Lainey Wilson – Somewhere Over Laredo Written By Joel Reuben Pauley
The past few years have been good to Lainey Wilson, with her first of two consecutive Entertainer of the Year trophies, followed by her first headline tour and her album Whirlwind. Lainey Wilson’s new twist on Judy Garland’s “Over the Rainbow” sets a promising tone for what fans can expect from her upcoming Whirlwind Deluxe. This speaks for Lainey’s ability to take a fairly low-tempo song and keep it sounding interesting. Lainey’s soulful vocals shine here, set against a bed of western-tinged production that adds texture without getting in the way. The instrumental dropouts in the second pre-chorus are a nice touch, giving the track a moment to breathe before it swells again. Set in the sky, the lyrics paint a vivid picture of Wilson’s view from an airplane, where she finds herself “eye-level with the stars.” Throughout the flight, thoughts of her lost “Lonestar-crossed” lover fill her mind as she sits restlessly, wishing she were descending into Texas. “Somewhere Over Laredo” certainly isn’t some genre-defining statement, but it’s still a solid release from Lainey; it’s emotionally resonant, well-produced, and proof that she knows how to keep things fresh without overreaching. Is it ‘Song of the Year’ material? No, but with how the ACM Awards voting has been working, who knows what’ll sneak through next year.
7.5
Jon Bellion – WHY (feat. Luke Combs) Written By Joel Reuben Pauley
Jon Bellion and Luke Combs sing their trust issues out into the open sky in their new collaboration. With both artists being married with multiple children, the question “Why love anything at all?” comes virtually out of nowhere. That’s not to say that there are rules preventing artists from releasing music about lifestyles they can’t relate to; those unrelatable themes are basically the foundation of modern country music. Aside from that, the song is fairly well written; there isn’t too much lyrical intricacy, but it leans heavily into the emotional weight of the narrator’s perspective. Wrestling with the fear of heartbreak, Luke and Jon question whether love is worth the inevitable pain it might bring. Combs’s verse surrounding a conversation with his father served the song well, ending with “You think it’s bad now? Wait ’til you have a son.” Both artists sound great individually, with Luke’s raspy vocal runs stealing the spotlight. However, Jon’s voice comes across as robotic and heavily autotuned, and with such different production styles on each vocal, they don’t blend well together. As far as the way the song sounds, this track edges into Disney movie soundtrack territory, especially as it closes, with Luke and Jon taking turns singing the line “Why love?” ten times in a row. This song with such a dark message sounds like a triumphant anthem, especially with the rolling snare at the end, playing like a victory march for a war they didn’t win.
4.0
Bad As I Used To Be – Chris Stapleton Written By Creed Miller
Despite winning Male Artist of the Year after not releasing music for a year, Chris Stapleton is releasing his first new song since November 2023. “Bad As I Used To Be” adds to a star-studded lineup for the soundtrack for the upcoming F1 movie. Stapleton stays true to his soulful sound, fueled by his electric guitar and bluesy harmonica. Like most Stapleton music, this track was produced by the legendary Dave Cobb, and it has a lot of similarities to previous tracks like “Devil Always Made Me Think Twice.” A groovy intermission in the song is filled by an impressive guitar solo that is slick but also adds some energy heading into its final minute and a half. It should shock no one that Stapleton’s vocals are once again a strong suit of the song. His rasp cuts through the room, effortlessly holding the listener’s attention throughout. One knock on “Bad As I Used To Be” is that it will inevitably get drowned out in Stapleton’s catalog, as he has many similar songs that manage to take the edge over this one. With the production being so similar, it just doesn’t stand out like the ones that came before this. Nonetheless, this is another great Chris Stapleton recording, and it’s nice to hear new music from the icon.
7.9
Painkiller – Vincent Mason Written By Adam Delahoussaye
Like earthworms in the rain, earworms start growing out of the ground around Vincent Mason and his compassionate companions whenever they put pen to paper. Similarly, both seem to thrive even in life’s most dour moments. With nothing but a litter of singles to his name, this ruddy-cheeked cowboy out of Roswell, Georgia, has already earned a spot amongst the genre’s varsity roster as a true freshman. Now, it seems he may evade the sophomore slump so many in his position hit before the break begins to feel big. As easily as a track like “Painkiller” could’ve gotten memory-holed as a fifteen-second TikTok sound bite before the full version even released, it’s a nice surprise when the other three minutes pull just as much weight. Hot off the heels of heartbreak and into the arms of a rebound, Mason is again weaving clever analogy into a thread of songwriting standards now coming up on a century of well-worn use. The result is as fresh as it is enduring. As Mason’s unblemished timbre paints a pretty picture of the sun setting on an old relationship, we’re immediately swept away into the twilight of a new one. With a backing track that feels as flighty as the self-medication he and his co-writers have cooked up, “Painkiller” is another case of Mason’s sharp yet sensible attitude toward preserving the standard while keeping the wheels rolling.
8.4
Glass Half Empty – Midland Written By Adam Delahoussaye
It’s hard to believe that we’ve spent the better part of a decade with Midland. Even harder to believe that in 2025, they’re somewhat of an old guard in their own right for that true Texas feeling that’s now as sizzling as the San Antonio asphalt. “Glass Half Empty,” despite marking a new chapter in the now storied saga of the group, feels comfortingly familiar in that regard. As drums start thumping and guitars start strutting, we’re back in a familiar honky-tonk with these bovine-wrangling bandits as they apply years’ worth of work back into a feeling they’ve become the surrogates of. It’s easy to see why familiarity lingers around the trio so heavily when you zoom out and look at the modern landscape. Almost every dude with a Fender and a Stetson that prances around the stage grew up watching these guys do it first. On a micro level, the track is full of reminders and returns to form. A familiar bar, a familiar place for the needle to drop, and a familiar brand of poison that now goes down without a wince. A lot of “Glass Half Empty” is a homecoming sonically, pulling old trends back under their arm at a time when the rest of the class is sneaking looks off their paper. While there’s little expansion, there’s a lot of fun to be had as the group harkens back to their old days in dives and side stages where a moment like this would, and still can, turn every head in the room.
8.0
Watching You 2.0 – Rodney & Elijah Atkins Written By Creed Miller
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is a phrase that needs to be taken a lot more seriously, and “Watching You 2.0” is an unfortunate piece of evidence as to why. Nearly 20 years after its initial release in 2006, Rodney Atkins re-recorded the iconic song with his son. There’s no denying that it’s a wholesome full-circle moment for the father and son duo, but emotions aside, this song doesn’t land nearly as well as the original. The original was a great way to honor his son, but this duet feels like a stretch. Rodney Atkins produced both tracks, but the new version is a lot more polished, which makes it sound like it’s trying to do too much to differentiate itself from the original, but it takes from what made the song great. The fiddle and steel guitar don’t flow as well as the original, and everything is way higher-pitched, which was a downfall. Not only that, but the vocals are another low point in the song. Rodney naturally isn’t what he used to be, and Elijah is still young and has room to grow. They lack strength and come across as thin, and neither artist fully takes control and makes the song their own. On top of all that, it’s hard not to cringe while listening because it just feels inorganic. It is cool that they were able to have this family moment, but the whole thing feels very forced and pointless.
3.7
Name – Treaty Oak Revival Written By Ryan Lippe
On a staple from the Goo Goo Dolls’ 1995 breakout LP, Treaty Oak Revival continues to defy all odds with their own version of the smash hit. Recorded live from the South Bank Studios, this rendition brings the same painful emotion that John Rezenik brought, but with their unique southern twang. Deviating a bit from the original, a red dirt, country rock edge is infused into the track, breathing new life into an iconic song through the lens of a new band with one of the most passionate fan bases in the genre. Frontman Sam Canty’s voice has always been something of an enigma as he’s able to blend his words with a country twang but has such a powerful bite on every note. This combination fits perfectly for this song as it lets him explore his range as opposed to their original tracks that keep him in a tighter box. Produced by Taylor Kimball, the closing track on The Talco Tapes doesn’t aim to position the band as the next revolution in country rock but rather serves as a reminder to fans of the distinctive sound and spirit that fueled their rise.
7.8
Dads Don’t Die – Nate Smith Written By Max Buondonno
Nate Smith has been on a pretty successful run. Not from emotional depth or indie-style songwriting, but with songs that are more surface level than a lillipad on a calm pond mixed with vocals that sound like a calmer version of Jim Bob HARDY. If there is a song he should avoid because of these habits, it’s “Dads Don’t Die.” Written by Emily Weisband, Marc Beeson, and Allen Shamblin, the song is meant to serve as a tribute to past and present fathers, highlighting how their spirit and presence intertwine with your everyday life even when they’re gone. While some of the lyrics will touch those who have lost their dads or had complicated relationships with them, it lacks enough nuance and depth to make the song as meaningful as it seems engineered to be. Emotional intelligence also seems to have fled the scene; in its place are cliches about the afterlife and tears on the bathroom floor, all sung with such aggressive vocals from Smith that it removes you from the story unfolding and begs you to hit the pause button. It’s an odd meshing of boring “cry with me about our dads” lyrics with vocals ripped from a 2000s punk-rock album, which adds up to a questionable song that tries to ease the pain but sends a dagger destined for your heart at your ears.
5.5
This Flag – Chris Janson Written By Max Buondonno
Soaring in from a backyard barbecue on a bald eagle with 50 stars painted on its wings is Chris Janson, American patriot. He’s released yet another song about America called “This Flag.” In it, he does the unexpected: he tells us why he stands for the flag, which no one in the 249-year history of the country has ever done. Written to be played during Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and more, it’s a song that Fox News will undoubtedly use in a commercial for one of their new streaming shows, and there’s a good chance Dwayne Johnson will share it in his story when he’s in a patriotic mood. Written by Janson, Josh Phillips, Michael Wayne Wilkes, and Mitch Oglesby, “This Flag” is filled with everything you’ve heard in every other American country song from the past 35 years. Backed by an uninspiring instrumental, the song is as forgettable as the time it’s been since the now-burned hamburgers went on the grill. While it’s difficult for any patriotic country song to stand out on its own with the number of all-time anthems that exist (“Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” is sitting right there), it’s even harder not to fall into the same cliches and one-liners that every other song of its theme uses. “This Flag” decides to use them all, a habit that Janson is no stranger to in the rest of his catalog. It’s three minutes of noise you can play on the 4th of July, but you’ll forget it played if anything remotely interesting happens around you.
4.4
