The Top 100 Airplay Albums on Americana Radio in 2017
The Americana Music Association has announced their 2017 Top 100 Albums of the Year based on reporting to the Americana Airplay Chart from Americana stations during the period of Dec. 6, 2016 through Dec. 4, 2017. The chart can be a good way to see what you might have missed in the year of Americana, or where your favorite artist or band may fall comparative to others. It’s probably no surprise that Jason Isbell leads the pack, followed closely behind by Chris Stapleton, but there also are a few surprises in the list.
Something always good to note about the Americana Top 100 Albums list is since it runs on the calendar year and not around the release cycles of the specific albums, some titles may look unnecessarily downgraded, while others may look too high on the list. It can also include albums that weren’t released in 2017 since it’s tabulated by airplay as opposed to when an album was released.
As Saving Country Music reported in September, the way the radio charts work in Americana will be dramatically revamped in 2018, scheduled to start on January 1st when the chart will go from an albums-based metric to a songs-based metric via a system called CDX-Traction. The system will use the online streams of Americana radio stations and a proprietary song identification system to track plays of Americana songs in real time, and aggregate them into weekly charts. The company is currently operating a similar system in the Texas Music space, and offers a similar service for mainstream country. Previously, the Americana radio charts were compiled via manual reporting, which could cause issues with errors and allowed stations to report “paper spins.” The new system will be more transparent and accountable.
Top 100 Americana Airplay Albums of the Year
1 – Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit – The Nashville Sound
2 – Chris Stapleton – From A Room: Volume 1
3 – Nikki Lane – Highway Queen
4 – Ryan Adams – Prisoner
5 – Steve Earle – So You Wannabe An Outlaw
6 – Band Of Heathens – Duende
7 – Justin Townes Earle – Kids In The Street
8 – Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real – Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real
9 – Son Volt – Notes of Blue
10 – Old 97s – Graveyard Whistling
11 – Willie Nelson – God’s Problem Child
12 – Rodney Crowell – Close Ties
13 – Mavericks – Brand New Day
14 – Valerie June – The Order Of Time
15 – Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives – Way Out West
16 – JD McPherson – Undivided Heart And Soul
17 – Pokey LaFarge – Manic Revelations
18 – Jamestown Revival – The Education Of A Wandering Man
19 – Delbert McClinton & Self-Made Men – Prick Of The Litter
20 – Gregg Allman – Southern Blood
21 – Taj Mahal & Keb Mo – TajMo
22 – Tift Merritt – Stitch Of The World
23 – Slaid Cleaves – Ghost On The Car Radio
24 – North Mississippi Allstars – Prayer For Peace
25 – Rhiannon Giddens – Freedom Highway
26 – Alison Krauss – Windy City
27 – David Rawlings – Poor David’s Almanack
28 – Dan Auerbach – Waiting On A Song
29 – Secret Sisters – You Don’t Own Me Anymore
30 – Ray Wylie Hubbard – Tell The Devil I’m Gettin’ There As Fast As I Can
31 – Will Hoge – Anchors
32 – Infamous Stringdusters – Laws Of Gravity
33 – Drive-By Truckers – American Band
34 – Alejandro Escovedo – Burn Something Beautiful
35 – Tyler Childers – Purgatory
36 – Aaron Lee Tasjan – Silver Tears
37 – John Prine – For Better, Or Worse
38 – Kasey Chambers – Dragonfly
39 – Reckless Kelly – Sunset Motel
40 – Sunny Sweeney – Trophy
41 – Josh Ritter – Gathering
42 – Bruce Robison & The Back Porch Band – Bruce Robison & The Back Porch Band
43 – Brent Cobb – Shine On Rainy Day
44 – Old Crow Medicine Show – 50 Years Of Blonde On Blonde
45 – Jason Eady – Jason Eady
46 – Shelby Lynne & Allison Moorer – Not Dark Yet
47 – Chuck Prophet – Bobby Fuller Died For Your Sins
48 – Shinyribs – I Got Your Medicine
49 – Jim Lauderdale – London Southern
50 – Hurray For The Riff Raff – The Navigator
51 – Shannon McNally – Black Irish
52 – Angaleena Presley – Wrangled
53 – Wilco – Schmilco
54 – Dustbowl Revival – The Dustbowl Revival
55 – Margo Price – All American Made
56 – Robert Earl Keen – Live Dinner Reunion
57 – Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors – Souvenir
58 – Bruce Cockburn – Bone On Bone
59 – Gillian Welch – Boots No. 1: The Official Revival Bootleg
60 – Mastersons – Transient Lullaby
61 – Iron & Wine – Beast Epic
62 – Hiss Golden Messenger – Hallelujah Anyhow
63 – Jim Lauderdale – This Changes Everything
64 – Eilen Jewell – Down Hearted Blues
65 – John Moreland – Big Bad Luv
66 – Blackie and the Rodeo Kings – Kings And Kings
67 – Todd Snider – Eastside Bulldog
68 – Various – The Life & Songs Of Emmylou Harris An All-Star Concert Celebration
69 – Neil Young – Peace Trail
70 – Brigitte DeMeyer & Will Kimbrough – Mockingbird Soul
71 – Samantha Fish – Chills & Fever
72 – Blackberry Smoke – Like An Arrow
73 – Ruthie Foster – Joy Comes Back
74 – Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters – Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters
75 – David Luning – Restless
76 – Jesse Dayton – The Revealer
77 – Old Crow Medicine Show – Best Of Old Crow Medicine Show
78 – Paul Cauthen – My Gospel
79 – Ray Davies – Americana
80 – Wayne Hancock – Slingin’ Rhythm
81 – Colter Wall – Colter Wall
82 – Chris Hillman – Bidin’ My Time
83 – Radney Foster – For You To See The Stars
84 – Amanda Shires – My Piece Of Land
85 – Jade Jackson – Gilded
86 – Lucinda Williams – This Sweet Old World
87 – Chuck Berry – Chuck
88 – Jackie Greene – The Modern Lives Vol. 1
89 – Govt Mule – Revolution Come…Revolution Go
90 – Tim O’Brien – Where The River Meets The Road
91 – Lillie Mae – Forever And Then Some
92 – Yonder Mountain String Band – Love. Ain’t Love
93 – Joan Osborne – Songs Of Bob Dylan
94 – Dead Man Winter – Furnace
95 – Seth Walker – Gotta Get Back
96 – Jeffery Halford & The Healers – Lo-Fi Dreams
97 – Dwight Yoakam – Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars…
98 – Whiskey Gentry – Dead Ringer
99 – Great American Taxi – Dr. Feel Good’s Traveling Medicine Show
100 – Moot Davis – Hierarchy Of Crows
December 14, 2017 @ 7:48 pm
Son Volt’s ‘Notes Of Blue’ Is played in my car and at home as much or more than Isbell’s Nashville Sound. Check it out if you haven’t already:) . Farrar is genius!!
December 15, 2017 @ 12:20 am
I’ve heard everything in the top 20 and most of the rest. I didn’t believe it when people were declaring 2017 better than 2016 for Alt. Country until late, around early Fall. This is the genre that just keeps on delivering, year in, year out. And next year’s crop of new releases already looks promising. Kim Richey, Kacey Musgraves, Brandi Carlile, Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, John Prine, Marty Stuart, Brothers Osborne… Everything else may be in limbo but the steady stream of quality Americana rolls on, soundtracking the madness.
December 15, 2017 @ 3:30 am
Glad to see Kasey Chambers and Shannon McNally getting some love, two underrated albums this year, although with McNally, I can see why since it was mostly covers. Her original song “Banshee Moan” is one of my favorite songs of the year, though.
December 15, 2017 @ 5:50 am
Wow. I knew there was a lot of good music this year, but I didn’t know there was THAT much good music this year! And there’s probably 10 or more great releases not on this list–like I didn’t see Nick Dittmeier on there, for instance.
I think streaming is the only way to go to get the kind of access one needs. I’m making some changes next year and jumping in that stream. I’ve spent enough time dipping my toes in it!
December 15, 2017 @ 1:06 pm
I know it’s frowned upon but I would be lost without Amazon Prime. Gives me a chance to listen to ALOT of albums that I probably would never have checked out if I had to buy them.
December 15, 2017 @ 7:45 am
Really great to see a whole lot of women represented in that American Radio listing; the genre always seems better to them, and they seem to be allowed to do more there. I especially love the inclusion of STITCH OF THE WORLD, counting it as I do as one of the best albums of 2017 by anyone in any genre, and especially since I feel Tift Merritt is the best female singer to come down the pike in this century.
December 15, 2017 @ 7:56 am
For being a relative unknown, 35 – Tyler Childers – Purgatory, is pretty impressive for the kid..
What a statement that album is.
December 15, 2017 @ 9:19 am
Also, it came out in early August, so I guess that’s only four months of airplay. JTE and Steve Earle albums (both in top 10) come out early in the year.
December 17, 2017 @ 5:00 pm
Steve’s was June… so not super early, but the way this list is made means the rankings are not necessarily reflective. I wonder what it would be if they prorated for the number of months since each album was released. But also, known names get more airplay, definitely.
December 15, 2017 @ 12:54 pm
This is just a solid album. I never get tired of listening to it.
December 15, 2017 @ 9:20 am
Was Turnpike not considered or was it released too late?
December 15, 2017 @ 9:41 am
Probably too late to wrack up much airplay. Margo Price’s album came out the same day and she’s only at 55. And she’s much more hyped in the Americana world than TT. I’ve seen her album at or near the top at year some year end critics lists (e.g., American Songwriter, Rolling Stone Country)
December 15, 2017 @ 12:13 pm
Turnpike is primarily being promoted to Texas Music radio, which has its own charts, and extends beyond just Texas to parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, and other parts of the Midwest. There may be a list coming from CDX for that market soon.
As for Margo Price, yes, the timing of the record probably has partly to do with it, but as I have said many times, her recorded music is just not resonating with listeners, and I think her showing on this list symbolizes that. She’s a favorite of critics, and even fans seem to like her, but her songs don’t resonate, so DJ’s don’t play them to the same degree. Right now her record isn’t even on the Top 25 of the Billboard Americana charts. It’s not that nobody is buying or streaming it, it’s that NOBODY is buying or streaming it, despite the overwhelming critical acclaim. It has completely disappeared, even as it crests the end-of-year lists.
December 15, 2017 @ 9:55 am
It’s a shame Colter Wall’s record didn’t penetrate any further.
December 15, 2017 @ 11:51 am
Cool! I have at least 7 of those albums, and I have heard at least another 7 or 8 more. 😀
December 15, 2017 @ 12:59 pm
Love these kinds of Lists. Gives me a chance to discover artists I’ve never heard of before!
Also, I’m surprised Sarah Shook & The Disarmers didn’t make the list. If anyone hasn’t heard that album I highly recommend checking it out.
December 15, 2017 @ 1:02 pm
Love me some Sarah Shook…
That album is infectious.
December 15, 2017 @ 7:40 pm
That album was originally released in 2015 and then rereleased this year so that may have something to do with it’s lack of airplay
December 16, 2017 @ 9:08 pm
So predictable. Ugh.
December 17, 2017 @ 11:57 am
John Mellencamp- Sad Clowns And Hillbillies
People SLEPT on this one.
Most people associate John Mellencamp with more of a classic rock sound but his releases are, and always have been, rooted in country music.
Artists like Mellencamp, Springsteen, Bob Seger, and especially Tom Petty don’t get their recognition as forerunners and contributors to the whole Americana sound.
It’s funny that Dylan’s last few releases are labeled Americana and even end up on that particular chart yet other artists who release the same exact same type of music are ignored.
John Mellencamp’s last half dozen releases are more country that 95% of what has been called “country ” for the last decade.
Check It Out.
December 21, 2017 @ 11:18 am
Amazing list! I miss Sera Cahoone, Joana Serrat, David Ramirez, Spencer Burton, Offa Rex, Ian Felice, Gill Landry, Midland and The Deep Dark Woods