yellow brick home – Stephen Wilson Jr. Written By Adam Delahoussaye
“Is the end of the world just a man-made lie?” Stephen Wilson Jr. wonders on “yellow brick home,” a track that has half a dozen or so equally abstract thoughts that are put out into the world but never really probed. It’s a shining example of the indie-rocker at his most insufferable, when he’s one-upping himself on one big swing after another, failing to make contact with any of them. This particular journey is so overwhelming that the experience is eye-wateringly intense. Noxious for the sake of noise, conceptually unfocused because it can’t find a target to hone in on, and frazzled in its attempt to create some sort of spectacle from its many disjointed pieces. Wilson Jr. himself even seems to get a little lost in his own sauce down the line when late hooks turn into a slurred goo of vocal runs that sound like they’re giving in to this monster of a song gnashing at any succinct moment it can find. “yellow brick home” is a miss not because of a simple failure to be profound; it just can’t hide how hard it’s trying to be something big and bold. The level of effort is about as in-your-face as the execution.
4.0
‘Til the End – Parker McCollum Written By Adam Delahoussaye
In 2025, Parker McCollum told Variety that “the real me is not sonically perfect.” In context, it was an odd way to separate himself from the two megahit mainstream records that had catapulted him from the fringes of Texas into Nashville’s center stage. A year and a half and two statement albums later, it’s easy to see where he was headed all along. McCollum has the performance chops to bring down the house just about anywhere, but his 2025 self-titled and newly released Live From Sound City are indicators of an artist whose biggest moments may also be his quietest. “‘Til the End,” according to the man himself, is the best song he’s ever written. It’s not hard to hear why he thinks that’s the case. There is nothing flashy or arena-filling about his recollection of days gone by, but plainspoken reminiscing has also never sounded so full of life. What the singer delivers instead reads like a eulogy, with nostalgia and fondness welling up in his voice as he recites a long list of once-mundane moments now remembered as magical. “Yeah, I loved you, and I’ll love you till the end,” he repeats behind a stifled sob. It’s the culmination of much of McCollum’s career over the last few years: yearning to get back to his roots and delightfully unbothered by the minor missteps that come with the journey. “‘Til the End” is a mourning of that mindset, learning that the “real me” may not be where he thought he left it.
8.6
Most Wanted – Gavin Adcock Written By Max Buondonno
Gavin Adcock is unequivocally addicted to releasing songs. Despite his latest album dropping just over two weeks ago, he decided that his constant flurry of singles needs to continue with the release of “Most Wanted,” a song that – admittedly – plays well to Adcock’s strengths. The wild man himself paints himself as an outlaw throughout the track, acknowledging that there are plenty of people after him. Yet despite his status with the law, she’s the real “most wanted,” at least in his eyes. His ability to convey the emotion and attitude of an outlaw on the run keeps the song fun and loose, with a boot-stomping melody and chorus you’ll start humming before you have a chance to learn the words. There’s no question that Adcock’s catalog is full of the same type of music, with plenty of songs that cover similar topics and offer spins on love and lust. But he can kick out a jam once in a while, despite some overarching feeling of déjà vu as you listen to it. Adcock has a format, a production style, and a specific approach to lyrics that gives his artistic brand a lot of character. “Most Wanted” might sound like a repeat of history in the grand scheme of things, but you can’t deny it’s pretty catchy.
6.9
Bloody Mary – Jenna Davis Written By Max Buondonno
Country music takes all shapes and forms, and for Jenna Davis, she’s willing to try anything to find her groove. After a string of releases this year that lean more into girlie-pop aesthetics à la Megan Moroney, she’s gone full Miranda Lambert in Halloween drag. Her latest single, “Bloody Mary,” tries to prove that she won’t be returning to a previous, presumably messy relationship just because the person in question calls her three times. With all of its character rooted in creepy folklore, you’d like the production to take a more sinister, unsettling approach. Yet Jenna decided it would be best to emulate an early-2000s girl-power anthem, complete with vocals in a range she struggles to reach. The song sounds like it could be great for a country-music-influenced spooky-season flick on Netflix, but on its own, it can’t overcome its weak lyrics and stale production style. Jenna Davis could find her identity in the country music genre at some point, but Haunted Lambert fits her as well as her favorite childhood Halloween costume.
3.3
Thin Ice – Hudson Westbrook Written By Aishwarya Rajan
Water, floating, fish, and ice: what do they have in common? Aside from finding them in a small village in Alaska, they’re all baked into “Thin Ice,” the seventh single Hudson Westbrook has released for his upcoming album Made You Look. It’s a swaggy turn of pedal-steel-laced country with R&B embellishments, and Westbrook uses it to get flirty. He draws you in with a warm, rich tone and the kind of pause that feels like the tease of confident eye contact. While it’s sonically addicting, it’s also logically messy. The song draws from a single semantic family: a watery world where ice, cold water, cracks, floating, and fish in the sea coexist easily on a passive listen, even though the images never settle cleanly into a single scene. Suppose the foundational imagery is ice fishing on the Great Lakes, where these details do share a setting. The chorus still doesn’t sustain the metaphor. It cautions that the ice “could up and break,” and the consequence is that “you’d be floatin’ away.” But when the ice breaks under you, you sink. It’s as though two metaphors are being used without a bridge connecting them. That said, Westbrook’s never been one to focus entirely on depth, so despite the misunderstandings, it’s a groovy song that will settle in your ears with repeated listens.
7.0
Don’t Be – Brandon Wisham Written By Joel Reuben Pauley
Every second of Brandon Wisham’s “Don’t Be” is worth your time. The new song is packed with warm melodies and a sound that evokes instant nostalgia. Even from a passive listening experience alone, there’s already so much to like about the track. In addition to his wide-ranging vocals and the way each note flows seamlessly into the next, the guitars and other instruments blend seamlessly in the mix. Lyrically, it’s written from a familiar yet compelling position, as Wisham pleads with a woman to come be with him rather than remaining lonely after a rough breakup. There’s something so believable about his narration, particularly in his yearning yet mellow delivery. Wisham uses vivid imagery and detailed retellings to convey the plot, making it easy to picture as you listen. Right now, it’s likely that Wisham is still a new name to most readers. However, this song makes a strong case for his vocal talent, storytelling abilities, and his own unique grasp on music. Truly, “Don’t Be” is an easy listen that could leave anyone who discovers it wanting to hear more from the newcomer.
8.2
Handle On It – K. Michelle Written By Joel Reuben Pauley
K. Michelle’s attempts to cross over into country music shouldn’t be immediately written off just because she didn’t start out that way. Obviously, the negative stigma surrounding transplant country artists exists for a reason, but in her new song, “Handle On It,” from her new album, she is trying to say more than the usual boot/hat cash grab. In the new track, Michelle shares personal reflections about hard times and tries to look on the bright side. In all honesty, the combination of the country-fied instrumentation and K.’s vocals doesn’t mix super well, but it still sounds a bit better than other popular attempts at this style by artists from other genres. In comparison, Yung Gravy’s country project, most of Beyoncé’s COWBOY CARTER, and all of MGK’s country attempts sound leagues worse than Michelle’s collection. Where she succeeds is in how much it feels like she actually applied herself to make this feel like an actual country song. This doesn’t feel quite as gimmicky as “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” did. However, there’s plenty of room for further improvement, and much of that may come from reducing the busy production and focusing on creating an intimate listening experience. This will make it much easier to connect to tracks like “Handle On It” that act as out-loud therapy sessions. Overall, the potential for K. Michelle to be more welcomed by the country music community is there, but it may require a little more time and effort to make the music feel more believable.
2.7
The Fool – Mae Estes Written By Noah Sneath
Mae Estes is an incredibly talented country singer, and her version of Lee Ann Womack’s 1997 hit is a nearly note-perfect reproduction of the original. Which makes it frustrating that, seven years after first releasing music, she still hasn’t put out a full-length debut. Why spend time walking in someone else’s footsteps when she’s proven she can rack up millions of streams with new songs? There’s a nice irony here: the song she chose to cover already borrows successful pieces from other late 80s/mid 90s songs. Its verses open with the same melody that can be heard in the main theme from The Princess Bride (great movie), written by Mark Knopfler [E, E, D, E, C, F, F, G, E] and released in 1987. The E→G→C melody on “I’m the fool” in the chorus matches “…let your life…” in Sarah McLachlan’s 1995 hit “I Will Remember You” (first released on The Brothers McMullen soundtrack). Mae Estes is awesome, and so is this song. But a faithful cover can only prove how good a singer she is, not who she is as an artist. Hearing her sing someone else’s melody this well only underscores the need for her to release an album of her own music.
7.6
Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet – The Reklaws Written By Noah Sneath
Don’t try this at home, kids. This should be the worst song you’ll hear all year. Country EDM is a graveyard; 99% of the time, it doesn’t work, and only a select few can execute it tastefully (e.g., Country Night). “Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet” is repulsive on paper, but in its audible form, The Reklaws created a bluesy, hard-driving honky tonk stomper that does what the best honky tonk has always done: it’s edgy, crass, danceable, and probably very offensive to a set of country traditionalists. Beneath the LMFAO mask, there’s some great songwriting. The melody under “You think that little slice of land makes you country, man” is a D → C# → B → G# → B figure that slides down the scale, then bounces back up like a sneer. The melodies are well constructed, but the song’s irony is the best part. It’s about gatekeeping the country lifestyle, written by a brother-sister duo from Canada making music that more than a few people would label “not country.” It’s a good indicator of where the genre is. Country has spread so far beyond the American South that who and what counts as country is now ambiguous, and the song’s own joke is on today’s bombastic gatekeepers looking for new ways to tell you they’re more country than you. What a song.
7.8
I Know Where I’d Be Without You – Randy Travis Written By Will Chapman
With the upcoming release of Same Old Way, Randy Travis continues to open his vault of previously unreleased recordings, offering another glimpse into the remarkable career of one of country music’s greatest voices. The album’s fifth release, “I Know Where I’d Be Without You,” finds Travis in a somewhat more contemporary setting than listeners might expect. While familiar country instrumentation, including acoustic guitar and pedal steel, remains present, the song’s arrangement and chord progression stray from the traditional sound that defined much of Travis’ career. It’s not necessarily an unwelcome departure, but the result lacks some of the character that made his best recordings so memorable. Lyrically, the song is a straightforward expression of gratitude for a love that changed the narrator’s life, with a familiar message to set aside pride and recognize what matters most. It’s pleasant enough, though hardly groundbreaking, especially considering the wealth of exceptional love songs already in Travis’ catalog. As expected, the vocal performance is the highlight. Even against a less familiar musical backdrop, Travis sounds phenomenal, delivering every line with the warmth and sincerity that made him a legend. “I Know Where I’d Be Without You” is a far cry from classics like “Forever and Ever, Amen” or “Deeper Than the Holler,” and it’s not particularly difficult to understand why this recording remained in the vault. Still, even a lesser Randy Travis recording has plenty to appreciate, and this one makes for an enjoyable, if ultimately unremarkable, addition to his catalog.
7.3
Wanting Me – Vince Gill Written By Will Chapman
Vince Gill continues his remarkable 50 Years From Home series with Marty and Me, an EP featuring songs co-written with Marty Stuart. Among them is “Wanting Me,” a phenomenal, lonesome country waltz that finds Gill doing what he does best. The Floyd Cramer-esque, higher-register, slip-note piano intro immediately establishes the song’s melancholy tone, while a subtle B3 organ provides a warm, atmospheric foundation throughout. Paul Franklin’s pedal steel weaves beautifully through the arrangement, and Sonya Isaacs’ gorgeous harmony vocals are the perfect complement to Gill’s unmistakable tenor. At 69, Gill sounds as good as ever, delivering every line with the solid tenderness that has defined so much of his finest work. Lyrically, “Wanting Me” is wonderfully simple. The narrator is left questioning when and why the love he once knew disappeared, realizing only too late that the relationship had been slipping away. There’s nothing particularly elaborate about the writing, nor does there need to be; it’s simply a great country song. Gill and Stuart allow the heartbreak to speak for itself, and the traditional arrangement gives every word room to resonate. Everything about this recording feels effortless. The musicianship is impeccable, the production is tasteful, and Gill’s performance is nothing short of extraordinary. “Wanting Me” is country music at its finest, and one of the strongest releases in this already impressive series.
9.5
Backwards – Zach Bryan Written By Jack Humphrey
These days, it’s very clear that Zach Bryan makes music solely to scratch a persistent creative itch and seldom, if ever, for the general public. Even with the support of two high-profile features, Young Manhood & Other Donatable Organs was his most aloof, self-absorbed project to date, from the messy soul-rock dirge “Is the Blue Tangled In You?” to the fuzzy, garage rock-indebted “Dog Days.” These far-fetched tangents make the standout “Backwards” all the more refreshing. Here, Zach Bryan leans into what he does best, wistfully untangling his troubled mind with equal parts thanksgiving and regret for the life he’s led so far. It’s simple, heartfelt, and right in line with some of his previous autobiographical offerings, à la “Burn Burn Burn” or “High Road.” You feel Eddie Spear’s presence behind the booth, backdropping this poignant journal entry with the plaintive, mid-tempo heartland rock of American Heartbreak. For better or worse, our reluctant superstar is at his best when he keeps things conservative; whether you jumped on the Zach bandwagon before “Quiet, Heavy Dreams” or after the success of his self-produced work, “Backwards” finds the Zach Bryan we all want to see at his most focused, thoughtful, and widely accessible.
7.5
Thread – Emily Ann Roberts
The sound of intimate 1990s love songs bathed in synth textures is creeping back into the country canon, with Emily Ann Roberts leading the charge on the title track of her new EP “Thread.” The EP as a whole plays out like a tour through a Southern home: from a bay-windowed sitting room with a rocking chair, a thread basket, and a humming old TV, to the garden and the laundry room, with each stereotypical domestic image carrying a metaphor of sorts. Of each track, “Thread” is among the strongest. Her distinct sound on this song, and its shape, are reminiscent of Shania Twain, with more twang and two-stepping. “Thread” is a subtly developed metaphor: she describes her romantic turmoil through weaving, unraveling, and patching her way along moments, professing that she’s “still hanging on by a thread.” There’s a lightness to the Yeehaw Meemaw’s vocals that are reminiscent to many of the great 90s women of country music. It’s infectious, honest, and raw, much like Twain’s “You’re Still The One” or Lee Ann Womack’s “A Little Past Little Rock” with delicate runs. However, the star of the show is Roberts’ vintage-sweet tone, which works like a time machine. It’s a quality that’s largely missing among the new generation of vocalists. While male newcomers like Mack Geiger and Braxton Keith are carrying older sounds forward, there’s a noticeable void on the female side that Roberts has the chops to dominate.
7.9
