Castellows – A Little Goes A Long Way EP (2-9)
- “That’s What Makes The World Go Around” Charley Crockett w/ Willie Nelson – (single)
- “Gimmie a Guitar” – Robert Henry & the Repeaters – The Way It Usually Goes
- “Is It Cold In Oklahoma” – Hayden Baker – (single)
- “Workin’ Hard (Day and Night)” – Jesse Daniel – (single)
- “Orange Bottles” – Wyatt Flores – Life Lessons
- “Ain’t Enough Whiskey” – Jaime Wyatt w/ Butch Walker – Feel Good
- “Sugar Leg Rag” – Daniel Donato – Reflector
- “Fallen” – Johnny Falstaff – (single)
- “Dance Hall Crush” – Mamma Coal – Dance Hall Crush
- “Tonight” – Casper McWade” – Something for the Pain (1-5)
- “The Line” – The Wilder Blue – Super Natural
- “Fox Hunt” – Sierra Ferrell – (single)
- “No Stranger” – Chasen Wayne – (single)
- “Broken Heart To Broken Heart” – Bailey Rae – (single)
- “Song for a Scarecrow” – Clyde and the Militailers – Song for a Scarecrow EP
- “Outlaws and Mustangs” – Cody Jinks – Change The Game (3-22)
- “Airstream Dreams” – Jessie Wilson, Caleb Lee Hutchinson – (single)
- “Whiskey Dark” – Low Water Bridge Band – Back to the Valley
- “Saint Anthony” – Brit Taylor – Kentucky Bluegrassed (2-2)
- “Time of the Rambler” – Vincent Neil Emerson – The Golden Crystal Kingdom
- “B Side Women” – Robert Henry & the Repeaters – The Way It Usually Goes
- “Cabin Song” – Billy Strings – Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songs and Snakes
- “Thank You For Listening” – Joshua Ray Walker – Thank You For Listening (TBA)
Di Harris
January 14, 2024 @ 10:28 am
Indy Annie’s EP release party.
9 Feb., at The Rathskeller, INDY.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://allevents.in/mobile/amp-event.php%3Fevent_id%3D200025991440846&ved=2ahUKEwjSwLPAst2DAxXslYkEHeHNDBgQFnoECBYQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2iiQlSaWRguDRusEvcW-YE
Rich
January 14, 2024 @ 5:41 pm
Says the EP will be acoustic. Krista says she’s more comfortable on acoustic guitar than on a tele so this should be a cool project. I haven’t seen them in awhile so these willl be new songs to me. Thanks for the heads up Di.
Di Harris
January 14, 2024 @ 8:57 pm
: D Yw!
Lake Erie Brown
January 14, 2024 @ 1:49 pm
Would have loved to see the new Waxahachee single get some notice here.
Trigger
January 14, 2024 @ 2:36 pm
I covered the Plains album and the new Waxahachee stuff is on my radar. I still think it’s more Americana-leaning indie rock than country. But I wouldn’t rule out coverage on it in the future.
Lake Erie Brown
January 14, 2024 @ 4:43 pm
Wynonna Judd would seem to agree with me that this is country music as she dueted with Katie recently:
https://youtu.be/NiUhy5Sy81k?si=eqJSpL9B_aYjBARB
If you’re not careful, you’ll end up being just as much of a gatekeeper as the powers that be in Nashville, Trig. Keep your ears open. You once celebrated artists like Charlie Parr who definitely comes at roots music from an avant garde perspective.
Trigger
January 14, 2024 @ 5:19 pm
Oh calm down. Like I said, I featured the Plains album. The Waxahachee album is on the SCM Release Radar. Slots on this playlist are very coveted, and are going to go to distinctly country artists first. I may put a Waxahachee track on here at some point, but would want my pick from the entire album. Who knows, I may put the current single on here. But please frame these things as suggestions as opposed to rebukes. Just trying to do what I can to support music.
P.S.: Wynonna’s calling her solo stuff Americana these days too.
Lake Erie Brown
January 15, 2024 @ 8:54 am
Fair enough, Trig. I’ve tried to bring this up in other threads without response so I guess I got a little irritating on purpose.
I like most of what you write about and trust your judgement on most things, but music writers of all genres lose me when they start trying to draw arbitrary lines around subgenres. I see it in jazz and rock and electronic music (and its super rampant in metal though I plead complete ignorance to that genre) and its always tedious.
Mike
January 14, 2024 @ 2:29 pm
Thanks for all the new stuff to check out!
JB-Chicago
January 15, 2024 @ 8:06 am
That Hayden Baker song is great! Loved it on first listen!! Randall King’s Coulda Been Love is a nice toe tapper that I just now found out was written by Jake Worthington. Randall’s also got a song called The One You’re Waiting On that’s just been giving me goosebumps for days. I’m really looking forward to this album, but I’m not sure we need 18 tracks, do we?? Of course, Jesse Daniel and Brit Taylors songs have been getting tons of spins here at the Trailer. Looking forward to The Castellows EP as well. Lily Balkcom has “it” and she’s going to be a Superstar. Oh wait, ….did I say Super?………….yes, I did.
CountryKnight
January 15, 2024 @ 2:07 pm
“The One You’re Waiting On” is an Alan Jackson original.
King’s version is not good.
JB-Chicago
January 15, 2024 @ 5:32 pm
Yeah, ya know thanks for that. I knew Randall didn’t write it because it was written by Adam Wright and Shannon Wright, but he did say he loved it the first time he heard it, and thought it should be a hit. Now I know, he was talking about the Alan Jackson original recorded version that you love.
I’m almost to the point where I have to right click on Spotify or Google every song I like to not only see who wrote it and produced it but, who, how many people recorded it, and when, that I don’t know about…..LOL. Jackson’s version is great! I doubt Randall will release it as a single anyway. It’s been out for weeks, but when more younger people start hearing it after his album drops, many may or may not know Alan had it on an album in 2015. Randall’s version is gonna move them like it moves me. A great song is a great song, that’s a testament to the songwriters. Lemmy could sing this song and I’d love it!!!
CountryKnight
January 15, 2024 @ 2:15 pm
“Rather Be Lonely” by Casper Wade should be added.
It is an incredible song with some cutting lyrics. “Making a devil out of me/won’t be an angel out of you.
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=HUoxM5mAPPI&list=OLAK5uy_lAOtH3Vm4b4VuALH7PB_hv_Ohhc4jEhcM
Dorje
January 17, 2024 @ 2:29 pm
Love the Hayden Baker track. Also really like the new Jesse Daniel track. “Coulda Been Love” is a good tune but sounds a bit derivative to me. Clearly heavily influenced by Alan Jackson (not a bad thing by any means) and quite (too?) similar in phrasing to “It Must Be Love”
CountryKnight
January 20, 2024 @ 7:00 am
That is why the track sounds good.
Fr. Tommy
January 18, 2024 @ 7:51 am
Thank you for this list. I’m newer to your blog and playlists and it’s become my go to for music discovery and reviews. Excellent stuff.
RJay
January 19, 2024 @ 11:54 am
‘Sound of Missing You’ Catie Offerman.
I think it’s a fine song.