Music

Country music is easily one of the most patriotic genres. Scores of songs have been written, performed and recorded in dedication to America, her troops and all of the things that make the nation great. Among the dozens of stirring, patriotic anthems, country artists have also turned out a few tunes about the stars and

After years of keeping fans waiting at the edge of their seats, Chris Young is gearing up for his long-awaited new album with the release of a brand-new song, “Rescue Me.” Young dropped the new track, from his Famous Friends record, on Friday (June 11) — but it may sound familiar to some die-hard followers. Those who

This list of the Top 10 country songs of 2021 (so far) recognizes that the word “hit” has several definitions. It awards songs that deserve distinctions when they don’t make the Top 10 but still leave an impact. Think of the first 10 songs on this mid-year list as superlatives, and click any of the titles

Zac Brown Band make an upbeat plea for peace and coexistence in the new song “Same Boat,” which was released on Friday. It’s the group’s first single under a new agreement between Warner Music Nashville and their Home Grown Music. Written by the group with Ben Simonetti and Jonathan Singleton, “Same Boat” has some of

Thirty-four years ago today (June 13, 1987) was an historic day for Randy Travis. On that date, his single “Forever and Ever, Amen” reached the top of the charts, where it stayed for three weeks. “Forever and Ever, Amen” was the debut single from Travis’ Always & Forever album, which also landed in the No.

The Grammy-winning Zac Brown Band are back with a brand-new single, “Same Boat.” The band released the upbeat song on Friday (June 11); fans can get a listen below. “Same Boat,” written by Brown with frequent collaborator Ben Simonetti and Jonathan Singleton, will take fans back to the good-time vibes of “Chicken Fried,” and “Toes,” but

On June 13, 1989, Mary Chapin Carpenter released her second album, State of the Heart. Carpenter co-produced the project her longtime collaborator, the late John Jennings. State of the Heart combines instrumental flourishes from country and folk, and a foundation rooted in sturdy songwriting. The record ended up being Carpenter’s breakthrough, as it peaked at No. 28

Reba McEntire issued a statement Friday denying her advertised participation in a fundraiser this Sunday for South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem. The country star was listed among the special guests on promotional material for the minimum $500-per-person barbecue benefitting Noem — who Rolling Stone dubbed “The Queen of Covid of South Dakota” earlier this year

On June 13, 1989, country music’s mainstream audience met Mary Chapin Carpenter. The future hitmaker and multi-Grammy Awards winner wasn’t new to the studio — her folk-leaning debut album, Hometown Girl, arrived in 1987 and featured bluegrass mainstays Mark O’Connor and Tony Rice — yet it’s Carpenter’s sophomore effort, State of the Heart, that helped Class of ’89 peers Clint

Country superstar Brad Paisley dropped a brand-new song on Friday morning (June 11). “City of Music” is an ode to the dreamers who arrive in Nashville hoping to make it big. “City of Music” follows the story of two hopeful artists who make their way to Music City: the “karaoke queen of Tyler, Texas” and the “second-string quarterback junior transfer

Brian Kelley is taking another step away from his post as half of the popular country duo Florida Georgia Line and is headed to the beach with his debut solo album, Sunshine State of Mind. The record is due out via Warner Music Nashville/Nashville South Records on June 25. Fans who pre-order Sunshine State of Mind will gain

Eric Lindberg and Doni Zasloff, the core of the bluegrass group Nefesh Mountain, had just returned from a family trip to Poland and the Ukraine in 2018 when news broke about a mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. Still emotionally raw from visiting their families’ hometowns in the Carpathian Mountains and

Chris Young songs are some of the most popular of the last few years. Since winning Nashville Star in 2006, the deep-voiced singer has scored an impressive string of hits, including five No. 1 songs in a row from 2009 through 2011, and then another four in a row from 2015 through 2017. Some of Young’s

Michigan native and Grammy winner Billy Strings pushes boundaries and provokes thought with his latest release “Wargasm.” The brand-new song features rapper RMR. It’s not uncommon for Strings to tackle the big issues, as country and bluegrass fans saw in his recently collaboration with Luke Combs, “The Great Divide.” In “Wargasm,” Strings and RMR take

Seventy-two years ago today, on June 11, 1949, Hank Williams made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry. The then-25-year-old performed “Lovesick Blues,” his first No.1 hit, as well as his self-penned single “Mind Your Own Business” … and earned an incredible six encores. Williams began performing when he was still a teenager, but in addition

Fans of Morgan Wallen have been standing by their man since February, when a video of Wallen using a racial slur drew a swift country industry backlash. To show their unwavering devotion to the “Wasted on You” singer, they bought and streamed his LP Dangerous: The Double Album, making it a huge hit. Some even

No cable? No worries. The 2021 CMT Awards weren’t available to everyone to watch, which is a bummer, because the show was fast-paced and engaging from the top. Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini hosted Wednesday night’s (June 9) show. It was a mix of live and recorded performances and celebrity segments that spilled past two hours

After a seven-year hiatus, singer-songwriter and industry veteran James McMurtry is due to release a new album. The Horses and the Hounds is set for release on Aug. 20, and will be McMurtry’s first with New West Records. The Horses and the Hounds promises McMurtry’s well-developed sound, which could only come from an experienced musician, accompanied by personal

Kid Rock certainly didn’t apologize for using a homophobic slur during an appearance at a resort and bar in Middle Tennessee over the weekend. On Facebook on Wednesday (June 9), the rock-rapper (real name: Robert Ritchie) acknowledged the controversy around his use of the word “f—-t,” a derogatory term used to describe gay men, during a recent performance.

Miranda Lambert, Jack Ingram, and Jon Randall performed the drinking song “Tequila Does” off their stripped-down album The Marfa Tapes during the 2021 CMT Music Awards. Seated around a campfire, the trio strummed guitars and harmonized, playing up the natural vibes of the LP, which was recorded mostly outdoors in west Texas. Lambert takes lead

Stars gathered on the 2021 CMT Awards red carpet, leaving behind the muted tones that represented a muted year in 2020. Hot pink seems to be the most popular color right now among country music’s best dressed at the show on Wednesday night (June 9) in Nashville. The annual June showcase has long been a place to be

Niko Moon has selected a second infectious groove in “No Sad Songs,” the follow-up to his No. 1 hit “Good Time.” The singer and songwriter continues to lean heavy on party vibes, but thus far, there’s nothing bro-ish about his lyrics. Along with wife Anna Moon and co-writers Alysa Vanderheym, Joshua Murty and Steven Lee Olsen,

In a new interview with The New Yorker, Mickey Guyton speaks frankly about her life as a new mom, and the tumultuous journey it took her to get here. Guyton — who welcomed her son, Grayson, in February – appears to be effortlessly juggling parenthood and her music career, calmly offering newborn recommendations and tag-teaming baby

Fifteen months after they last performed a live concert, Lynyrd Skynyrd returned to the stage on Friday to shake off the rust. The titans of Southern rock closed out Night One of the Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam, a country-leaning multi-day festival in Panama City Beach, Florida, that featured headlining sets by Brad Paisley and Luke

In February of 2020, Robyn Ottolini released an independent EP, I’m Not Always Hilarious, featuring “F-150″ — the song that would become a viral hit on TikTok and help earn her a record deal with Warner Music Nashville — and three other breakup-focused, sad-girl country songs. Trouble was, she was about to fall in love. His name is Stephen,

Singer-songwriter Kate Vargas‘ new song “Church of the Misdirection” is a warning: You’d be wise to view the world with skeptical eyes — after all, she sings, there’s “three steps to gaining believers: disarm, deceive and attract.” “Church of the Misdirection” — premiering exclusively on The Boot — was, Vargas explains, inspired loosely by Ma

Kid Rock angrily called a group of fans using their cell phones to record his concert “f–king f—ots” and gestured to his crotch in an onstage rant that was captured on camera. TMZ revealed video of the country-rock rapper using the homophobic slur — an incident that happened on Saturday night (June 5) at a bar

Whether it’s coming out of Nashville, New York, L.A., or points in between, there’s no shortage of fresh tunes, especially from artists who have yet to become household names. Rolling Stone Country selects some of the best new music releases from country and Americana artists. (Check out last week’s best songs.) Joey Cape, “It Could Be

Curtis Grimes celebrates lifelong friends in his single “Friends,” and his brand-new music video for the song captures those special relationships. The new clip is premiering exclusively on The Boot; press play below to watch. Grimes and director Paul Galvan “wanted to capture the elements of what makes something feel like home and that make us