The Best Mainstream Country Albums of 2024
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You can’t save country music while ignoring commercial country. One of the ways we address the mainstream is by highlighting the best albums in the mainstream in hopes they help influence country moving forward.
The Josh Abbot Band Had a Rough Week
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Things could be worse in your life. You could be in the Josh Abbott Band at the moment, which means you’ve probably experienced some massive calamity recently. Despite their continued success as one of the very top acts in Texas country, they’ve gone through a string of unfortunate incidents over the last week or so.
Own a Piece of the Bill Monroe Estate
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The estate of the Father of Bluegrass will be liquidated in Gallatin, TN beginning on Thursday (7-28), giving Bill Monroe fans a chance to own one of the 1,000-plus items from the country and bluegrass legend, including musical instruments and equipment, furniture, clothing, stage suits, jewelry, and other interesting items.
IBMA Announces 2016 International Bluegrass Music Awards Nominations
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Flatt Lonesome, The Earls of Leicester, Balsam Range, The SteelDrivers, and Sam Bush emerged Wednesday (7-27) as the leading nominee getters for the 2016 installment of the International Bluegrass Music Awards, or IBMA’s, while Clarence White was announced as the latest inductee into the Hall of Fame.
Inaugural Outlaw Music Festival Announced
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Scranton, Pennsylvania will be the host of the inaugural Outlaw Music Festival to be held at the Pavilion on Montage Mountain on Sunday, September 18th, with headliners Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and Willie’s son Lukas Nelson’s band Promise of the Real backing up Neil Young on stage.
Willie Nelson to Pay Tribute to Ray Price In “For The Good Times”
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If you’re looking for more Willie Nelson and Ray Price in your life, you can knock out two birds with one stone, and get a heaping helping of The Time Jumpers at the same time on a new tribute album on the way. For The Good Times: A Tribute To Ray Price is set for release via Legacy Recordings on September 16th.
Brantley Gilbert’s “The Weekend” Can’t Give Up on Bro-Country
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Can someone start up a Go Fund Me campaign to help Brantley Gilbert surgically remove the marbles out of his damn mouth? By golly I can’t understand a word this dude says. Brantley’s about the best case I’ve ever seen for someone’s self-absorbed, too-cool-for-school attitude translating into a debilitating speech impediment.
Florida Georgia Line Criticized For Disrespecting Police After Multiple Incidents
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Florida Georgia Line reportedly refused to allow uniformed police officers backstage, including at one point threatening to cancel their performance if their demands were not met. This sparked an outcry from both law enforcement professionals and other individuals working the events, and eventually led to a public outcry.
The Closing of Hastings Will Affect Country Music’s Rural Fans
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From the beginning, the Hastings model was set up to focus on rural communities. The first Hastings opened in 1968 in Amarillo, TX, and along with Tower Records, Hastings became one of the very first chains to sell books right beside music.
Album Review – Kree Harrison’s “This Old Thing”
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If nothing else, ‘This Old Thing’ fleshed out that Kree Harrison is not a mainstream reject, she is an Americana hopeful. Instead of starring at a future of slogging it out with mainstream execs to record the music she wants, she can build grassroots support behind quality songs and recordings on the path to a sustainable career.
Album Review – Dolly Shine’s “Walkabout”
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Dolly Shine is a young, hungry, and adept Texas country band in the truest sense, shifting between bluesy rock and traditional country, and calling regularly on the fiddle to carry songs with the strong influences of Texas music right out front for listeners to latch onto.
Blackberry Smoke Readies New Album “Like An Arrow”
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Blackberry Smoke isn’t just helping to save country music, they’re helping to save Southern rock music, rock music, American music, and music made by real humans sweating on a stage, holding real damn instruments, and testifying. In a time when we can’t agree on anything, music fans from a major swath of the population can agree on Blackberry Smoke.
Turnpike Troubadours Release Surprise Single “Come As You Are”
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No, it’s not a Nirvana cover, but it is quite a surprise from the Turnpike Troubadours, who usually tend to leave their fans salivating for new music between album releases with agonizing impatience. Without pretense or explanation, the Oklahoma natives dropped a new single called “Come As You Are” on Friday, and it has folks all abuzz and for good reason.