Country music in 2022 was marked by artists releasing music often born out a two-year stretch of uncertainty, when musicians were forced off the road and into Zoom room co-writes or simply had to retreat into their own quiet places of creativity. The result of that upheaval was artists making some of the most compelling and self-assured albums of their careers, from Maren Morris' Humble Quest, a stirring collection of songs about emotional growth and life changes, to Ashley McBryde's collaborative exploration of small town sagas, Lindeville. Miranda Lambert expanded on her wandering spirit with Palomino, while Kelsea Ballerini marked a year of transition and Kane Brown dove deeper into his musical inspirations to create a career-defining album that found him celebrating everything from '90s country to talking blues.
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Here are Wide Open Country's picks for the 15 best country albums of the year.
Stereotype, Cole Swindell
Beyond career benchmarks "Single Saturday Night" and "She Had Me at Heads Carolina," Cole Swindell's Stereotype pairs him with fellow modern duet masters Hardy ("Down to the Bar") and Lainey Wilson ("Never Say Never"). Of course, it takes more than impactful singles and memorable guest appearances to earn Album of the Year consideration. Sonically diverse deep cuts are musts, and Swindell delivers just that with pop-country brawn ("Sayin' You Love Me") and small-town heartthrob finesse ("Some Habits"). Listen here. -- Bobby Moore
All In, Chris Janson
Chris Janson's fourth big-label album is a master class in modernizing the revved-up country-meets-rock sounds of Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart. Tritt gives his stamp of approval with his appearance on "Things You Can't Give Without," while "Halfway to Crazy" guest Rhett Akins further magnifies Janson's place in the '90s country revival. Despite being a rewarding listen for fans of hard-hitting tunes about rural life, All In is devoid of a definitive hit, with only George Strait-style heart song "Bye Mom" entering country's Top 40 as a single. Listen here. -- BM
Game Changer, Jim Lauderdale
Veteran singer-songwriter Jim Lauderdale spread a refreshingly positive message on hard country-inspired album Game Changer. Beyond sounding charmingly upbeat, West Coast country throwbacks "Friends Again" and "That Kind of Life (That Kind of Day)" preach keeping things on the sunny side. Other highlights time travel back to the days of honky tonk heartbreak songs ("Wishbone") and swampy Southern rock amalgams of regional sounds ("You're Hoggin' My Mind"). Listen here. -- BM
The Man from Waco, Charley Crockett
To call Charley Crockett prolific would be an understatement, considering he's released 11 albums in a little over seven years. Quantity never sacrifices quality, with September release The Man from Waco holding up to the high standard of the previous year's Music City USA. Crockett stuns with hard country throwbacks like "All the Way from Atlanta" and "Name on a Billboard," while soul and R&B stew "I'm Just a Clown" reminds us that he's always been inspired by more than Bob Wills and Buck Owens. Listen here. -- BM
Never Slow Down, Po' Ramblin' Boys
The best young band in bluegrass ponders what the Stanley Brothers might sound like in the 21st century on this, the follow up to 2019's Grammy-nominated album Toil, Tears & Trouble. It's the first set of songs to feature fiddler Laura Orshaw as a full-time member. Beyond upping the group's instrumental and harmony-singing games, she handles lead vocals on a stunning reimagining of George Jones' "Where Grass Don't Grow." For a taste of industrial-strength bluegrass, hear the band tear through "Blues Are Coming Close at Hand." Listen here. -- BM
Where We Started, Thomas Rhett
Thomas Rhett's Where We Started lengthens his string of albums that juggle feel-good vibes with deep introspection. Candid Tyler Hubbard and Russell Dickerson collaboration "Death Row," carefree Riley Green duet "Half of Me" and a title track team-up with pop culture fixture Katy Perry anchor one of the best start-to-finish listens of the year. There's sonic variety among the deeper cuts, from the masterfully-crafted Lori McKenna co-write and could-be Americana stunner "The Hill" to the orchestral pop-country curveball "Us Someday." Listen here. -- BM
Growin' Up, Luke Combs
A lot changed for Luke Combs in between What You See is What You Get (2019) and the June 24 release of Growin' Up. He got married, became a first-time dad and won the CMA's top prize, Entertainer of the Year-- an award he's since successfully defended. In this season of his life, a rowdy friend who's settling down relies way less on beer-drinking songs, focusing instead on how he measures up to past expectations ("Used to Wish I Was") when considering the blessings in his life ("The Kind of Love We Make"). Listen here. -- BM
Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville, Ashley McBryde
If anyone approaches Brandy Clark's skill at encapsulating entire small towns in song, it's Ashley McBryde. The two joined forces as songwriters and vocal partners across this late September release that's a tribute to fellow rural world-builder Dennis Linde ("John Deere Green," "Goodbye Earl"). McBryde, Clark and a stacked list of guest vocalists bring us such delightful titles as "Gospel Night at the Strip Club," which has way more heart than newbies might suspect. Overall, it's a collection of stories on par with anything by any ballyhooed Americana singer-songwriter. Listen here. -- BM
Feel Like Going Home, Miko Marks
Many of the Black gospel songs at the core of all American music offer hope for marginalized people facing oppression-- which frustratingly makes them as evergreen as Woody Guthrie's railings against fascists. On Feel Like Going Home, Miko Marks and the Resurrectors sings songs that suit the moment and deliver comparable good news. "Deliver Me," "Jubilee" and "Lay Your Burdens Down" evoke images of a camp meeting where an open-minded Christian minister preaches social justice and common decency. The highlight is "Trouble," a one-song revival in the spirit of the late Civil Rights leader John Lewis. Listen here. -- BM
Different Man, Kane Brown
Kane Brown dives deeper into traditional country on Different Man, as heard on the Johnny Cash-style talking blues number "Devil Don't Even Bother," the Randy Travis-esque "Whiskey Sour" and the '90s country boot scooter "Like I Love Country Music." Beyond those breaths of fresh air, he doesn't let us forget his musical versatility or his wide range of influences, falling back on boy band nostalgia ("Grand") and pop-country balladry (Katelyn Brown duet "Thank God"). Floating between genres on country albums has been criticized by purists since before the heydays of Kenny Rogers and Ronnie Milsap, but let's be real-- if more current artists could pull off crossover moments as effectively as Brown can, there'd be more albums as refreshingly eclectic as this one. Listen here. -- BM
Humble Quest, Maren Morris
Maren Morris seemed the skyrocket to fame following the release of her hit single "My Church" just six years ago. Now a bonafide superstar, she spent years performing and pounding the pavement, writing songs for other artists and paying her dues until it was her turn to shine. She wrote Humble Quest during the pandemic, inspired by her aspirations to make country music (resulting in her current fame), her journey as a new mother, and reflecting on personal loss. The end result is a stunning mix of new songs that really make you feel like you're getting to know Maren Morris on a deeper level. "Circles Around This Town" is the perfect way to kick off the album, inspired by her actual career in the music industry, with other standouts including the twangy love song "I Can't Love You Anymore" and "Hummingbird," which includes a recording of her son Hayes. Listen here. -- Courtney Fox
Palomino, Miranda Lambert
Following her collaborative 2021 album The Marfa Tapes, superstar Miranda Lambert has done it again with Palomino. She brings over a couple of songs from Tapes which she recorded out under the Marfa skies with Jon Randall and Jack Ingram, "In His Arms," "Waxahachie" and "Geraldene," while adding numerous impressive new additions like standout track "If I Was a Cowboy." There's a notable appearance from the B-52s ("Music City Queen") as well as a cover of Mick Jagger's "Wandering Spirit" rounding out this Wild West inspired album.
"The making of this record has been one of the most fun and creative experiences of my career," Lambert said in a statement with Palomino's release. "Luke Dick, Natalie Hemby, and I went out to my farm in Tennessee in 2020 and started writing songs. Our trio is such an organic friendship that has turned out some of my favorite songs I've ever been a part of writing, so we figured, while we have time, let's get out to the country and see what happens." Listen here. -- CF
Subject to Change, Kelsea Ballerini
Subject to Change comes at a pivotal time in Kelsea Ballerini's life and career. Released following a public breakup from her husband of nearly five years, the country-pop superstar manages to channel the '90s girl power country of the likes of Shania Twain or Faith Hill with some of the modern twang that first endeared Ballerini to Nashville early in her career. You'd never even know what was going on behind the scenes while she recorded all of the catchy songs on this album. From the creative ballad "Love is a Cowboy" to the cheeky tale of true friendship (even if it means breaking the law) "If You Go Down (I'm Goin Down Too)," this album is not only one of the best of the year but one of the best of Ballerini's career. Listen here. -- CF
Bell Bottom Country, Lainey Wilson
It's not every day that a country artist comes along with a voice so distinctive they define their own brand of country music. But that's exactly what Lainey Wilson did with Bell Botton Country, her sophomore major label studio album. What is "bell bottom country," you ask? Well, it's everything from a country-funk sizzler ("Grease") to a heartfelt tribute to her father ("Those Boots (Deddy's Song))." Heartbreak healer "Atta Girl" and a long overdue country cover of '90s rocker "What's Up (What's Goin' On)" round out an album that serves as the latest in a string of career highs for one of country music's best new voices. Listen here. -- Bobbie Jean Sawyer
I Walked With You A Ways, Plains
Plains, a project from Waxahatchee's Katie Crutchfield and Jess Williamson, is what happens when two writers with a gift for sharing intimate, specific experiences team up to tell a shared narrative. The result, as the duo's name suggests, is a wide open, spacious journey through breakups ("Problem With It"), makeups ("Hurricane") and tender reflections ("I Walked With You A Ways"). It's an album that feels like it was made for a cross-country road trip and by the time you reach "Abilene" and the duo's soaring voices sing "Texas in my rearview, plains in my heart" you'll already know that it's a journey you'll be glad to make again and again. Listen here. -- Bobbie Jean Sawyer
