Country music continues to cross boundaries and captivate a whole new audience. Simon Rushworth picks out 10 top releases as he counts down The Best Country Albums Of 2024.

10. Chris Young — Young Love & Saturday Nights (Sony Music Nashville)

According to the man himself, this was Chris Young ‘a little louder, a little more raw’.

But the country pop troubadour was starting from a fairly low bar: Young Love & Saturday Nights was hardly Nine Inch Nails does Nashville.

Nevertheless, you didn’t need to turn Young’s ninth studio album up to 11 to appreciate another flawless set of nostalgia-rich, contemporary country.

We pointed out that Drink To Remember rocked like peak Poison and Getting Older was the sound of a savvy artist getting better — ‘retro-fuelled goodness beloved of his core demographic’.

This was neither raw nor louder but it made a big, big noise on the country scene.

Read the full review here 

9. Tenille Arts — to be honest (Dreamcatcher Artists)

Quite taken by Tenille Arts during our visit to the world-famous Grand Ole Opry in November 2023, we couldn’t wait to hear to be honest.

And the Saskatchewan native didn’t disappoint on one of the coolest country records of the year.

Roping in buddies LeAnn Rimes and Maddie & Tae towards the end was a canny move but Arts hardly needed help.

This girl’s got talent and bucket loads of it. Wonder Woman and Next Best Thing said it best of all as Arts crafted a country music cracker.

8. Jelly Roll — Beautifully Broken (BBR/BMG)

He might feature on the latest Sonic The Hedgehog soundtrack but don’t hold that against country’s biggest star.

Beautifully Broken was brilliantly conceived — hitting that commercial sweet spot between the traditional and the brand spanking new.

Jelly Roll’s husky tone, heartfelt narratives and Hail Mary hits continue to captivate country die-hards and classic rockers alike.

But Beautifully Broken resonated with the kids too: the tattooed anti-hero of the US music scene set the bar for bold reinvention.

Liar and I Am Not Okay were two of our songs of the year. 

7. Lainey Wilson — Whirlwind (BBR/BMG)

It was difficult to separate Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson in 2024 as two of country music’s biggest hitters went toe to toe.

The friends and label mates both released killer new records, both contested the genre’s biggest awards and both pulled in millions more fans worldwide.

But Wilson’s wonderful Whirlwind blew us away.

Earworm 4x4xU was stuck in our heads all summer long and Country’s Cool Again confirmed what we knew all along.

Whirlwind went down a storm at Rushonrock HQ — as we always knew it would.

6. Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown — Electrified (Rattle Shake Records)

‘Tyler teeters on the brink as he reels off addictive riff after addictive riff: this is some kind of manic, magnetic, sonic magic.’

That’s how we kicked off May’s Record Of The Week review as we welcomed back Tyler Bryant with arms wide open.

Electrified was the sparky, spine tingler of a record that country rock needed in 2024 and it still demands constant rotation now.

The energy was off the scale as The Shakedown dropped a succession of snarling bangers: slow burner Crossfire and opener Between The Lines captured a brilliant band at their smouldering best.

Read the full review here 

5. Carly Pearce — hummingbird (Big Machine Records)

The title track from Carly Pearce’s luscious hummingbird had us transfixed way back in March.

We described it as a ‘magical, mesmerising piece of work’.

And the rest of Pearce’s meticulously crafted long player wasn’t far behind.

That unique vocal tone, coupled with some of the finest musicianship known to Nashville, made for a quite spectacular return to form.

Opener country music made me do it and the neat heels over head showcased an artist happy to push the boundaries and believe in the bold.

hummingbird soared  but this was Pearce down to earth and rooted in authenticity.

4. Brooks & Dunne — Reboot II (Sony Music Nashville)

Halestorm racing through a hard rock take on Boot Scootin’ Boogie

The Cadillac Three coming in from the cold on She Likes To Get Out Of Town

And HARDY upping the ante on Hillbilly Deluxe.

What was not to like about Brooks & Dunne’s latest attempt to breathe new life into a storied back catalogue?

After the wildly successful experiment that was Reboot, one of country’s most beloved duos managed to surpass all expectations on the expansive follow-up.

The collaborations kicked ass, the reworked versions worked a treat and everyone appeared to be having a blast. Including us.

Read the full review here 

3. Cory Marks — Sorry For Nothing Vol 1 (Better Noise Music)

When Cory Marks’ latest long player dropped late last month we suggested that ‘bringing in big guns from the likes of Godsmack, Bad Wolves and Mötley Crüe was a bold move’.

Bold but brilliant.

Marks might have been an MTV god mixing it with the wayward stars of the Sunset Strip had he been born 30 years earlier.

Instead the poster boy for country’s fusion with hard rock continued to raise the bar on Sorry For Nothing Vol 1.

Of course, we loved the Def Leppard-styled Tough To Be Strong best of all. 

Read the full review here 

2. Kacey Musgraves — Deeper Well (MCA Nashville)

Debuting at number two on the Billboard 200, Deeper Well also dropped at number three on the UK’s Official Albums Chart.

Not bad for an artist who continues to explore the folkier side of country without falling prey to commercial pressures.

Kacey Musgraves combines the voice of an angel with nuanced narratives meant to empower and encourage debate in equal measure.

And on Deeper Well, dreamy pop jostled for position with politicised folk without ever missing a step.

Check out Lonely Millionaire or Giver/Taker for a glimpse of the rare talent on show here.

1 Post Malone — F-1 Trillion (Mercury)

Beyonce might have bagged the country crossover headlines in 2024 but one-time rapper and trapper Post Malone hit paydirt with the fabulous F-1 Trillion.

Huge hit I Had Some Help, featuring Morgan Wallen, dominated the airwaves but this was a record rammed with über cool collabs from start to finish.

Whether belting out Wrong Ones with the legendary Tim McGraw, or capturing a classic vibe on Have A Heart with Dolly Parton, Post Malone pitched everything just right.

Flying solo on What Don’t Belong To Me, Right About You and Yours, the 29-year-old proved he could make a decent fist of making decent country without the help of his friends.

But let’s face it — F-1 Trillion was all about Malone’s famous mates lending their talents to a truly transformative record.

Think you know country. Think again.