Since I created this blog, it’s the first time that I find it so difficult to choose the best albums of the year, due to the impressive quality and quantity of brilliant country records released this year. What you’ll find here is a Top 30, completed by a list of 20 other excellent albums (not ranked) that couldn’t be part of the Top 30 but that I wanted to mention. And despite such an important list, it’s not sufficient to include the totality of my favorite albums of the year. Here’s the Top 30, starting with the #30 and ending with a podium that was clear in my mind since the month of September.
#30 Jake Worthington
Jake Worthington’s debut album is a gem, full of pedal steel and fiddle, with great songwriting and a classic country style from the beginning till the end. A timeless record for all country lovers.
#29 Matt Hillyer – Glorieta
With “Glorieta“, we have a Texas music gem, full of excellent music and brilliant storytelling. Eleven Hundred Springs may be part of the past now, but Matt Hillyer is tireless and with this solo album we can appreciate all his talent and enjoy a wonderful record. You can read the album review here.
#28 Scott Southworth – Comin’ Round To Honky Tonk Again
If we lived in a normal world, almost all the songs included in this album should be played on country radios and several of them would be country hits. Its twelve songs are all real country and heavy honky tonk, with beautiful pedal steel and amazing fiddle. You can read the album review here.
#27 Drayton Farley – Twenty On High
2023 was a great year for Drayton Farley, who was also #3 of Country Music France’s Top 10 EP’s with the beautiful “Kudzu Wild EP“. “Twenty On High” is a splendid album, with masterful songwriting, excellently produced by Sadler Vaden, member of Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit who also produced this year Morgan Wade’s “Psychopath“.
#26 Jason Eady – Mississippi
“Mississippi” is a wonderful and soulful album with a beautiful bluesy style. Excellently written, it includes a lot of gems, like the excellent “Burn It Down“, cowritten by Adam Hood, that reminds me of Tony Joe White’s music.
#25 Morgan Wade – Psychopath
Morgan Wade’s “Psychopath” is a brilliant album. I loved it since the day of its release, and I appreciate more and more after several listens. Wonderfully written, it was excellently produced by Sadler Valden, member of Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit.
#24 Logan Ledger – Golden State
“Golden State” is a wonderful album, with brilliant songwriting, excellently produced by Shooter Jennings and with the unique voice of Logan Ledger. It’s an authentic and classy record, that includes a lot of gems.
#23 Jason Hawk Harris – Thin Places
Jason Hawk Harris is a young and very talented artist. After “Love & The Dark”, released in 2019, his new album was awaited. “Thin Places” is a brilliant record, wonderfully written and with high quality music. A gem!
#22 Brit Taylor – Kentucky Blue
This album wonderfully produced by Sturgill Simpson and David Ferguson is brilliant. All along the record, you can enjoy traditional country, perfect instrumentation and great songwriting, with Brit Taylor’s beautiful voice. A very good LP.
#21 Bella White – Among Other Things
Bella White’s sophomore album confirms all her talent. “Among Other Things” is full of traditional country, with brilliant songwriting and of course the beautiful voice of the young Canadian artist.
#20 Summer Dean – The Biggest Life
Summer Dean’s sophomore album is a pure gem. This record produced by Bruce Robison is a wonderful album of traditional country, with beautiful pedal steel and masterful songwriting.
#19 Jade Marie Patek – Song In My Head
This debut album, recorded at Yellow Dog Studios with the collaboration of Adam Odor, is a wonderful LP, that includes several gems, like “Voodoo Child“, with its excellent bass and guitar. The quality of the songwriting and storytelling is impressive. Fantastic job!
#18 Colby Acuff – Western White Pines
“Western White Pines” is a fantastic album, full of traditional country, with great storytelling. Colby Acuff is one those artists that embody real country music, and his new record is full of gems. Absolutely brilliant from the start till the end.
#17 Tanner Usrey – Crossing Lines
This album, absolutely impressive, for its musical quality and the excellence of the songwriting, includes excellent collaborations with Ella Langley, Graycie York and Jessi England. ”Give It Some Time” is part of my very favorite songs of 2023. “Crossing Lines” is #1 in Country Music France’s 2023 Top 7 debut albums.
#16 Victoria Bailey – A Cowgirl Rides On
The Californian artist Victoria Bailey is a young and very talented singer and songwriter. “A Cowgirl Rides On” is her sophomore album, 3 years after the brilliant “Jesus, Red Wine & Patsy Cline“. Full of pedal steel, it’s authentic, catchy and beautifully written. A true gem.
#15 Whitney Rose – Rosie
“Rosie” is a beautiful country album, with fantastic fiddle and pedal steel and masterful songwriting. Whitney This wonderful record is the evidence of Whitney Rose’s talent.
#14 Zach Russell – Where The Flowers Meet The Dew
“Where The Flowers Meet The Dew” is a brilliant album. Zach Russell is a very talented artist. All the songs that you listen on this record, produced by Kyle Crownover, are gems. Brilliant!
#13 Turnpike Troubadours – A Cat In The Rain
Turnpike Troubadours are finally back! “Cat In The Rain“, their first album since 2017, produced by Shooter Jennings, is an excellent record, that includes a lot of gems. Fiddle is not as highlighted as it used to be with the previous albums of the band but Evan Felker’s talent for songwriting remains intact.
#12 The Steel Woods – On Your Time
The Steel Woods confirm that they are one of the best Southern rock bands, along with Blackberry Smoke and Whiskey Myers. All their albums are true gems and “On Your Time” isn’t an exception. A brilliant record.
#11 Margo Cilker – Valley Of Heart’s Delight
I loved this album since the first listen. It’s authentic and brilliant country music, excellently written. Margo Cilker’s voice is beautiful. A splendid record.
#10 Adam Hood – Adam Hood’s Different Groove
Adam Hood’s new album is a true gem. It’s authentic, groovy, sometimes bluesy, excellently written and produced. The more you listen to it, the more you appreciate it. A wonderful record.
#9 Brent Cobb – Southern Star
Brent Cobb’s “Southern Star” is a brilliant country album, with some bluesy vibes, particularly soulful. Excellently written, with high quality music and amazing production, it’s a wonderful record.
#8 The Wilder Blue – Supernatural
“Super Natural” is a splendid album. While listening to it, you’re just blown away by such musical quality and by the excellence of the songwriting. Coproduced by Brent Cobb (who also cowrote the amazing title track) and Oran Thornton, The Wilder Blue’s new album is brilliant.
#7 Tyler Childers – Rustin’ In The Rain
I had been a bit disappointed by Tyler Childer’s last album, “Can I Take My Hounds To Heaven“, mostly because of the noise version. With “Rustin In The Rain“, the Kentuckian artist released one of his best records. The way that Tyler Childers sings is absolutely unique among the actual country artists. “Rustin In The Rain” is a timeless album.
#6 Colter Wall – Little Songs
Authenticity. Brilliant storytelling. A unique voice. Colter Wall’s “Little Songs” is a splendid album and a gem for all those who’re in love with real country music.
#5 Malpass Brothers – Lonely Street
Those who think real country music doesn’t exist in 2023 should listen to “Lonely Street“. No doubt that they’ll have it on repeat. Its 12 songs belong to the most traditional country, with wonderful pedal steel and excellent songwriting. Malpass Brothers are the real deal.
#4 Joe Stamm Band – Wild Man
“Wild Man“ is a masterpiece, with brilliant songwriting, a fantastic country and red dirt style, and Joe Stamm’s tremendous voice. What makes this record unique is the captivating songwriting and the high quality of the music. You can read the review of this album here.
#3 Gabe Lee – Drink The River
Gabe Lee’s “Drink The River” is a beautiful album, wonderfully written and produced. Its 9 songs, sung with such a lot of emotion, are all country gems. Gabe Lee is a very talented artist, and this brilliant record is an album for the ages.
#2 Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Weathervanes
“Weathervanes” is a stellar album, brilliant from the start to the end, in every way: songwriting, music, choice of the instruments, production. Jason Isbell’s record is a masterpiece.
#1 Charles Wesley Godwin – Family Ties
“Family Ties” is Country Music France’s 2023 album of the year. With its 19 fantastic songs, the excellence of the songwriting, the stellar quality of the music, the production and of course Charles Wesley Godwin’s unique voice, this record is an album for the ages. A true masterpiece.
Other excellent albums (not ranked) :
- William Beckmann – Here’s To You, Here’s To Me
- Molly Tuttle – City Of Gold
- Van Plating – Orange Blossom Child
- John Baumann – Border Radio
- Mike Kuster – Country So Fresh You Have To Check Your Boots
- Treaty Oak Revival – Have A Nice Day
- Slaid Cleaves – Together Through The Dark
- Seth Jones – Say When
- Nicholas Jamerson – Peace Mountain
- Flatland Cavalry – Wandering Star
- Pony Bradshaw – North Georgia Rounder
- Parker McCollum – Never Enough
- Dallas Moore – No God In Juarez
- The Panhandlers – Tough Country
- Zach Bryan – Self-Titled
- Donice Morace – This Life I Love
- Willi Lea Taylor – The Great Western Hangover
- Joshua Ray Walker – What Is It Even ?
- Vincent Neil Emerson – The Golden Crystal Kingdom
- Vinnie Paolizzi – Self-Titled
Nicolas Davelu
Country Music France 