Release Radar & Most Anticipated Country Albums for 2025
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Welcome to 2025! Hopefully it will be a prosperous year in country music. As usual, the amount of releases coming out early in the year is a little light, but that doesn’t mean it won’t include some heavy hitters.
Blake Shelton’s $0.99 Album Keeps Cody Johnson Out of #1 Spot
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There will be no #1 for Texas country artist Cody Johnson’s new album “Gotta Be Me,” even though if all things were equal, he’d would be the rightful owner of the distinction. Cody is being blocked by Blake Shelton who is running a big new promotion behind his recent album “If I’m Honest,” selling it for only $0.99.
Blake Shelton’s “Sexist / Racist” Tweets — The Full Story
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Blake Shelton is in hot water for a number of racist, sexist, and homophobic tweets posted in 2011 that have recently surfaced—or so a slew of U.K. tabloids and and American crotch-sniffing celebrity websites would have you believe without any verification of the legitimacy of these supposed tweets, or any explanation how it took them half a decade to surface.
Dale Watson Is Taking His Chicken $hit Bingo On The Road
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Have you heard about the legend of Dale Watson’s “Chicken $hit Bingo”? He’s been hosting the event on Sundays since 2000 at places like Austin’s legendary Ginny’s Little Longhorn Saloon, and now at his own bar just outside of San Antonio in St. Hedwig called the Big ‘T’ Roadhouse. If you’re ever in central Texas and want a dose of full fledged Texas authenticity…
Cody Jinks’ “I’m Not The Devil” Is The Album All True Country Fans Need
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His new album I’m Not The Devil is an ambitious, unwavering, slow and plodding volley of songwriting body blows that makes no apologies, incorporates no compromises, and gives no quarter to those with open hearts that love to listen to music that makes them swoon with one emotional onslaught after another, all served in a down home deep-fried country style.
Texas Country’s “Music Fest” Announces 2017 Lineup
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It’s six days and five nights surrounded by mountains and music, including full band performances, and stripped-down guitar pulls and storytelling sessions that are like nothing else in the music festival landscape. Music Fest is also where many songs get written between different artist, and is just as anticipated by the performers as it is the fans.
Predatory Label Imposter Tries to Lure in Young Female Performers
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An especially disturbing account has surfaced out of Nashville involving an individual named Keith Messner, who was posing as a representative for Warner Music Group, including using the company’s logo, and reaching out to young girls via Twitter and email with big promises.
Whitey Morgan & Cody Jinks Embark on Hard-Driving Co-Headline Tour
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If you’re wondering where the hell all the real country music has gone, it has joined forces and is headed towards a venue near you. Texas country singer songwriter Cody Jinks, and throwback honky tonk badass Whitey Morgan have embarked on a co-headlining tour set to roll through Texas, the South, up the eastern seaboard and into the Midwest.
Album Review – Cody Johnson’s “Gotta Be Me”
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If Cowboys Like Me was Cody Johnson selling out in an attempt to garner more national attention with a super-polished and radio-friendly product, the appropriately-titled Gotta Be Me is Johnson reeling it all back in and being truthful about who he is, where his sound lies, and what his prospects are. Gotta Be Me is Cody Johnson being Cody Johnson again.
No I Said, What Kind of Bird, Are YOU?
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If someone is apt to not pay attention to female artists, whether that’s a garden variety country fan or a major label executive, bunching female artists together is probably not going to garner their attention, it’s probably going to turn them off even more, especially if the premise of putting these artists together is an attempt to break through a gender bias.
Townes Van Zandt to Finally Be Inducted Into Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
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A long overdue distinction for one of country music’s greatest songwriters will finally come to pass. Announced at a press conference Tuesday morning (8-9) in Nashville, Townes Van Zant will be inducted into the prestigious Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, along with fellow songwriters Aaron Barker, Beth Nielsen Chapman, and Bob Morrison.
The Country Side of Pickathon 2016 In Words & Pictures
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There are bigger festivals. This is for sure. And there are bigger performers and headliners. But few festivals can boast the ability to not just support worthy music from a wide swath of the American audio palette, but truly launch major careers for artists that go on to have an international impact—artists that music needs.
Unreleased Waylon Jennings “The Lost Nashville Sessions” Coming
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For those who can’t get enough Waylon Jennings, or make a habit of buying anything that involves the Outlaw country music legend, there is a new collection of rare, never-released recordings on the way from Country Rewind Records called “The Lost Nashville Sessions.”