New Country Music You Need To Hear This Week From Kip Moore, Cody Johnson, Riley Green, Bellah Mae & More
- All Country News
- 6 minutes ago
- 10 min read
Kip Moore - Reason To Believe
What makes Reason To Believe especially compelling is how career-encompassing it feels. There are echoes of the wild-eyed dreamer fans first met years ago, but there’s also a hard-earned wisdom that only comes from surviving disappointment, heartbreak and change. Some songs feel built for packed crowds screaming every word back at him. Others feel designed for the lonely hours after midnight when listeners need something to hold onto. That balance is what elevates the album beyond another strong entry in Moore’s catalog. Reason To Believe feels like an artist taking inventory of his life in real time, and having the courage to share the messiness of it. For an artist who has spent much of his career chasing freedom, this may be the first time Kip Moore truly sounds at peace standing still long enough to hear his own thoughts.
Check Out Our Full Album Review
Cody Johnson - Take Me Back (Leave Me There)
For an artist who has built a career on authenticity, Cody Johnson has always understood the power of a good memory. On his latest offering, "Take Me Back (Leave Me There)," Johnson leans into that gift with one of the most soulful and emotionally rich performances of his career. Written by Kelly Archer, Troy Cartwright, and Pete Good, the track isn't simply a nostalgic glance in the rearview mirror—it's a heartfelt surrender to the places, people, and moments that continue to shape who we are long after they're gone.
Wrapped in a smoky, blues-infused arrangement, "Take Me Back (Leave Me There)" immediately stands apart from much of today's country landscape. The production breathes with warmth and restraint, allowing Johnson's unmistakable voice to carry the weight of every lyric. There's a subtle ache woven throughout the song, one that feels less like sadness and more like gratitude for memories that never quite fade. Johnson has always excelled at making songs feel lived-in, and here, he sounds completely at home. His vocal performance is steeped in soul, balancing strength and vulnerability in a way that few modern country artists can. Take Me Back (Leave Me There)," Cody Johnson once again proves that some of country music's most powerful songs aren't about where we're headed, they're about where we've been. The result is a bluesy, soulful reflection that lingers long after the final note fades, serving as a reminder that while we can't relive our favorite memories, great songs can get us remarkably close. And for three unforgettable minutes, Johnson takes listeners there, and makes them want to stay.
Bellah Mae - Keep It Peachy
Country music has always had room for artists who can turn emotional growing pains into something glittering and unforgettable, and Bellah Mae is quickly proving she belongs in that lineage. With Keep It Peachy, the rising singer-songwriter steps confidently into the spotlight, delivering the kind of razor-sharp storytelling and glossy country-pop charm that feels tailor-made for today’s generation of listeners. The six-song EP is more than just a collection of catchy tracks, it’s a statement of identity. Anchored by a title that mirrors Bellah Mae’s bright outlook on life, even in difficult moments, Keep It Peachy invites listeners into a world where vulnerability and optimism coexist. Rather than getting lost in heartbreak or uncertainty, Bellah Mae finds power in perspective, transforming messy emotions into irresistible pop-country confessionals. Produced by Brett Truitt, JANEVA, and Steven Solomon, the project pulses with infectious melodies and polished production while still holding tightly to country music’s storytelling roots. It’s sleek without feeling hollow, modern without abandoning emotional depth. Beneath the shimmering hooks and glossy textures lies a songwriter unafraid to tell the truth. And that truth is what makes Bellah Mae such a compelling new voice. Co-writing all six tracks, Bellah Mae navigates the emotional highs and lows of young adulthood with remarkable clarity. Whether she’s capturing the adrenaline rush of falling hard for someone, unpacking the ache of heartbreak, or standing firm in her own self-worth, she writes with the kind of detail and honesty that instantly pulls listeners in. There’s confidence woven through these songs, not loud or overdone, but deeply self-assured. In many ways, Bellah Mae feels like country music’s newest pop princess, but one with a songwriter’s instinct at the center of everything she does. Her music sparkles on the surface, yet every hook is anchored by lived-in emotion and sharp lyrical detail. It’s the kind of artistry that resonates far beyond a first listen. With Keep It Peachy, Bellah Mae isn’t simply introducing herself as another promising newcomer. She’s planting a flag. And if this EP is any indication, country music may have just found one of its most exciting new crossover stars.
Zach John King - Beneath The Pines
There’s something about a slow dance song that can stop time in its tracks, especially when it comes from an artist better known for rowdy energy and razor-sharp storytelling. But with “Beneath The Pines,” breakout star Zach John King proves that sometimes the loudest statement a country singer can make is a quiet one. Fresh off the momentum of his career-defining Grand Ole Opry debut, King unveiled what may be his most personal and emotionally rich song to date, introducing fans to a softer, deeply rooted side of his artistry. And if first impressions are any indication, “Beneath The Pines” could become the kind of song that follows couples onto wedding playlists and under neon-lit dance floors for years to come. At its heart, the track feels timeless, the kind of love song country music has always needed but rarely gets right anymore. No gimmicks. No over-polished theatrics. Just a vivid snapshot of romance wrapped in pine trees, moonlight, and the ache of wanting a moment to last forever. “‘Beneath The Pines’ is a really classic love song to me,” King shared. “I don’t write a ton of love songs, but when I do, it has to be real and it has to be different.” That intentionality bleeds through every inch of the song. Rather than chasing trends, King leans into atmosphere, building a world so tangible listeners can practically smell the Georgia air hanging thick around the melody. According to King, even the sonic textures were chosen with purpose. “When we finished it, I told my producer it sounds like Georgia,” he explained. “It sounds like a night in the woods with the girl you love.” That vivid sense of place is what elevates “Beneath The Pines” beyond standard country romance fare. King doesn’t just sing about love; he drops listeners directly into the middle of it. You can hear the crackling campfire between the chords, feel the humid Southern night pressing against the edges of the song. Even musically, King avoids the obvious. Built in a six-eight time signature, a rarity in modern slow dance country songs , the track sways instead of strolls, giving it a hypnotic pulse that feels both classic and refreshingly unfamiliar. “It’s in six-eight, which you don’t hear a lot in slow dance songs,” King said. “So it felt like time to put one in.” And that’s the magic trick King pulls off here: making something old-school feel brand new again. At a time when many rising artists are sprinting toward arena-sized anthems and algorithm-friendly hooks, King slows the pace entirely. “Beneath The Pines” isn’t trying to go viral. It’s trying to mean something. That confidence, the willingness to let a song breathe, may be what makes it some of the strongest work of his young career. “At the end of the day, it’s a classic song about dancing with the girl you love out in the woods,” he added. “There’s not much more to it than that. And I think it’s about time my fans got a real love song.” Country music has always thrived on songs that feel lived-in, songs that transport listeners somewhere real. With “Beneath The Pines,” Zach John King doesn’t just deliver a love song, he delivers a memory.
Dasha - Mad About It
Dasha officially enters her next chapter not just as a viral breakout star, but as one of Nashville’s most exciting young hitmakers. If “Austin” opened the door, “Mad About It” walks through it in rhinestones and boots, daring anyone in the room not to stare.
Music City may have found its newest pop-country queen, one built for neon lights, messy memories, and songs meant to be blasted at full volume long after midnight.
Riley Green - Think As You Drunk
There’s a certain kind of country song that doesn’t ask permission before kicking the saloon doors open. It barrels in with boots on the bar, neon buzzing overhead, and a chorus built for the kind of nights that turn into stories by sunrise. Riley Green’s “Think As You Drunk” is exactly that kind of song. Clocking in as one of the standout moments from Green’s latest collection, the track feels destined to become a permanent fixture in his live show, especially once the clock hits around the 3:40 mark, where the song slides headfirst into a honky-tonk fueled frenzy that practically begs for beer showers and arena-wide singalongs. It’s the kind of moment country music was built for. But beneath the rowdy exterior lies something deeper. “Think As You Drunk” doesn’t just thrive as a summer-ready drinking anthem; it also serves as a heartfelt nod to the larger-than-life spirit of Toby Keith. Green channels the same unapologetic swagger and blue-collar charisma that made Keith one of country music’s defining voices, while still grounding the track firmly in his own identity. There’s grit in the guitars, humor in the writing, and just enough emotional sincerity tucked beneath the surface to keep the song from ever feeling one-dimensional. That balance has quietly become one of Green’s greatest strengths as an artist. “Think As You Drunk” captures that tension perfectly. It’s loud, reckless, and undeniably fun, but it also understands the timeless country music formula: the best party songs usually tell you something honest along the way. Green has always excelled at painting vivid snapshots of Southern life, and here, he once again proves himself to be one of modern country’s most effective storytellers. Every line feels lived in. Every hook feels designed for a crowd with their hands in the air. And every nod to Toby Keith lands less like imitation and more like respect from one generation of country hitmakers to another. The result is a song that feels tailor-made for summer amphitheaters, backroad speakers, and late-night barroom jukeboxes alike. More importantly, it feels like a future fan favorite.
Because if country music history has taught us anything, it’s that songs built on heart, humor, and a little bit of whiskey tend to stick around awhile. Riley Green clearly understands that better than most.
Corey Kent - Cigarette Burns
There’s something to be said for a song that doesn’t waste a single second. In an era where bloated tracklists and overproduced hooks often dominate the conversation, Corey Kent’s “Cigarette Burns” arrives like a shot of whiskey at last call, sharp, smoky, and gone before you’re ready for it to end. Clocking in at a lean 2:41, “Cigarette Burns” proves that brevity can still leave a bruise. Every lyric feels deliberate. Every guitar lick lands with purpose. Kent doesn’t meander here; he cuts straight to the nerve. And somehow, in under three minutes, he manages to bottle a sound that feels both sun-faded and brand new. The track carries a distinctly country-western backbone, but Kent continues to blur the edges of genre in a way that’s become uniquely his own. There’s dust on the boots, sure, but there’s also salt in the air. “Cigarette Burns” leans into the laid-back, beach-town rock influences that have quietly become part of Kent’s signature DNA, creating a soundscape that feels equally at home on a backroad in Texas or rolling down the coastline with the windows down. That balancing act is what makes the song so compelling. Kent understands tradition, but he refuses to be trapped by it. Instead, “Cigarette Burns” lives in the space between worlds. It’s rugged but relaxed. Nostalgic without sounding dated. Modern without chasing trends. The result is a track that feels timeless in the way the best country music often does, rooted in feeling rather than formula. More importantly, the song trusts its audience. Kent never oversings. He never forces the emotion. The production breathes, allowing the weight of the lyrics and the atmosphere of the track to do the heavy lifting. That restraint becomes the song’s greatest strength. And maybe that’s why “Cigarette Burns” hits as hard as it does. It doesn’t scream for attention. It smolders. At a time when country music continues to stretch and evolve, Corey Kent is carving out a lane that feels refreshingly his own. “Cigarette Burns” isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, it’s just putting fresh tread on it. The song carries echoes of classic country storytelling while injecting a breezy, rock-infused pulse that feels undeniably current. Few artists can make something feel familiar and unexpected at the same time. Corey Kent does exactly that here. And long after the final note fades, “Cigarette Burns” lingers, like smoke on denim and memories you can’t quite wash away.
Matt Ryan - Neon On
There’s something undeniably magnetic about a neon glow cutting through the darkness of a small-town night, and Matt Ryan captures that feeling with razor-sharp precision on his latest release, “Neon On.” Rooted deeply in the rich traditions of ‘90s country music, the track feels less like a throwback and more like a revival led by an artist who genuinely understands what made that era timeless in the first place. From the very first steel-soaked notes, “Neon On” leans into the smoky barroom spirit that once defined country radio’s golden age. But Ryan doesn’t simply imitate the legends who came before him, he channels them through his own modern lens, delivering a performance that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly alive. It’s the kind of song that immediately transports listeners to a dimly lit honky-tonk dance floor, where heartbreak, whiskey, and hope all live side by side. Ryan’s voice is the real centerpiece here. Gritty in all the right places yet polished enough to glide effortlessly across the melody, he sounds like an artist born for this lane. There’s a lived-in authenticity in his delivery that recalls the emotional honesty of classic country storytellers, while still carving out a space distinctly his own. In an era where much of mainstream country continues to blur genre lines, Ryan boldly plants his boots in traditional country soil, and “Neon On” shines brighter because of it.
Sela Campbell - Cowboy A Try
With industry heavyweights now firmly in her corner and a song this undeniable leading the charge, Sela Campbell isn’t just arriving, she’s announcing herself with authority. “Cowboy A Try” doesn’t scream for attention. It doesn’t have to. The song’s strength lies in its confidence, its craftsmanship, and the undeniable power of Campbell’s voice.
Some artists chase the moment. Others sound destined to outlast it. Sela Campbell sounds like the latter.
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