The Garden – Sierra Ferrell Written By Adam Delahoussaye
We haven’t heard a peep from Sierra Ferrell in almost a year. The last time she simmered to the surface of the Earth was to plant seeds for her “Trail Of Flowers,” a record that sprouted a plethora of new ideas wrapped in old trappings. Now, she’s facing some turmoil amidst the fruits of her labor. Her newest release, titled “The Garden,” seems to have some lament over the toil it takes to sow that soil in the first place. Ferrell is again echoing the voices of Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, and any of the classic female pioneers that preceded her, with the notions and emotions in rotation becoming more deeply saturated here. The struggle, like the seasons, is ever-changing. You gain and lose equal amounts of yourself through both, though seeing the reason to keep going forward seems to be at the forefront of this fairy tale. Ferrell’s flighty yet pitiless writing, paired with Eddie Spear’s opulent production, makes for another stellar entry into the catalog of this whimsy-driven character plucked from the backwoods of West Virginia. As she’s proven to us before, Ferrell continues to have a keen sense of the beauty found within the struggle.
8.4
Work On Me – Restless Road Written By Joel Reuben Pauley
Aside from the verse melodies sounding eerily similar to Cody Johnson’s “Human,” you could say “Work On Me” is a step in the right direction for Restless Road. Although it’s always a challenge to put “boy band” and “country music” in the same sentence, this is one of the better works in their discography. With the double-meaning of the hook, this track is well written, although somewhat predictable as a concept, with seemingly every line tying into the band’s self-proclaimed need to be fixed up. On that topic, if the vocals were less processed, the song would be much more listenable, but this sort of pop-drenched production leaves them in the shadow of Dan + Shay. This is one of those ultra-rare occurrences where a stripped version could benefit the song.
4.2
Sunrise – Jonathan Peyton Written By Adam Delahoussaye
As the indie-adjacent southern sphere expands, we’re now already to the point where guys who were up-and-comers yesterday are tutoring their own pupils in the present moment. After sharing the stage with Charles Wesley Godwin and Zach Bryan just two short years ago, Jonathan Peyton has taken those notes and forged them into a model of his own design. Particularly, it hedges itself on emotional experience. While normally that lends itself to particularly dour subject matter, there’s something brighter peeking beyond the clouds on his newest single, “Sunrise.” Here, Peyton is in the passenger’s seat, offering some detours where normally he’d be directing the journey. While his lyricism isn’t as intricate or wind-knocking, a fresh breeze moves through “Sunrise,” emulating an early Isbell in its frankness and tactility. Its simplicity is intentional rather than incidental. Peyton is coming to grips with straddling the psyche, realizing that the most you can do for others sometimes is to be present. Never overreaching yet always landing on a poignant and personal conclusion, “Sunrise” shows more promise of a budding new star.
7.5
Hello Whiskey – Kameron Marlowe Written By Adam Delahoussaye
Bluesy ballads wrapped in big sounds have quickly become Kameron Marlowe’s safety blanket. The Carolinian and former contestant of “The Voice” is hot off his sophomore record and seemingly still not over the bug constantly infecting former talent show contestants and test tube babies of Nashville proper. Marlowe’s intricate writing and booming soulful vocals make “Hello Whiskey” feel insanely personalized. Frustratingly, the latent backdrop this track (and most of his discography up to this point) operates under is anything but. Lines like “Come on, help me wash her off my brain” speak to an artist whose wit and capability are far bigger than the vacuous, echoey rooms he’s constantly placed in. The hosed-down heartbreaker we’re given ultimately makes Marlowe’s grief-stricken and dirt-laden personage feel hollow. What’s even more infuriating is none of the blame is really on him, either. Here, he’s a symptom of immense potential scrubbed down and cleaned up to appease an undefined lowest common denominator. While the potential for the artist is still up for grabs, the new coat of shine added with every release distracts from the grit and grime that lies under the surface.
6.8
Drunk Love – Ty Myers Written By Creed Miller
At just 17 years old, Ty Myers has taken the country music world by storm, and he’s building off that momentum in 2025 with his new song, “Drunk Love.” Despite his young age, Myers displays a lot of emotional intelligence with this solo write. The song looks at the unfulfillment of “drunk love” and the desire for something less regretful. Produced by Brandon Hood, the melody is super simple, yet it ties in beautifully with the relatively sad story. The biggest highlight for a track with many positives is Myer’s vocals. They are mournfully soft while still commanding enough to display some excellent range, which helps articulate the deep emotion involved in the song. “Drunk Love” is proof that Myers is more than just a teenager living out a dream; he’s the real deal. His debut album is set to drop on January 24th, and if the pre-releases are any indicator, Ty Myers fans are in for a treat.
8.5
Cowgirl – Parmalee Written By Creed Miller
In an era of pop artists jumping on the country bandwagon, the longtime country band does their best Big Time Rush impression with their new song “Cowgirl.” Right off the bat, it could be played in a Nickelodeon music video in the summer of 2014. The production is extremely behind the times, and the corny lyrics do the track no favors in its push to be taken more seriously. The band sings about “Tennessee trippin'” over the cowgirl they’re falling in love with. The clap tracks in the background further exemplify that the song doesn’t fit with the style of music we’re accustomed to hearing today. Parmalee has had many positive moments throughout their career, especially in the bro-country era. However, as country music has grown, Parmalee hasn’t. The overall vibe of the track is unserious, and it’s hard to listen to it fully without cringing. Even the album cover feels like something Big Time Rush might have released over a decade ago. It presents Parmalee trying too hard to channel a youthful audience. That said, every song resonates with a specific audience; “Cowgirl” happens to share the same target listeners as 14-year-old Maddox Batson’s fanbase.
1.6
Pourin’ in Nashville – Redferrin Written By Max Buondonno
The concept of getting drunk after a breakup is perhaps one of the most over-conceptualized topics in all of country music. Unless you’re an expert writer whose talents come directly from the hand of God Himself, it’s almost impossible to stand out from the millions of other “drowning my sorrows in whiskey” tracks that have flooded Billboard charts and radio waves for decades. If you thought Redferrin could bring new life to the table, think again. Thankfully, his latest single, “Pourin’ in Nashville,” avoids trap drums and 808s, which is the least you can ask of the music releaser. Yet despite the instrumentals being somewhat tolerable, his chalkboard-scratching vocals are abundantly hideous on this song. This might be his worst vocal performance yet. On top of that, the song (written solely by Blake Redferrin) is wildly generic and tries to play with words by comparing pouring whiskey to the weather. It’s a desperate attempt at standing out and furthering his career, but it should’ve been left in the recording studio where it was captured.
2.8
Ain’t For Sale – Muscadine Bloodline (feat. Josh Meloy) Written By Joel Reuben Pauley
Expectations for each Muscadine Bloodline release are typically high, but their latest single, even with its random artist feature, doesn’t seem to raise that bar. Their new collaboration with Josh Meloy, “Ain’t For Sale,” was released alongside an intro track titled “The High Horse vs. The White Horse.” The opening piece tells the classic tale of good and evil, introducing the characters of God, sporting a white horse, and the devil, who rides a “high horse.” After a seamless fade-in between songs, now a Muscadine Bloodline staple, “Ain’t For Sale” shifts the story and expresses the struggle between the devil and a man, specifically a man up at 3 AM trying not to “fail.” Ultimately, the main character decides that his mind “Ain’t For Sale,” and he wins the battle. There are a few problems here that need to be addressed. First, the meaning of “fail” in this context is undefined and quite mysterious. Secondly, with Muscadine Bloodline singing the first chorus and Josh Meloy taking the second, both claim to be restless at 3 AM, which makes the song feel less like a personal story and more like fragmented fiction that alternates between narrators. Lastly, when heard without “The High Horse vs. The White Horse,” “Ain’t For Sale” starts abruptly, with a rushed crash cymbal as soon as you press play. Sonically, it sounds just as good as their best work, but it just doesn’t feel like a good choice as a leading single for a new album. As the world waits for The Coastal Plain: Part Two, the anticipation is still high, although “Ain’t For Sale” may be a missed opportunity to gain momentum.
5.9
Waitin’ on You to Wear Off – Vincent Mason Written By Joel Reuben Pauley
Few artists are picking up steam like Vincent Mason. In 2024, he broke out with tracks like “Hell is a Dance Floor” and “May Be,” leading to a huge collaboration with Gavin Adcock on “Almost Gone.” His latest song carries the same slow, swinging vibe that helps make his music unique, showcasing his falsetto at the end of the chorus. With the swift slide guitar and calm energy in the instrumentals, the overall sound is warm and captivating. In short, the song captures the aching moments of waiting for the imprint of a past relationship to escape your mind. While the song’s meaning lacks complexity, the writing is well-executed, not overdoing anything. It’s always refreshing to hear a feeling expressed in a song without being too bland or overly descriptive, and this one lands in that category. The soothing production and thoughtful lyricism support the charm of “Waitin’ on You to Wear Off,” making it a strong addition to Mason’s growing discography.
9.0
If A Song Could Change Your Mind – Low Gap & Brendan Walter Written By Ryan Lippe
A collaboration that no one necessarily asked for but comes very much appreciated in their niche music communities, this song is full of energy and aura, checking off multiple boxes for fans. Both Phineas and Gus Johnson, and Brendan Walter each had hands writing the track, putting their flair on it. The opening line of the chorus, “If a song could change your mind, I’d write one better than John Prine,” is one of the catchiest licks of the year. Its cleverness is unparalleled, making it something uniquely their own. Produced by Shane Travis and Eric Tuffendsam, whimsical fiddle, guitars, and soft percussion take up the bulk of the instrumentation, making it exactly what one would expect from a Low Gap or Brendan Walter song. While the collaboration is certainly fun and a creative pairing, vocally, the two sound so similar that it can be hard to differentiate them by fans who may only be familiar with one of the acts. Nonetheless, the harmonies during the bridge are very tasteful and show a lot of maturity for singers early in their respective careers. This track may not gain much commercial traction, but the fans waiting for this song since its announcement should love it for a long time.
8.8
Waiting Ain’t Easy – Evan Honer & Michal Leah Written By Ryan Lippe
Since Evan Honer’s June 2024 release of his album Fighting For, his career has been in a confusing trajectory with the reimagined releases of songs along with his EP Annabelle. Nonetheless, with each release comes a very well-crafted track with lots of heart and soul. Pop singer Michal Leah lends her vocals and contributes to the writing for this release, making the genre of the song rather ambiguous. The opening guitar and piano complement each other in a way that feels more on par with an Evan Honer song than a typical country song. The vagueness in the genre doesn’t make it bad by any means; rather, it just sits on a genre-less island for fans of Honer and Leah to equally enjoy. Honer produced the song with Shane Travis and Jon Notar, which explains why it feels very on-brand for him. There are a lot of questions surrounding the future of Evan Honer’s career, but this unexpected collaboration sure turned out to be a pleasant surprise to start the year.
8.3
