New Country Music You Need To Hear This Week From Mae Estes, Tyler Braden, Kaylee Rose & More

Mae Estes - The 90s Called

Country music has spent the better part of the last decade looking forward. Pop hooks got bigger, production got shinier, and genre lines blurred until they almost disappeared. But every so often, an artist comes along who reminds us that moving forward doesn't have to mean forgetting where you came from. Mae Estes just made that point loud and clear. With her fiery new single, "The 90s Called," the Arkansas native doesn't just tip her hat to one of country music's most beloved eras, she throws it in the air and dares anyone to say traditional country has gone out of style. From the first blast of dobro and fiddle, it's obvious this isn't nostalgia for nostalgia's sake. It's a statement. Written by Aaron Raitiere and Benjy Davis, "The 90s Called" is packed with the kind of rowdy personality that made Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson and Billy Ray Cyrus staples of dance halls across America. Grammy-winning Time Jumper and Lower Broadway legend Joe Spivey's fiddle slices through the mix while renowned drummer Lonnie Wilson drives the song with a heartbeat that refuses to let up. It's country music that sounds lived-in, loud and unapologetically fun. And then there's that unforgettable hook. The jukebox turns itself on. The landline rings. The mullet tells the mustache, "The '90s called—they want their country back." It's clever. It's hilarious. And somehow, it never feels like a gimmick. That's because Estes is the real thing. She doesn't hide behind the throwback aesthetic, she embodies it. Her voice carries the commanding power of Reba McEntire while delivering the sharp wit and grounded storytelling that made Mary Chapin Carpenter one of country's most respected songwriters. She sounds equally comfortable belting across arena speakers or holding court in a roadside honky-tonk. More importantly, she knows exactly who she is. At a time when authenticity has become one of country music's most valuable currencies, Estes isn't chasing trends or trying to reinvent herself. She's planting a flag. "The 90s Called" feels less like a novelty and more like a declaration that there's still plenty of room in modern country for steel guitar, fiddles, clever songwriting and artists unafraid to sound unmistakably country. That confidence may be the song's greatest strength. With a full-length album expected in 2027, "The 90s Called" serves as the perfect introduction, or reintroduction, to an artist who understands that honoring the genre's roots doesn't mean living in the past. Instead, Estes is using them as the foundation for what's next. If this single is any indication, she's not trying to bring country music back. She's reminding everyone it never left.

Tyler Braden - Sally, When The Wine Runs Out (Stripped)

There are songs that sound made for arena stages. Then there are songs that reveal their true power when everything else is stripped away. Tyler Braden's new acoustic release of "Sally, When The Wine Runs Out (Stripped)" belongs firmly in the second category. Already one of country music's most compelling young voices, Braden has built his reputation on a rare combination of blue-collar grit and emotional honesty. While his full-band recordings hit with the force of Southern rock, the stripped version of "Sally, When The Wine Runs Out" reminds listeners that beneath the roaring guitars is an exceptional songwriter who understands that the smallest moments often leave the deepest scars. The song unfolds like the beginning of a movie. A chance meeting at a late-night dive bar. A woman who "don't dance, but she downs her drinks." A walk home that feels charged with possibility. Then comes the line that quietly shifts everything: "She grabbed my hand at the intersection / I spilled my guts at the red light." It's cinematic songwriting at its best. In just a handful of lyrics, Braden paints an entire relationship built on hope, chemistry, and the uneasy feeling that neither person is quite as fearless as they pretend to be. The chorus lands with heartbreaking restraint. "Sally, don't go falling in love and disappear when the wine runs out." It's less a plea than a confession. Beneath the flirtation and late-night buzz is someone already bracing for the morning after, wondering if what feels real under neon lights will survive the daylight. It's a universal fear wrapped inside a conversation with one person, making the song feel deeply personal while remaining instantly relatable. Without the production of the original version, every lyric carries more weight. Every crack in Braden's unmistakable voice feels intentional. The silence between lines becomes just as important as the words themselves, allowing listeners to sit with the vulnerability instead of racing toward the next chorus. It's another reminder that Tyler Braden isn't simply making country songs, he's becoming one of the genre's most reliable storytellers. That trajectory has become impossible to ignore. With every release, Braden continues to blur the line between mainstream country, Southern rock, and Americana without losing sight of what matters most: songs that make people feel something. Few artists have been building momentum as steadily, or as authentically, and it's becoming increasingly clear that his climb isn't slowing down. If the original version hinted at Braden's star power, "Sally, When The Wine Runs Out (Stripped)" showcases the foundation it's built on. The production may be quieter, but the performance speaks louder than ever. Tyler Braden isn't just knocking on country music's door anymore. He's rapidly becoming one of the artists most likely to kick it wide open.

Jason Scott & The High Heat - How To Get Away With Murder

It's storytelling country music in its purest form, a disappearing art that Jason Scott & The High Heat continue to champion with remarkable consistency. The timing couldn't be better. Fresh off opening several stadium dates for Morgan Wallen, the band is carrying serious momentum into the release of their upcoming album this fall. If "How To Get Away With Murder" is any indication, that record won't simply revisit outlaw country traditions, it'll remind listeners why those stories have endured for generations.

Some songs are made for playlists. Others are made for movie screens. "How To Get Away With Murder" feels destined for the latter.

Check Out Our Full Review

Kaylee Rose - Shovel

Every great country song knows the truth: life gets messy. The best ones also know you don't have to clean it up alone. Kaylee Rose leans into that idea with a grin on her latest release, "Shovel," a tongue-in-cheek anthem celebrating the kind of friendship that comes with no questions asked and no fine print attached. It's a song for the ride-or-die best friend who's just as willing to pop a bottle of bubbly during your biggest wins as they are to show up with tissues, late-night snacks, and, if the situation somehow spirals that far, a shovel. It's country storytelling at its sharpest: equal parts heartfelt and hilarious. Rather than taking itself too seriously, "Shovel" embraces the playful, slightly unhinged loyalty that's become the backbone of countless country songs. Rose delivers the message with enough charm and personality to make every line feel like an inside joke between lifelong friends. The wink is obvious. The smirk never leaves.

Underneath the clever hook, though, sits something surprisingly genuine. Country music has always been built on community, neighbors, family, friends who show up when life falls apart. "Shovel" simply updates that tradition with modern humor, reminding listeners that the strongest friendships aren't measured by the easy days. They're measured by who's still standing beside you when everything goes sideways.

The production keeps things light on its feet, allowing Rose's personality to do the heavy lifting. Her delivery feels effortless, balancing sass with sincerity in a way that makes the song instantly relatable. It's impossible not to picture windows down, friends singing every word back to each other on a summer drive. With "Shovel," Kaylee Rose proves that country music doesn't always need heartbreak to hit home. Sometimes all it takes is a clever hook, a loyal best friend, and the promise that no matter what kind of mess you've made, they'll be there, whether it's with champagne, a shoulder to lean on... or, well, a shovel. It's funny. It's fearless. And it might just become the unofficial anthem for every friendship that's survived a little chaos.

SJ McDonald - When The Whiskey Wears Off

In an era where country music often chases the loudest hook or the quickest viral moment, SJ McDonald is betting on something far more lasting: the truth.

With her striking new single, "When The Whiskey Wears Off," the Nashville newcomer asks a question that lingers long after the last note fades: Who are you when the whiskey wears off? It's a deceptively simple premise, but in McDonald's hands, it becomes a sharp examination of identity, vulnerability, and the versions of ourselves we hide behind when the lights are low and the drinks keep coming. Rather than romanticizing barroom heartbreak, she peels back the layers to reveal what happens after the party ends, when excuses disappear and honesty is the only thing left. That's what makes McDonald feel different. She represents a new generation of female country artists who aren't interested in fitting neatly into a polished, bubblegum mold. Instead, she's leaning into substance, proving that grit, perspective, and fearless songwriting still have a place in modern country music. Her voice carries both strength and restraint, delivering each lyric with the kind of conviction that can't be manufactured. The production never overshadows the story. It gives McDonald's songwriting room to breathe, allowing every question, every pause, and every emotional turn to land exactly where it should. The result is a song that doesn't shout for your attention, it earns it. Perhaps the most impressive part of "When The Whiskey Wears Off" is its point of view. Great country music has always been built on asking difficult questions rather than offering easy answers, and McDonald understands that better than many artists twice her experience. Instead of telling listeners what to think, she invites them into an uncomfortable conversation they may end up having with themselves. That's the hallmark of a songwriter worth paying attention to. With every release, SJ McDonald continues to make a compelling case that she's one of the most exciting rising voices coming out of Music City. If "When The Whiskey Wears Off" is any indication of what's ahead, she's not simply another promising newcomer, she's an artist carving out her own lane with honesty, intelligence, and songs that stick around long after the buzz is gone. Some songs are made for Friday night. "When The Whiskey Wears Off" is made for Saturday morning, when the silence is louder than the music, and the truth is impossible to ignore.

Clay Street Unit - Kids

With fearless musicianship, blistering string work, and enough foot-stomping energy to shake the floorboards, Clay Street Unit delivers a cover that doesn't simply honor the original, it earns its own place beside it. In an era where genre lines continue to blur, their take on "Kids" is proof that the best music doesn't care about labels. It only cares about making you hit repeat.

Check Out Our Full Review

The Band Loula - Blue About You

Country music has always had a soft spot for duos. The magic isn't just in the harmonies, it's in the push and pull, the conversation, the way two voices can tell one story better than either could alone. That's exactly what makes The Band Loula one of the genre's most intriguing new acts, and with "Blue About You," they're making an undeniable case that they're ready for a much bigger stage. From the first verse, the song sidesteps the clichés that often weigh down breakup songs. "It ain't this town that broke my heart / The truck that drove me to the nearest bar..." It's a clever opening because it refuses to point fingers. The heartbreak isn't the town's fault, the truck's fault, or even the whiskey's fault. It's simply the unavoidable reality of loving someone who's no longer there. That perspective gives the song an emotional maturity that feels both classic and refreshingly modern. The Band Loula doesn't lean on flashy production or oversized choruses to sell the emotion. Instead, they trust the writing. "It ain't the gravity that brings me down / Ain't the spinning world that spins me around..." Those lyrics paint heartbreak as something far heavier than physics, an invisible force that follows you long after the goodbye. It's vivid, relatable writing that sticks with you because it feels lived in rather than manufactured. What makes the performance even more compelling is the duo's chemistry. Their voices weave together effortlessly, creating the kind of harmony that recalls the emotional warmth of Sugarland and the polished blend of Lady A. But comparisons only go so far. The Band Loula isn't trying to recreate either act. They're taking pieces of that tradition and filtering them through a sound that feels distinctly their own, equal parts Americana grit and contemporary country polish. There's a confidence in that restraint. At a time when country radio often favors bombast over nuance, "Blue About You" embraces the quiet moments. It lets the lyrics breathe. It lets the harmonies carry the emotional weight. And in doing so, it delivers something increasingly rare: a heartbreak song that feels authentic rather than algorithmically engineered. The Band Loula has been building momentum with each release, but "Blue About You" feels like a turning point. It's the kind of song that introduces an artist to listeners who weren't paying attention before, and ensures they'll stick around afterward. If country's next great duo is still up for debate, The Band Loula just made one of the strongest arguments yet. Sometimes all it takes is one great song to announce your arrival. This feels like one of those moments.

Waylon Wyatt - Dustpiles

Dustpiles isn't simply one of the strongest debut albums of the year, it's a statement of intent. It announces that Waylon Wyatt isn't a promising newcomer waiting for his moment; he's already arrived. If this record is any indication of where he's headed, country music has found one of its next great storytellers.

Check Out Our Full Review

Channing Wilson - Real Damn Country Song

Every generation of country music seems to ask the same question: What makes a country song country? Channing Wilson doesn't spend three minutes debating the answer on his new single, "Real Damn Country Song." Instead, he delivers one.

The Georgia native has built his career on songs that feel lived in rather than manufactured, and his latest release continues that tradition. Serving as the first preview of his forthcoming Dave Cobb-produced album, due in early 2027, "Real Damn Country Song" is rooted in the values that have long defined the genre, hard work, humility, family, and an unwavering sense of identity. Written alongside James Otto, the song doesn't rely on nostalgia for nostalgia's sake. While it acknowledges the legacy of artists like Hank Williams Jr., its perspective is firmly grounded in the present. Wilson isn't trying to recreate the past; he's writing about the people who still live it every day. That authenticity has always been Wilson's greatest strength. His voice carries a weathered quality that can't be manufactured, sounding as though every lyric has been earned rather than performed. It's a vocal performance that doesn't ask for attention but commands it, perfectly matched by production that leans into Southern rock without overwhelming the song's country foundation. The arrangement gives the track plenty of muscle, driving guitars, a steady rhythm section, and just enough grit to keep everything feeling raw, but it never distracts from the songwriting. At its core, this is a lyric-first record, one that understands country music has always been at its best when it tells the truth plainly. What makes "Real Damn Country Song" particularly compelling is its timing. In an era where country music continues to stretch stylistically in every direction, Wilson offers a reminder that there will always be room for songs centered on honest storytelling. Rather than positioning itself against where the genre is headed, the song serves as a reaffirmation that traditional themes remain just as relevant today as they've ever been. There's an undeniable confidence in that approach. Wilson doesn't feel the need to chase trends or manufacture controversy. He simply writes from a perspective he knows intimately, trusting that authenticity will resonate louder than any marketing strategy. As the first release from his upcoming collaboration with acclaimed producer Dave Cobb, the single also hints at an exciting next chapter. Cobb has built a reputation for creating records that strip artists back to their essence, allowing songs to breathe without sacrificing power. If "Real Damn Country Song" is any indication, that partnership could produce some of Wilson's most compelling work to date. Ultimately, the song succeeds because it doesn't try to redefine country music. It simply embraces the qualities that have sustained the genre for generations: honest writing, believable performances, and stories that reflect the lives of ordinary people. Sometimes that's all a country song needs to be. And sometimes, that's exactly what makes it memorable.

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