Nine Country Music Songs You Need To Hear This Week Featuring Dierks Bentley, Zach Top, Lauren Alaina & More

Dierks Bentley - Broken Branches

Whether you're a longtime fan or a newcomer to his music, Broken Branches feels like a personal invitation to slow down, lean in, and listen, not just to the songs, but to the stories behind them. Because when an artist digs this deep, we all walk away knowing a little more about ourselves, too.

Check Out Our Interview With Dierks

Wade Bowen Feat. Cody Johnson - Hidin Behind This Microphone

Red Dirt troubadour Wade Bowen has always had a way with truth-telling, and with the release of a brand-new acoustic version of “Hidin Behind This Microphone,” he proves once again that sometimes, less really is more. Joined by fellow Texan and chart-topping powerhouse Cody Johnson, the heartfelt duet is now available across all platforms, accompanied by a moving video that pulls back the curtain on the vulnerability behind the spotlight. First introduced as the closing track of Bowen’s 2024 album Flyin, “Hidin Behind This Microphone” quickly struck a chord with fans for its raw honesty and emotional resonance. The track wrestles with the toll of life on the road, the exhaustion, the longing, the way music can serve as both a mask and a mirror. In this newly released acoustic version, those themes are laid bare. Gone are the full-band flourishes, replaced instead by sparse instrumentation that allows the weight of the words and the power of the performance to take center stage. Bowen's vocal delivery is at its most poignant here, carrying the ache of a thousand empty green rooms and missed family dinners. Paired with Johnson’s signature grit and soul, the result is a performance that feels more like a confession than a collaboration. Their voices intertwine not just in harmony, but in shared experience. In an era of high-gloss production and polished perfection, Wade Bowen and Cody Johnson remind us that country music still finds its power in simplicity and sincerity. “Hidin Behind This Microphone” isn’t just a song, it’s a shared moment, a gut-punch of truth, and a reminder that even the strongest voices sometimes sing from the softest places.

Lauren Alaina - Heaven Sent

Country powerhouse Lauren Alaina is ushering in a deeply personal new chapter with the release of her poignant single “Heaven Sent,” a song that captures the raw beauty of becoming a mother while honoring the loved ones who are no longer here to witness it. The track arrives just days after Alaina announced the birth of her first child, making its message all the more resonant. “Heaven Sent” is a reflective, heartwarming tribute to the circle of life, the joy of new beginnings woven through the ache of recent loss. Co-written with chart-topping songwriter and labelmate Michael Hardy, the song is steeped in spiritual simplicity and emotional authenticity. It finds Alaina embracing motherhood with awe and reverence, even as she grieves her father, who passed away before this new chapter began. The track’s lyrical imagery is simple yet striking. It’s a snapshot of a life-changing moment, one that speaks volumes about love, loss, and legacy. The “two pretty little pink lines” become a symbol not just of impending motherhood, but of healing, redemption, and hope, the kind of spiritual awakening that country music has long celebrated. Alaina has built a career on honesty and resilience, and “Heaven Sent” is perhaps her most intimate release yet. It’s a timely testament to the strength of women navigating life’s most profound transitions. Where some songs try to force sentiment, Alaina simply tells the truth, and in doing so, delivers a message that feels both universal and uniquely hers. With this song, Lauren Alaina adds another chapter to her story, one filled with grace, gratitude, and the quiet, powerful belief that love never truly leaves us. “Heaven Sent” isn’t just a song. It’s a prayer, a celebration, and a homecoming all wrapped into one.

Kashus Culpepper Feat. Sierra Ferrell - Broken Wing Bird

In a collaboration that feels as effortless as a front porch breeze and as haunting as a fading summer memory, acclaimed southern crooner Kashus Culpepper teams up with four-time GRAMMY® Award winner Sierra Ferrell on the poignant new single “Broken Wing Bird.” The result is a wistful waltz through the tangle of fleeting love, anchored by Culpepper’s soulful grit and Ferrell’s ethereal charm. “Broken Wing Bird” finds its strength in contrast. Culpepper’s voice, weathered and rich with southern gravel, balances beautifully against Ferrell’s fairy-light timbre, like sweet tea poured over a crackling vinyl record. It’s a sonic pairing that shouldn't work, but somehow, it does, and magnificently so. Their duet is both delicate and raw, like the kind of relationship that feels too fragile to last but too deep to forget. At its heart, the song is a poetic meditation on impermanence. The chorus lands like a farewell letter soaked in truth and sorrow. With lines that ache in their simplicity, Culpepper and Ferrell bring to life the cycle of reunion and regret, of love that’s always almost enough. The imagery of a "broken wing bird" is more than metaphor; it becomes a symbol for a relationship that can soar only so far before falling under the weight of its own fragility. For Culpepper, “Broken Wing Bird” marks another standout in a growing catalog that’s turning industry heads and playlist algorithms alike. For Ferrell, it’s yet another reminder of why she remains one of the most distinctive voices in country and roots music today. Together, they’ve created something more than a duet. It’s a moment. One that aches, floats, and sings like a story passed between two hearts and set free on the wind.

Faith Hopkins - Let Him Have It

Emerging Play It Again Music talent Faith Hopkins wastes no time establishing herself as a force to be reckoned with on her fiery new single, “Let Him Have It”. The unapologetic breakup anthem, charges full throttle into the aftermath of heartbreak with grit, sass, and a boot-stomping vengeance. Co-written by Hopkins alongside Kyle Clark, Sarah Killian, and McCall Chapin, the track is as much a battle cry as it is a declaration of self-worth. Hopkins tears through the verses with conviction, making it clear that this isn’t a ballad for looking back, it’s a rallying cry for letting loose. Armed with a sharp tongue and sharper instincts, she flips pain into empowerment, delivering each line like a country queen with a vendetta. With crisp production and a chorus made for blasting down a backroad, the single effortlessly blends southern rock attitude with country pop polish. Hopkins’ vocals shine bright, full of spitfire energy and undeniable command. She swings between sultry and savage with the ease of a seasoned pro. There’s an echo of Miranda Lambert’s fire and Gretchen Wilson’s bravado running through the track, but Hopkins is no carbon copy. She channels those influences while carving her own lane, one paved with steel-toed boots and fierce storytelling. If “Let Him Have” It is any indication of what’s to come, it won’t be long before Hopkins moves from “one to watch” to headliner status.

Kayley Green - You’d Still Be Drunk

Rising country powerhouse Kayley Green pulls no punches in her latest release, “You’d Still Be Drunk”, a sharp-tongued, soul-liberating anthem for anyone who’s ever second-guessed leaving a toxic relationship. Co-written with hitmakers Jason Gantt and Josh Osborne, the track is equal parts bold declaration and winking goodbye note, dressed up in punchy production and a melody that won’t let go. Green describes the single as “a lighthearted reminder that sometimes walking away is a better kind of buzz,” and she delivers that message with a sly smile and plenty of vocal fire. Her performance on You’d Still Be Drunk is arguably her best to date, rich with emotion, laced with grit, and grounded in personal truth. It’s a showcase of her signature vocal strength, but also her ability to inject personality into every note. Sonically, the track barrels forward with the energy of a Friday night, twangy guitars, steady drums, and just enough swagger to raise a glass to. But beneath the rowdy polish is a deeper story: the bittersweet satisfaction of running into an ex and feeling nothing but peace. It’s not revenge. It’s resolution. With “You’d Still Be Drunk”, Green continues to carve her place among the new wave of women in country unafraid to blend humor with heartbreak, and sass with substance. For those ready to trade regret for empowerment, this one’s for you.

Dee White - Heart Talkin’

Slapout, Alabama native and rising Music City star Dee White returns with Heart Talkin’, a self-penned ten-track LP that signals a major creative evolution for the soulful singer-songwriter. With legendary GRAMMY-winning producer Tony Brown, known for sculpting the sounds of George Strait, Vince Gill, Trisha Yearwood, and Brooks & Dunn at the helm, White delivers a record steeped in warmth, character, and craftsmanship. Heart Talkin’ is a tapestry of finely layered guitars and detail-driven storytelling. From the first strum to the final note, the album captures both the grit and grace of Southern life, while elevating White’s unmistakable vocal delivery. The songs feel lived-in, worn like a favorite jacket, yet polished by an artist who knows exactly what he wants to say. White wrote every song on the album, enlisting a sharp roster of collaborators including cosmic country guitarist Daniel Donato, roots rock troubadour Ben Chapman, William Beckmann, Kendell Marvel, Sergio Sanchez, and Melissa Erin. The result is a collection that moves effortlessly between moods, styles, and textures, without ever losing its emotional thread. The album kicks off with the raucous “Up The Creek Again,” a barn-burning jam that sets the tone for White’s confident genre-melding. Elsewhere, the introspective title track “Heart Talkin’” offers a quieter, more vulnerable side. It’s a poignant meditation on love, regret, and the language we use when words no longer work. Each song on the album stands as its own little world, grounded in White’s southern sensibilities but unafraid to push the boundaries. Whether it’s the heartbreak of a ballad or the rowdy thrill of a honky-tonk stomp, White proves himself as a rare kind of artist in Nashville, one who wears versatility as a badge of honor. Heart Talkin’ isn’t just a showcase of White’s musical talents. It’s a declaration of identity from an artist who has found his footing, his voice, and his people. With Tony Brown’s golden touch and a co-writing circle made of some of country music’s freshest minds, Dee White has crafted a record that speaks not just from the heart, but with it.

Scott Wolverton - Do Si Do

Clocking in at just over three and a half minutes, Scott Wolverton’s new single “Do Si Do” is more than just a catchy country toe-tapper, it’s a statement. One that says this fresh voice out of the Midwest is here, he’s confident, and he’s carving out a sound that blends modern polish with rootsy grit. With real instruments front and center and a storyline that finds love on a well-worn dancehall floor, “Do Si Do” proves Wolverton isn’t afraid to tip his hat to the genre’s golden years while still keeping his boots planted firmly in the present. It’s easy to picture this song filling up small-town dancehalls across the country, with couples spinning through sawdust under neon lights. Wolverton’s sound may be contemporary, but his backstory reads like a country song in itself. A successful college baseball player, he learned early on what it means to show up and put in the work. Long before he ever stepped up to a mic, he was stepping up to the plate, sharpening the kind of discipline that would later fuel his transition into music. And before all of that, it was life on the farm that shaped his perspective, teaching him to find beauty in simplicity and strength in routine. “Do Si Do” might be Wolverton’s introduction to many, but it won’t be the last time his name’s in the mix. He’s proven he has the heart of a traditionalist, the voice of a modern-day troubadour, and the drive of someone who’s been chasing big dreams his whole life.

Zach Top - Good Times & Tan Lines

If summer had a theme song, Zach Top just wrote it. With his new single “Good Times & Tan Lines”, the modern-day honkytonk troubadour proves once again that he knows exactly how to bottle nostalgia, melody, and feel-good memories into a jukebox-ready country anthem. It’s the kind of track that practically begs to be cranked up with the windows down, cooler packed, and a dirt road stretching out ahead. Opening with the imagery of dust clouds trailing behind a Chevy on a gravel road, Top sets the scene for the kind of summer day country fans dream about. The lyrics unfold like a faded photo album, cannonballs off an old rope swing, beer on ice, and a little mischief under the moonlight. It’s classic country, but through Zach Top’s lens, it feels fresh. The production leans into twangy guitars and sun-drenched rhythms that are just as much at home in a dive bar as they are on a lake dock. His smooth, throwback vocal style calls to mind the golden era of '90s country while keeping one boot firmly planted in today’s radio-ready sound. Zach Top has carved out a lane that blends tradition with polish, and "Good Times & Tan Lines" is another notch in his belt of undeniable summer-ready hits. More than a song, it's a feeling, one that captures the freedom of a perfect summer night and invites us all to relive it, one chorus at a time.