The Country Note’s Picks For Best Albums of 2018

2018 was an incredible year for new country albums.  From Kacey Musgraves to Jason Aldean, Pistol Annies, Eric Church, Kenny Chesney,  Scotty McCreery and more released some of their best, ground-breaking work while Jimmie Allen, Morgan Wallen, Devin Dawson, and Jordan Davis were among the up-and-coming new faces of country proudly making their mark.

Thanks to so many great choices, picking our best of the year was not an easy task, resulting in a few additional selections and mentions. So without further ado, check out The Country Note’s Picks For Best Albums of 2018 below:

Lindsey’s Pick: A 2019 Grammy nomination is not bad for “a girl goin’ nowhere” and if you don’t believe me, ask Ashley McBryde. After over ten years of living the classic “Nashville” story—writing songs, playing in dive bars, living on the bare necessities—2018 has taken this girl to places most only dream of! She headlined her first ever tour, made her Opry debut, had a recent appearance on CBS This Morning, and released a critically acclaimed album. The title track, “Girl Goin’ Nowhere”, depicts her own life of her dreams coming true, as the Arkansas native was once told by a teacher that she would never make it as a country singer. Every song is full of grind and grit and an unfiltered approach at the ups and downs of life. These songs play as if they were written with best friends like Terri Jo Box and Blue Foley over a beer on the back porch, probably because they actually were. From the heart wrenching “If You Ever Get Tired of Being Happy” to the reminiscent “Radioland”, McBryde continues to prove why she is a force to be reckoned with. The forbidden references of Kennedy and Monroe in “American Scandal” show off her powerful vocals while the progressive storytelling in “The Jacket” portrays McBryde’s softer side and relatability. The spooky and mysterious “Southern Babylon” brings new light to the “Hotel California” scene. And who could forget her radio debut, track number seven—“A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega”—a true story of her bandmate meeting his wife in the most unusual of circumstances. This is an album everyone needs to get! You will be listening to it for years to come, and while you’re at, catch a show with McBryde and her band, known to all who love them as Deadhorse.

Runners Up: Sugarland Bigger, Shenandoah Reloaded

Janeen’s Pick:
The soundtrack of 2018 includes some amazing albums from all over the country spectrum, including that of Texas country, making it very hard to choose a personal favorite. Both Wade Bowen‘s Solid Ground and Dan Johnson‘s Hemingway were masterpieces in their own right.  Bowen’s talent for songwriting and vocal grit came through as he paid tribute to his home-state through lyrics and various styles from rock to red-dirt to mariachi, and featured some incredible collaborations with Miranda Lambert, Jack Ingram, Jon Randall and Lucie Silvas.

Johnson’s release, which became known as the Hemingway Project, was inspired by personal stories about his father’s military experience and his own interactions at the famous Hemingway house. The five-emotionally deep tracks are accompanied by an audio-book of stories written by Texas author Travis Erwin. The stories go hand-in-hand with the songs and are also voiced by Johnson. The platform of the project was also used by Johnson to help raise mental health aid awareness for our military veterans.

Honorable Mention: My One and Only The Past Year

Christina’s Pick:
This past year a lot of artist put out some amazing albums. Choosing my favorite album of 2018 did not come easy, so let me share my two honorable mentions. Keith Urban‘s Graffiti U and Dierks Bentley‘s The Mountain were exceptional albums that I loved this year. My favorite album for 2018 was Bothers Osborne‘s Port Saint Joe.  Brothers Osborne took their time creating and shaping this album, pouring their heart into it and to me it shows. I appreciate that there is a song for every mood; sweet love songs, upbeat fun songs, and nostalgic songs. TJ’s vocals are on point and John’s guitar riffs are exceptional as always throughout the whole album. My two favorite tracks on Port Saint Joe are “I Don’t Remember Me (Before You)” and “Slow Your Roll”. It’s an album that has something for everyone and as I like to explain it, there are no skip tracks!Port Saint Joe is available where all digital music is sold. You can also catch them on tour next year by visiting http://www.brothersosborne.com/events.

Michelle’s Pick:
With a successful tour, an eagerly released acoustic album that fed into a newly announced acoustic show, 2018 was good for Kip Moore, but 2019 will be better.

Room To Spare: The Acoustic Sessions is a must for any fan, and one that his fans have been waiting for!  The seven track EP is stellar from beginning to end. With songs, all but one, being brand new.

“Plead The Fifth,” from his Slowheart album, was left pretty much the same but the other songs will leave the listener breathless and only wanting more.  “Tennessee Boy” and “Part of Growing Up”are two standout songs that are worthy of a listen.

If you’ve never seen Kip in concert & want to know what to expect, download this album and buy a ticket!

Wanda’s Pick:
With so many great albums dropping in 2018 it’s pretty tough to pick a favorite. There was so much anticipation for new artists’ music as well as the artists we have been listening to for a while. When I sounder through my mind, searching for the ones I listened to most, depending on my mood, there are a couple. First was Josh Turner’s I Serve A Savior.

It’s common knowledge that Turner relies on his faith in God for everything in his life. His roots go back to Union, SC and a little church he attended with his family. Just like his faith, his family is so important to him. One song on the album, “The River (of Happiness)”, was written by his wife Jennifer along with their eldest son Hampton and features the whole family singing together. The song has an old time gospel feel and touches my heart with the lyrics. It doesn’t hurt hearing the boys sing with their parents either.

Turner’s songs “Long Black Train” and “Me and God” are also featured on the album. They are old favorites of mine and flow easily with the other, traditional songs like “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” and “Amazing Grace.” Turner even performs a doxology from his home church.

Overall this album just makes my heart sing and my faith soar. It helps me remember my true calling in this world according to the bible, Go out into the world and share the gospel of Jesus Christ. This reinforced message along with the flood of memories the songs bring make this my favorite album of 2018.

I have to admit I was conflicted when I first started to think about my favorite album. There is another album that got a lot of my listening time and would be considered my second favorite. LANCO’s Hallelujah Nights which features their first two singles Born to Love You and Greatest Love Story, both are favorite go to songs when I’m in a singing in my car, don’t care who hears me mood. The other songs on the album are just as good. Another favorite of mine on this album is Trouble Maker with its twangy vibe about a heart breaker of a woman.

For me, like many other music fans, my mood determines what style and who I choose to listen to. I could be listening to any genre, although country and gospel are my favorites, and anyone in that genre from any point in time. What will be my favorite album in 2019? I have no idea but I am excited to listen to all the new music in the coming year to find out.

Amanda’s Pick:
Looking back on the country music scene of 2018, there were so many albums that could be considered top releases, although Carrie Underwood holds my personal favorite. After a year of personal struggle, which included a nasty fall that left her face in stitches, Underwood released her highly anticipated album, Cry Pretty, with more emotion than any of her albums before. Although this body of work has not been awarded or even nominated by the critics to it’s full potential, it is definitely an album full of pain and love worth listening too. Already released singles, “Cry Pretty” and “Love Wins” have become instant fan favorites and timeless hits for Underwood, who already had 25 #1 hits under her belt before the release of this album. It’s one of those albums you can listen to and hear not only her personal setbacks, but the struggles of our time, such as with the song, “The Bullet.” So much heart and triumph went into the making of this record and I truly hopes it gets the recognition it deserves as we head into 2019!

Honorable Mentions: Kacey Musgraves Golden Hour, Keith Urban Graffiti U

What were some of your favorite albums of 2018?