If there is
a sign of the times, it appears in 2016 that country music with lyrical meaning took
hold of the reigns of some of the top album releases. There were fewer party songs and more songs that reflected on what is happening in modern times. Here are our top picks of the best country
music albums of 2016:
Sturgill Simpson - "A Sailor's
Guide to Earth"
By the end
of 2016, any music fan would soon hear about the beauty in the sound and
production of Sturgill Simpson’s album.
The album itself was written and produced for Simpson’s toddler son. One of the top picked songs is “Brace For
Impact,” which makes a profound statement that one should live their life the
fullest. The sonic sounds from the sea
filled the airwaves throughout the album.
Nevertheless, the Grammy’s took notice and nominated it for overall
album of the year for their 2017 awards. Read about his homecoming performance at the Lexington Opera House.
Blackberry Smoke - "Like An
Arrow"
Blackberry
Smoke seems to appear on my list every year, frankly because anything they
release is that good. It easily
translates into their energetic live performance that many Kentuckians have
come to enjoy over the years. “Like An
Arrow” has made an impact on the charts both in the US and overseas
markets. They define their own southern
soulful rock sound with their latest release.
Top songs include “Waiting for the Thunder” and “The Good Life.”
The Steel Woods – Self Titled
Be sure to
take note of the name, The Steel Woods.
They are also on our list of Ones to Watch in 2017. The talented songwriting and singing from the
duo has really taken notice. Others are
soon noticing the talent as they have been recently booked to open up for
Blackberry Smoke. They also performed at
Kid Rock’s Fish Fry in Nashville this fall.
Top song picks on the album include “Let the Rain Come Down” and “Axe.”
Read our full review & interview here.
Justin Wells - "Dawn in the
Distance"
One of the
most hardworking souls out on the road has to be Justin Wells. With his first solo release, “Dawn in the
Distance,” Justin received outstanding support from friends and music fans
through his Kickstarter campaign. “The
Dogs” showcasing what really happens while struggling on the road. Other top picks include “Going Down Grinnin’”
and the haunting “So Far Away.”
Aubrie Sellers - "New City
Blues"
Country
music needs Aubrie Sellers and quite frankly, she provided quite a song
selection with her debut album, “New City Blues.” She stood out on her own among all of the new
female artists in 2016. It was hard to
pick just a couple of top picks, as all of them are well produced. However, two of our top picks on the album
include “Light of Day” and the fiery “Liar, Liar.”
Margo Price - "Midwest Farmer's Daughter"
Jack White has a hankering for being able to pinpoint pure raw talent for his Third Man Records. That is definitely the case with the beautiful vocals from Margo Price. Perhaps one of the highlights of 2016 was when Margo Price performed on “Saturday Night Live,” as well as on Farm Aid. Top songs include “Tennessee Song” and “Four Years of Chances.”
Wynonna & The Big Noise - Self
Titled
Wynonna has gone
through a lot of things in her life, but with her self-titled album with her
band, The Big Noise, it seems as though she is at peace with her life. Her soulful vocal prowess is in full force
with each song. Top picks on the album
include “Things That I Lean On” with Jason Isbell and “Keeps Me Alive.”
