Holler's Ultimate Country Christmas Gift Guide 

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From Midland's tequila to a precious Dolly mug, these are the country music gifts you need to buy this Christmas.

The Ultimate Country Christmas Gift Guide

Holler

ROTY homepage

Graphic - Records of the Year 2021

The top 20 country, Americana and roots records from 2021, as voted for by Holler staff and contributors. 

Graphic - Thanksgiving Cover Square

The Holler team trial country stars' favourite Thanksgiving recipes, courtesy of in-house chef and resident American, Baylen Leonard. 

Artist - The Rolling Stones 1

Country has been a recurring marker on the Stones' musical map of American influences - here, we take a look back at 14 occasions where the band went south, and west, and came back with an authentic twang of their own.

A Guide To: The Rolling Stones' Country Songs

Paul

Album - Taylor Swift - Red (Taylor's Version)

It'd be difficult to narrow down a list of top songs for a lot of artists, but with Taylor Swift, it’s damn near impossible. If you picked 10 Swifties off the street and asked them for their favourite song, you’d get different answers from all of them. Nevertheless, we’re giving it a crack. 

Artist - Miranda Lambert 2

Revelling in all the heartbreak and happiness that a well-lived life throws at you, Lambert set the bar for a whole new generation of country singers.

CMA Moments - Charlie Rich

Awards ceremonies are notoriously juicy affairs. We take a look back at 10 of the most unforgettable CMA Awards moments. 

Graphic - The Best 90s Country Songs homepage

Thumbnail - That Don't Impress Me Much

Thumbnail - George Strait - If I Know Me

Thumbnail - Lorrie Morgan - Something in Red

Thumbnail - Steve Earle - Telephone Road

Thumbnail - Clay Walker - If I Could Make a Living

Thumbnail - Pam Tillis - Maybe it was Memphis

Thumbnail - Clint Black - Summers Comin'

Thumbnail - Wynonna Judd - Change the World

Thumbnail - Tracy Lawrence - If The World Had A Front Porch

Thumbnail - Jo Dee Messina - I'm Alright

Thumbnail - Son Volt - Back into Your World

Thumbnail - Patty Loveless - I Try To Think About Elvis

Thumbnail - Dolly Parton - Dolly Parton Norah Jones - The Grass Is Blue @ The CMAs

Thumbanil - Marty Stuart - Tempted

Thumbnail -Dwight Yoakam - Fast As You

Thumbnail - The Chicks - Cowboy Take Me Away

Thumbnail - Randy Travis - Heart of Hearts

Thumbnail - Reba McEntire - Does He Love You ft. Linda Davis

Thumbnail - Alison Krauss and Union Station - Baby, now that I've found you

Thumbnail - Diamond Rio - Meet In The Middle

Holler's run down of the top 50 tunes of the 90s, as selected by our crack team of contributors, staff, and friends. Let's go girls! 

Artist - Brad Paisley

Brad Paisley was born to entertain. To celebrate his 49th birthday, we’ve taken a look at some of the best songs that he’s released over the years.

Graphic - Halloween

Get the apples bobbing, stick a bowl of candy by the door and sit back to enjoy some of country music’s spookiest moments with Holler’s guide to the best Halloween Country songs.

Artist - Elton John 1

Elton's most specific sorties into country have usually been tucked away on albums or B-sides, but it's an inspiration that has reared up repeatedly in his 50-year-plus recording career. So, take a stroll with us through Elton Country.

Artist - Alan Jackson 1

For a little over 30 years, Alan Jackson has kept it country with a down-home honesty, humour, integrity, unpretentiousness and personal warmth that’s made country music fans all over the world connect with his earthy baritone.

Artist - Rosanne Cash

Bob Harris delves into the catalogue of his old friend Rosanne Cash to share his favourite songs of hers for Holler.

Live - Allison Russell 2 homepage

Live - Allison Russell 1

One of the real joys AmericanaFest has to offer is not only the opportunity to enjoy more familiar fare, but also to discover new up-and-coming performers who are showcasing their music for the first time.

A Guide To: The 10 Best Emerging Acts From AmericanaFest 2021.

Artist- Johnny Cash 2

Johnny Cash was one of those rarest of things: an artist who managed to crossover into all walks of life, somehow meaning something to almost everyone. It's something even rarer still for a country singer.

Artist - Faith Hill 1

To celebrate her birthday this week, we look back through some of Faith Hill's greatest hits to define the ultimate list of her best songs.

Artist - Hank Williams 1

Bob Harris delves into the catalogue of the first bonafide superstar of country music to determine the definitive ranking of his best songs. 

Artist - Sturgill Simpson 1

Let that fluttery festival feeling build and look over the 10 artists we’re most excited to see when MerleFest returns to North Carolina on September 16th 2021.

Amanda

Artist - Kacey Musgraves 6

, we're considering Musgraves’ impactful songwriting, further examining what lies within the golden tier of her work.

Taylor

Artist - Ray Charles 1

To celebrate his induction to the Country Music Hall of Fame and forthcoming 

 collection, we looked back at 10 examples of Ray Charles’ finest and most influential country performances - just a small sampling of his work in the genre.

Artist - Robyn Ottolini 1 

Holler's selection of some of the best new up-and-coming country artists from Canada.

Madeleine

Artist - Shania Twain 1

Shania Twain is the epitome of female empowerment. Her genre-bending hits have touched the hearts and minds of millions across the globe, the positivity and energy she injects into every song enabling them to remain popular for the last three decades. 

Artist - LeAnn Rimes

To celebrate LeAnn Rimes' birthday, Holler looks back at some of the best songs of the singer's illustrious career.

Artist - Tom T. Hall

‘The Storyteller’, Tom T. Hall, passed away on August 20, 2021. Here, we look back at his life through the songs that made him one of the greatest country songwriters of all time. You could start anywhere with his work, but if you’re going to start somewhere, these essentials are as good a place as any.

Artist - Lee Ann Womack

Lee Ann Womack has always gone with her gut. She blew into Nashville as a Texas traditionalist who knew how to meet the business halfway, going as commercial as necessary to land on the radio while staying true to the history and craft of the music she lived and breathed.

Artist - Nanci Griffith 1

On Friday 13th August, Nanci Griffith passed away at the age of 68. A proper appreciation of her life and work is deserved, something we hope to provide with a guide to her key songs.

Helen M

Artist - Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton

Delving into the array of collaborations from across his career, Holler presents the ultimate guide to the duets of ‘The Gambler’, Mr Kenny Rogers.

Artist - Billy Joe Shaver 1

On what would have been his 82nd birthday, we've made a definitive list of Billy Joe Shaver’s best songs to celebrate the rainy, windy morning he was born on.

Artist - Elvis Presley 2

There's often a less celebrated tier to the Elvis legacy, and that's as a trailblazer and torch-bearer in country music. Here we rank the best country songs The King ever recorded. 

Artist - Martina McBride 2

Artist - Martina McBride 1

As she celebrates her 55th Birthday and 30 years on the country music scene, we look back through the powerhouse's catalogue and remind ourselves of some of the classics she has released over the years. Disclaimer - you may need the tissues when listening to some of these!

Artist - Carrie Underwood 3

In 16 years, Underwood has built an enduring legacy, cementing herself as one of the biggest country music stars of her generation. Holler takes the opportunity to rank a few of the musical highlights from her incredible career, one that doesn’t look like slowing down any time soon.

Artist - Eric Church 2

Channelling Church favourites ‘Smoke A Little Smoke’ and ‘I’m Getting Stoned’, it’s “high” time we took a definitive – and occasionally subjective – look back at the very best of The Chief’s songs.

Artist - The Chicks

The biggest country group of the 90s? You would be hard pressed to argue against the Chicks. We take a look back at band’s discography to create the definitive list of their best songs. 

Mark

Artist - Linda Rondstadt

Linda Marie Ronstadt has few rivals for the sheer breadth and depth of her interpretative skills. It’s a rare artistic timeline that began in folk, then sat at the forefront of country-rock to the tune of tens of millions of records.

Artist - Toby Keith 1 

As he celebrates his 60th Birthday, Holler delves into his comprehensive catalogue to decide what are the very best Toby Keith songs.

Windy City Smokeout

All the top tips and best advice for a great weekend at Chicago's Windy City Smokeout festival 

Inside the Smokeout: Ten Things to Know Before You Go to Chicago’s Windy City Smokeout

Alison

Graphic - Bluegrass 1961

To modern ears, bluegrass might seem like an eternally safe space for close harmonies, collaborative musicianship and everyone uniting to preserve tradition. But initially, the reality was somewhat different, and by the time the very first bluegrass festival took place on July 4th 1961, it was all-out war.

Tracing The Roots: The World's First Bluegrass Festival, 1961

Artist - Bonnie Raitt 1 

An eloquent advocate for artists' rights, Bonnie Raitt spends far more time championing her fellow travellers than amplifying her own achievements. It gives us all the more reason to do the latter, as we invite you to leaf through Bonnie's back pages.

Graphic - Summer Country List

Time to stock up on hay fever tablets and smother yourself in factor 50 - here are the best summer country songs according to Holler.

Graphic - Gone Country 2 

We take a look at 10 occasions non-country artists hit the motherload and unexpectedly came up with some (fairly) solid country classics.

Artist - Blake Shelton

As he turns 45 today and celebrates 20 long years in the business, we delve deep into the ultimate Blake Shelton songs. 

Artist - Cousin Minnie Pearl & Roy Acuff - Grand Ole Opry

Comedy and humour are deeply rooted in country music’s foundations - and not just in specific songs or performances, but in its very culture.

Graphic - Holler Country Cocktails 1

Are we drunk or is he drunk? Are you drunk? We really don’t know what’s going on anymore. Time we called it a night. Happy World Cocktail Day!

Artist - CSNY

Though each hold their own weight and influence on contemporary music, when put together, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Stephen Stills and Neil Young created unwavering magic.

Nathan

Graphic - What Is Americana? 

Jof's got his investigative Stetson on again. This time, he's trying to solve one of the greatest musical mysteries of the modern era: what actually is Americana? 

Artist - Waylon & Willie 

Nelson, Jennings and Kristofferson set out to change country music's future in the early 1970s. The result of their work, now some 50 years on, is still prolific in paving the way for Nashville and country music as a whole. 

Artist - Reba McEntire

To celebrate Reba McEntire's 66th Birthday, we reflect on her illustrious career so far; delving deep into album tracks and picking out the best of her 25 number one hits. These are the best Reba McEntire songs according to Holler!

Artist - Allen Toussaint 

“New Orleans is a metropolis in the middle of a swamp, that also serves as the womb of American music" - a definitive guide to the Soul, Cajun and Zydeco legacy of Louisiana, through 11 songs that galvanize the rich cultural tradition. 

A Guide To: Louisiana's Soul, Cajun and Zydeco Legacy

Marcus K.

Austin City Limits 2

 has held a special connection to country music. Beloved by artists and fans alike, the show is known for authentic music presented in live and uncut performances.

The Best Austin City Limits Performances 

We've picked 10 of the best feminist country songs for you to sing along to while celebrating these empowering women.

Artist - Colter Wall (Murder Ballads) 

Murder is a topic that’s found its way in all genres, but in country and western, it’s become a rite of passage for musicians to cast their gaze upon the gallows and lend their voice to a haunting ballad. But how did the tradition really come about?

Artist - Rodger Wilhoit 

He never did get lucky when all else failed. But maybe, all these years later, Rodger Wilhoit might just get a posthumous roll of the dice.

Artist - Jason Aldean 1

To celebrate his birthday this coming Sunday (2/28), we whittle down the finest songs of the man from Macon, Georgia. 

Artist - Johnny Cash 3

A list of the silliest and funniest songs from The Man In Black to lift your spirits ahead of what would've been his 89th Birthday next week.

Artist - the Band 

It's impossible to overstate what The Band did to bring rural North American musical tradition and time-honoured instrumentation into the rock world. To celebrate their legacy and the 50th anniversary re-release of The Band's third album 

Holler took on the (rather daunting) task of capturing their lightning in ten momentous instalments.

Hero Johnny and June

Tim McGraw & Faith Hill

A look into some of country music’s famous love stories throughout history, proving the old adage that the couple that sings together, stays together. Well, most of the time.

A Guide To: Country's Most Iconic Couples

Loretta Lynn - Coal Miner's Daughter

 is an understated masterpiece of concision, drama and imagery – every verse a short story that’s rarely been equalled, even in a genre where storytelling and authenticity are the most prized assets.

The Classics: Loretta Lynn - Coal Miner's Daughter 

Artist - Garth Brooks 3

A definitive ranking of country megastar Garth Brooks' best songs.

Album - Slim Whitman - Favourites

 opened the gateway for country across the seas, breaking records in a place where not even its own superstars could hold those kinds of records.

Artist - Dolly Parton - 9 to 5 still 

On her 75th Birthday, Holler lists and ranks the film career of the Country Queen herself. From her early 80s blockbusters to more modern-day animations - we rate Dolly Parton's best cinematic performances. 

Artist - Yola 1

A comprehensive preview of AmericanaFest UK 2021. The showcases, the awards, the ones to watch - plus a definitive, insider’s guide from AMA-UK CEO, Stevie Smith.

Album - Sesame Country

As country entered the 80s with an outlaw hangover, it would be left to a certain group of lovable educational puppets to return it to its roots.

fonts & country 2

Florida Georgia Linotype? Chalkboard Psychopath? Holler investigates ten of the most widely used font styles in country music to discover the secrets behind the typefaces. Here are 10 fonts and the truth.

A Guide To: The Troubled Relationship Between Fonts and Country Music

Graphic - TBT No.1's 2011

A look back at the hottest country no.1's of 2011.

Artist - Sun Studio Million Dollar Quartet

An in-depth guide to the home of The Man In Black and The King, the Beale Street Blues and a monument of popular contemporary music.

peoples choice fixed 

So, you've seen our top picks for the best records of 2020, but what do the people think? 

xmas new

Happy Holidays everyone! Here's our favourite festive tunes released this year.

Graphic - Tracks of the Year

It's been quite a year, but thankfully the music never stopped.

Artist - George Strait

Holler takes a look at the musical highlights from four decades at the very top of country music.

Artist - Maren Morris

Being only half a decade into her career, there will likely be plenty more incredible tunes in store for Maren Morris fans. But for now, we've ranked the singer’s most momentous cuts yet.

Graphic - Records of the Year

In a year of deep tragedy and anxiety, the 20 records here have offered deep empathy, comfort and empowerment to carry us through.

Artist - Glen Campbell

With such a prolific discography, many wonderful treasures can be lost to time, so here we offer a deep dive past the

linemen and the cowboys, glorious as they are, to offer a chronological selection of ten lesser-known diamonds from the Glen Campbell jewel box.

Graphic - A Guide To: 95 Years of the Grand Ole Opry

Grand Ole Opry

The Grand Ole Opry is undoubtably the beating heart of Nashville and Country Music - but how did a weekly radio concert become so significant, not just within Country, but the music industry itself?

A Guide To: 95 Years of the Grand Ole Opry

Artist - Chris Stapleton 1 

Purchase here

He's released some of country's most extraordinary albums in a little over half a decade. Now, Holler takes a rummage through Chris Stapleton's back catalogue to pick out some of his finest cuts.

The best Lists and Guides in Country music from Holler

lists

The Ultimate Country Christmas Gift Guide

Records of the Year 2021

Thanksgiving Menu from the Stars

GUIDE•A Guide To: The Rolling Stones' Country Songs

ESSENTIALS•The Best Taylor Swift Songs

ESSENTIALS•The Best Miranda Lambert Songs

GUIDE•A Guide To: The Best CMA Awards Moments

The Best 90s Country Songs

The Best Brad Paisley Songs

The Best Halloween Country Songs

A Guide To: Elton John's Country Songs

The Best Alan Jackson Songs

The Best Rosanne Cash Songs

A Guide To: The 10 Best Emerging Acts From AmericanaFest 2021.