End Of Year Roundup
Awards, Categories, Commentary. A good time to be had by all.
First up, The Awards.
Best Album and Best Song will not be mentioned here. To satisfy your curiosity, please see the links posted below. It's a top twenty albums and a top forty songs list. Quite thorough. The top 40 songs were split into two posts. The first is numbers 40-21. The second numbers 20-1.
And now, let us continue….
Breakout Male Artist:
Connor Smith
Managed to build on a breakout single, push out a full album, an EP, and get notable features on the Twisters soundtrack. Artistically, I’m very impressed as well. All around, it was a year that elevated him far beyond from where he was one year ago.
Breakout Female Artist:
Ella Langley
Probably my most basic opinion, but I, similar to everyone else, was genuinely impressed with her album this year. Distinct vocals, clear sonic and artistic identity. She blew up commercially. It remains to be seen how the follow up goes. I was equally as enthusiastic about Megan Maroney last year, only to be disappointed with her sophomore record.
New Male Artist:
Max McNown
Lovely folk pop take on pop country. Vocal intimacy, but not in a Zach Bryan angsty caterwauling way. However, similar to Bryan, he’s putting music out at a breakneck pace. Keep an eye on McNown, because he went from 0-60 very quickly this year.
New Female Artist:
Julia DeGrazia
A smaller act mostly known for her duet work, but the short EP she pushed out really struck me. There’s an incredible amount of talent and feel in her work. It’s unpolished to be sure, but I really like what I've heard.
EP Of The Year (Only because Joe Stamm took most of Alleghany and made it into an album. Otherwise that EP clear the floor with anything else from this year):
Jukebox Songs- Drake Milligan
Just a good old fun time. Really this is the third best, but because the two artists (Joe Stamm and William Michael Morgan) that ranked higher are getting awarded for other work they did, I thought it only right to give it to Milligan. The EP was a great and snappy elucidation of what makes him such a compelling performer.
Cover Album Of The Year:
Country Classic vol. 1- William Michael Morgan
Excellent selection of songs. Morgan pulls heavily from 70s and 80s country, bringing back songs that deserve more love in the current country music collective consciousness. The warm and soft vocal approach, combined with gentle production touches really bring the songs to life.
Comeback Player Of The Year:
Frankie Ballard
HE’S BACK!!!
Texas Country Album Of The Year:
Postcards From Texas- Miranda Lambert
Not that it was the best album to come out of Texas this year, but it felt distinctly Texan, in a way her previous material (sans Marfa Tapes) missed.
Mainstream Album Of The Year:
Cold Beer & Country Music- Zach Top
Even more than Midland and Jon Pardi did a few years back, Top redefined just how traditional a mainstream album can actually be.
Indie Record Of The Year:
Trail Of Flowers- Sierra Ferrell
Unbound by commercial or genre limitations, Ferrelll just lets loose with whatever her brain has been cooking up over the past couple years.
Americana Album Of The Year:
Any Part Of Life- Cameron Allbright
Not particularly different a category from best indie record, however, this is a little less vintage inspired and more in the future foward facing side of Americana. The genre has grown into its own entity over time, and this album is a good representation of what that future sounds like.
Countryiest Country Album Of The Year:
Lean On Neon- Shawna Thompson
Just listen to it. Put any preconceived notions about Thompson Square and early 2010s country. This is stone cold classic country performed at its highest level.
Old Discovery:
Mickey Gilley
I always chalked him up as a flashy voice guy who followed trends. Both of those are true, but the level of refinement Gilley brought to his tastefully selected songs makes for a compelling listen. I frequently returned to a Gilley hits compilation all year long.
Most Disappointing Album:
Into the Neon- Randall King
Randall easily could have put out a Zach Top level record. Instead, he sanded things down to a mainstream sheen, excising the distinctive elements that made him stand out and put out a fine generic record. Something also felt off with the vocal processing on the record.
Another Disappointing Album:
PATTERNS- Kelsea Ballerini
I frequently find myself holding out hope for her to take that next step. In the past she has ably demonstrated her potential for tasteful country pop a la, say, a Caitlyn Smith. Instead she went backwards. Not a bad record, just disappointing.
Most Disappointing Song:
Friday Night Heartbreaker- Jon Pardi
I wrote a full piece just about how bothered I was by this song. That’s how much it hurts to listen to this.
Best Redone Classic:
Sunday In The South- Shenandoah ft. Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean
Yes that means completely ignoring Reboot 2 which tbh, is exactly what it deserves.
Best Deluxe Album:
Kentucky Bluegrassed- Brit Taylor
On the heels of a fantastic 2023 album, Taylor took the best of the album and reimagined them in bluegrass fashion. Not a standard deluxe expansion, but unlike most deluxe editions, an essential listen for anyone who enjoyed the original project.
Best Instrumental Moment:
Southeastern Stomp- A Thousand Horse
Turn that sucker on repeat. It's an absolute jam.
Best Cover Song
Ghost Riders In The Sky- Charlie Crockett
A great rendition of an old western classic. NO, IT ISN'T ORIGINALLY A JOHNNY CASH SONG! Hopefully, it can open up an audience for classic western music to have a resurgence.
Now for some categories. And commentary. Mostly commentary….
The Albums I Missed:
Charlie Crockett (the man is indefatigable. I have my limits. Two full records was too much for me to digest. I really like his music, it’s just a lot to take in)
Jack Mckeon (had it saved and queued up a few times but never managed to get around to it. Pity, I heard it was good.)
JP Harris (loved Sometimes Dogs Bark At Nothing, was meh on the ye olde tyme tunes railroad man record, and straight up missed that this new one came out.)
Wyatt Flores (the recent full length one. I did his EP. The album was so long. I was short on time, so it was either him or Sam Barber. Since Barber hadn't dropped anything substantial this year, I reviewed him instead.)
Every year has albums that slipped me by. Only so much time in the year. Pity, because I’ve heard great things about these projects.
I Just Don't Get It:
The Rise And Fall Of American Kitsch- Karen Jonas
Roadrunner- Kaitlyn Butts
Last year this category was the super serious, male, singer-songwriter, Americana types. This year it's the exact opposite. Something about the thick layer of intentional kitsch just makes these really hard to connect with. From a technical perspective, I understand and appreciate what is being done. Vibes wise, I just can't connect.
Boba Tea Award (The Award Formerly Known As The Cottagecore Pinterest Board Album Of The Year):
Deeper Well- Kacey Musgraves
She had a literal collaboration with Etsy for her album release. Nothing more needs to be explained.
How Country Feels:
Kelsey Hart
Literally anything the man touches is instant How Country Feels material.
Americana Song Of The Year:
Baby Blue Bathing Suit- Stephen Sanchez
......Oh wait, he isn't Americana? Well, as the country could have told ya, when you water down a genre to the point that the label is meaningless, that's what happens. Jokes aside, Sanchez fits better into Americana than any other genre space. I've enjoyed most of what I've heard from him.
IYKYK:
Parallel Love- Brad Tursi
Unbelievable how this man has just been camouflaged inside of Old Dominion for years now. An incredible amount of talent was put on display all throughout this record.
The Whisperin’ Bill Award:
The Wind- Zachary Lucky
Rarely has a man said so much in such a hushed tone.
The Silverada Award:
Tigirlily Gold
Maybe this is just me, but the name feels more confusing than anything else. Similar to how Mike and The Moonpies may have come off as unserious and a change was needed, this Tigerlily Gold thing feels in need of some editing. Really lovely music they’ve put out thus far. Just feels like it’s gotta be tough to market.
He's Gone Country, Look At Them Boots:
ZAYN
Of all the attempted Pop Gone Country artists, ZAYN both tried and flopped the hardest. Let me explain. Beyonce put out an intriguing album, not particularly country, but she never intended for it to be. It was good, launched an online kerfuffle and then everyone moved on. Post Malone tried to go full Nashville. The results were predictable Nashvillian. MGK only did one song. Admittedly it's dreadful, but it's still only one song. Lana Del Ray smartly decided to not go ahead once the category got crowded. Amidst all this, ZAYN partnered with Dave Cobb and put out a full album. And it was mediocre at best. I say that's worse than the one off song from Colson Baker. QED.
Pardon My French:
Se Laisser Aller- Francis Degrandpé
Québécois pop country boys. Didn’t know they existed. Life is all the richer now.
He's Back:
Josh Turner
And arguably better than ever?
Deserves To Be A Pop Country Classic:
Chili Pepper Lights- Amanda Kate Ferris
Catchy, earworm, distinctive details that stick in your head for long after you've heard it. All the right ingredients.
Sure Hope It Isn't A Harbinger Of His Future Career Prospects:
Rise and Fall- Scotty McCreery
Joking aside, a very good record. Frank Rogers production par excellence.
Foreign Policy Record of the Year:
Damascus - Elvie Shane
Although, it does a fine job of illuminating the domestic side of affairs.
It's. Too. Long:
Nashville, Tennessee- Ernest
Slice off 1/3rd and you have a really nice regular long album. With the ballast still on it? It's too much to be worth your time. Shuffle around and skip the ones that look like obvious outliers. (Features with Wallen and Hardy, weird titles etc) otherwise it's all pretty good.
That Song Named After Geography:
grand canyon- Avery Anna
Low key, maybe Avery Anna should have gotten new female artist of the year. She really pushed out bunches of quality material and featured heavily with Sam Barber. Punch for punch, I like DeGrazia more, and find her potential more intriguing, but Anna had an undeniably great year.
That Song Sorta Named After Geography:
Red Dirt On Mars- Angie K
Never heard of her until this song came across my radar. A good title can really grab attention amidst the truckloads of music that gets released every week. It's a fine song. Elite title.
They Played It On Radio Enough Times That I Finally Warmed Up To It:
Take Her Home- Kenny Chesney
The advantage of radio is that songs will play on end and eventually wriggle their way into the brain. Even if at first something sounds odd, play it enough and your mind may change. In the streaming age, after that initial listen, a decision is made. If I had only heard Take Her Home on streaming it probably would not have ended up so high on my played list this year. But with radio’s assistance, it grew on me.
Country Can Be Upbeat Without Pop or Rock Added To It:
Can't Pass the Bar- Scotty McCreery
For some reason, whenever someone wants to make a party anthem, it always ends up being super pop. Country isn’t just tear + beer = ballads. It can also be fun, irreverent and upbeat. This is the perfect example.
80s Rock "Country" Summer Jam:
Summer Of Us- Lee Brice
Man that guy still has pipes. Pity this didn’t take off. It’s a fun time.
Weird Nostalgia Trip But Sure:
2019- Logan Crosby
It's not just the weirdness of a singer bringing back faint memories of those long ago times deep in the past from 2019, but just a couple songs later he's singing about faded Polaroid pictures (a great song fwiw). Was this a pre-covid trend I forgot about?
Joe’s Guilty Pleasure:
Saltwater Cinderella- Chase Mathew
This is pretty embarrassing to admit for someone who is a self admitted music snob. But the 80s vibe and slick melody just work well here. No depth needed, just fun bops.
Dadgumit, They Do Grow Up Eventually:
Missing Peace- Pecos and the Rooftops
Angsty Texas Country Rock band that has seemingly entered into a midtempo and slower era of grateful maturation. Welcome to adulthood. It’s always interesting to see how hair on fire youngbloods develop when they start to age out of the college demographic.
Michael Scott No.gif:
Country Girls Just Wanna Have Fun- MacKenzie Carpenter
So, it actually came out originally in 2023, but the remix dropped on January ‘24. That's enough for this absolute abomination to qualify for this award.
Let's speed things up with some quick one-liners. No commentary. Let the music speak for itself.
That One Album That Came Out Early In The Year And Then Kinda Got Forgotten, But Is Fantastic:
Somewhere Down The Road- Josh Abbott Band
Most Intriguing Cover/Interpolation .... I Kinda Dig It:
Dear Mama- Rvshvd
Oh Jeez, They're Using That Song For This???:
Young Love And Saturday Nights- Chris Young
Chevrolet- Dustin Lynch ft. Jelly Roll
Favorite Album Cover:
I Hate Springsteen- Abbey Cone
White or Off White Album Cover of the Year:
Silverada- Silverada
Instantly Makes Me Want To Install A Lift Kit On My Daily Driver:
Put It On A Map- Kelsey Hart
Weird Title....Very Weird Song.
Love (The Sweater Song)- Owen Riesling
The Token Good Song On A Terrible Album:
Country For California- Thomas Rhett
Best Product Placement:
Me and Mr. Pibb- The Franklin County Trucking Company
Are You Sure?
Am I Okay? (I'll Be Fine)- Megan Maroney
Fella Wants To Sound Like Stapleton (actually this ain't half bad):
Sober- Colin Stough
We’re All Irish Sometimes:
John O'Reilly - Rich O’Toole
Imagine If Carrie Would Have Tripled Down After Jesus Take The Wheel:
Chapter & Verse- Gabby Barrett
Best Song Named After A Women:
Darlene- Brinley Addington
Country Authenticity ID Card:
I Grew Up On A Farm- The Reklaws
The Actual Best Song On That Hit Record:
East of the Massanutten- Shaboozey
So ends 2024. On to 2025!
Hope you enjoyed. 2024 was a year of real growth at the blog. Hoping to level up yet again in 2025.
Happy New Years!
-Joe