Welcome ladies and gentlemen to Saving Country Music’s most comprehensive list of top-rated albums for your listening consideration. As has happened every year since the site’s inception, more albums were reviewed this year than ever before, meaning this list has become more expansive than ever before.
2018 was another stellar year for great country and roots records, and this is reflected in Saving Country Music’s 2018 Essential Albums List, which has expanded once again to include a total of 78 albums, each of which was reviewed in-depth during the year.
2017 was a bumper crop year for great country and roots records, and this is reflected in Saving Country Music’s 2017 Essential Albums list, which has expanded once again to include a total of 65 albums, each of which was reviewed in-depth during the year, and each which can be seen with a summation of the review.
In 2014, Saving Country Music reviewed more albums than ever before, and correspondingly the much-anticipated Essential Albums list has also been expanded all the way to the half century mark. Yes, there are still some album that were reviewed or not reviewed that are still worthy of acclaim, but as with all things, a line must be drawn somewhere.
Here they are folks, the 45 albums Saving Country Music deems essential for listening in 2013. I dramatically increased the amount of albums in this list from previous years in the spirit of trying to get more music out to more people. Similarly, I reviewed many more albums in 2013 than ever before. Please feel free to share your essential albums below in the comments section.
Here is the list of 25 albums Saving Country Music deems essential for 2012 listening, and then I added an extra one I couldn’t leave off. Please note this list only includes albums that have been reviewed so far. There are a few more good and important albums in 2012 that have yet to be reviewed. The first 7 albums on the list (from Little Victories to Lee Bains) were all serious considerations for SCM’s Album of the Year.