These days, folks are often disdainful of "the current state of Country".
I believe that is mostly based on hearing a few minutes of radio and going no farther...

In a recent thread I mentioned to TuneMonger that there was a bunch of good Country out there (if you stay away from the radio).
He said "Gimme some names" (kinda)

So...here is a small sampling.


Here are 5 damngood songs from one of my favorite records from the last few years...
Jameson Rodgers - Bet You're From A Small Town

Missin One -

Bet You're From A Small Town -

Merle Haggard -

One Day -

Good Dogs -


If you get done with those and don't want to hear the rest of the album, then we (you) are headed down the wrong path.


Morgan Wallen's Dangerous album would land in my list of top 5 albums of all time.
I highly recommend calling the record up, put on the headphones/earbuds, close your eyes and LISTEN. (over and over and over)
The productions are astounding. (And So varied).
If you learn just one thing (production-wise) from 5 songs, you will be upping your game.
And there are 33 songs - that you could learn 5 things each.

From Wikipedia:
In March 2022, the album established the all-time record for longest duration in the number one spot (97 weeks) on Billboard's Country Albums chart.
In December 2022, the album became the first album ever by a solo artist to spend 100 weeks inside the top-ten of the Billboard 200.
As of July 2025, the album has spent 165 weeks inside the top-ten of the Billboard 200, the second most weeks spent in the charts uppermost region in history.

The album was ranked top album of the 21st century by Billboard.

There is a reason for that.


Dangerous


And the follow up
is almost as good (36 more songs)

One Thing At A Time



Here is a random listing of some folks I've added to my library (Apple Music) over the last few years.
There are "singer-songwriters", 90's Country throwbacks, Hard Rock guys (even Metal), "new" Country ("beats"-kinda-stuff).
And. like I said, this is a small, random sampling...


jordan davis
https://www.youtube.com/@jordandavisofficial



ryan hurd
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxLXQb0FI4VeNoLGFXExG7g



Adam Doleac
https://www.youtube.com/@AdamDoleacMusic




josh kerr
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMUwGoIZZdTS1us_Cs5Md4w



ben gallaher


luke combs
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOSIXyYdT93OzpRnAuWaKjQ

Bailey Zimmerman
https://www.youtube.com/@BaileyZimmerman

lily rose


craig campbell


russell dickerson
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT9gQ15MBzq05YH3ZODrrIg

redferrin
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChumNJVpgIOi3sd3j3Y8kpQ

travis denning
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPRIk6igkbugXWzpdOe3hLA

dylan marlowe
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJV7r5IdvXuUR2EPg8beV9g

dylan scott


ingrid andress
https://www.youtube.com/@IngridAndress

riley green
https://www.youtube.com/@RileyGreenMusic

Alex Hall
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZP4y3XGh9NFvVGPmRmZ4iQ

Ashley Cooke
https://www.youtube.com/@ashleycooke

kameron marlowe
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWSqMNoaslymTKNYC4I8Fqg

lainey wilson


treaty oak revival
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCflGQY4XUx-12KfmoobkzYw

troy cartwright
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-2cA1hoe3rSynFXWCJOZ1A

tyler braden
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyWl4zWZjjhRiNZe-k4Mq8Q

Last edited by floyd jane; 4 hours ago.