Triumphant Update #100 to Saving Country Music’s Top 25 Playlist
When this playlist was first started as a simple collection point for the top songs in the current moment in country, who knew it would still be around nearly five years later, and garner over 7,700 followers on Spotify alone? Since then it’s helped launch songs and artists, specially from the loyalty of so many listeners. Thanks for the part you do to keep the playlist going.
The Saving Country Music Top 25 Playlist is built to keep you informed on all the best songs and albums coming out right here, right now in country and roots music. It’s available on most all streaming formats (see below), or you can just use the song, artist, and album recommendations to find something new to listen to.
Newest Additions:
Ian Noe – “Ballad of a Retired Man” – This fastly-rising Kentucky songwriter lands the rare second simultaneous selection on the playlist for this song off his recent album River Fools & Mountain Saints that very well may contend for Song of the Year come December. A stunning example of character and story, it exemplifies why Ian Noe is quickly becoming considered one of the finest of the songwriting craft.
Tami Neilson w/ Willie Nelson – “Beyond The Stars” – Giving you chills bumps from the eerie similarities to Patsy Cline—of whom Willie Nelson wrote the iconic song “Crazy” for—with just a hint of Marty Robbins as well with its Western wind-swept air and Countrypolitan approach, “Beyond The Stars” was inspired by the passing of Tami Neilson’s dad, and was recently performed live with Willie at the Luck Reunion (read more).
Michelle Rivers – “Gone” – Get this Montana-based songwriter on your radar now. She has a big new album on the way, and big performances set for this summer, including at Montana’s Under The Big Sky Fest where Saving Country Music first saw her in 2021. Her skill at songcraft and compelling chorus is very evident in “Gone.”
Kristina Murray – “I’m Gonna Hurt Him on the Radio” – It’s rare to see a cover song creep onto the playlist, but when it’s Kristina Murray, and articulated this well, it would be criminal not to include it. Written by Mac McAnally and Tom Brasfield sometime back in the 80s, originally recorded by David Allan Coe, and later a hit for Charley Pride with “Love” switched for “Hate,” Kristina does her own swapping of perspective and makes the song feel as pertinent as ever.
Kaitlin Butts – “jackson” – Inspired by the iconic duet between Johnny and June, the story of “jackson” by Kaitlin Butts is not quite as fevered, and instead illustrates the opposite side of the love coin when the embers just smolder instead of burn. Moreover, Butts utilizes the waltz beat of this song and her strong and confident voice to really deliver a moment at the end. From her new album What Else Can She Do?
Arlo McKinley – “Stealing Dark from the Night Sky” – The last time Arlo McKinley released a record, the darn thing hauled off and won Saving Country Music’s Album of the Year. All the more reason to not temper excitement for his upcoming album This Mess We’re In out July 15th. Another reason is this mesmerizing song of poetic brilliance and melodic hypnotism.
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The Saving Country Music Top 25 Playlist primarily lives on Spotify, but is also available for those who use Amazon Music, YouTube, Apple Music, and Tidal. For those who don’t stream music, you can still find the song recommendations in list form below.
CLICK HERE to follow Saving Country Music on Spotify, and/or follow the Spotify Top 25 Playlist.
Please Note: The songs on this playlist are curated for listening pleasure and flow. Otherwise, they are not in any specific order.
Saving Country Music’s Top 25 Current Playlist:
- “jackson” – Kaitlin Butts – What Else Can She Do?
- “Down Home” – David Quinn – Country Fresh
- “Neon Blue” – Joshua Hedley – Neon Blue (4-22)
- “Crooked Tree” – Molly Tuttle – Crooked Tree
- “Beyond The Stars” – Tami Neilson, Willie Nelson – Kingmaker (7-15)
- “12th of June” – Lyle Lovett – 12th of June (5-13)
- “Butler Hayes” – The Wooks – Flyin’ High
- “Stealing Dark from the Night Sky” – Arlo McKinley – This Mess We’re In (7-15)
- “In Texas With A Band” – Brennen Leigh w/ Asleep at the Wheel – Obsessed with the West (5-6)
- “Hard To Make It Rain” – Randall King – Shot Glass
- “Gone” – Michelle Rivers – (single)
- “Friends With Benefits” – Mike Kuster – Better Late Than Never
- “Ballad of a Retired Man” – Ian Noe – River Fools & Mountain Saints
- “Demons” – Dolly Parton, Ben Haggard – Run, Rose, Run
- “Fire Song” Jessica Willis Fisher – (single)
- “Love Thy Neighbor” – Stefanie Joyce – (single)
- “The Ghost of Lincoln” – The Wilder Blue – Self-Titled
- “Annabel” – 49 Winchester – Fortune Favors The Bold (5-13)
- “I’ll Love You Till The Day I Die” – Willie Nelson – A Beautiful Time (4-29)
- “I’m Gonna Hurt Him on the Radio” – Kristina Murray – (single)
- “River Fool” – Ian Noe – River Fools & Mountain Saints
- “Leaving Since You Got Here” – Matt Castillo – How The River Flows
- “From Austin” – Zach Bryan – American Heartbreak (5-20)
- “Bad Mamma Jamma” – Alma Russ – Fool’s Gold
- “blood” – Kaitlin Butts – What Else Can She Do?
- “Come On Loretta” – Drew Moreland – (single)
April 17, 2022 @ 10:24 am
The Other AustralAsian Playlist:
Time for Tamworth!
The hosts for the upcoming Golden Guitar Awards will be Beccy Cole & Adam Harvey.
There will be a special tribute segment for the most successful aussie country artist of all times…Lee Kernaghan & performances by Catherine Britt, The Wolfe Brothers, Troy Cassar-Daley, Angus Gill, Shane Nicholson, Felicity Urquhart, Darlinghurst… .
The newest member of the Roll of Renown will be announced too.
– Best Overall Track 2022 (so far): Jessica Willis Fisher – “Fire Song”
– Most Played Overall Track 2022 (so far): Jessica Willis Fisher – “Fire Song”
– Best Overall Album 2022 (so far): Matt Daniel – All I Ever Need
– Best Overall Bluegrass, Heritage Country, Bush Ballad or Western Swing Track 2022 (so far): Kristy Cox – “If Heaven Was A House”
– Best Aussie Track 2022 (so far): Liam Kennedy-Clark – “Game & Trade”
– Most Played Aussie Track 2022 (so far): Liam Kennedy-Clark – “Game & Trade”
– Best Aussie Album or EP 2022 (so far): Suz Dorahy – Redemption Is Real
Liam…who? Liam Kennedy-Clark is a kiwi. He became a pro-musician when he was under 20 years old. Singer, solo artist & as part of a duo, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist, studio owner in his mid twenties working with many stars down under like The Bushwackers, Lee Kernaghan, Ali S, Lyn Bowtell & Aleyce Simmonds.
His new single is a massive earworm.
– The Current Australien Tracks:
Sarah Leete – “Used”
Tori Darke – “Sit In A Bar”
Aimee Hannan – “Better Off”
Rae Leigh – “Push Em’ Up Jill”
Rhianna Fibbins – “Ghost Ship”
Jamie McDell – “Not Ready Yet”
Blake Dantier – “Don’t Say When”
The Silverline – “The Northern Coast”
James Johnston – “Anything Like Me”
Allison Forbes – “Dead Men Tell No Tales”
Raechel Whitchurch – “Sure Thing” (Reimagined)
Lachlan Bryan & The Wildes – “Never Said A Word”
Michael Carpenter & The Banks Brothers – “New Town”
The Weeping Willows – “Bells Are Ringing In The Churchyard”
– The NEW Australian Tracks:
Dozzi – “Thought I’d Be”
Courtney Keil – “The One”
Korey Livy – “Second Chance”
Andrew Swift – “Young Lovers”
Briana Dinsdale – “Lost At Sea”
Billy & The Bandits – “Desert Road”
– Playlist/Testing:
Tony Cook – “Little Things”
Willow – “Please Make It Me”
Andy Penkow – “Fallen Snow”
Dean Perrett – “Mustering On”
Aly Cook – “Little White Crosses”
Darren Colston – “Hello Riverina”
Brad Cox – “What Brought You Back”
Pete Cullen & The Hurt – “Heavy Damage”
Alan Fletcher feat. Alyce Platt – “Sorry Is The Word”
April 17, 2022 @ 11:20 am
The Texas & Beyond Playlist:
Jessica Willis Fisher with “Fire Song” is the leader of 2022 (so far): most played & best track of the year. Her current released album is a fine piece of work too (Brand New Day).
Best of the NEW tracks (in my opinion) are Hayden Haddock with “Better Than Your Memory” & “Movin’ On” by Krislyn Arthurs…well…& C.J. Garton & Missy Armstrong & Jelly Roll & Deborah Allen & Jesse Raub Jr. & Wynn Williams &…oops…
– The Current Tracks:
Ryland Fisher – “Space”
Jessica Willis Fisher – “Gone”
Nathan Perry – “Looking Down”
Jarrod Morris – “Truth Like A Lie”
The Powell Brothers – “Buy A Ticket”
Chris Monhollen – “She’s Just Lonely”
Robby Johnson – “It All Starts Tonight”
Jacob Stelly X Slade Coulter – “Burnout”
The Southern Satellite – “One Heart Town”
Carley Arrowood – “Jesus Drive The Train”
Sarah Jane Nelson – “I Wish I Missed You”
Luke McKnight – “East Bound Freight Train”
Donna Ulisse – “Don’t Bury The Bible With Me”
Kristi Kalyn feat. Leona Williams – “Yes Ma’am”
Dallas Wayne – “I Hit The Road (& The Road Hit Back)”
– The New Tracks:
Missy Armstrong – “Buttons”
Krislyn Arthurs – “Movin’ On”
Jelly Roll – “Son Of A Sinner”
C.J. Gaston – “Drinking Man”
Jade Marie Patek – “Stranger”
Robert Deitch – “Carolina Sky”
John ‘Swat’ Swantner – “Drive”
Wynn Williams – “Like The Wind”
Deborah Allen – “A Girl Like That”
Cody Bradley – “Two Truth & A Lie”
Southern Brave – “Let Me Down Easy”
Jesse Raub Jr. – “Working Man’s Woman”
The Broken Spokes – “Someday, Not Today”
Hayden Haddock – “Better Than Your Memory”
Mark Powell feat. Ariel Hutchins – “Tequila For Two”
Kristina Murray – “I’m Gonna Hurt Him On The Radio”
Grant Gilbert – “She Goes Home (Dirty Breakup Song)”
Triston Marez & Jenna Paulette – “Once In A Blue Moon”
– Playlist/Testing:
Irene Kelley – “Lonely”
Billie Jo – “Redneckin'”
The Droptines – “Glitches”
Strengeplukk – “Du Likar Det”
Milan Miller – “Talking To Myself”
Porter Howell – “This Town Was”
Josh Ross – “First Taste Of Gone”
Austin English – “I Love Me Some You”
Sammy Kershaw – “Honky Tonk Boots”
Matthew Ryan – “Buzzin’ On Your Love”
Jimmy Bowen – “Don’t Drink The Water”
Chris Colston – “Hate Me In My Hometown”
Ben Allen Curry – “Going Through This Again”
The Southern Satellite – “Nothing Left To Say”
Jon Hope – “Fort Worth Callin’ Dallas” (Radio Edit)
Kathryn Shipley feat. Greg Roberts – “Onto Somethin'”
Sunny Sweeney & Jim Lauderdale – “Storms Never Last”
Miko Marks & The Resurrectors – “Feel Like Going Home”
Darin Jones & The Last Men Standing – “Lake Life Paradise”
Dallas Wayne feat. Whisperin’ Bill Anderson – “He Even Brought Her Flowers”
April 17, 2022 @ 11:20 am
Really good list, I love Dolly and Tami, they are such talented singers.
April 17, 2022 @ 11:35 am
“I’m Gonna Hurt/Love Him/Her On The Radio” was a track on a Bellamy Brothers album too & Shenandoah recorded the track for the debut album (Shenandoah in 1987).
A Keith Whitley version was released in 1994.
April 18, 2022 @ 9:32 pm
As with a lot of songs that he and many others cut, David Allen Coe has the defintieve version–imo.
Charley Pride did it–somewhat oddly–as “I’m Gonna Love Her On The Radio.”
April 17, 2022 @ 1:39 pm
Congratulations
April 17, 2022 @ 1:43 pm
49 Winchester’s Damn Darlin’ needs to be considered.
April 17, 2022 @ 1:53 pm
“Where did all the cowboys go” by Abby Anderson is worth a listen.
April 17, 2022 @ 4:44 pm
Ian Noe is absolutely one of the best doing it currently. His songs and lyrics hit me like freight train. Wondering if Trigger has been fortunate enough to see him live recently. That long haired guy is gone…. Saw him in Macon recently. Unbelievable.
April 17, 2022 @ 7:19 pm
Congratulations (again and again). I recently went streaming only. It’s crazy to me that after I followed you on Apple Music, the playlist automatically updates! I missed managing mp3s for about 3 hours.
April 17, 2022 @ 8:32 pm
I’ve mentioned so many times how this playlist (which we all know is THE BEST Country playlist on the planet) has changed my life. Turning me on to artists that are now album staples in my daily rotation………Kaitlin Butts, Ben Jarrell, Craig Gerdes, Em Scott Robinson and too many others to name. Still lovin’ the Stefanie Joyce tune too! Yes congrats on 5 great years!!!
April 18, 2022 @ 10:17 am
I have a suggestion.
Since these playlists are “mostly” artists on the outside edge of mainstream, could there be a separate playlist for mainstream artists. I know the definition could be somewhat subjective for what a mainstream artist is, but it might be a good exercise.
The playlist would give no consideration to an opinion of the artist’s output overall, but simply include songs that are “country”.
Even if an Aldean would put out a good country song, then that would be included. I know it might be slim pickings and a short list, but with a seeming ever so slight trend back towards more traditional country, a separate playlist might be good.
Just thinkin’.
April 20, 2022 @ 5:00 am
This and the release radar are invaluable to me. Congratulations and thank you!