Nine Country Music Songs You Need To Hear This Week Featuring Luke Combs, Carter Faith, The Red Clay Strays & More
- All Country News
- 12 minutes ago
- 9 min read
Luke Combs - The Prequel
What can’t Luke Combs do? At this point, it’s a fair question. The reigning everyman of country music keeps outpacing himself with every release and The Prequel, his brand-new 3-song collection, is proof that his creative well is nowhere near running dry. Produced by Combs and longtime collaborator Chip Matthews, The Prequel plays like a masterclass in modern country storytelling, three songs, three moods, and a single throughline: authenticity. From the laid-back, beer-soaked escapism of “My Kinda Saturday Night” to the wry self-awareness of “15 Minutes” and the reflective nostalgia of “Days Like These,” Combs doesn’t just sing about life, he distills it. “My Kinda Saturday Night” feels tailor-made for the tailgate crowd, but there’s a warmth beneath the rowdy veneer, a reminder that joy doesn’t always need flash. Then there’s “15 Minutes,” that showcases the kind of storytelling brilliance only Combs can pull off. By the time “Days Like These” rolls around the weight of gratitude hits, a song that feels like a deep breath in a fast-moving world. Each track bears the hallmarks of Combs’ songwriting genius: plainspoken poetry, gut-level emotion, and melodies that feel like old friends. It’s storytelling that doesn’t try too hard because it doesn’t have to. If The Prequel is meant to hint at what’s coming next, then buckle up, Luke Combs isn’t just keeping country music alive; he’s leading it into another golden era, one unforgettable hook at a time.
Carter Faith - Cherry Valley
Sometimes, a debut album just is right. Cherry Valley, the long-awaited full-length introduction from Carter Faith is one of those rare, no-skip collections that feels both timeless and brand new at once. Across 15 tracks, Faith opens the gates to her own little world, one built on wit, vulnerability, and the kind of songwriting that turns small-town moments into universal truths. Her pen is sharp but her heart is louder, and it shows in every line. The album glides effortlessly between moods: the tongue-in-cheek swagger of “Betty” delivers a wink and a sting all at once, while the solo-penned “So I Sing” reveals Faith’s soul in its purest form, stripped back, steady, and sure of itself. Together, they showcase the duality that’s quickly becoming her calling card: equal parts fire and feeling. Faith’s storytelling recalls the bold charm of early Kacey Musgraves and the poetic edge of Taylor Swift’s Red-era writing, but it’s her distinctive perspective, clever, cutting, and irresistibly Southern that makes Cherry Valley feel like its own fresh chapter in modern country. This isn’t just a promising debut; it’s a statement. With Cherry Valley, Carter Faith isn’t knocking on country music’s front door, she’s already inside, making herself right at home.
Ole 60 - Smokestack Town
Every so often, a debut album doesn’t just introduce a band, it immortalizes them. With Smokestack Town, Ole 60 doesn’t just step onto the country-rock landscape; they stake out a fictional world and dare listeners to move in. Produced by sonic heavyweights Jacquire King (Kings of Leon, Zach Bryan, Modest Mouse) and Justin Eckerd, Smokestack Town feels like a film set in the middle of America’s heartland, equal parts nostalgic and raw, where gas stations double as confessionals and Friday nights never quite fade into memory. At the center of it all is frontman and founder Jacob Ty Young, a lyrical architect who sketches small-town life with the precision of someone who’s lived every note of it. His pen moves like a freight train, steady, unflinching, and always bound for the truth. From the album’s opening anthem, the title track “Smokestack Town,” Ole 60 captures the electricity of growing up surrounded by steel, dust, and dreams too big for the county line. By the time the haunting closer “Watching Scary Movies With The Volume Down” rolls in, the band’s storytelling has evolved into something both cinematic and intimate, a portrait of love, loss, and the stubborn beauty of sticking around. The project doesn’t aim to romanticize small-town living, it humanizes it. Ole 60 writes about the kind of people who stay when others leave, the mistakes that echo across decades, and the ghosts that hang around long after last call. Each track breathes the grit and grace of ordinary life, refusing to shy away from the messiness that makes it worth singing about. Smokestack Town isn’t just a debut, it’s a declaration. With the soul of Springsteen, the bite of early Kings of Leon, and the storytelling honesty of Zach Bryan, Ole 60 crafts a sound built to last. A band that will be around for generations? Believe it. Ole 60’s already built the town. Now, the rest of us are just moving in.
The Red Clay Strays - People Hatin’
The Red Clay Strays have never been a band to play it safe. They play it true. With their new single “People Hatin’,” the Alabama-born rock-country renegades return not just with a song, but with a message. A rally cry. A reminder of what music, at its best, can still do: make us feel something real. “People Hatin’” isn’t built to blend in. It lands like a strike of lightning, timely, gritty, and charged with soul. The band leans into their signature fusion of Southern rock, gospel fervor, and raw Americana storytelling, delivering a track that doesn’t just demand attention, it earns it. “It is time to start to love the ones we hate,” the song declares, a line that cuts through the noise of a world addicted to division. The Strays don’t preach from a pedestal, they sing from the trenches, from a place of bruised hope and bone-deep humanity. The chorus swells like a prayer for better days, built on conviction and carried by that unmistakable Red Clay Strays electricity. For a band known for reviving the wild spirit of southern soul, “People Hatin’” feels like the moment they step fully into their role as modern-day truth tellers. It’s not about politics. It’s about people. It’s about remembering that we’re more connected than the headlines want us to believe. In an era where outrage sells and empathy takes a back seat, the Red Clay Strays are reminding us. one roaring chorus at a time that love is still the loudest sound in the room.
Dierks Bentley - Broken Branches Extended
In true Dierks Bentley fashion, the country icon refuses to stay still. Just when his latest album Broken Branches had already cemented itself as one of the most textured, gutsy releases of his career, Bentley goes and adds two more songs that not only elevate the project, they remind us why he’s one of Nashville’s most respected craftsmen. Bentley has always thrived on that fine line between grit and grace, and his two new additions “IYKYK” and “All Night to Figure It Out” prove his artistry is as sharp and instinctive as ever. They’re quintessentially Dierks: smart without trying too hard, grounded without losing edge, and brimming with that knowing wink only a veteran storyteller can pull off. Then, Bentley flips the energy completely with “All Night to Figure It Out,” a song that trades neon-lit rowdiness for candle-lit chemistry. It’s easygoing, acoustic, and steeped in that kind of late-night rhythm that unfolds naturally, unhurried. The dobro twines through the melody like smoke curling off a campfire, while Bentley’s relaxed vocal carries the weight of experience, someone who knows that sometimes, love doesn’t need to be rushed; it just needs to be felt. Together, the two tracks extend Broken Branches into something even more dynamic, a portrait of an artist who refuses to let his roots limit his reach. Bentley’s gift has always been his ability to push his point of view forward without losing touch with where he started. That’s why, twenty years into a career that’s touched arenas, bluegrass stages, and desert festivals, he’s not just a mainstay in Music City. He’s a legend still writing his story in real time.
Caroline Jones - All The Things
Caroline Jones has always been a force to reckon with, a multi-instrumentalist, powerhouse singer-songwriter, and a vital member of the GRAMMY-Award-winning Zac Brown Band. But with her latest release, “All The Things,” Jones steps into an even more intimate spotlight, delivering a track that’s as autobiographical as it is universal. Co-written and co-produced by Jones herself, the song is a heartfelt anthem celebrating the quiet strength of working parents and the indispensable network of partners, family, and friends who make it all possible. From the nervous thrill of deciding to start a family to the delicate choreography of balancing a solo career and life on the road with Zac Brown Band, Jones’ lyrics resonate with anyone who has navigated love, work, and family. Yet, “All The Things” is not just a testament to endurance, it’s a love letter. Jones pays tribute to her husband and those who have stood by her, illustrating that behind every ambitious parent is a village of support. The song’s warm, uplifting melodies pair with candid storytelling, creating a listening experience that feels both deeply personal and widely relatable. In “All The Things,” Caroline Jones proves once again that her artistry thrives at the intersection of honesty, musicianship, and heart. She’s not just making music; she’s crafting an anthem for the modern parent, reminding us all that love, resilience, and community are the threads that hold life together.
Owen Riegling - Taillight This Town
After nearly a year away from the spotlight, rising country star Owen Riegling returns with a bang, dropping his highly anticipated single, “Taillight This Town.” Released via Universal Music Canada and Big Loud Records in the U.S., the track is a stirring ode to fresh starts, capturing the restless energy of leaving one chapter behind while carrying the lessons and memories of home. Co-written alongside heavy-hitters Jimi Bell (Brantley Gilbert, Jon Pardi, Luke Combs, Bailey Zimmerman) and Kyle Sturrock (Blake Shelton, Dierks Bentley), and produced in Nashville by Oscar Charles (Elvie Shane, Chase Rice), “Taillight This Town” fuses Riegling’s signature storytelling with anthemic, heart-on-your-sleeve country hooks. The result is a song that feels both timeless and contemporary, an instant companion for anyone who’s ever stared down a highway at midnight, ready to chase something bigger. Owen Riegling not only marks his triumphant return but also cements his place as one of country music’s most compelling voices of the next generation. The road ahead looks wide open and with this single, it’s impossible not to want to ride shotgun.
Briley King - That’s The Night That The Lights Went Out in Georgia
Sometimes, the internet has a way of shining a spotlight on the unexpected and for Briley King, it was a viral video that lit the fire. Riding that momentum, the rising star has teamed up with her husband, Marcus King, and his band to deliver a bluesy, gritty reinvention of Reba McEntire’s timeless hit, “That’s The Night That The Lights Went Out in Georgia.” The collaboration feels like destiny: Briley’s soulful storytelling and Marcus’s band’s raw, electrifying energy collide to breathe new life into a country classic. Where Reba’s version leaned into the drama of Southern storytelling, Briley’s take digs deeper into the shadows, letting the grit of the blues seep into every note and lyric. It’s part homage, part reinvention, a musical crossroads where country meets the smoky, heartfelt heart of southern rock. What makes this release especially compelling is the backstory. Briley first captured attention with a viral clip that showcased her powerhouse vocals and magnetic presence. Fans immediately knew there was something special happening here and this track is proof. The chemistry between Briley and Marcus is palpable, not just in marriage but in music. Together, they take a familiar narrative and make it feel freshly alive, proving that some stories and voices are meant to be revisited. For listeners craving authenticity, soul, and a touch of rebellion, Briley King’s rendition is more than a cover, it’s a reminder that country music thrives when artists dare to take risks, dig into the heart of a song, and make it their own.
Cody Cozz - Things We Learn In A Bar
More than just a new single, “Things We Learn In A Bar” feels like a turning point for Cozz. “I’m tired of writing for what I think people are going to like,” he admits. “I want to write songs that I’m proud of, songs that move people.” It’s a mission rooted in service. Once upon a time, Cozz thought he’d become a surgeon, driven by a desire to help people. Now, he sees music as a different kind of healing. “I realized I can still help people, it’s just with words and with music. Not everybody has to be the outlaw or the bad guy. I want to try to be the hero for someone who needs it.” And with “Things We Learn In A Bar,” Cody Cozz may have already stepped into that role, turning a quiet moment of eavesdropped wisdom into a song that reminds us all that growth, joy, and second chances are just one barstool conversation away.
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