We have reached the point of insanity these days with the amount of albums coming out each week in the greater country and roots realm. It’s like a full-time job just keeping track of it all, let alone navigate through the sea of releases to try and find what may be appeal to you.
The Saving Country Music Top 25 Playlist isn’t turning into the “Bluegrass” Top 25 Playlist. It just happens to be with all the bluegrass musicians kicking ass these days, it’s beginning to feel that way.
If put on the spot by someone and asked to rattle off one artist that they probably have never heard of but will immediately love, “Gabe Lee” might be the best answer. The soul in this guy’s voice, the songwriting, the purpose and intention in his delivery, it is all exquisite. Gabe Lee is as rare as he is real.
In the current country music landscape, it is not country radio, it’s not the major labels on Music Row, it’s not even the media, or pop or hip-hop artists trying to break into the country mainstream that are blurring the lines of what country music is more than ever before. It is Apple Music above all entities.
2022 is a very unique year when it comes to albums to consider, since there are no clear front runners as we’re used to. No specific album or albums feel like undeniable masterpieces, but the albums at or near the top of the heap are so numerous, it’s painstakingly hard to delineate them from each other.
There are two kinds of people in America: those who leave, and those who stay. Either you were born to leave your hometown, and spend your adolescence and young adulthood plotting your escape, or see little need to ever go past the county line, unless its on vacation, or to land a better deal on a vehicle.
The amount of country/roots/Americana releases coming at you each week has officially reached critical mass. And it will spill over like a school bus taking a dive into an above ground pool on Friday, October 28th. Luckily, you know about lil’ ol’ Saving Country Music, so at least you have a head start.
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, or you can just use the song, artist, and album recommendations.
Not entirely country, but country enough, with interesting and curious textures throughout, unique and unexpected approaches to songs, and inspired songwriting graced by soaring performances, King Margo’s new album ‘Waters Rise’ begs to be remarked upon, and heard by a wider audience.
The final months of 2022 are here, and just like the first portion of the year, it is jam packed in an increasingly cluttered environment for new releases. Instead of being overwhelmed, use this guide to help you navigate through the crush of titles, with the first 20 albums listed considered some of the top releases.
Many country music artists are based in Nashville, and many more come to the city every year to “make it” in the mecca of the country industry. But a very select few country performers are actually from there. Gabe Lee is one of those rare few, and he’ll be offering his assessments and perspectives…
One of the very first festivals that saw the value and rising swell in independent country and roots was Pickathon just outside of Portland, Oregon. This was the place where the very careers of landmark artists such as Sturgill Simpson, The Avett Brothers, Lake Street Dive, and many more were launched.
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.
If the musical experience you most cherish is being in a honky tonk, listening to honky-tonk music, with a bunch of fellow honky-tonkers, seeing a guy or gal that probably should be on a stage two or three times larger, the Jesse Daniel experience is the perfect fit for you.
You can find a detailed list of all the confirmed album releases for the 2nd half of 2022 below, some specific albums from each release week that you should make sure to not overlook, and the always-exciting ‘Rumor Mill’ where intelligence is gathered on upcoming releases.
Kip Moore has always been a wild one in mainstream country. It’s certainly hard to fault him for who he’s chosen to open on his upcoming 20-city “The How High Tour,” looking well beyond the stable of uninspiring mainstream up-and-comers.
Live music is back folks, so don’t be the loser sitting on your couch watching Law & Order reruns and turning in early when your favorite band comes rolling through town, especially if it’s American Aquarium, and especially with the openers they’re bringing out with them.
With all of the concern over the swell of violence against Asian Americans lately, the question has come up in certain circles, “Are there any Asian Americans making country music?” Well I’m glad you asked, and hell yeah there are. In fact 2020 was actually a banner year for Asian Americans.
Triston Marez has been a traditional country guy bubbling up in both Texas and Nashville for a good while now. And now he’s about ready to burst into the country music world proper with his debut record, and is getting a boost from a Country Music Hall of Famer to boot.
A Saving Country Music ‘Song of the Year’ nominee is not just your favorite ditty that gets stuck in your head. These are songs that have the power to change hearts and change lives, open you up new ideas or ways of thinking, or unlock memories or emotions you haven’t felt in years.
If you’re worried about the future of country music, just take a spin through the gaggle of singles and EPs the stunning 22-year-old Triston Marez has assembled, and be assured the genre is in good hands moving forward. It’s the kind of shot of youth traditional country needs, while for once, not compromising on the country side of the equation.
As we get to the halfway pole in the musical year, it’s time to look back and asses the best albums that have been released in 2020 so far. At the moment, we are very top loaded with stellar releases, with many albums already feeling like strong contenders for Album of the Year.
‘Honky Tonk Hell’ isn’t just a great record. It verifies that Gabe Lee will be one of the next great artists in country and roots music that we’ll hopefully be hearing plenty from and enjoying for years to come. Gabe Lee will continue to fly under-the-radar for many because he’s just too damn good, but it should win him the bigger audience he deserves.
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. New songs just added.