GEORGIA (ROOTS) – NIKO MOON Written By Jack Humphrey
At a certain point, it feels like we should be running out of source material for clout-chasing contemporary artists to desecrate pop classics, but after a few years out of the spotlight, the ever-shameless Niko Moon wasn’t about to miss a chance to attach his name to the most famous song about Georgia ever written. Though billed as a deeply personal tribute to his upbringing, there’s little in “GEORGIA (ROOTS)” that doesn’t sound like a cheesy lampooning of Southern culture rather than a sincere salute by a dyed-in-the-wool Georgian. In between the nauseating squalls of some discount Alvin & the Chipmunks ensemble, Niko speed-runs just about every boring Southern-ism that comes to mind: pecan pie, pine trees, peaches, sweet tea, the Bulldogs, the whole list. It all amounts to a tedious slog that tells you next to nothing about his own connection to the state, except that he’s from there. Just as damning, as a light-hearted pop song, “GEORGIA (ROOTS)” falls flat without a catchy hook or even much of a melody, outside of a few skittering samples from the Ray Charles classic; instead, Niko Moon does his best Walker Hayes impression with breathy verses and a few dull “heys” mixed in. As only the millionth tasteless trailer-trap track of this sort, it’s hard to get too offended, but if you thought that means we’re giving this one a pass… no, we aren’t.
1.8
Speaking Terms – Ella Langley Written By Jack Humphrey
In its hour-long runtime, Ella Langley’s Dandelion is a savvy self-portrait of her eclectic musical sensibilities, from sunny, summer-ready pop-R&B to some of the most intensely traditional country music we’ve heard out of Nashville in quite some time, let alone from an artist of Ella’s caliber. Meeting somewhere in the middle of that diverse palette, we find the convictive ballad “Speaking Terms,” the album’s only outside cut (aside from the two traditional covers, of course). Penned by Joybeth Taylor and Helene Cronin, our narrator muses on her relationship with God in her adult life; the song strikes a fascinating balance tonally, as she shows some annoyance that the Man Upstairs doesn’t converse more directly, while wryly accepting that that’s just His way of doing things. As a vocalist, Ella Langley was the right woman for the job, taking the song to a soaring crescendo in the hook, and reeling things back just as elegantly for a winsome, hopeful conclusion. Gideon Klein’s string arrangement is also a particular standout, showing shades of late-90s country-pop balladry. “Speaking Terms” might not be the most highly-discussed song on Dandelion, but it still deserves its flowers as an undercover standout, thoughtfully conceived and tremendously executed.
8.1
Drinking Game – Warren Zeiders Written By Max Buondonno
It took six people to write Warren Zeiders’s latest single, “Drinking Game.” While it’s certainly likely that not everyone contributed equally, it’s fascinating that no one stopped to think, “Oh, wait, maybe this is the wrong direction.” Comparing a relationship to a drinking game feels like the laziest metaphor you can imagine when writing a country song, if only because it’s practically implied in every country heartbreak song of all time: someone gets upset, gets a drink. She just walked out on you? Time for a shot of whiskey. It’s not hard to see how similar country music relationships are to activities in sorority and frat houses, but that doesn’t mean you write a whole song about it. Zeiders feels like he’s grasping at straws, trying to make it sound relatable, if only because he has to directly say every 30-45 seconds, “our love is like a drinking game.” He flirts with a less gravel-y production that feels like a breath of fresh air, which might be the only redeeming quality of the entire track. Still, it seems like the more music Zeiders puts out into the world, the more it seems like he thinks his fans will listen to anything so long as they’re distracted by his washboard abs.
5.5
Never Be Gone – Conner Smith Written By Max Buondonno
Conner Smith’s more personal direction with his music as of late seems to be paying off. Gearing towards more mature topics and observations, it somehow feels like he’s going back to his roots and refreshing what it means to hear a Conner Smith song. His latest single, “Never Be Gone,” showcases his songwriting abilities with a touching tribute to his late grandfather. Reminiscing about old memories and how painful it was to say goodbye, Smith acknowledges his grandfather isn’t ever really gone, so long as some of his favorite traditions continue long after his time. Smith makes the pain and heartbreak of losing his grandfather seem almost beautiful, recognizing his grandfather’s personality and wisdom in everyday life through the struggle. The acoustic-laced production feels warm and grandiose, inspiring a feeling of uplift at every chorus. “Never Be Gone” is a well-crafted expression of Smith’s relationship with his grandfather, one that not only stands out in his discography but in modern country music as a whole.
9.0
Turning Into Us – Rhys Rutherford Written By Max Buondonno
As a newcomer on the country artist scene, Rhys Rutherford continues to define his sound with postmodern influence and 2000s-branded production. With additional pens from label head/mate ERNEST and his father, Rivers Rutherford, his new single, “Turning Into Us,” bodes well for his growing catalog of story-driven singles. Unraveling a tale of two folks at a bar seeming to fall in love once they’re left alone, the song offers clever wordplay and flows in each verse that feel fresh and different from other drunken love stories that, oftentimes, feel passive at best. Here, Rutherford’s songwriting shines, and the story sounds charming and charismatic. Yet Rutherford can’t seem to escape his inability to deliver memorable vocals. Even on 2025’s Cadillac Sessions, ERNEST’s way of introducing him and other newcomers on DeVille Records, he got lost among others who could belt out more range than he could. Toward the end of “Turning Into Us,” Rutherford experiments with a falsetto, which helps the track feel a bit less boring by the end of it. But throughout its runtime, you’re almost left wondering who might sound better singing it than him. Rutherford may evolve into a better vocalist. As of now, though, he can’t match the quality of the songs he writes, leaving one to wonder if his strengths lie more as writer than as a performer.
6.7
Cardinal Sin – Willow Avalon, Jason Isbell Written By Aishwarya Rajan
It’s both a blessing and a shame that Willow Avalon was born in the 20th century, for her vocal command was made for ’60s country, the era of early Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette, likely a time that would have easily recognized and celebrated the talent in this 27-year-old artist. In Avalon’s latest single, “Cardinal Sin,” featuring Jason Isbell, her voice carries like a nightingale. She claims that her infidelity is equivalent to a “cardinal sin,” yet perhaps something different from lust or greed. In this showcase of tragedy, “Cardinal Sin” lends a string ensemble as the all-powerful storyteller. A song that initially enters with a more modern guitar sound quickly transforms into an orchestral landscape. This backbone swarms the air with careful reproach before intensifying into heart-thumping passion. Uniting string arrangements with cavernous drum beats pushes the single’s trajectory from apologetic guilt of admission to the unapologetic hunger for freedom from consummation. Like a light and a match, Isbell’s soft southern twang and Avalon’s pure, piercing tone elevate the repetitive nature of this single to one of layered excellence. Their complementary vocals leave just enough space for the listener to be overcome by the evil truth and the unfortunate ache of a marriage gone awry.
9.3
My Future – Emily Ann Roberts Written By Noah Sneath
Emily Ann Roberts delivers “My Future” right after a well-deserved ACM nomination for New Female Artist of the Year and a recently announced special guest spot on tour with Thomas Rhett. The single plays as a familiar scene lifted straight from a 20th-century Broadway musical: the young female lead tumbling head over heels, distinct chapters marked by changes in musical mode, and humor throughout. What elevates this track above the genre’s crowded catalog of eager love songs is the production and harmonic sophistication underneath. The song opens against an ambiguous backdrop before a well-executed chromatic run around the 26-second mark lets the sun shine through. It’s a terrific piece of musical storytelling, and Roberts has the vocal talent to execute the transition seamlessly. Stylistically, this track’s sound lands somewhere between Carter Faith’s Cherry Valley and Megan Moroney’s Cloud 9. It’s a pink-hued daydream of domestic bliss wrapped in arrangements that are more sophisticated than they first appear. Just like Emily Ann Roberts herself, this song is charming, glamorous, and fun.
6.6
Family Man – Trey Pendley Written By Noah Sneath
There is a version of Trey Pendley’s career where he takes the long road. He builds his audience song by song, room by room, one converted listener at a time, until the cult becomes a congregation. That version may be inevitable, but with “Family Man,” Pendley is trading a fishing pole for a net and hoping for an immediate haul. This is the other version: build an army by making something radio-friendly enough to reach the masses, get them in the door, and then let the strength of your catalog do the rest. It only works if what’s waiting for them is good enough to close the deal. Luckily for Trey, Podunk, his EP from earlier this year, is the best project from any up-and-coming country artist in 2026. “Family Man” is a radio-friendly country track built on a familiar pop country ballad framework. It is, by the standards Pendley set on Podunk, below his ceiling. However, it is almost certainly a smart move; what keeps it from feeling cynical is that the message is genuinely his. The pride of having something worth protecting, the vulnerability of commitment, and the embrace of domestic life are all things that most young men today (whether they’ll admit it or not) are after. A lyric like “for the first time in my life I’ve got something to lose” isn’t his most inventive, but it is representative of his ethos. “Family Man” is more a strategic piece than a showcase, but for anyone who hears it and thinks they’ve found something good, they have.
6.4
You and I – Lily Meola Written By Joel Reuben Pauley
For the most part, country music fans love to be moved by deep, profound songwriting, although there are certainly moments where simplicity is just as essential. In “You and I,” Lily Meola playfully uses a series of familiar pairings to describe the natural chemistry of a relationship. She leans on some pretty unique combinations, like “echoes” and “canyons” or “vines” and “thorns.” The track already stands apart from the class of overused duo comparison songs, with Luke Combs’s “Better Together” as one of the most prominent examples in that category. However, audibly, she makes her own personalized sound work here as well, with her Hawaiian-influenced plucks and steel guitar blending to create a blanket of this rare, rich musical environment that fans haven’t heard much of elsewhere, if at all. As far as her melodies go, you could almost assume some of Meola’s inspiration came from the likes of early Meghan Trainor, based on the mystically happy descending melody of the pre-chorus, which is also extremely catchy. Above everything else, this track stands out for the positive, loving vibe it exudes. Like much of Lily’s other music, this single transports you to a peaceful place in your imagination. With her upcoming July album, Lucky to Be, on the way, “You and I” feels like the ideal way to maintain the vibe of her previous singles while still building fresh excitement for those following along.
8.3
Fare Thee Well – David Nail Written By Joel Reuben Pauley
In popular music, it’s usually rare to recognize in the moment whether something will be really timeless. Still, every once in a while, when you hear a song, you get the feeling that its impact isn’t confined to a specific era or moment. David Nail’s “Fare Thee Well” certainly fits into that category. Not only does the song sound like it could’ve been written in any era over the past several decades, but it holds so much emotional weight that it feels like something you could appreciate for a long, long time. In a similar way to Glen Campbell’s “By The Time I Get To Phoenix,” this track sits in the tension of fresh distance between a new ex and our narrator. By using poetic yet plain phrasing like “everything a man could want is everything I’m about to leave,” and “there’s a letter in the kitchen that says what you already know,” Nail sets up the perfect scene to both rip out the listener’s heart and display an artistic scale of emotional turmoil that isn’t easy to admit. With Anderson East’s softly punchy production, the arrangement does a near-perfect job of staying out of the way while still mirroring each heavy lyric with equally thoughtful sonic detail. In the pre-choruses, for example, an accenting piano mimics the exact melody of Nail’s vocal, subtly reinforcing the emotion without overstepping. Those added keys help fill out the texture as the chorus begins to swell nearer, creating a sense of momentum that feels both natural and intentional. Since they’ve begun working together, Anderson East and David Nail have successfully created music that feels genuinely rewarding to sit with, carefully constructed with the passing of every note and word.
8.7
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