The Best of Mainstream Country Music in 2016
If 90% of mainstream country music is garbage, then it stands to reason that 10% of it is at least decent, if not good or great. That calculus hasn’t really changed much recently, even as mainstream country has improved. What has changed is that 10% is actually finding traction on radio, at awards shows, and is making fierce inroads into the 90%’s monopoly on the mainstream. Some of it, including some of the albums and songs on this list have hit #1.
Things are changing, and those who think the mainstream can’t birth anything worth listening to are missing out on some good music, while mainstream listeners are finally starting to get a dose of the good stuff independent fans have been enjoying for years, and are finding they like it.
Mainstream country is just as eligible for Saving Country Music’s end-of-year lists as any other music. But on certain years when there is an excess of good mainstream stuff that just misses the major lists, we’ll make sure it doesn’t get overlooked by giving it a list of its own.
Here are some of the best mainstream albums and songs released in 2016.
BEST MAINSTREAM ALBUMS
HONORABLE MENTION: Drake White – Spark
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#6: Craig Morgan – A Whole Lot More to Me
While most of mainstream country edifies small towns as wonderlands full of endless summers and cornfield bonfire parties, and conversely songwriters like Kacey Musgraves and Brandy Clark try to counterbalance that with disillusioned odes of melancholic apathy about rampant judgementalism, Craig Morgan has always been the master at illustrating what makes country life so special from a more balanced and loving perspective. This is what he built his career upon in the early and mid 2000’s after retiring from the military, and in the beginning Morgan was independent label Broken Bow’s primary cash cow before Jason Aldean came along. Morgan pretty much built that label that now boasts four solid divisions, and challenges Big Machine for the biggest indie in the country industry.
These days Morgan is at home in the much more scaled environment of Black River Entertainment, and getting back to what he does best. If you’re wondering where all the fiddle, steel guitar, waltz-timed tunes, and quality songwriting has gone, this is a good place to look. And that’s not just a euphemistic statement. Since there are only a small handful of mainstream Nashville performers who are willing and able to cut songs that are germane to adults and listeners with true country leanings, an artist like Craig Morgan has his pick of the litter. (read full review)
#5: Jon Pardi – California Sunrise
Just the cover of California Sunrise is like a provocation to the norms of today’s country with it’s retro fonts and horizon hues, and Jon Pardi looking like some reincarnation of Robert Redford in The Electric Horseman. Then the album starts out with a song called “Out of Style” that’s about how the truest things in life never bow to trends, and you find yourself right at home as a true country listener.
Unlike most major label releases these days where you have to go searching for things to be positive about, Jon Pardi makes them easy to find. Right off the bat it’s obvious this album is going to be presented with traditional country instrumentation throughout.
California Sunrise is not going to fundamentally change anything about today’s mainstream country music on its own. It’s not groundbreaking, or so genuinely authentic that we’ll be pointing back at it years from now as where the tide turned. But it’s a step in the right direction for the mainstream, a footsoldier in the fight to return the music back to the roots, and a fairly enjoyable listen.
#4: Miranda Lambert – The Weight of These Wings
You can’t help but not appreciate this effort. Invariably 24 song projects are going to have some filler, and The Weight of These Wings is no exception. And they’re going to have some good songs and some not so good songs. It’s also worth saying that there is a lot to dissect here, and this record has the potential of getting better with subsequent listens, especially as your mind pierces through the fog of the production on certain songs to latch onto the message or story. And as is true with all of Miranda Lambert’s records, there will be a greater resonance with female listeners because that’s who Miranda Lambert is most attempting to speak to, and that’s okay.
But most important to note, The Weight of These Wings is the symbolic entry of Miranda Lambert—the biggest female country star for the last six or so years—into the Americana/independent/east Nashville mindset, or perhaps an entire segment of the mainstream doing so with Miranda Lambert as the spearhead. This is why the success of Sturgill Simpson was so significant. This is why Chris Stapleton’s CMA Awards mattered. There is a shifting paradigm in country music, and Miranda Lambert is not going to be behind the curve, she’s going to pull the levers of change herself. (read full review)
#3: Mo Pitney – Behind this Guitar
Mo Pitney is music for a simpler time and a decidedly rural and laid back sentiment. He’s an old soul who used songwriters like Dean Dillon and Don Sampson to bounce ideas off of instead of the usual Music Row songwriting crowd. Though this makes Behind This Guitar undoubtedly country, some of the songs could come across as corny to younger country fans, especially if they’re converts from the punk and rock worlds. The Cheerios reference in “Clean Up On Aisle Five” will stimulate more than a few sets of eyes to rolling, and the ending number “Give Me Jesus” may be too rich for secular listeners.
But once you get Mo, his simplicity of approach and undeniable authenticity become quite endearing, while his sense of performance, even when it’s just him and an acoustic guitar, can go as far as jerking tears. “It’s Just a Dog” might seem like sappiness to some, or many. But damn if Mo’s delivery and sense of timing don’t suck you in, or at least they did when he released the song acoustically.
Mo did a great job sticking to who he is on Behind This Guitar, and even if some find it cheesy, it’s still a major sign of hope that songs with meaning and artists with authenticity are on the rise in the mainstream. (read full review)
#2: William Michael Morgan – Vinyl
This is it folks. Without qualifiers, caveats, or commercial dalliances outside of his tightly-knit traditional-leaning comfort zone, William Michael Morgan has released a mainstream country record that is quality cover to cover, true country at every turn, and most importantly, one that might actually pique the interest of the masses as its lead single eyes a top spot in the charts and people are actually paying attention.
This isn’t Hank Williams or Waylon Jennings country mind you. But it’s not Garth Brooks or Brooks & Dunn either. It’s not even Chris Stapleton, who despite his singular talents and true country treatments, still leaves a bit to be desired if you’re looking for country music straight down the middle. There’s no wiggle room here, no play in the action, no latency in the line. Like a pearl snap Western-patterned Wrangler shirt and starched jeans, you can count on William Michael Morgan. There’s no compromise, no pandering or pop-related material. If the heyday of the George Strait / Alan Jackson era is what you wish country music would hearken back to, then ladies and gentlemen, here it is embodied in a young and promising talent who will hopefully have years of similarly-minded music coming.
There is still much to be decided in the young career of William Michael Morgan, but Vinyl is decidedly country, definitely good, and a great start to what hopefully continues to be a successful traditional country career, if not a resurgence in that direction for the entirety of the genre. (read full review)
#1: Brandy Clark – Big Day in a Small Town
After careful consideration of Big Day in a Small Town, it feels fair to say that this effort by Brandy Clark and producer Jay Joyce is worthy of being considered right up there with a very select few others as one of the best mainstream country music albums released in the last two or three years, and arguably trumps Clark’s previous effort that was also well-received, 12 Stories.
Here is the key to Big Day in a Small Town: Instead of solely looking down its nose at small town American life like Kacey Musgraves has made a career out of doing, Brandy Clark takes a perspective from behind the nose of an ordinary small town individual—still self-aware, but focused more on the everyday struggles themselves as opposed to who or what is to blame for them.
Brandy Clark needs to follow the Chris Stapleton model. Country radio doesn’t deserve Brandy Clark. She may ultimately fail to receive the recognition of the masses for Big Day in a Small Town, but it is nothing short of a victory for country music. (read full review)
BEST MAINSTREAM SONGS
HONORABLE MENTION:
- Eric Church (feat. Rhiannon Giddens) – “Kill A Word”
- Jon Pardi – “She Ain’t In It”
– – – – – – – – – –
#5: Tim McGraw – “Humble and Kind”
When I first heard “Humble and Kind,” I immediately thought of Don Williams. In the fast-paced environment today’s world, the music of Don Williams is like a compass to guide you to appreciating the value of slowing down and taking life in, and that’s what “Humble and Kind” does. Sure it’s quite dry, and maybe even kind of preachy. But “Humble and Kind” is full of lessons we all know, but must be reminded of on a daily basis in these turbo-charged times. And it tends to fall to the artists of an era to teach them.
Tim McGraw has made plenty of money, and enjoyed more than his fair share of success in his career. He doesn’t need anything else from the music to either validate his existence, or financially support his family for the future. But what Tim McGraw understands is that reaching millions through the power of country music comes with a responsibility. And not only is he willing to shoulder that responsibility, he’s committed to seeing it be effective. (read full review)
#4: Tim McGraw – “How I’ll Always Be”
If “Humble and Kind” had no business on country radio (yet it ended up at #1), then “How I’ll Always Be” is a downright coup d’état. It’s not the lyrics of the song that make it a marvel of modern American country radio. Aside from dropping the name of Hank Williams and referring to the current sound of country as “trendy crap,” the words are just rhyming affirmations of how country someone is, which is a tired approach to songwriting, even if this one is a bit more enhanced by the effervescent appreciation for all things rural instead of chest-thumping attitude-laden blowharding about how badass the country is.
It’s the music of “How I’ll Always Be” that makes it so unique and welcome for mainstream country radio. It’s brushes on snare drum, steel guitar, acoustic guitar, a tasteful guitar solo 3/4’s of the way through (remember those?), and a little melodic run presented at the beginning of the song that’s recalled again at the end like a memory. Now that’s composition. Parts of “How I’ll Always Be” are just snare brushes and the ringing of a bass guitar tone.
Who would have thought years ago that Tim McGraw would be a piece, however minor, in the effort to return country music to how it’s always been, and how it always should be? (read full review)
#3: Chris Janson – “Holdin’ Her”
“Holdin’ Her” is not just a good song by today’s country music standards, it’s a good song, period. Written specifically from Chris Janson’s own life experience, with a little help from one co-writer, James Otto, it chronicles Janson meeting his wife, falling in love, getting married, and finding the sense of home we all search for in our youth while the promises of “freedom” look to lead us off that path.
“Holdin’ Her” makes absolutely no compromises to radio or anyone else. It starts on the acoustic guitar in waltz time, then the steel guitar comes in, a little Telecaster and keys, and as the old saying goes, it’s three chords and the truth. No drum loops, no electronic doo dads, no superfluous buzzwords thrown in there to lure in your garden variety corporate country radio fan. The song is delightfully simple and straightforward, and they even left the 60-cycle hum of the tube amp on the master to give it that extra organic feel.
Most every songwriter comes to Nashville wanting to express themselves in the purest, most honest manner possible, just like “Holdin’ Her” does. And then the priorities of life like rent, bills, and the pit in their stomachs asking themselves if songwriting is even a worthy pursuit, force their hands into scribbling out commercial rotgut to keep a inkling of the dream alive that one day they can record and release a song like “Holdin’ Her,” and actually have people hear it. (read full review)
#2: Ronnie Dunn – “Only Broken Heart in San Antone” & “She Don’t Honky Tonk No More”
Ronnie Dunn’s latest record Tattooed Heart is pretty forgettable. But the final two tracks on the album are nothing short of excellent, and unfortunately are getting overlooked by many of the traditional country fans who they would appeal to because of the mediocrity at the first of the record.
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One thing few have ever questioned is the power of Ronnie Dunn’s voice, and Tattooed Heart makes sure you get flourishes of that talent throughout the track list. Dunn comes from the era of country music when you actually had to be able to sing to land a singing career, and insiders know he carried Brooks & Dunn through most of those marquee years. His voice, quality song selection, and once again good calls in the studio result in two solid tracks to end the record, “Only Broken Heart in San Antone,” and the super traditional “She Don’t Honky Tonk No More.” The latter even goes as far as to keep the crackle of a dirty pot on the vintage tube amp on the masters. If nothing else, these two songs are worth cherry picking off this record and moving on. They might be two of the best traditional country songs released by a mainstream artist all year. (from the Tattooed Heart review)
#1: William Michael Morgan – “Missing”
Hell I thought that George Strait had retired. Maybe a new day is dawning in country, because listening to William Michael Morgan’s “Missing” immediately gets you swaying, singing along, and settling into a good mood whether you can go missing yourself, or you’re stuck at work or in traffic and wish you could.
Fiddle, steel guitar, a genuine country voice, it’s all here. And for the folks that say that not all music needs to be dark and deep to be good, touche. A song like this is perfect for easing back to on a Saturday out by the lake, but not making you feel stupid for doing so. It’s just good, and the lyrics work like all those great classic country songs do.
Songwriters love to write songs like this and see them get cut, and singers love to sing them. It’s just rare anybody every gets a chance to. But things are continuing to open up for artists like William Michael Morgan. With the success of Chris Stapleton, Jon Pardi and others, all of a sudden there’s an avenue for music like “Missing.” (read full review)
December 14, 2016 @ 8:51 am
You might do this already and I’ve just missed it, but have you thought about doing a Spotify playlist with favorite songs, etc.?
December 14, 2016 @ 8:57 am
Yes, there is a Spotify playlist with my best songs, and songs from my best albums, including some on this list HERE:
https://open.spotify.com/user/savingcountrymusic/playlist/1CZ1famH2wVjZxTPu2Lu5b
Folks can also follow me on Spotify here:
https://open.spotify.com/user/savingcountrymusic
Sorry for the shameless self-promotion.
December 14, 2016 @ 9:04 am
Well I did ask for the shameless self promotion, so don’t feel bad ha.I know feel like a bad reader for not knowing and following already, thanks!
December 14, 2016 @ 9:11 am
Thanks for writing this Trigger! I was hoping you would. I’m honesty surprised by some of the songs you listed here….Time McGraw’s “How I’ll Always Be” is mainly the biggest surprise to me. I figured the laundry list type lyrics would leave it getting ripped to shreds on this website. I personally think it’s a really enjoyable song, so I’m glad to see it mentioned. Have to say I’m also surprised by the Drake White mention, although I have to admit I haven’t heard his album in its entirety yet, so maybe its better than I suspected. I haven’t been particularly impressed with Drake White, but I’m willing to give it a try. I’m curious about Mo Pitney for sure (corny songs have never bothered me) so I’m going to looking into that one. Despite him getting bashed for being too generic and predictable I also like what Jon Pardi has done so far too. Interesting thoughts and I have to say pretty surprising…but in a good way…I feel like this shows you can keep an open mind about more mainstream country music, despite not being a huge fan of it.
December 14, 2016 @ 9:27 am
I tell you, Craig Morgan’s album is definitely the biggest surprise for me this year. I gave it a listen out of curiosity and ended up enjoying the heck out of it (minus some bad tracks like the title track). Definitely glad it’s mentioned here
I also know that people have reserved praise for Mo’s album due to the corny lyrical nature of the album, but for me it’s a feature rather than a flaw.
The only one I’m not totally on board with is Jon Pardi’s. Yeah, I’m happy he’s making some huge waves within mainstream country music, and we certainly need guys like him. That being said, the music itself leaves a lot to be desired, and CS might have been the biggest disappointment for me this year.
Here’s my rankings –
8. Jon Pardi – California Sunrise (1 and 1/4 Guns Up)
7. Drake White – Spark (1 and 1/2 Guns Up)
6. David Nail – Fighter (1 and 1/2 Guns Up)
5. Craig Morgan – Whole Lot More To Me (1 and 1/2 Guns Up)
4. William Michael Morgan – Vinyl (1 and 1/2 Guns Up)
3. Mo Pitney – Behind This Guitar (1 and 3/4 Guns Up)
2. Miranda Lambert – The Weight Of These Wings (1 and 3/4 Guns Up)
1. Brandy Clark – Big Day In A Small Town (1 and 3/4 Guns Up)
December 14, 2016 @ 12:01 pm
Here’s how I’d rank my favorites:
*
1: Brandy Clark: “Big Day In A Small Town” (Two Guns Up)
2: Miranda Lambert: “The Weight Of These Wings” (1 3/4 Guns Up)
3: Jennifer Nettles: “Playing With Fire” (1 1/2 Guns Up)
4: David Nail: “Fighter” (1 1/2 Guns Up)
5: Craig Morgan: “A Whole Lot More To Me” (1 1/2 Guns Up)
6: Mo Pitney: “Behind This Guitar” (1 1/2 Guns Up)
7: William Michael Morgan: “Vinyl” (1 1/2 Guns Up)
8: Drake White: “Spark” (Between 1 1/4 & 1 1/2 Guns Up: 6.5/10)
9: Jon Pardi: “California Sunrise” (1 1/4 Guns Up)
*
December 14, 2016 @ 12:23 pm
Ah, Jennifer Nettles, I totally forgot about her but yes, that’s one I’d add to! Probably 1 and 1/2 Guns Up as well. Honestly I only threw in Nail since his album popped into my head as I was writing my comment. Another I’d add (with extreme caution) is High Valley’s ‘Dear Life’. Yes, the lyricism (mostly) sucks, but hot damn, the instrumentation and production is excellent, and the melodies and hooks are phenomonal. 1 and 1/4 Up for me.
I just saw your list, and I think our list for songs would be pretty similar give or take a few (and of course, with a change in rank as well). I’d have to think about songs though.
December 14, 2016 @ 12:36 pm
High Valley’s album is definitely enjoyable for what it is: mindless bro-country escapism that nonetheless refreshingly avoids the worst tendencies of bro-country.
While I’m on the fence about the album still, I’d definitely recommend High Valley as the duo that SHOULD be representing the bro-country/party song sub-genre instead of Florida Georgia Line (and mind you I tolerate Florida Georgia Line more than most anyone else here does in that I view their music as mostly innocuous compared to many of their peers.)
So I can certainly live with them breaking out if it means permanently replacing the worst artists representing bro-country like Michael Ray, Old Dominion and Thomas Rhett.
December 14, 2016 @ 5:19 pm
Michael Ray bro country? hahahahahahahaha. Yeah, you clearly have NOT heard Michael Ray’s album. I have it and it is GREAT. Definitely not bro country by any means!!!
December 14, 2016 @ 9:31 am
This is a good list, and I love missing. It does make me a little sad to see no female mentions in best mainstream songs. Brandy Clark had a couple of doozy’s, Vice was pretty good (though not my favorite from the album), even “Love Triangle” by RaeLynn deserves a mention.
(also I liked the spotify playlist)
December 14, 2016 @ 9:40 am
Have to agree with “Love Triangle”…it sums up being a kid of divorce perfectly
December 14, 2016 @ 10:40 am
Brandy Clark’s “Since You’ve Gone to Heaven” would have been mentioned here except it is up for Song of the Year, so I felt it was fair to give the spot to someone else. Also Lori McKenna wrote “Humble and Kind,” so the females weren’t completely excluded.
I will have to check out the ReLynn song. After “God Made Girls” and other missteps, I generally try to avoid her.
December 14, 2016 @ 10:53 am
Totally valid on Raelynn. The diff in quality between what she has released under warner vs bmlg is (I think) an indictment of bmlg
December 14, 2016 @ 12:03 pm
I forgot to add “Love Triangle”.
I agree it is a damn pleasant surprise from RaeLynn. It would probably slot somewhere between #9 and the Honorable Mentions list on my Best Mainstream Country Songs of 2016 list.
December 14, 2016 @ 9:33 am
I only suggest this here because Church’s song was mentioned in your HM list , Trigger . I liked his most recent album …and I understand his feelings behind this particular song ….I’m sure we all do ….BUT…
I’m certain I’m not the only one bothered by EC’s approach to getting his ‘message’ across in his lyric to KILL A WORD. It is more than ironic to me that he uses every hateful , aggressive , angry , un-civilzed and socially unacceptable ,near-vigilante method he can imagine to ‘kill a word ‘ .This song is venemous in its tone ,to say the least , and understood ,Church is not a writer who beats around the bush to make his point …but for me , as a ‘song’ this kind of tirade undermines his message altogether . He uses such a violent vernacular to say ” we should love ,not hate and we should hurt unceremoniously anyone ( word ) who doesn’t see it our way . Love your neighbour or I’ll kill you ” . More than over-the-top lyric writing ,I think it mostly comes off as unnecessarily silly when I hear it forced upon the masses on commercial radio.
If I look at the number of violent phrases below it makes me wonder about sitting in the same room with the narrator / songwriter .
”If I could kill a word and watch it die……
I’d poison never, ….shoot goodbye….. Beat regret …… I’d pound fear … Choke lonely ….. I’d hang hate…. If I could only kill a word…… break heartbreak, …….stand there and laugh….shootin’ it the bird…..I’d squeeze the life out of disgrace ….I’d knock out temptation’s teeth……I’d sever evil, let it bleed …….Then light up wicked, stand and watch it burn ….And tie ’em up there with hostile Hang ’em high and leave ’em for the birds.”
December 14, 2016 @ 9:38 am
I kind of think that’s the point…..I could be wrong….but, yeah
December 14, 2016 @ 9:57 am
Yeah, I think all of that was on purpose, and for me it’s not very effective. And I know I’m reading too much into it, but I can’t help but get a bit of a “1984” thought-police kind of vibe when I hear the song.
Even with Rhiannon Giddens’ excellent vocal contribution, “Kill a Word” is my least favorite song on a terrific record.
December 14, 2016 @ 12:18 pm
I truly get where you’re coming from in your argument, but it personally doesn’t bother me nor deprive the song of its weight and meaning.
It’s just my interpretation of course, but I think the juxtaposition of violent verbs in the verses with pleas for love and truth in the chorus is an effective one. I feel like it adds to the desperation, the sense of urgency, Church and his collaborators feel in relegating physical bullying and emotional abuse to the footnotes of history. As a feminist who has been physically assaulted for being transgender, that doesn’t rub me off the wrong way, personally.
I will admit, however, that if it wasn’t for Giddens’ additional vocals in the final chorus, that urgency wouldn’t have resonated near as strongly. Her contribution is truly a testament to how half a dozen seconds of supporting pipes can take a song to the next level or not.
December 14, 2016 @ 12:31 pm
I agree. It is not my favorite song in a “musical” sense, I don’t really care for the arrangement and production, but lyrically I think it is excellent and Giddens definitely elevates it. I also love the juxtaposition and think it really makes for a powerful statement…that aspect of the song makes it pretty fantastic, in my opinion. But overall, I liked “Record Year” as a song far more, and would probably include that in my personal “Best of” instead. I REALLY wish “Knives of New Orleans” would be a single, such a good song, but I doubt it would perform well on mainstream radio.
December 14, 2016 @ 12:40 pm
“Kill A Word” is actually one of my favorite tracks on the album, along with “Record Year” and “Knives of New Orleans”. They’ve been spot-on with picking the singles.
“Round ere Buzz” is the weakest link, in my opinion, but even that is an okay song. I don’t like how the production deliberately culls from Lorde’s “Royals” in terms of hand-clap electronic percussion, and the theme has been done to death. But even there, Church is able to squeeze some sentiment into his performance and make it feel more lived in and believable than most of his male peers would otherwise fail to do.
December 14, 2016 @ 12:51 pm
I actually love “Round Here Buzz”. Is it a been-there-done-that theme, yes, but I still think it has more heart that most songs similar in nature. Lyrically, it has some great imagery thrown in and it flows very nicely. I think it’s a good one. Then again, I don’t really have anything bad to say about the entire album.
December 14, 2016 @ 9:37 am
Side note to the changing dynamics, the guy who won the Voice last night is in many respects a Stapleton clone/wannabee out of the Houston Tx music scene. (Also Blake totally bussed the mainstream sounding/wannabee guy who finished 4th off his team during the early rounds, Adam picked him up, to keep two more Tx red dirt oriented guys (Sundance and Austin Allsup)
December 14, 2016 @ 10:42 am
Yeah, I’ve been hearing all the hype about Sundance Head. Finally tuned in to “The Voice” last night to see what was up, and was right in time to see him performing with KISS. I promptly turned back to the Dolly Parton telethon.
December 14, 2016 @ 10:51 am
yeah finale night is randomness, although I do like KISS. He performed a solo written original on Monday night, that is probably more representative.
December 14, 2016 @ 11:11 am
I think it’s more interesting though for what it says about where Blake thinks country is heading (should be heading?), then the actual contestants themselves. He did the same thing with Adam Wakefield last season. I get the sense, for a variety of reasons, Blake has more freedom on the Voice than he does with his music. Shtik (& his own crap music) aside, Blake knows a lot about music & the industry.
December 14, 2016 @ 12:30 pm
I took a cursory listen to Sundance Head on Monday evening after noticing him topping the iTunes all-genre chart with a performance audio cut.
His appeal is definitely understandable. Given 2016 has been the Year of the Anti-Incumbent from sports to politics and so on, I think he struck many as being the less-polished, soulful contestant while Billy Gilman was viewed as the de facto incumbent because of his previous success in the industry and his sanitized image. And I’ll give Sundance this: he’s got some genuine pipes.
Still, I fail to see how he’s going to successfully carve out his own lane any differently than any previous “The Voice” champion has failed to do. Remember Craig Wayne Boyd? I thought so! At best his “crowning song” will chart off of digital sales buzz alone, and then he’ll all but certainly just fade into mainstream obscurity. It’s a shame how disposable “The Voice” titles are, but that has been the prevailing narrative to date.
December 14, 2016 @ 9:46 am
Trigger, I don’t know if you saw, but Craig Morgan (or his PR guy) posted a link to this article on Facebook.
December 14, 2016 @ 11:51 am
Honestly, I wasn’t that impressed in either Jon Pardi’s “California Sunrise” (I explained why previously) or Mo Pitney’s “Behind This Guitar”.
I thought both records suffered from threadbare, repetitive lyricism to complement generally solid production. I can’t really fault Mo Pitney in his case because this was his debut effort and Pitney, himself was still the strongest attribute of the album in that it has plenty of heart and sincerity with a few standout moments. But as a whole, the songs just weren’t impactful.
With Jon Pardi, it’s less excusable because he was able to convince his label to release a solid B-sides collection on its own, and “California Sunrise” is just a step down not only from the EP, but “Write You A Song”, in the lyrical and production departments. It does have its moments too like “She Ain’t In It”, the hit lead single and the title track, but a little more than half panders to bro-country cliches to the degree it’s impossible to ignore.
*
Personally, I would list Jennifer Nettles’ “Playing With Fire” as one of 2016’s best mainstream releases.
Yes: it has the clunker “Sugar” and another track I can do without, “My House”. But as a whole, I was honesty blown away by how much more controlled and nuanced a vocalist Nettles has grown and it is backed by a more mature, emotive set of songs too. Even Dan Huff dials down the production for a change and lets the songs breathe. Seriously: “Three Days in Bed”, “Unlove You”, “Salvation Works” and “Way Back Home” alone are worth the price of admission. Do yourself a favor and check this out! =)
David Nail’s “Fighter” would be another, even if it’s arguably more Adult Top 40-geared than country. From a production standpoint, “The Sound of a Million Dreams” remains my favorite album of his, but from a songwriting one, this album is. “Home” and “Old Man’s Symphony” are excellent cuts. “Babies”, “I Won’t Let You Go” and, despite some cliches, the title track are solid too. The album opener, “Good At Tonight”, is downright fun. Even the two worst tracks (“Night’s On Fire”, “Got Me Gone”) are not so much terrible as just unnecessary. Nail sounds great as ever and though, much like Kip Moore, the album’s sound is hardly country…………….the songwriting heart definitely is in the right place, and I’d consider this among the best mainstream releases of 2016 too.
*
Here’s my list of Top Five Mainstream Country Albums and Top Ten Mainstream Country Songs of 2016:
*
*****ALBUMS*****
1: Brandy Clark: “Big Day In A Small Town”
2: Miranda Lambert: “The Weight Of These Wings”
3: Jennifer Nettles: “Playing With Fire”
4: David Nail: “Fighter”
5: Craig Morgan: “A Whole Lot More To Me” (It was a toss-up between this and Mo Pitney’s album, but I felt this was the more consistent one.)
*
*************SONGS***************
1: Brandy Clark: “Since You’ve Gone To Heaven”
2: Miranda Lambert: “Tin Man”
3: William Michael Morgan: “Missing”
4: Brandy Clark: “Three Days No Husband”
5: Jon Pardi: “She Ain’t In It”
6: David Nail: “Home”
7: Miranda Lambert: “To Learn Her”
8: Jennifer Nettles: “Three Days In Bed”
9: Dierks Bentley: “Can’t Be Replaced” (“Black” really blew it as an album, but this closing track shines brightly amidst an otherwise dismal end result.)
10: Craig Morgan: “I Can’t Wait To Stay”
*
*****HONORABLE MENTIONS*****
Album: “Sinner” by Aaron Lewis
Songs: “Old Man’s Symphony” by David Nail, “Way Back Home” by Jennifer Nettles and “While He’s Still Around” by Florida Georgia Line
*
December 14, 2016 @ 12:05 pm
Damn, I forgot about RaeLynn’s pleasant surprise: “Love Triangle”.
No track surpassed my expectations quite like that among all mainstream songs this year. It would slot in somewhere between #9 and my Honorable Mentions list among Songs.
I seriously recommend it with all sincerity, though. Yes: her vocals are still underwhelming, but it’s the kind of song where they don’t really get in the way of the song, which I truly consider well-written.
December 14, 2016 @ 12:32 pm
“Home” is a good song by David Nail.
December 16, 2016 @ 4:29 pm
I agree about the albums from Mo Pitney and Jon Pardi (and William Michael Morgan as well). They all had some good songs but the albums as a whole were all just average.
I also agree with your ranking for your top two albums. I haven’t heard the albums from Nettles (I generally try to avoid her based on her Sugarland days), Nail or Morgan yet.
December 14, 2016 @ 11:59 am
Totally agreed on Brandy’s CD; even “Girl Next Door” has grown on me (though I still find it best taken in context as a “character” piece rather than any sort of specific, detailed story).
As for songs, glad to see H&K represented; plus, “Holdin’ Her” is a real beauty, and I love how “Missing” is genuinely fun without being dumbed-down. 🙂
December 14, 2016 @ 12:04 pm
I like Craig Morgan’s music, but I will have to say it is a shock to see one of his albums (or him even mentioned at all) on a “Best of…” article on this site. Besides his generic bullshit pop-country singles, he’s had some good music. “Almost Home” is just such a fantastic song, definitely my favorite of his.
December 14, 2016 @ 12:08 pm
Craig Morgan has pissed me off much of his career too in how he’s settled for so little with his solid voice. Especially on throwaway novelty tracks like “Corn Star”, “Bonfire” and “Still A Little Chicken Left On That Bone”. He also needlessly resorted to yelling rather than singing for too long.
This album is consistently enjoyable to listen to, though. =)
December 14, 2016 @ 1:32 pm
To me David Nail’s album is one of the top 5 records of the year. Home is downright stellar and it’s one of my favorite songs of the year as well. Can’t Be Replaced by Dierks Bentley and Lonesomeville by William Michael Morgan deserve an honorable mention to me.
December 14, 2016 @ 1:49 pm
Still have to think about a list for songs, but I will say, Charles Kelley’s “Leaving Nashville” is one of the most underrated songs this year in my book.
December 14, 2016 @ 3:12 pm
I really liked Miranda, most of Brandy’s album, Loretta, WWM & Sturgil’s albums. With so many women putting out great music hard for me to believe that you couldn’t find ONE female song for your list. (Loretta and Willie’s duet, Brandy “I Cry”, & many off of TWOTW Vice, Tin Man, Well Rested, To Learn Her are a few examples) Seriously dude, come on. Side note bunch of the Sundance Head hype was b/c his Dad had a band that played around Texas for years. I personally am not a fan of the Stapleton wannabe.
December 14, 2016 @ 4:22 pm
He could have found a female song. But the ones he chose were better- that’s why he chose them. This website isn’t about being politically correct, its about music.
December 14, 2016 @ 5:43 pm
Bless your heart Andrew. Seems to me that there were better songs from his best albums he could have chosen. This just supports the notion radio perpetuates about Boys Club country. So better for the last few years female artists continually make better music. 🙂
December 14, 2016 @ 8:44 pm
Frankly I find it insulting, and now bordering on slanderous that some feel the need to insinuate that somehow Saving Country Music is either sexist, or somehow bias against women. I know you’re just trying to say that I should include one song from a woman, but the insinuation is that I didn’t on purpose as opposed to attempting to highlight the songs I felt were best regardless of sex. Women received the #3 and #1 spot on the albums list. Brandy Clark’s “Since You’ve Gone to Heaven” is nominated for Saving Country Music’s Song of the Year, along with songs from Lucinda Williams, Karen Jonas, and Lydia Loveless. (https://savingcountrymusic.com/2016-nominees-for-saving-country-musics-song-of-the-year). This list was just meant as an addendum to that one. This is the second time I’ve had to point this out in this comments section, while I’m getting ripped on Twitter. I don’t want to come across as angry or combative, but this line of accusations has to stop. It is irresponsible to the efforts being expended by myself and others to make sure there is equality for females in country music to accuse anyone and everyone of gender bias after even the smallest of perceived slights.
December 14, 2016 @ 11:27 pm
I’m pretty sure Trigger chose those songs he did because he thought they were the best.
It’s not like it’s a very long list.
December 24, 2016 @ 3:16 am
And it’s also a numbers game. It’s just a fact that there are more male artists than female artists so, chances are most lists will feature more men than women just purely based on numbers.
December 14, 2016 @ 5:49 pm
For me my favorite singles are Runaway June Lipstick and Lauren Alaina Road Less Traveled (I know it is a pop country song with more pop than country)
Runaway June have such promisng harmonies and their production and instrumentation also “Lipstick” has some good lyrics.
For Lauren Alaina the song resonates with me on a personal level and I absolutely adore Lauren Alaina’s vocals.
December 14, 2016 @ 5:49 pm
Glad to see Aubrie Sellers and company calling you out on twitter. “women only write for women dontcha know?” / “well of course they do who else would they be writing for?” / “only other women, well sometimes men they have crushes on, and sometimes puppies and/or kittens”
December 14, 2016 @ 6:18 pm
Where did Aubrie Sellers call me out on Twitter? I’m not seeing anything. Got a link or a screenshot?
Where did I ever say that women only write for women? I’d love to see the quote, screenshot, link, anything corroborating this ridiculous assertion being attributed to me.
I love how some are floating the idea that I’m a misogynist based off of a quote from an article where I said Miranda Lambert had one of the best mainstream albums in 2016. And who beat her for the #1 spot? Another woman. But yes, clearly I’m sexist … someone whose been fighting for the equality of women in country music for nearly a decade, and can produce dozens of links to prove it.
These folks are kicking over ant hills and stirring up shit they do not have either the facts to corroborate, the moral high ground to fight over, or the mental capacity to resolve victoriously. Yes, attack me over an article that shines a spotlight on female artist as being misogynist. I’m lacing up my gloves and and salivating over this fight. Bring it.
December 14, 2016 @ 11:05 pm
All these little girls just sitting around waiting for something, anything to get their panties all bunched-up is making me sick. But, this is the era we live in and it’s easy to be hyper sensitive and fly off the handle hiding behind social media.
Miranda writes and performs many songs from a woman’s POV – Pink Sunglases, Bad Boy, Smoking Jacket – for a woman audience (mostly). There’s no denying that fact. Not many men are going to relate to those songs.
December 14, 2016 @ 11:25 pm
It’s funny, I remember when Trigger reviewed Miranda Lambert’s ‘Platinum’ album, he gave it a decent to middling review, and he was attacked in the comment section for npt heaping praise on it by certain people who claimed that he was missing the point on the album because it somehow speaks to the female experience, and that he couldn’t understand because he’s a man. Actually, I think something like that might have happened with some other reviews too. So, reading the review for the new Miranda album, when I got to the line about how the music might speak more to women in certain ways, it made perfect sense to me because I’ve literally heard / read women say things like that previously. And now THAT statement is itself being turned around, taken completely out of context on social media, and construed as evidence of Trigger’s sexism, LOL.
The people making a fuss about that stuff on Twitter are tilting at imaginary windmills. (That’s social media for you.)
December 14, 2016 @ 9:27 pm
Check @MarissaRMoss (verified twitter account for the writer) and @aubriesellers among the responses. If you can’t see anything problematic about that quote, then that’s on you.
December 14, 2016 @ 10:12 pm
Excellent.
It’s on.
December 15, 2016 @ 4:42 am
Problematic????!!!!! You are exhibit A of what’s wrong with society today!!!!! This insane over the top sensitivity to everything. Trigger is not bashing women, nor has he at any point on this site. The Miranda album received praise from him as do other albums. His comment about this specific album is an opinion about this album only. Yes a female songwriter may resonate more with other females in some cases, and the same could be said about male songwriting sometimes. This is not misogyny!!!!!! Guess what, there are differences between men and women. And acknowledging this does not make one a hater. Read this next line carefully….When making a judgement on someone’s character based upon a quote you should first ascertain the context in which it was presented.. Why? Because context matters. Certain nuances of language can be taken too literally such as here where you are taking Triggers statement to mean that all female songwriters write only for other women. In proper context you could not possibly arrive at that conclusion. Just taking a cursory look at other female album reviews by Trigger will clearly show he does not believe this. But you are a victim of Twitter era PC nonsense. Knock it off and quit looking for non existent slights. Women are not being typecast or marginalized here. MOVE ALONG!
December 15, 2016 @ 5:42 pm
I’m a bit surprised Craig Morgan would got a nod over Southern Family or Brent Cobb. I’ve always felt Morgan is undeniably 100% country with almost-irresistible melodies & use of fiddle & steel, but he tends to choose/write songs with the unintentionally funniest, most cliche lyrics I’ve heard. My absolute fave was the Hall of Fame lyric from This Ain’t Nothin:
Then he reached down in the rubble
And picked up a photograph
Wiped the dust off of it
With the hand he still had……
You gotta admit, that lyric is solid gold!!
December 15, 2016 @ 6:38 pm
I wouldn’t consider either Southern Family or Brent Cobb mainstream records. I guess you could debate that one way or the other, but the way I consider mainstream is impacting commercial country radio in either the present or the past from the artist. Both the Brent Cobb album and Southern Family received very positive reviews here, which means they will end up on the Essential Albums list to be published in about a week or so.
December 17, 2016 @ 11:42 am
Best singles:
1. William Michael Morgan, Missing
2. Maddie and Tae, Sierra
3. William Michael Morgan, I Met a Girl
4. Jon Pardi, Head Over Boots
5. Aaron Lewis, That Ain’t Country
6. Maren Morris, My Church
7. Tim McGraw, How I’ll Always Be
8. Tim McGraw, Humble and Kind
9. Eric Church, Record Year
10. Craig Campbell, Outskirts of Heaven
Honorable Mentions
-Runaway June, Lipstick
-Eric Church, Kill a Word
-RaeLynn, Love Triangle
-Chris Janson, Holdin’ Her
Other fantastic songs (non-singles):
William Michael Morgan- Lonesomeville, Cheap Cologne, I Know Who He Is
Jon Pardi- Cowboy Hat, She Ain’t In It
Miranda Lambert- To Learn Her, Tin Man, Use My Heart, Things That Break, Getaway Driver
December 27, 2016 @ 12:36 pm
Re: Brandy. Personally I like 12 Stories slightly better, but that is definitely picking nits.
Seen her twice now and the songs are even better live. Plus she absolutely NAILED Blue Bayou twice in one night in Atlanta. Hoping to see LOTS more from her.
January 6, 2017 @ 10:28 pm
A few of my favorites- “Home”, “She Ain’t in it.” The whole William Michael Morgan album is solid.
December 29, 2016 @ 1:37 pm
Is there some reason you did not include any Chris Stapleton on here? Cuz he released 2 really good singles this year,and Parachute is my #1 favorite song for this year. Am I missing something?