Nine Country Music Songs You Need To Hear This Week Featuring Noah Hicks, Mae Estes, Lauren Watkins & More
- All Country News
- 9 hours ago
- 8 min read
Noah Hicks - Small Town Does
Carrollton, Georgia, may be small, but Noah Hicks’ voice looms larger than life. The fourth-generation native steps confidently into the spotlight with his latest release, Small Town Does, a bold project that fuses the raw edge of Country/Rock with the soulful storytelling of modern Nashville. Out now via Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment, the eight-track collection is proof that small-town roots can birth big, electrifying sound. With a voice as rough-hewn as barbed wire, Hicks opens Small Town Does with an intensity that demands attention. The record doesn’t shy away from hard truths: hard-working anthems pack a punch with heavy guitars and relentless rhythm, while slower, backroad ballads linger with smoldering, R&B-infused passion. It’s a balancing act that few artists can pull off, yet Hicks lands every note, pairing deep country credentials with a modern, rebellious edge. Listeners will feel the Georgia swagger radiating through each track. From the clenched-fist energy of the uptempo cuts to the vulnerable, heart-on-sleeve moments in the ballads, Hicks writes with authenticity born from experience, not pretense. Every song is co-written, a testament to his commitment to storytelling that is as personal as it is universal. Small Town Does is more than an album. It’s a statement: a celebration of grit, love, and the modern country sound that refuses to be boxed in. Noah Hicks isn’t just telling the story of a small town; he’s telling the story of a new era in country music, one that hits hard, feels real, and leaves you wanting more.
Lauren Watkins - In A Perfect World
There’s a subtle magic in the way Lauren Watkins captures life’s contradictions, its messy, beautiful, sometimes hilarious realities and packages them into songs that feel both intimate and universal. On her debut album, In A Perfect World, Watkins does exactly that: she presents a world that’s simultaneously imagined and intensely real, a musical space where daydreams and domesticity collide.
Cody Jinks - Lonely Man (One Take Acoustic)
Cody Jinks has never been one to hide behind production. The Texas troubadour has built a career on candor, on the kind of storytelling that doesn’t flinch when the truth cuts deep. But with the release of “Lonely Man (One Take Acoustic),” off his latest album In My Blood, Jinks digs even deeper, stripping his sound to the bone and letting the silence do the heavy lifting. From the first breath, there’s a sense that you’re intruding on something sacred. The one-take recording, a gutsy choice in an era of over-polished perfection puts Jinks’ gravelly voice front and center, every crack and hesitation left gloriously intact. It’s not just a performance; it’s a confession. Where the original version of “Lonely Man” carried a full-bodied weight, its acoustic counterpart feels like a reckoning whispered into the dark. The sparse guitar lets the lyrics breathe, each line a scar, each pause a sign of healing still underway. Jinks sings not as a performer chasing redemption, but as a man who’s already fought his demons and learned to live with them. “Lonely Man (One Take Acoustic)” isn’t merely a reimagined track, it’s a masterclass in restraint and authenticity. In a world where perfection often overshadows truth, Jinks reminds us that real power lies in imperfection.
Pricilla Block - Things You Didn’t See
Priscilla Block has never been one to hide behind the gloss. With her sophomore album Things You Didn’t See, the North Carolina native trades in the rhinestones for something far more revealing, 14 tracks that paint a portrait of a woman who’s equal parts bold, bruised, and beautifully unfiltered. Across the record, Block leans into her signature cocktail of candor and confidence, pulling listeners through every corner of her emotional landscape. From gut-punch ballads to the sassy singalongs fans fell in love with, Things You Didn’t See is a mirror, one that reflects both the chaos and clarity that come with growing up and growing into yourself. The title track stands as the album’s emotional backbone, a vulnerable confession that strips Block down to her most honest self. It’s a moment of stillness amid the chaos, showcasing her powerhouse vocals in their purest form. But true to her nature, she doesn’t linger too long in the heartbreak. Tracks like the playful and cheeky “Try” remind us that Block can turn heartache into humor with a wink and a whiskey chaser. What makes Things You Didn’t See so compelling is its duality. One minute she’s breaking your heart, the next she’s lighting up the dance floor all without losing that grit and relatability that’s made her one of country music’s most magnetic new voices. It’s the sound of a woman claiming her space, flaws, fire, and all. With this album, Priscilla Block isn’t just telling stories, she’s living them out loud. And for fans, that honesty is exactly what makes Things You Didn’t See impossible to look away from.
Mae Estes - Mae Estes EP
Rising country singer/songwriter Mae Estes steps boldly into the spotlight with the release of her self-titled EP, out today via Big Machine Records. In just five tracks, Estes proves she’s far more than a newcomer, she’s a force quietly reshaping modern country with a nod to its Neotraditional roots. From the first note, listeners are drawn into a world where storytelling reigns supreme. Estes moves effortlessly between stirring, introspective ballads and booming, back-porch barnburners, showcasing a range that feels expansive despite the EP’s concise five-song structure. Her vocals soar, carrying the emotional weight of her lyrics while flirting with moments of playful, tongue-in-cheek charm that hint at a personality as vivid as her sound. Estes’ careful blend of classic country influences with a modern sensibility positions her as one of the genre’s most promising new voices, a singer capable of bridging the gap between tradition and innovation. While five songs might seem brief, Mae Estes delivers a full spectrum of artistry, leaving listeners eager for what comes next. If this EP is any indication, Estes isn’t just releasing music, she’s laying the foundation for a remarkable career in country music.
Chandler Walters - Justa One Kiss
There’s something electric about a country song that feels like it was born under neon lights, the kind that makes you want to two-step before the chorus even hits. Rising singer-songwriter Chandler Walters, fresh off his GRAMMY® nomination and a wave of Nashville buzz, captures that magic in his new single, “Justa One Kiss.” With its jukebox-ready groove and unmistakably live-band feel, “Justa One Kiss” channels the kind of energy you can only find in a packed Friday-night dance hall. Walters’ voice, rich with Southern charm and a little grit, rides over steel guitars and shuffling drums as he tips his hat to a time when country music was built for barrooms and backroads. “Little blue-eyed blue jean girl / rockin’ my blue dream neon world,” he sings, a line that feels destined to echo across small-town stages and big-city honky-tonks alike. It’s the sound of classic country colliding head-on with a new generation that still believes in storytelling through rhythm and heart. The track was penned by a powerhouse lineup, ERNEST, Devin Dawson, Jacob Durrett, and Kyle Fishman, a team known for turning moments of nostalgia into chart-topping hits. Together, they’ve crafted a song that feels both timeless and brand new, tailor-made for Walters’ throwback swagger. One listen and it’s clear: Chandler Walters isn’t just another name in Nashville’s crowded scene, he’s one of Music City’s brightest new torchbearers, reviving country’s honky-tonk heartbeat with a modern spark.
HunterGirl - Dirt
HunterGirl has always had a knack for capturing the essence of real life in her music, and with her new single “Dirt,” she takes that gift to a whole new level. “Dirt” is the kind of song that makes you feel like you’re sitting on the tailgate of a pickup truck, listening to stories under a Tennessee sky. immerses listeners in a world of small-town traditions and family bonds. HunterGirl draws from her own Tennessee upbringing, painting scenes that feel lived-in and intimate: creek bank fishing trips, garden rows, Sunday talks, and muddy four-wheeler rides. But beneath the nostalgia is a universal message, one that resonates far beyond the country roads of her youth: out of all the roads you take in life, make sure some of them are dirt. Produced with the care and authenticity Trent Willmon is known for, the song balances the warmth of classic country storytelling with a modern sonic polish. HunterGirl’s vocals are earnest and commanding, carrying every memory, laugh, and lesson with a sense of both pride and longing. It’s a song that doesn’t just tell a story, it invites you to live in it. For fans of heartfelt country music that doesn’t shy away from its roots, “Dirt” is HunterGirl at her best yet, a vivid, tender, and unapologetically genuine glimpse into the moments that shape us.
Waylon Wyatt - Pretty Little Liar
Waylon Wyatt knows how to make a first note stick and “Pretty Little Liar” proves it. From the very first breath of harmonica, the song commands attention, its assured vocals weaving through a rich tapestry of bass, banjo, and pedal steel. It’s a sound that nods to the golden age of country while firmly planting its boots in the present. Fans didn’t need long to catch on: the lyrics of “Pretty Little Liar” are now etched in memory, a staple in Wyatt’s live shows where harmonica and fiddle dance across the stage with irresistible energy. Yet beyond its musical craftsmanship, the track resonates because it’s rooted in an experience everyone knows, the messy, hilarious, heartbreak-tinged world of high school. There’s an old-time quality to “Pretty Little Liar” that makes it feel timeless, as if it could have slipped seamlessly into the catalogs of country legends. But the song’s soul is unmistakably Wyatt’s own: a voice that is grounded, relatable, and full of personality, delivering storytelling that could only come from someone intimately familiar with the joys and stings of adolescence. In “Pretty Little Liar,” Waylon Wyatt doesn’t just remind us of country’s storied past, he stakes a claim as one of its most promising next-generation voices. It’s a song that lingers long after the final chord, a testament to the kind of music that both honors tradition and looks forward with bold confidence.
Rachel LaRen - Small Town Beauty Queen
In a world that often prizes perfection, Rachel LaRen’s latest EP, Small Town Beauty Queen, feels like a breath of honest, unfiltered air. Written as a personal anthem for the imperfect, the overlooked, and the beautifully complicated, the collection digs deep into LaRen’s heart, her small-town roots, and the moments that have shaped her journey. LaRen’s signature “Whimsical Western” sound, a dreamy yet grounded blend of rustic country grit and feminine flair shines throughout the EP. From the very first note, produced by Brad Hill, listeners are drawn into a world where harmonies meet heartache, and every lyric feels like a story told over the back fence. Though the EP is compact, its impact is anything but. Each track carries a weight and presence that make you forget the clock is ticking, revealing layers of LaRen’s life and experiences in ways that feel larger than life. It’s a reminder that small towns produce big stories and LaRen is here to tell hers. Small Town Beauty Queen isn’t just an EP; it’s a celebration of the messy, magical, and utterly human side of country life and a statement that Rachel LaRen is a voice ready to be heard far beyond the county line.
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