Music Tracking 2020: Country

These are 2020 releases that I've taken note of, listed alphabetically by artist, with VA comps at the bottom. My grades, where available, are in brackets at the end of the line (stars in B+ range). Lines in blue indicate that I have a physical copy (albeit sometimes just a promo CDR); in green are records that I graded based on a Rhapsody stream or other such source. Most records have release dates and a brief genre note.

This file is used as the basis for the metacritic new and old music files.

Unheard records are prioritized 0-3 (graded records are 4-5). The priotization is based subjectively on personal interests, reviews I've noticed, reviewers I particularly respect, what I know about the artists, etc. Roughly speaking: 0 is something I have no reason to consider (default page omits 0); 1 has been noted as having some cred somewhere; 2 is something I have some specific reason to search out; 3 is something I'll listen to ASAP.

Option selectors:

Genre switches (selection not implemented yet):

New Releases

  • 49 Winchester: III (self-released) [10-02] - country
  • Jessi Alexander: Decatur County Red (Lost Creek Music) [03-27] - country [*]
  • Jimmie Allen: Bettie James (Stoney Creek) [07-10] - country
  • Jordan Allen & the Bellwethers: Give My Love to Jenny (self-released) - country
  • American Aquarium: Lamentations (New West) [05-01] - country [**]
  • Tori Amos: Christmastide (Decca -EP) [12-04] - Christmas
  • John Anderson: Years (Easy Eye Sound) [04-10] - country [**]
  • Ingrid Andress: Lady Like (Atlantic/Warner Music Nashville) [03-27] - country
  • Courtney Marie Andrews: Old Flowers (Fat Possum) [07-24] - country [*]
  • Roo Arcus: Tumbleweed (Social Family) [09-25] - country [*]
  • Tenille Arts: Love Heartbreak and Everything in Between (Reviver) [01-10] - country
  • Victoria Bailey: Jesus, Red Wine & Patsy Cline (Rock Ridge Music) [09-18] - country [***]
  • Kelsea Ballerini: Kelsea (Black River) [03-20] - country pop [*]
  • Danny Barnes: Man on Fire (ATO) [03-06] - bluegrass [***]
  • Mandy Barnett: A Nashville Songbook (BMG) [08-21] - country [**]
  • Gabby Barrett: Goldmine (Warner Music Nashville) [06-19] - country
  • Tim Barry: Live 2018 (Chunkasah) [11-13] - country [A-]
  • Wayd Battle: Powerless (Wayd Battle Music) [08-10] - country
  • John Baumann: Country Shade (The Next Waltz -19) [2019-11-08] - country
  • Scott H Biram: Fever Dreams (Bloodshot) [11-27] - alt-country [**]
  • Clint Black: Out of Same (Black Top) [06-19] - country [*]
  • Jake Blocker: I Keep Forgetting (self-released) [09-25] - country
  • The Bloody Jug Band: Stranded (self-released) [10-31] - folk
  • Susie Blue and the Lonesome Fellas: Bye Bye Blues (Seraphic) [04-05] - country [**]
  • Paul Bogart: Won't Have Far to Go (117 Music) [11-20] - country
  • Bradley & Adair: Oh Darlin' (Pinecastle) [02-21] - country
  • Phoebe Bridgers: If We Make It Through December (Dean Oceans -EP) [11-23] - Christmas [***]
  • Rachel Brooke: The Loneliness in Me (Mal) [09-25] - country
  • Garth Brooks: Fun (Pearl) [11-20] - country
  • Brothers Osborne: Skeletons (Spinefarm) [10-09] - country [*]
  • Luke Bryan: Born Here live Here Die Here (Capitol) [08-07] - country
  • Zach Bryan: Quiet, Heavy Dreams (Warner -EP) [11-27] - country
  • Zach Bryan: Elisabeth (Warner) [05-08] - country
  • David Adam Byrnes: Neon Town (self-released) [10-02] - country
  • The Cadillac Three: Country Fuzz (Big Machine) [02-07] - country
  • The Cadillac Three: Tabasco & Sweet Tea (Big Machine) [10-23] - southern rock [*]
  • Cam: The Otherside (RCA) [10-30] - country [***]
  • Caitlin Cannon: The TrashCannon Album (Caitlin Cannon) [05-15] - country [**]
  • Hayes Carll: Alone Together Sessions (Dualtone) [09-04] - country [A-]
  • Carolina Blue: Take Me Back (Billy Blue Music) [08-07] - country
  • Mary Chapin Carpenter: The Dirt and the Stars (Lambent Light) [08-07] - country
  • Marshall Chapman: Songs I Can't Live Without (Tall Girl) [04-02] - country [**]
  • Kenny Chesney: Here and Now (Warner Music) [05-01] - country
  • The Chicks: Gaslighter (Columbia) [07-17] - country [***]
  • Tyler Childers: Long Violent History (Hickman Holler) [09-18] - country [***]
  • Brandy Clark: Your Life Is a Record (Warner) [03-06] - country [A-]
  • Billy Cobb: 12 Country Covers of Murder, Sex, Satan and Heartbreak (Please Sign Me) [10-09] - country
  • Brent Cobb: Keep 'Em on They Toes (Ol' Buddy) [10-02] - country [**]
  • Elizabeth Cook: Aftermath (Agent Love) [09-11] - country [A-]
  • Kristy Cox: No Headlights (Mountain Fever) [02-28] - country
  • John Craigie: Asterisk the Universe (Zabriskie Point) [06-12] - Americana [A-]
  • Charley Crockett: Welcome to Hard Times (Son of Davy) [07-31] - Americana [*]
  • Jeff Crosby: Northstar (Jeff Crosby) [04-24] - country
  • Jesse Daniel: Rollin' On (Die True) [03-27] - country
  • Ward Davis: Black Cats and Crows (Ward Davis Music) [11-20] - country [*]
  • Deau Eyes: Let It Leave (self-released) [05-08] - country
  • Bo DePena: Bo DePena (Rio Grande Media) [03-06] - country
  • Amber Digby: Heroes, Mentors and Friends: The Legends Project (Heart of Texas) [04-01] - country
  • Dalton Domino: Feverdreamer (Dalton Domino) [03-31] - country
  • Daniel Donato: A Young Man's Country (Cosmic Country Music) [08-07] - country [***]
  • Drive-By Truckers: The Unraveling (ATO) [01-31] - alt-country [A-]
  • Drive-By Truckers: The New OK (ATO) [10-02] - alt-country [***]
  • Stuart Duncan/Yo-Yo Ma/Edgar Meyer/Chris Thile: Not Our First Goat Rodeo (Sony Classical) [05-01] - bluegrass
  • Herman Dune: Notes From Vinegar Hill (Santa Cruz) [11-06] - alt-country
  • Steve Earle: Ghosts of West Virginia (New West) [05-22] - alt-country [***]
  • Kathleen Edwards: Total Freedom (Dualtone) [08-14] - folk [B]
  • Brett Eldredge: Sunday Drive (Warner Music) [07-10] - country
  • Eleven Hundred Springs: Here 'Tis (State Fair) [01-17] - country
  • Lindsay Ell: Heart Theory (Stoney Creek) [08-14] - country
  • James Ellis and the Jealous Guys: Country Lion (James Ellis) [10-16] - country
  • Joe Ely: Love in the Midst of Mayhem (Rack 'Em) [04-17] - alt country [*]
  • Johnny Falstaff: Lost in the City Lights (Johnny Falstaff) [02-28] - country
  • Arna Georgia: Yes Girl (Arna Georgia) [07-17] - country [*]
  • Gone West: Canyons (Triple Tigers) [06-12] - country
  • SG Goodman: Old Time Feeling (Verve Forecast) [07-17] - country
  • Great Peacock: Forever Worse Better (Great Peacock) [10-09] - country
  • Tyller Gummersall: Heartbreak College (Country Road 330 Music) - country
  • Mickey Guyton: Bridges (Capitol Nashville -EP) [09-11] - country [**]
  • Caylee Hammack: If It Wasn't for You (Capitol Nashville) [08-14] - country
  • Hardy: A Rock (Big Loud) [09-04] - country
  • Honey Harper: Starmaker (ATO) [03-06] - alt-country [B]
  • Kree Harrison: Chosen Family Tree (One Vision Music Group) [08-21] - country
  • Hellbound Glory: Pure Scum (Black Country Rock) [06-05] - country
  • The Hellroys: Hellroys on Earth (No Soul) [12-04] - country
  • TJ Hernandez: Destination Unknown (TJ Hernandez) [05-04] - country
  • Lily Hiatt: Walking Proof (New West) [03-27] - singer-songwriter [**]
  • Hill Country: Hill Country (Hill Country) [05-22] - country
  • Hot Country Knights: The K Is Silent (Capitol) [05-01] - country
  • Ray Wylie Hubbard: Co-Starring (Big Machine) [07-10] - country [**]
  • Sierra Hull: 25 Trips (Rounder) [02-28] - bluegrass [**]
  • Sam Hunt: Southside (MCA Nashville) [04-03] - country [*]
  • Bryan James: Politics or Religion (self-released) [06-11] - country
  • Paul James: As We Go Wandering (PPJ) [01-31] - country
  • Sarah Jarosz: World on the Ground (Rounder) [06-05] - bluegrass [***]
  • The Jayhawks: XOXO (Sham) [07-10] - alt-country
  • Cody Jinks: Red Rocks Live (Late August) [12-04] - country
  • Karen Jonas: The Southwest Sky & Other Dreams (Yellow Brick) [08-28] - country [**]
  • Kacy & Clayton and Marlon Williams: Plastic Bouquet (New West) [12/11] - alt-country [**]
  • Will Kimbrough: Spring Break (Daphne) [10-23] - country [A-]
  • ERR: grade bad priority: KMRU: Peel
  • Stephanie Lambring: Autonomy (Tone Tree Music) [10-23] - folk [**]
  • Logan Ledger: Logan Ledger (Rounder) [04-03] - rockabilly
  • Gabe Lee: Honky Tonk Hell (Torrez Music Group) [03-13] - country [**]
  • Brennen Leigh: Prairie Love Letter (self-released) [09-18] - folk
  • Little Big Town: Nightfall (Capitol Nashville) [01-17] - country
  • The Lost Brothers: After the Fire After the Rain (Bird Dog) [02-07] - folk
  • Lydia Loveless: Daughter (Honey, You're Gonna Be Late) [09-25] - country [*]
  • Corb Lund: Agricultural Tragic (New West) [04-24] - country [**]
  • Anna Lynch: Apples in the Fall (SJ21) [03-13] - folk
  • Lera Lynn: On My Own (Ruby Range) [10-23] - country [*]
  • Shelby Lynne: Shelby Lynne (Thirty Tigers) [04-17] - country
  • Maddie & Tae: The Way It Feels (Mercury Nashville) [04-10] - country
  • Lauren Mascitti: God Made a Woman (Lauren Mascitti) [01-08] - country
  • Ashley McBryde: Never Will (Warner Nashville) [04-03] - country [**]
  • Juliet McConkey: Disappearing Girl (Juliet McConkey) [08-21] - country
  • Tim McGraw: Here on Earth (Big Machine) [08-21] - country
  • McKay & Leigh: McKay & Leigh (Voxhall -19) [2019-12-06] - country
  • Lori McKenna: The Balladeer (CN) [07-24] - folk [A-]
  • Arlo McKinley: Die Midwestern (Oh Boy) [08-14] - country [B]
  • Casper McWade: Unraveled (Death Before Pop Country) [09-04] - country
  • The Men: Mercy (Sacred Bones) [02-14] - country rock
  • Mike and the Moonpies: Touch of You: The Lost Songs of Gary Stewart (Prairie Rose) [05-27] - country [**]
  • Buddy & Julie Miller: Lockdown Songs (self-released) [10-30] - country [***]
  • Dean Miller: 1965 (Eupea Music Works) [08-10] - country
  • Tyler Joe Miller: Sometimes I Don't, but Sometimes I Do (MDM) [11-06] - country
  • Kip Moore: Wild World (MCA Nashville) [05-29] - country
  • John Moreland: LP5 (Old Omens) [02-07] - Americana [**]
  • Cahalen Morrison: Wealth of Sorrow (self-released) [09-04] - country [**]
  • Kacey Musgraves: The Kacey Musgraves Christmas Show (MCA Nashville) [11-28] - holiday
  • Tami Neilson: Chicka Boom! (Outside) [02-14] - country [**]
  • Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real: Naked Garden (Fantasy) [03-27] - country
  • Willie Nelson: First Rose of Spring (Legacy) [07-03] - country [***]
  • Kyle Nix: Lightning on the Mountain (Kyle Nix) [04-30] - country [*]
  • The Northern Belle: We Wither, We Bloom (Die With Your Boots On) [08-28] - country
  • Alecia Nugent: The Old Side of Town (Hillbilly Goddess Music) [09-18] - country
  • Zephaniah OHora: Listening to the Music (Last Roundup) [08-28] - country [A-]
  • The Onlies: The Onlies (self-released) [10-02] - country
  • Rich O'Toole: New York (Buffalo Roam/Average Joes Entertainment) [06-26] - counry
  • The Panhandlers: The Panhandlers (Motel Time Music/The Next Waltz) [03-06] - country
  • Jon Pardi: Rancho Fiesta Sessions (Capitol Nashville) [08-14] - country
  • Jonathan Parker: Broken Hearts & Broken Bones (Jonathan Parker Music) [05-01] - country
  • Dolly Parton: A Holly Dolly Christmas (12Tone) [10-02] - holiday
  • Waylon Payne: Blue Eyes, the Harlot, the Queer, the Pusher & Me (Carnival) [09-11] - country [***]
  • Carly Pearce: Carly Pearce (Big Machine) [02-14] - country [B]
  • Orville Peck: Show Pony (Columbia -EP) [08-14] - alt-country
  • Gretchen Peters: The Night You Wrote That Song: The Songs of Mickey Newbury (Proper) [05-15] - country
  • Malin Pettersen: Wildhorse (Die With Your Boots On) [10-16] - country [**]
  • The Piedmont Boys: Almost Home (Hill House) [11-13] - country
  • Mo Pitney: Ain't Lookin' Back (Curb) [03-13] - country
  • Porter Union: Loved & Lost (Porter Union) [03-06] - country
  • Possessed by Paul James: As We Go Wandering (self-released) [01-31] - folk
  • Margo Price: That's How Rumors Get Started (Loma Vista) [07-10] - country [*]
  • Margo Price: Perfectly Imperfect at the Ryman (Loma Vista) [11-13] - country [**]
  • Katie Pruitt: Expectations (Rounder) [02-21] - country [*]
  • David Quinn: Letting Go (Low Town) [10-23] - country
  • RaeLynn: Baytown (Round Here -EP) [08-14] - country [**]
  • David Ramirez: My Love Is a Hurricane (Sweetworld) [07-17] - country
  • Rattlesnake Milk: Rattlesnake Milk (Feels So Good) [04-28] - country
  • Ashley Ray: Pauline (Ashley Ray) [08-14] - country
  • Reckless Kelly: American Jackpot/American Girls (No Big Deal) [05-22] - alt-country rock
  • Rodney Rice: Same Shirt, Different Day (Moody Spring Music) [08-11] - country [***]
  • Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen: Hold My Beer Vol 2 (Lil' Buddy Toons) [05-08] - country [*]
  • Whitney Rose: We Still Go to Rodeos (MCG) [04-24] - Americana [***]
  • Rumer: Nashville Tears: The Songs of Hugh Prestwood (Cooking Vinyl) [08-14] - country [**]
  • Darrell Scott: Sings the Blues of Hank Williams (Full Light) [04-24] - country [B]
  • Darrell Scott: Jaroso (Full Light) [10-22] - country [*]
  • Ray Scott: Nowhere Near Done (Jethropolitan -EP) [02-21] - country [**]
  • The Secret Sisters: Saturn Return (New West) [02-28] - Americana [*]
  • Jeannie Seely: An American Classic (Curb) [08-14] - country [B]
  • Shaker Hymns: The Ties That Bind (self-released) [08-28] - country
  • Sylvie Simmons: Blue on Blue (Compass) [08-14] - country
  • Dave Simonett: Red Tail (Dancing Eagle) [03-13] - country
  • Sturgill Simpson: Cuttin' Grass Vol 1 (The Butcher Shoppe Sessions) (High Top Mountain) [10-16] - country [A-]
  • Sturgill Simpson: Cuttin' Grass Vol 2 (The Cowboy Arms Sessions) (High Top Mountain) [12-11] - country [A-]
  • Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice: Load the Wagon (Mountain Fever) [02-14] - country
  • Scott Southworth: These Old Bones (Flaming Tortuga) [07-20] - country
  • Chris Stapleton: Starting Over (Mercury Nashville) [11-13] - country [**]
  • The SteelDrivers: Bad for You (Rounder) [02-07] - bluegrass
  • James Steinle: Cold German Mornings (self-released) [12-11] - country
  • Strung Like a Horse: Whoa! (Transoceanic) [10-30] - country
  • Nora Jane Struthers: Bright Lights, Long Drives, First Words (Blue Pig Music) [02-21] - country [*]
  • Sunny Sweeney: Recorded Live at the Machine Shop Recording Studio (Aunt Daddy) [11-13] - country [***]
  • Emma Swift: Blonde on the Tracks (Tiny Ghost) [08-14] - alt-country [B]
  • Brit Taylor: Real Me (Cut a Shine) [11-20] - country
  • The Tender Things: How You Make a Fool (Spaceflight) [03-27] - country [B]
  • Tennessee Jet: The Country (Tennessee Jet Music) [06-25] - country
  • Jonathan Terrell: Westward (self-released) [08-21] - country
  • The Texas Gentlemen: Floor It!!! (New West) [07-17] - country
  • Pam Tillis: Looking for a Feeling (Stellar Cat) [04-24] - country [*]
  • Josh Turner: Country State of Mind (MCA Nashville) [08-21] - coutry [**]
  • Keith Urban: The Speed of Now Part 1 (Keith Urban) [09-18] - country
  • Kelsey Waldon: They'll Never Keep Us Down (Oh Boy -EP) [11-20] - country [***]
  • Joshua Ray Walker: Glad You Made It (State Fair) [07-10] - country
  • Rhett Walker: Good to Me (Provident Music Group) [03-27] - Christian
  • Colter Wall: Western Swing & Waltzes and Other Punchy Songs (La Honda) [08-27] - country [**]
  • Becky Warren: The Sick Season (Becky Warren) [10-23] - country [**]
  • James Robert Webb: James Robert Webb (117 Music) [05-01] - country
  • Gillian Welch & David Rawlings: All the Good Times Are Past & Gone (Acony) [07-10] - folk [**]
  • Justin Wells: The United State (Singular) [08-28] - country
  • Tauren Wells: Citizen of Heaven (Capitol Christian Music Group) [01-24] - Christian pop
  • Westelaken: The Golden Days Are Hard (Westelaken) [08-21] - country
  • Western Centuries: Call the Captain (Free Dirt) [04-03] - coutry
  • Koe Wetzel: Sellout (Columbia) [11-20] - country
  • Jim White: Misfit's Jubilee (Fluff & Gravy) [10-30] - country
  • Hailey Whitters: The Dream (Pigasus) [02-28] - country [**]
  • Chancey Williams: 3rd Street (Younger Brother) [05-22] - country
  • Lucinda Williams: Good Souls Better Angels (Highway 20) [04-24] - alt folk [A-]
  • Tessy Lou Williams: Tessy Lou Williams (Tessy Lou Williams) [05-22] - country [**]
  • Jaime Wyatt: Neon Cross (New West) [05-29] - country [*]

Reissues, Etc.

  • Bobby Bare: Great American Saturday Night (BFD) [04-17] - country
  • Bobby Bare: Bobby Bare Sings Shel Silverstein Plus (Bear Family -8CD) [10-02] - country
  • Grayson Capps: South Front Street: A Retrospective 1997-2019 (The Royal Potato Family) [06-19] - Americana [*]
  • Johnny Cash: The Complete Mercury Albums 1986-1991 (Mercury Nashville) [06-26] - country
  • Johnny Cash: Easy Rider: The Best of the Mercury Recordings (Mercury Nashville) [06-26] - country
  • Johnny Cash: A Night to Remember: May 5th, 1973 (Third Man) [07-31] - country
  • Roy Clark: Greatest Hits (Craft) - country
  • The Everly Brothers: Down in the Bottom: The Country Rock Sessions 1966-1968 (Cherry Red -3CD) [04-03] - country-rock
  • Freddy Fender: El Bebop Kid: En Espanol (Jasmine) [07-17] - country
  • Freddy Fender: El Bebop Kid: In English (Jasmine) [07-17] - country
  • Dallas Frazier: Singing My Songs (1970, RCA) - country
  • Bobbie Gentry: The Delta Sweete [Deluxe Edition] (Capitol) [07-31] - country
  • Wanda Jackson: The Capitol Singles 1971-1973 (EMI Music Nashville) [10-22] - country [*]
  • Buck Owens and the Buckaroos: A Merry "Hee Haw" Christmas (Omnivore) - country
  • Riley (featuring Gary Stewart): Grandma's Roadhouse (1970, Delmore) - country rock
  • Kalie Shorr: Open Book: Unabridged (Tmwrk) [12-04] - country [A-]
  • Waco Brothers: Resist! (Bloodshot) [02-28] - alt-country [A-]
  • Billy Walker: Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight (Bear Family) [02-25] - country
  • Hank Williams: Pictures From Life's Other Side: The Man and His Music in Rare Recordings and Photos (BMG -6CD) [02-21] - country
  • The Harry Smith B-Sides (Dust-to-Digital -4CD) [08-06] - folk
  • Holding Things Together: The Merle Haggard Songbook (Ace -19) [2019-05-03] - country
  • Yellow Rose [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] (Sony Classical) [10-09] - country

Priority Counts

  • Priority 1: 118
  • Priority 2: 14
  • Priority 3: 0
  • Priority 4: 97
  • Priority 5: 1

Total: 230