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.

Helen M

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.

Paul

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 

Holler

Happy International Women's Day 2021! To celebrate, we've picked 10 of the best feminist country songs for you to sing along to while celebrating these empowering women. 

#IWD2021: Top 10 Feminist Country Anthems

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 ten 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.

Graphic - Records of the Year

In a year of deep tragedy and anxiety - the twenty 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

The best Lists and Guides in Country music from Holler

lists

The Best Martina McBride Songs

The Best Carrie Underwood Songs

The Best Eric Church Songs

ESSENTIALS•The Best The Chicks Songs

GUIDE•A Guide To Linda Ronstadt

ESSENTIALS•The Best Toby Keith Songs

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

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

A Guide To: Bonnie Raitt

The Best Summer Country Songs

Gone Country

The Best Blake Shelton Songs

A Guide To: Comedy In Country

A Guide To: Country Singers' Cocktails

A Guide To: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

What Is Americana?

A Guide To: Outlaw Country

The Best Reba McEntire Songs

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

The Best Austin City Limits Performances