Maryland-born siblings John and T.J. Osborne have shaken country music's status quo since relocating to Nashville and releasing a debut single, 2013's "Let's Go There."
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A trio of Brothers Osborne albums for EMI Records Nashville followed: 2016's Pawn Shop, 2018's Port Saint Joe and 2020's Skeletons. Each step of the way, John (lead guitar, backing vocals) and T.J. (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) have injected equal doses of rock swagger and country storytelling into the mainstream. Along with its own recordings, the duo has collaborated in-studio and onstage with the likes of Eric Church, Dierks Bentley and Maren Morris.
Here's an eight-song playlist built to introduce new ears to one of the best country duos in the game and the pride of Deale, Md.
8. "Stay a Little Longer" (Pawn Shop, 2016)
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Co-written by the Osbornes and elite songwriter Shane McAnally, "Stay a Little Longer" is catchy and upbeat, following a narrator who connects with an on again-off again lover. A Top 5 hit in 2015, it's the song that introduced the masses to the brothers' musical mission.
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7. "I Don't Remember Me (Before You)" (Port Saint Joe, 2018)
One of the duo's most beautiful songs, "I Don't Remember Me (Before You)" centers on a man reflecting on how his partner has changed his life. The dramatic official music video for this Port Saint Joe single tells the story of the battle of addiction from the perspective of a bull rider. You see some exciting bull riding scenes and catch a glimpse of John as a cowboy and T.J. as an EMT.
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6. "21 Summer" (Pawn Shop, 2016)
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This single from the duo's first album Pawn Shop has a nostalgic feel as the narrator looks back on former summer love. The brothers have said that they were going for Jackson Browne vibes with this breezy ballad. Though it stalled at No. 25 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, it's a gold-certified single.
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5. "Shoot Me Straight" (Port Saint Joe, 2018)
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Originally written as a ballad, the brothers incorporated a strong guitar riff from John Osborne. The song is incredibly long, clocking in at over six minutes. That gives plenty of time and space for the brothers to flex their creative muscles. Better yet, its music video hilariously pokes fun at the bro-country moment.
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4. "Weed, Whiskey and Willie" (Port Saint Joe, 2018)
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Another song from Port Saint Joe, the slow-burning "Weed, Whiskey and Willie" follows a man who leans on his vices and heroes to get by after a heartache. It follows classic country song tropes in a way that captures what makes Willie Nelson a household name. Notice also that the song clocks in at 4:20.
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3. "It Ain't My Fault" (Pawn Shop, 2016)
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Written about a guy who just can't own up to his actions, "It Ain't My Fault" peaked at No. 14 on the Country Airplay chart. Its cheeky music video featured the brothers as owners of a pawn shop getting robbed by men wearing masks with the faces of presidents, including Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama as a clear statement on our political system. It ended up winning Music Video of the Year at the CMA Awards. Plus, on this one and "All Night," T.J. sounds an awful like the mighty Trace Adkins.
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2. "I'm Not For Everyone" (Skeletons, 2020)
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In 2020, Brothers Osborne elevated its game even higher with new album Skeletons. From Southern rock stomper "Dead Man's Curve" to another slow-burning Nelson nod in "Midnight Rider's Prayer," it's a stacked collection that shook up greatest hits debates surrounding the siblings. The high point, though, is this Chris Stapleton-esque blast of bluesy country about knowing —and not caring— that you're not everyone's cup of tea. Plus, younger Toby Keith would've made this an instant classic.
Listen here.
1. "Younger Me" (2021)
Musically, the best use of synths in big-time country music since The Highwaymen themselves made standalone release "Younger Me" something that, to paraphrase its lyrics, stood out and didn't fit in the often-samey country music marketplace. Lyrically, the brothers' co-write with Kendell Marvel tells T.J.'s truth as someone who'd wrestled for years with whether or not to come out of the closet. The best Brothers Osborne song rightly won the duo its first Grammy award.
Listen here.
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This story previously ran in Oct. 2021.
