Your opinion will count, but it will count even more if you put the effort out to convince us all why one album deserves to be considered above the others. However, this is not a straight up and down vote. So if you have an opinion, please leave it below in the comments, including your list of top records if you wish. But it all still fits under the big tent of country music.Īs always, your feedback isn’t just requested, it will be considered in the final calculations. There’s two Southern rock albums, a handful of singer-songwriter selections, some Americana stuff, and a bluegrass record. And admittedly, this year’s crop sees a lot of stuff that hits to the side of country music instead of a bulls-eye.

Also understand there will be a much more expansive “Most Essential Albums List” posted near the end of the year.īut these were the albums that not just yours truly believed were up to snuff, but readers commented on as Album of the Year contenders in their minds. Understand that some of the artists you might want to see here may show up in the Song of the Year nominations such as Emily Scott Robinson, Jesse Daniel, and Jason Eady.

Sitting right on the bubble were albums such as The Light Saw Me by Jason Boland and the Stragglers, Kiely Connell‘s Calumet Queen, and Margo Cilker‘s Pohorylle. Excruciating work went into whittling the selections for Saving Country Music’s Album of the Year to 11 nominees, and even then it feels scandalous that still more weren’t selected. It’s that time of year to once again commence a discussion about the best stuff released in country music.

Johnnie taylor good love album