The 2024 Saving Country Music SINGLE of the Year

There are few if any other musical outfits who have so consistently shown a gift for unlocking the sheer unmitigated joy in music through a combination of talent and toil.
There are few if any other musical outfits who have so consistently shown a gift for unlocking the sheer unmitigated joy in music through a combination of talent and toil.
The Saving Country Music Artist of the Year is someone who rekindles our spirit and hope that country music will be something future generations will also enjoy, and in it’s most genuine form.
There are many music festivals these days, but there’s only one Telluride Bluegrass Festival. As one of the oldest and most prestigious music gatherings in the world, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience each year.
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.
Charley Crockett, Zach Top, and Stephen Wilson Jr. are three of the hottest names in country music at the moment, and all three will be headlining in the 2025 installment of Hogs for the Cause event.
Alright, we ran down the nominees for Album of the Year and Song of the Year. But it’s time to give a little love to the songs that simply get stuck in out heads and remind us of the sheer joy of music.
A Song of the Year is not just a “song.” It’s a form of artistic expression that can change a life, that can change someone’s perspective, or that can change the world. It’s something that must be able to give you goosebumps.
Like a Black Friday feeding frenzy where people are elbowing old ladies in the face for a chance at a door buster deal, folks are falling all over themselves for tickets to Zach Top’s 2025 headliner shows.
The Grammy Awards are supposed to be the one place where the critically-acclaimed, criminally-overlooked, and lifers of a respective genre get the recognition they deserve from a non-profit that puts the art first.
Behind every star is often a cast of unsung heroes who deserve credit, especially when everything is falling into place like it is with Zach Top. Here are the principal members of Zach Top’s band and team.
Recently I was in a tire shop getting the ol’ truck some new rubber and trying to reset the tire warning light, when my ears immediately latched on to the music they were playing in the background.
Since the Grammy Awards are one of the few awards that weigh artistic merit over commercial success, it makes it a bit more important to pay attention to for fans and advocates of independent artists.
It’s a warning you’ve likely read here at Saving Country Music quite a few times over the years: Go see your favorite up-and-coming artists in smaller venues and for cheap ticket prices while you still can.
Zach Top is out there reminding the world that the ’90s were the last great era in popular country music, and now he’ll be saddling up with one of the last true torchbearers from the ’90s era., Alan Jackson.
Alright. Enough of this playing 20 minute opening sets for Lainey Wilson. Zach Top is one of the fastest-rising artists in all of country music, and he’s taking his traditional country sound to the top with him.
Nobody is listening to Cowboy Carter. It was the most lauded release all year by the press, is supposedly supported by the biggest Stan army in the world, and sits at #133. Meanwhile, Zach Bryan has 3 albums in the Top 20.
The album captures some of Lainey Wilson’s most impassioned and soaring performances of her career. A lot of great songs and writing also grace these 14 tracks. It’s the production of Jay Joyce that’s disappointing.
There is a positive sign that perhaps Randall King is finally getting his due. It only took half a decade and two album releases, but Warner Music is finally promoting a proper single to country radio.
It’s not just Zach Top’s music, nor just his history. It’s the cut of his jib. It’s the contours of his character. It’s the full package that assures you that the future of country music is in good hands.
From this attendee’s perspective, it was the most fulfilling musical moments experienced since the return of the Turnpike Troubadours at Cain’s Ballroom in 2022. This was even after I was hunted down by security.
It really is hard to come back to reality after spending three days in picturesque Whitefish, Montana, taking in the music of some of our generation’s very top talents courtesy of the Under The Big Sky Festival.
Sierra Ferrell made a grand entrance to the Under The Big Sky Festival in Montana on horseback. Shortly after, she would top her own memorable moment by performing with Billy Strings on “The Bells of Every Chapel.”
What we’re looking for here are legitimate Song of the Year contenders. This means were not searching for the catchy ditties and toe tappers. We’re looking for songs that elicit a deep emotional response.
As we reach the halfway pole of the musical year, it’s time to reflect back on the best albums that have been released so far. There are some great projects that you should make sure don’t slip under your radar.