If there was one criticism you could hand to Jason Aldean, it's that his last album, They Don't Know felt uninspired and repetitive. Say what you will (and they are atrocious songs for the record), but past hits such as “Dirt Road Anthem” and “Burnin' It Down” were both (unfortunately) ahead of their time, and They Don't Know felt like Jason Aldean's first album to not feature any strong, bonafide hit. It's safe to say that Jason Aldean needed to switch things up a bit for his next album.

Look, there's nobody who wants to be on Jason Aldean's side when it comes to his music more than I do. He used to be a favorite of mine when I was a kid, and considering he was on the receiving end of some asinine criticism last year, I found myself on Jason's side more than I wasn't at that time. I also understand that he's in a special time in his life with the birth of his son, Memphis, so if anything, the music is deservingly taking a backseat, and for God's sake, he does at least seem happier these days.

With that said though, just because one tries to go for something different with their music doesn't always mean it will work. Yes, his new single “You Make It Easy” (off of the new album, Rearview Town) is a nice change of pace from his usual country-rock “in your face” style, but that doesn't mean Jason automatically deserves a ton of praise. Think about it – him doing a cover of “Gucci Gang” would have been different, but it doesn't mean it's good.

Of course, I say all of these to lead up to the fact that “You Make It Easy” is (spoiler!) not good, but truthfully it's more plain and boring rather than anything awful. While Aldean's aforementioned past hits had him ahead of his time, “You Make It Look Easy” looks to pull from the same soulful Country well that Keith Urban pulled from to make “Blue Ain't Your Color”. Chris Stapleton also pulled from it to do his rendition of “Tennessee Whiskey”. In terms of the style, besides the organ and electric guitar, it doesn't offer much more. Yes, it's a refreshing change of pace from his usual guitar driven macho country-rock (which I do like for the most part by the way), but it sounds so dull and lifeless. If you're going to remember this song for anything, it's its other elements.

I don't know why they insisted on having that weird vocal effect to make Aldean sound buried underneath the production, but they should have left it off because it makes the song much worse. Truthfully this is probably the most alive and charismatic performance I've ever from Jason since well...ever (stoicism is his game, but there's nothing wrong with showing a little life now and then). If anything, for once, Jason Aldean is the highlight of the track, mostly because he sounds convincing in his love letter to his wife.

Speaking of, that takes us to the lyrical content, and honestly there's not much to say. You can guess what this is about based on the title, and honestly it doesn't offer anything unique or interesting along the way. You've heard the cliches – she's his sunshine on a dark day, his saving grace, and she makes him a better man. There's even a line about her essentially turning him away from his “bad boy” side (okay, Jason). Again, his delivery does help to add somewhat of a charm to this overall, but there's nothing particular striking about this on paper.

So overall, I do respect Jason's willingness to change his sound in the interest of adding some diversity to his catalog, but the end result is a song that's not all that memorable. It's alright, and that's kind of all there is to say.

Grade: C+
Listen: “You Make It Easy”

Author: Zackary Kephart

​I've been unfair to Luke Combs. I didn't want to like this guy at first. I usually roll my eyes when an artist with a large grassroots following is being defended to the death as being “authentic”, mostly because it's one of the stupidest concepts in music. Sure enough, one listen to Luke Comb's earlier material such as “Can I Get An Outlaw” proved that he was a cookie-cutter outlaw. His debut single “Hurricane” had him pulling a 360 in a huge way by being way more modern and synthetic than core Luke Combs fans had probably anticipated, and at that point I was just looking to not like the guy.

Admittedly I was unfair to his debut album because of this bias, and for the longest time I hated his single, “When It Rains It Pours”. The longer that song stayed around though, the more I came to appreciate Luke Combs' affable sense of humor and good natured personality, so much so that I now really like that aforementioned song.

His new single though, “One Number Away” reminds me why I was so hesitant to give this guy a chance in the first place, because it's trying to be so much more than what it actually is. Much like “When It Rains It Pours”, when I first heard this song before his debut album was released way back in June, I hated it as well. Re-listening to it definitely doesn't quite inspire anger in me anymore, but again, it's not good.

The song begins with these foreboding atmospheric electric guitars to set a dark and serious mood, and honestly I'm intrigued to hear what's about to go down. If this were like a murder ballad or a cheating song, it would have the perfect mood set for it.

Instead, the one element that really holds this song back starts to show, and that's oddly enough Luke Combs' delivery. The first verse reveals that all this is about is a man wondering about his ex-lover to the point where it gets creepy. He literally wants to know what she's doing right now and makes several guesses (cranking Mayer though? Really?!?). It's just this insistent urgent tone he's putting off that just adds a whole new layer of creepy to it. I have to wonder if this isn't the same guy from Tyler Farr's “Redneck Crazy” (planning his attack before he attacks). I get that my description sounds over dramatic, but that's the only I can put it.

What helps to cool the tension in the room is that it's revealed that he broke things off and regrets it, so the entire thing is just him expressing his regret. It's framed as a little too sympathetic at times for me to feel all that bad, but at least the creepy factor isn't as strong now. Still, the insistence to rely almost entirely on minor chords during the verses before entering into a bubbly, pop friendly chorus that doesn't even shift gears lyrically is off-putting.

Overall, “One Number Away” is a weird song that, while elevates itself to an alright level by its end also takes a long to get there, and the clumsy opening sends out a confusing message to the listener. Luke Combs is capable of more, and after the corny, yet all the more endearing and upbeat “When It Rains It Pours”, you have to wonder how many people will be responsive to something this dark and cold.  

Grade: C
Listen: "One Number Away"

Author: Zackary Kephart

​Dierks Bentley appeared to be on a winning streak with his latest album, Black, at least commercially. "Somewhere On A Beach" and "Different For Girls" were huge number one hits for him, and the title track also managed to etch out a top five peak as well. Unfortunately, the last single from the album, "What The Hell Did I Say" flamed out so hard on the charts that it managed to become his lowest peaking single ever. 

For some, perhaps that can be seen as a move of karma. After all, as far as critical acclaim is concerned, Black was Dierks Bentley's most panned album to date. The question of where Dierks went from that album era was completely up in the air. Thankfully, him and his team are at least taking the right steps to cultivate the image and sound for Dierks that we all know and love. The only question is, will his new album, The Mountain be that return to form that many are hoping for? Or is the marketing just pulling the wool over our eyes?

After hearing the leadoff single to his newest project, "Woman, Amen", it's hard to answer that question. One thing that is for certain though is that this song in particular is a throwback to earlier times, most notably the Riser era (which yes, only dates back to 2014). The song itself is just this huge, atmospheric ball of energy that makes me wonder what the concept of The Mountain is really going to entail. 

With this new album, many people (myself included) are hoping for something akin to Up On The Ridge Vol. 2 complete with Bluegrass textures and plenty of fiddle, banjo, and mandolin. Now, "Woman, Amen" does not fit that template whatsoever, but with the atmospheric touches added to it, I can still see it fitting the concept somewhat. 

The song begins with some nice acoustic textures and some huge drums before giving way to some electric guitar. For those who are familiar with the folk-country style of say, High Valley, the style will be a welcome fit. The chorus crescendos into the usual clear, anthemic-esque, booming sound that you would expect for the style. The violin that creeps up (even if it's only for a little while) during the bridge is a nice added touch, and as far as the sound is concerned, I would say that it does feel like something that would fit on a "mountain" themed record. Think about it, the huge, booming texture makes it feel like one is literally shouting from a mountain top, and the fact that it's more folk-pop inspired at least gives it somewhat of a more rural feel (only somewhat though). Like a mountain, there's a lot of wide open space for this song to breathe, and that can be appreciated. Dierks will never be known for his power as a vocalist, but he's able to sound convincing and carry the song until its end. 

Where the song stumbles is the lyrical content. Now, considering that songs such as "Female", "Take Back Home Girl", and even a new song called "Bitches" are plaguing the airwaves (the last one isn't, but give it time), it's easy to cringe at a title like "Woman, Amen". Thankfully the song avoids trying to be an anthem or something sleazy and instead opts just as a simple love letter from Dierks to his wife. In terms of the execution, this will be song known more for its dynamics than any other element. The songwriting is thin and generic on paper, with two verses that only contain four lines each and a bridge that just lists off a random assortment of "things" his wife gives to him (faith, grace, hope, strength are some examples). There's really nothing specific that makes me think Dierks Bentley is really invested in his praise of his wife, and ultimately the generic content is what holds the song back. 

Still, as someone who is a fan of the more folk-pop-country hybird that acts such as High Valley and Lanco have adopted, I probably enjoy this song more than I should. No, it's not the Bluegrass inspired track that I was hoping for, but for a Country single in 2018, I honestly wasn't expecting that, especially when Dierks' last single under-preformed. Still, I'd argue that the song fits what the album is going for, and if this is an album that rips a page out of the Marty Stuart handbook by being based around instrumental and production textures, then count me on board for this new album. Welcome back, Dierks. It's good to have you. 

Grade: B
Listen: "Woman, Amen"

Author: Zackary Kephart

Is Taylor Swift still Pop? Is she going back to Country? Is this song at least going to be more Country than Sam Hunt? Well, at least we can answer one of those. Kidding aside, I never thought I'd be blogging about Taylor Swift despite her history in Country music. Granted, I enjoyed a fair amount of her material from her time in the genre, so I wasn't necessarily opposed to hearing something from her hit the Country airwaves once more. By that same token though, I also get what a "Country" single from a Pop star actually sounds like these days (hint: still not Country). Still, I figured I'd retain my optimism and go into this hoping to be surprised. 

I'll admit, I was certainly surprised, but not for the right reasons. My surprise lies in the fact that this is incredibly stripped back, even for Taylor Swift's Country standards. In fact, aside from piano and some organ that pops up during the bridge, there's literally nothing else here. It's definitely setting up to be a lot more vulnerable, and whether or not it sticks that landing we'll be getting to. I will say that the constant stopping and starting of the piano play to utter the words out during the verses is a bit distracting. A fellow critic also pointed out an interesting note when he stated that the song feels a shade too low for Swift's range. I agree. It's almost as if she's whispering most of the time. While I do get why they're doing it (again, they're trying to be more vulnerable), it's not exactly a good fit for her voice. 

That brings us to the last element of the song, and honestly the writing is probably the most interesting thing about this song. Don't get me wrong, it's nothing revolutionary. It's just her reflection on a post party romance, and considering the aforementioned elements don't stick the landing all the way, they do at least serve to set a more intimate and better scene that the writing implies by itself. To be fair, Taylor Swift is a great writer, and the song is definitely loaded with clever one-liners and descriptors that go beneath the surface level. It also does a great job of highlighting her pain knowing that the one-time fling will always be just that even if she wants something more. 

So overall, "New Year's Day" is a song that's setting up for something grand and ultimately comes up short even if there are more good things to say than bad. Still, even if I don't agree with Taylor or her label double dipping as far as genre goes, there's worse things to hear on Country radio. 

Grade: B-
Listen: "New Year's Day"

Author: Zackary Kephart

Dan + Shay were quietly on the road to winning me over with the singles from their sophomore album, Obsessed. Sure, it's undoubtedly pop-country, but as someone who doesn't hate the sub-genre like so many other writers do, I found past singles such as "From The Ground Up" and "How Not To". "Road Trippin'" had always been a mistake for the duo though. The choppy production did them no favors as they sang about a generic summer hookup. It showed too, seeing as how it was the duo's first single to miss the top forty entirely. 

Therefore, it's not surprising to see their new single "Tequila" pivot back to the familiar, mid-tempo love song lane that they had established previously. Unfortunately, "Tequila" seems like a step back for the duo as far as quality goes. 

The song begins with little more than a piano, and sonically the song feels more adult-contemporary than anything. Eventually the guitar kicks in before some spacier textures are added during the chorus. It builds up nicely, and I do have to admit it's well-executed, but it's also a little sleepy as well. The final strings added on towards the end and the dobro do help to give it some life.  Put it this way though, the song will likely earn more points for Shay Mooney for turning in a convincing vocal performance. 

Lyrically though, the song is reaching for a familiar theme without anything creative or original added to it. The song essentially revolves around this guy thinking about an old college flame when he drinks...tequila. Really it could be any drink because it hardly matters. The song does try to insert some more clever lines such as alluding to a trip to Colorado, but overall it just feels very average as far as establishing any emotional connection. It never really expands beyond a very basic idea. Tequila just happens to be the drink of choice that brings memories of her back to him, but why alcohol? Surely there are better, more original items that would remind you of this woman? Then again, the duo are trying to get back into the good graces of country radio, so I get it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. 

Overall, "Tequila" is a sleepy (but still well produced), well sung song that only scratches the surface on a lyrical level. It's not a bad song, but the duo are capable of more. 

Grade: C
​Listen: "Tequila" 

Author: Zackary Kephart

You know, I thought Country music was based on three chords and the truth, not fabricated malarkey. 

Granted, even for as much as I'm willing to admit I'm a bigger Kenny Chesney fan than most writers, let's face it, he's no stranger to just lazily making troubles go away in his songs. Heck, his last album was pretty much based around that entire theme! This isn't Kenny's song though, it's David Lee Murphy's. Granted, older country artists trying their hands at staying relevant once more is nothing new (hello there Neal McCoy!), but considering that David Lee Murphy was only really "big" for the span of a year or two, this is shocking. 

Of course, even though he came up during the 90's, I'm not surprised to hear something that unfortunately fits in so well at country radio in 2018 with its lackluster production featuring pretty much one riff over a drum machine. To be honest, I'm just surprised that someone like David Lee Murphy is actually turning this into a hit. I know Kenny Chesney is on board, but still, he's the secondary artist here. I also thought I'd be able to skip talking about it when it hit the airwaves, but this thing is already in the top thirty! 

Granted, its lackluster production is only something boring about the track instead of something outright bad. There's no beating around the bush here though. The writing is sloppy, poorly framed, and just utterly lazy. It begins with a man drowning his sorrows at a bar until the bartender points to a sign on the wall saying "everything's going to be alright" to help cheer him up. For starters, that's horrible advice. Troubles don't just "go away" with friggin' fairy dust or something. You can tell yourself it will be alright, but the troubles are still there, and you have to face up to them. You can't rely on escapism. 

Really, relying too much on escapism is this song's biggest downfall. The only thing saving this song is that it's more boring than outright something to get angry about. Although I do have to wonder, why is this a duet? it focuses on one guy and a bartender throughout the entire song, and yet both singers here take turns playing the part of the guy drowning his sorrows. Granted, the bartender is a female in this song, and it's not like this song would exactly be "better" as a duet, but it at least would have made sense. Instead, it's confusing, lazy, and nothing I'm going to remember soon enough. Both singers are better than this. 

Side note: I wonder if these two have heard of Nihilist Arby's?

Grade: D+
Listen: "Everything's Going To Be Alright"

Author: Zackary Kephart

After our Worst-Of lists yesterday, let's take a look at what dominated our year musically with our Best-Of list! Here's to another year of great music in 2018!

#18
​Luke Combs, "When It Rains It Pours"

One listen to the second single from Sony Music Nashville artist Luke Combs and you’re immediately transported back to early 2000’s country radio; its sound and subject reminds me of country radio from 15 years ago, especially Blake Shelton’s “Playboys Of The Southwestern World,” which hit the top 30 in 2003…only Luke’s was a huge #1 single in 2017.

“When It Rains It Pours” is a descriptive story about a narrator that hits a massive streak of good luck after his girl leaves him. The song’s series of events reads more the stuff of fantasy but songs that can transport the listener to another world, are a winner in my book. Country music has its share of making the most out of a breakup. Combs’ hit single proves a funny song can also crack our best -f lists. - CB
​

#16
​John Mayer, "In The Blood"

​John Mayer gave us one of the biggest surprises of the year, delivering a top-flight country single to radio. While not a success commercially, "In the Blood" is an exceptional display of depth, emotion, and authenticity, depicting familial bonds in relation to personal profile. Backed by a largely acoustic production and a stellar vocal, Mayer absolutely knocked this one out of the park. - Markus Meyer

#15
Brett Young, "In Case You Didn't Know"

We all know the saying, “where words fail, music speaks,” but there aren’t many songs as good at letting a person let their significant other know how they really feel, than Brett Young’s mega-hit “In Case You Didn’t Know.”
“Baby I know that you've been wondering, mmm, so here goes nothing, in case you didn't know, baby I'm crazy bout you, and I would be lying if I said, that I could live this life without you, even though I don't tell you all the time, you had my heart a long, long time ago, in case you didn't know”.

The song’s production and instrumentation don’t overdo it, which is appropriate for this track. I know it says exactly how I feel about my girlfriend and I’m sure millions of others felt the same. His debut album isn’t perfection, but this song’s message is. - CB
​

#14
Trace Adkins, "Watered Down"

If you were to look in a dictionary and look up "hit and miss", I'm pretty sure you'd see a picture of Trace Adkins. While he has released a lot of questionable singles in his time, songs like "Watered Down" also show that Trace has recorded some of the best the genre has to offer. The production is crisp and warm, inviting you in with the tasteful instrumentation. Moreover, it’s refreshing to hear someone looking forward to the days ahead rather than try and capture their youth. That's not even the only time we'll see that on this list! Regardless, Trace was on point with this track, and it deserves to be praised. - ZK

#13
​Midland, "Make A Little"

Midland make’s our list again with the sophomore single from their debut album, On The Rocks.
This catchy tune reminds those who remember, the days of 80’s and 90’s Country radio; perhaps something Dwight Yoakam would record back in his prime.
“Make a Little” doesn’t come close to reinventing the wheel from a lyrical standpoint but it’s subtle charm in those lyrics and throwback sound, which doesn’t rely on drum loops or a throbbing backbeat, makes the listener realize there is a place on mainstream country radio for actual country music. Get up and two-step! - CB
​

#12
Carly Pearce, "Every Little Thing"

​​Carly Pearce broke onto the scene this year with what is an exceptional single in "Every Little Thing". Atmospheric and raw, the record thrives in exuding emotion. Pearce demonstrates strong vocal and evocative talent, making for a thoroughly enjoyable record from an act to keep an eye on. - MM

#10
​Brad Paisley, "Last Time For Everything"

What sucks about this year's list is that a lot of these songs signal the beginning of the end for some artists, and unfortunately when it comes to his chart success, Brad Paisley is in that club. Simply put, this deserved far better than its paltry top twenty peak. The song is also one of his best singles in quite some time. It tackles the feeling of life never slowing down from a unique perspective with a great hook, and considering Brad’s own career, a lot of the references made here (such as the Prince one) feel earned. Radio might not appreciate you anymore, Brad. However, if you keep putting out quality stuff such as this, I'm sure the fans will reward you. - ZK

#9
Montgomery Gentry, "Better Me"

​​Enhanced by the tragedy surrounding Troy Gentry earlier in 2017, "Better Me" is absolutely one of the duo's strongest efforts in some time. A lesson is self-reflection and improvement, "Better Me" is a record that exudes hope. Backed by a restrained country-rock production, it's well worth your time to give this one a listen. - MM

#8
Lee Brice, "Boy"

Lee Brice could have easily played his comeback as safe. After all, his last two singles didn't connect nearly as much as past hits. However, Lee Brice returned in a big way this summer when he released "Boy". Sure, the theme is simple and has been done numerous times in Country music. However, it’s not so much reassuring his boy through false promises that everything’s going to be magically alright everyday. It’s about reassuring him that there are natural phases of life that he’ll experience as well as be able to watch when he has his own boy. The song even gives enough of a clue to insinuate that the learning process doesn’t end at parenting. Welcome back, Lee. It's good to have you. - ZK

#7
Chris Stapleton, "Broken Halos"

Chris Stapleton takes a lyric of depth and emotion, and makes it truly exceptional with his powerhouse vocal. Wrapping a song about remembering those that have passed with a passionate vocal and an acoustic production, "Broken Halos" is an absolutely outstanding record. - MM​

#6
​Luke Bryan, "Fast"

​​What Luke Bryan gave us with "Fast" is one of his finest moments. It's a reflective record that tells us to live life to the fullest, because it can fly by. Bryan puts in a top-notch vocal performance, and is enhanced by a melancholic, restrained production. This is the stuff Bryan should be producing with his platform as an A-list mainstream act. - MM

#5
Miranda Lambert, "Tin Man"

​"Tin Man" finds Miranda Lambert at her absolute best. Vulnerable, intelligent, and impassioned, it's a record that encompasses country music's best traits. As good as her rocking up-tempos can be, Lambert is an artist that's at her best when subdued, and nowhere is that better showcased than here on one of the year's finest moments. - MM

#4
Alan Jackson, "The Older I Get"

As artists grow older, we don't expect as much out of them. After all, they already gave us their best during their prime. More often than not though, artists will sometimes release quality singles that match up with their best long after the spotlight is gone. Alan Jackson hasn't had a number one hit in nearly a decade (wow does that hurt to say), but as he sings about in "The Older I Get", he's not bitter about his days ahead. He's looking forward to them in a way that puts a different spin on the whole "growing older" theme in country music. Alan Jackson is the artist we don't deserve, and yet our lives are instantly made better by his music. - ZK

#2
​Thomas Rhett, "Marry Me"

​Despite a reputation as a run-of-the-mill bro, Rhett demonstrated true growth with his 2017 album Life Changes, and with "Marry Me", we have the finest track off said album. A devastating song with a clever twist, revealing that the narrator failed to act on his love for the woman in question. With a crisp pop-country production backing it up, and evocative performance from Rhett, we get what was my favorite single of the year, and the best of his career to-date. - MM

With 2018 now upon us, is there a better time to look back and reflect on the year that was 2017? We think not! Over the next two days we will be releasing our year-end features, starting with our annual Worst-Of list. While there was plenty of tremendous stuff this year (which we'll touch on tomorrow), let's take a look at the lesser offerings of the past calendar year. Featured in the rankings are our year-end regulars, Markus Meyer, Zack, and Chris Baggs!

#20
Toby Keith, "Wacky Tobaccy"

I mean, at least "Red Solo Cup" could be fun in the correct setting. This is just immature and lazy. We get it, you're being a "bad boy". Don't worry Toby, I won't tell your parents. I could see the argument for how one would think this is fun, but really, to me it just seems like a cry for relevancy. - Zackary Kephart

 #17
Little Big Town, "Happy People"

Little Big Town is one of the best groups in Country music. Their vocals are unmatched in the format...but even they can swing and miss too. “Happy People” was the second single off their album The Breaker and it was absolutely the wrong choice, as evidence by its inability to crack the top 40 at country radio. The song uses the repeated phrase, “happy people” throughout its verses and the song’s theme while fine, comes off preachy and ends up laundry-listing everything happy people aren’t, when in reality, it’s possible to be happy while having many imperfections along the way. There are worse songs on our worst list but this is easily one of LBT’s lesser offerings. - CB
​

#16
Morgan Wallen feat. Florida Georgia Line, "Up Down"

It's almost as if we counted some long lost single from 2014 just for kicks. I know it's tiring to rag on bro-country at this point, but dear God people, you have to work with what you have. You know things are bad in the Florida Georgia Line when they're on more featured singles than Tyler Childers is on year end lists. - ZK

#15
Shania Twain, "Life's About To Get Good"

I'm as disappointed in anyone that Shania Twain's comeback amounted to...this. Really, we don't need to drag this out. The problems with rhyme with production. Oh wait, it is the production. Well, you get the point, right? - ZK

#12
Cole Swindell feat. Dierks Bentley, "Flatliner"

An obnoxious song about literally nothing. The writing thinks it's way more clever than it is, and the production pounds you over the head. There's no melody, and the performance does nothing to elevate the rest of the record. Well below both the talent of both artists (and Swindell has his fair share of mediocre tunes).  - Markus Meyer

#11
Lady Antebellum, "You Look Good"

Well I was actually kind of looking forward to Lady A's comeback, and came out thoroughly disappointed. In one of the most obnoxious records of the year, the vocal falls flat, the melody goes nowhere and lyrically it says... Well, not really anything. It's thoroughly grating, and is a let down coming from a group who has shown capable of so much more. - MM

#10
Jordan Davis, "Singles You Up"

You know, for a guy who cites Jason Isbell among his influences, I would expect Jordan Davis' music to not...well, suck. "Singles You Up" is the biggest travesty that you (thankfully) likely didn't hear this year though. The song takes the premise of Old Dominion's "Break Up With Him" right down to the creepy insistence for the girl in question to break up with this guy just so she can be with the "narrator". It's overproduced, it's badly written...need I say more? - ZK

#9
​Chris Janson, "Fix A Drink"

Listen, Chris Janson has some serious upside. Listen to "Holdin' Her". Listen to "Drunk Girl". Those are some top-shelf efforts. This.. Well, sucks. There aren't really any redeeming qualities. Janson, who can be a decent technical vocalist at times, comes off as grating, while the production lacks nuance and simply hammers electric guitars. It goes nowhere and simply screams 'Buy Me a Boat 2.0', but without the charm. - MM

#8
Luke Bryan, "Light It Up"

Imagine writing a song about a guy wanting a girl to blow up his phone and that literally being the entire song. That’s what the lead single off Luke Bryan’s What Makes You Country was about and if the theme wasn’t bad enough, it also sounds like a watered-down repeated instrumentation and production of his previous work. Luke Bryan can sing good material but “Light It Up” was easily one of the year’s worst ideas and executed songs. - CB
​

#7
​Keith Urban feat. Carrie Underwood, "The Fighter"

This had serious potential. Two of the most potent vocalists, and strongest talents in the genre teaming up? Man, this could have been good. Instead we got ultra-pop fluff. Like seriously, this is beyond Sam Hunt-level pop. Nothing about this even remotely resembles country music, and quite frankly, it's borderline insulting to even try and peddle it as such. Such a shame. - MM

#6
Florida Georgia Line, "Smooth"

Okay, listen. I've been a Florida Georgia Line apologist before. I'll admit that, despite their lyrical downfalls, I enjoy their upbeat melodies and hooky choruses. But honestly, this is quite poor. It's lyrical cliches wrapped in a grating production and a jarring melody. An unfortunate effort that rightfully fell short of the top ten. - MM  

#4
​Dustin Lynch, "Small Town Boy"

The worst rural cliches from the early 2010's smothered in ceaseless autotune. There's no charm, no personality, and no resemblance of depth in the songwriting. Lynch showed early in his career, or even with passable efforts like "Mind Reader", that he's better than this. What he's doing now is taking the worst of the country-boy phase, with the worst of the pop/R&B phase, and blending them together into one terrible effort. - MM

#3
Canaan Smith, "Like You That Way"

We chose NOT to link to the single cover featuring the butt because...well, do we really have to explain why? Anyway, Canaan Smith tried to draw up controversy by mentioning Miranda Lambert in a questionable fashion on his latest single. After all, it was the only way this guy was ever going to get another hit now that the bro-country well has run dry. Instead, it thankfully did nothing, and now all that's left is a song that's creepy, repetitive, boring, and honestly, completely representative of Canaan Smith's career. - ZK

#2
Sam Hunt, "Body Like A Backroad"

Personally, this is my far and away my pick for the worst single of the year, and this is coming from someone who would easily put Walker Hayes at #1 on any other year. What is there to say that hasn't been said already, though? This song makes your mouth drop each time you hear it, not because it’s breathtaking, but because it’s one of the biggest misogynistic pieces of crap you’ll ever hear in your life. The title really says it all, but even the comparisons he makes are downright creepy. I get that they were probably trying to go for a lightweight, breezy sex song, but in order to make that actually work, beyond good writing you need some personality and charisma. Sam Hunt doesn’t have that. Hell, he doesn’t even sing half of the time. He’s just there. Thankfully aside from that turd by Morgan Wallen and Florida Georgia Line, Sam Hunt didn't completely resurrect bro-country. - ZK

#1
Walker Hayes, "You Broke Up With Me"

I honestly can't think of a single good thing to say about this song. Even if you want to ignore the blatant lack of country influence, there are still no redeeming qualities. The melody is jarring. The vocal is choppy and drenched in autotune, drowning out any chance Hayes had at redeeming it with vocal talent. The lyric is immature, and lacking in any sort of storytelling, or substance. It's genuinely hard to make it through this song. The fact that this has found a home on country radio is a travesty. Does Hayes have a good backstory to tell? Absolutely, but you sure wouldn't know it after listening to this trainwreck. - MM

One of the few truly good societal storylines to come out of 2017 was the 'Me Too' movement. In opening a dialogue regarding sexual misconduct in the workplace, a long-lasting problem was finally unearthed, and brought into the public eye. Perhaps as a reaction to these revelations, Chris Janson has released one of the most powerful songs in recent memory in his latest effort, "Drunk Girl".

Janson's career has been one of hit-or-miss single releases. The likes of "Buy Me a Boat" and "Fix a Drink" fall towards the 'bro' end of the spectrum, while a song like "Holdin' Her" proved him capable of truly excellent country music. As horrific as "Fix a Drink" was, it's fair to say it may have been necessary to have "Drunk Girl" released to the public, and it certainly falls into the latter category of excellence. 

The song depicts a story of a man finding a woman at a bar, and rather than take advantage of the situation, he treats her with respect and dignity, taking her home rather than making sexual advances. Painted with background details and solid imagery, it's an exceptional display of mature, and important lyricism. Perhaps most importantly, the narrator isn't treated as a hero, but rather has his acts displayed in the realm of normalcy. With a proclamation of "that's how you know the difference between a boy and a man", taking the woman home is seen as a simple act of respect that should be exercised by all, rather than a rare display of morality. It's a topic that has yet to be tackled by the mainstream in country music, making Janson's effort even more bold and respectable.  Backed by a sparse, piano-centric arrangement, the record is restrained from reaching power-ballad territory. Meanwhile, Janson's performance is technically-proficient, and earnest in nature. It shines melodically, and is built for repeat listens. 

What Janson has done with "Drunk Girl" is craft a career-moment. Whether it's embraced commercially or not, he has created a record of integrity, and one of importance. It's a piece of music that is among the best we've hear in years, and is a major victory for not just the mainstream sector, but for the genre as a whole.

Grade: A+
​Listen: "Drunk Girl"

Author: Markus Meyer

Hot damn, the Brothers Osborne are on a roll. I'm not even solely referring to their chart success either. Hell, by all accounts, that's the smallest thing to be proud of when you're also now the reigning Duo Of The Year at the award shows. Granted, I also think the biggest accomplishment for Brothers Osborne has been their steady rise in quality since the beginning. Honestly. I respected what these guys were doing when they had singles like "Rum" and "Let's Go There", but I wasn't completely on board. Even their debut album for as good as it actually was felt a tad scattershot at points. 

And then "It Ain't My Fault" happened. Suddenly the Eric Church comparisons made so much more sense, and now, it seems like the Brothers Osborne have finally "sharpened their sword" so to say, because their new single, "Shoot Me Straight" is a pure joy to listen to. 

The song begins with bluesy electric guitar (so again, hello Eric Church comparisons!), and between that and the thumping beat that crops up after a few seconds, it feels like some modern outlaw era track. In other words, it's vastly different from everything currently at country radio in a good way. Then we get to that chorus, and from then on the song just explodes into Southern-Rock goodness. In an era too where so many solos feel under-wrought, Brothers Osborne, double and then triple down to delivery fiery solo after fiery solo. Seriously, the song is literally about two minutes of singing and four more minutes of just straight up guitar play that gets groove heavy and later on really embraces those blues elements. The whole damn thing is an adrenaline rush really. Hell, even the eventual radio edit of this song won't be robbed of an awesome solo!

Much like "It Ain't My Fault", the lyrics of "Shoot Me Straight" can seem non-essential and even clumsy on the first spin or two (although in this particular song, they could be singing about puppies on Mars and it would be still be awesome). However, much also like "It Ain't My Fault", I'd argue that there's a lot of subtext as well. The first verse is made to suggest that this is just centered around two lovers who are bad for each other and yet somehow need each other anyway. Again, not a bad theme, but not terribly original either. However, the second verse talks about vices the narrator in question uses to blow off smoke including hanging with friends and resorting to drinking, and considering there's a line here that states "there's plenty of time for alcohol from happy hour to last call, so do what you gotta do so I can get to getting over you", and you realize he just may be talking about the alcohol itself when he means "shoot me straight", not a friends with benefits situation. In other words, drinking to get over a possible heartache, yes, but also one that cleverly uses a twist to get there. Admittedly I should be more critical of the fact that they're going for the whole "drinking to forget" theme, however, there are some points to counter that. 

One, it's obvious that the narrator is down on his luck (to understate it), so it's understandable that he's drinking to forget in the comfort of his own home. Like the narrator on "It Ain't My Fault", it's obvious that the narrator is a stubborn one, but it's also heavily implied that he's willing to take full responsibilities for his actions in the morning. Two, the escapism theme makes sense since it sort of sets the groundwork for why we even have a nearly four minute solo at all. It may be an utter joy to listen to, but really it symbolizes things just sort of coming undone, and again, there's so much more to this song than what meets the eye. 

But really, even if you come strictly for the solos, it's still an awesome song regardless. It just also happens to be smart lyrically as well. Overall, if the Brothers Osborne are looking to stretch their Southern-Rock muscle on their new album, I'm all for it, because they're damn good at it. Again, the escapism theme may be a lazy one to use, but when it's backed up with the correct groove and atmosphere, I couldn't care less. This kicks ass. 

Grade: A-
Listen: "Shoot Me Straight"

Author: Zackary Kephart