It’s this time of the year. 2024 is ending and we’re all thinking about all the records released all along the year. This one was particularly impressive, with a lot of high quality country albums and songs. Real country is more alive than ever. It makes us very happy but it’s also difficult to choose among all those excellent records.
As I do it every year, I publish my favorite albums, EPs, songs of the year, and I’ll tell you who was my artist of the year. Today, I’ll start with my Top 10 EPs. As y’all know, make an end of the year list is very difficult. Needless to say, there were more of ten excellent EPs released this year. These are my favorites, but feel free to tell us about yours in the comment section or on the social media. Talking about music is so enjoyable. Let’s go !
#10 The Lucky Ones – A Nickel For The Fiddler
The Lucky Ones is a Canadian band from the Yukon territory. With their new EP, “A Nickel For The Fiddler“, we can appreciate their brilliant old-school country and bluegrass music. If you don’t know them and haven’t listened to their music, don’t wait: you’ll love their roots and authentic songs. This record is a gem!
#9 Town Mountain – Dance Me Down Easy – The Woodstock Sessions EP
The bluegrass band from Asheville, North Carolina, released an excellent EP at the beginning of the year, on January 26th. “Dance Me Down Easy – The Woodstock Sessions EP” is a gem for all those who love the Appalachian music. A wonderful record, two years after their brilliant album “Lines in the Levee“, that was #6 in Country Music France’s Top albums of 2022.
#8 Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen – Hold My Beer Vol 4
Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen never disappoint. This “Hold My Beer” EP is the 4th of the series launched 9 years ago, in 2015, and we keep on appreciating a lot the collaboration of these two brilliant artists. As always, it’s great and real Texan country music with wonderful songwriting.
#7 Molly Tuttle – Into The Wild
Molly Tuttle is a treasure of American music. Her new EP, “Into The Wild“, released on September 20th, is an excellent bluegrass record made with her band, Golden Highway. The Californian artist is one of the best voices of the bluegrass genre and this EP let us appreciate all her talent as a singer, songwriter and producer.
#6 Drake Milligan – Jukebox Songs
With a Drake Milligan’s record, we know that we’ll enjoy real country music. His new EP, “Jukebox Songs”, released on February 16th is not an exception. The Texan artist did an excellent job, with these four excellent songs that belong to traditional country. Milligan’s voice is perfect for our genre, and the songwriting is brilliant.
#5 John Surge and the Haymakers – Maybe You Don’t Know Me
John Surge and the Haymakers’ EP, “Maybe You Don’t Know Me“, released on September 20th, is a gem for real country music lovers. Produced by Tommy Detamore, it’s a traditional country record, with wonderful pedal steel and fiddle. If you haven’t listened to this EP, don’t wait more and check it out rignt now.
#4 Todd Day Wait – Lie To Me
Released at the end of the year, Todd Day Wait’s “Lie To Me” is authentic and traditional country. Its four timeless songs are real gems for all those who love real country music, with strong pedal steel and wonderful songwriting. The EP ends with “Time Will Let You Know“, an absolutely beautiful song.
#3 Taylor Hunnicutt – With All Due Respect
Taylor Hunnicutt’s year is exceptional, with two records, an excellent LP, “Alabama Sound“, released in March, and this wonderful EP, “With All Due Respect“, released on October 11th. The fantastic “Runaway“, the first song on this EP, is a banger. Unoudbtedly one of my favorite songs of 2024. Her cover of Blackfoot’s “Left Turn on a Red Light” is particularly impressive. Hell of an EP!
#2 Emmet Jerome – Rocky Mountain Son
Emmett Jerome is a young Canadian singer and songwriter from Alberta. “Rocky Mountain Son“, released on September 18th, is his debut EP. For a 24 years old artist, such a brilliant debut record is very impressive. Listening to this 5 songs, we can enjoy high quality roots music, excellent instrumentation, masterful songwriting and a wonderful voice. A master stroke!
#1 Joe Stamm – Allegheny
Joe Stamm’s “Allegheny” is an unquestionable #1 for me in 2024. This EP released on April 5th, four months before Stamm’s stripped down “Memoirs“, is an absolute gem. Excellently written by the Midwest native artist, its four songs are brilliant. “The Storm” and “Cricket Song” are particularly impressive and powerful. The duet with Charles Wesley Godwin for “Flower of the Everglades” is splendid. And “When The Lilacs Bloom” ends perfectly this EP. A fantastic record!
Country Music France 