"Conceptually, this album captures the essence of modern-day romance, while filling a gap in the genre where nothing comparable predates it."

"The records themselves, again, aren't total duds... but the problem is song selection more than the practice itself being tired."

"It may be more productive to examine the proper placement of the thing rather than condemn it altogether."

Conner Smith managed to prove two things: even country artists could make it on TikTok, and that college football fans love a song that directly references them.

"Country music is back in a big way, and there's some reason to keep your hopes up that the NFL will get in on the action."

"It’s time to tap in and let the warm waves of yacht rock fill your mind with visions of seagulls, salt air, and a summer breeze"

"The “club country” mantra may end up being more than a kitschy tagline, for better or for worse."

"Carter Faith deserves to be a top act in country music; the question becomes how and whether she can in today's country music landscape."

In the second installment of "Know Your Classics," we're highlighting three seminal albums of the outlaw country movement.

"This year, there should be no dissonance, no competing narratives, and no room for subjectivity at the CMA Awards."

"As long as country music values honesty, heartbreak, and the power of a great voice, there will always be a little bit of George Jones in it."

"We need someone who can toe the line of quality country tracks and fun party anthems we all need now and then."

Across five incisive takeaways, we're tackling the good, the bad, and the bewildering that lies ahead of us at the 60th Annual CMA Awards in November.

"In an industry capable of manufacturing any sound, there’s something special about discovering that the real thing was sitting in a vault all along."

We’ve selected three essential albums from that era that serve as excellent starting points to this unique period.

"Is everyone posting about hating Stella Lefty not copying the work of the creator who got there first, hoping to cash in the same way?"

"As fun as the 90’s revival has been, it’s hard to see it compounding into something greater than the sum of its parts."

"As we reflect on her life, it becomes increasingly apparent just how profoundly she shaped country music and the artists who followed in her footsteps."

Check out the August results from our CC50 voting, and their biggest stories!

"At this point, I'm just making something I love, and I am what you get; you like it, or you don't. I've stopped caring a little bit about that."