The Country Albums to Look Forward to in 2025

Waylon Jennings - Songbird

Release Date: October 3rd

Some two decades after his passing, Waylon Jennings is getting a new chapter.

In 2024, celebrated artist and producer–and the outlaw legend’s son–Shooter Jennings initially set out to find a handful of his father’s lost works, but what he discovered instead was so much more, having unearthed a treasure trove of recordings produced between the years 1973 and 1984.

“What became very apparent to me was that my dad was recording constantly with his band, The Waylors, between tours,” Shooter recently said of his findings. “Just having won the David-and-Goliath battle against RCA for creative control and artistic freedom, Waylon was awarded the ability to record his music on his terms in his own studios, with his touring band and without label oversight and without any outside influence. There was just so much inside, my mind was blown!

"These weren’t demos, these were songs that were cut with the intention of releasing, and as time went on, not all of them found places on the albums that Waylon and the Waylors were releasing at the time.”

Since his discovery, Shooter has been working to compile three albums’ worth of this previously unreleased music. The first of them, titled Songbird, arrives on October 3, via Son of Jessi/Thirty Tigers.

- Alli Patton

Brandi Carlile - Returning to Myself

Release Date: October 24th

It has been a damn long time since we've gotten a new batch of songs from the musical mastermind that is Brandi Carlile.

Her first solo release since 2021's In These Silent Days, the multi-hyphenate, award-winning artist is returning this fall with her highly-anticipated Returning To Myself. As its name suggests, you can bet that this 10-track record will be quite the journey as Carlile looks inward and reflects on the whirlwind last few years she's had.

Ever the poet, the Washington native has plenty to say about what this record means to her, sharing: "I’m not my favorite person to spend my time with. Returning to myself is not just a lonely, but a painfully boring thing to do. So much so that I’m actually not at all interested in doing it... For me the key to learning to ‘be alone’ is not being alone at all. It’s being alone in a crowded room. It’s hearing an unexpected doorbell ring and wondering who has shown up to watch me read my book and bite my nails all day.

"Togetherness has given me everything I love about being alive. Starting with my original family in a single wide mobile home, gathered around a wood stove all the way to living with my band, haunting my wife everywhere she goes, raising my children on a tour bus, learning at the feet of Joni Mitchell, to making music with my greatest hero of all time, Elton John.

She concludes: "Why is it heroic to untether, when the tense work of togetherness is so much more interesting?… because I don’t want to do it. Because I don’t want to return to myself. And that’s why I will.”

What discoveries will be made throughout this 10-track odyssey? Only time will tell.

- Lydia Farthing

Colter Wall - Memories and Empties

Release Date: November 14th

Colter Wall is one of those near mythical figures in country music, someone whose voice doesn't match his age and sentiments don’t match the modern music industry. So, the Saskatchewan native lives out on his Canadian ranch and every so often reminds us of the ruminations that run through the mind of an old-soul surrounded by prairies, perseverance and peace.

Wall’s new album title, Memories and Empties, suggests this will be a collection of stories that would be accompanied by a few beers and a campfire if we were out in Canada with the cowboy himself. Even from ‘1800 Miles’ away, though, these tales are bound to be the perfect accompaniment to the colder, darker tailend of the year, all told in Wall’s instantly recognisable impossibly low register.

The first single saw him solidifying his place away from the mainstream and the control of Nashville’s demands, all paired with a steel-soaked punchy Western sound. That’s the Canadian outlaw we know and love, and November 14 can’t come soon enough.

- DI

Anne Wilson - Stars

Release Date: October 17th

On her third studio album, Anne Wilson sets the tone from the outset with the rousing, autobiographical title-track. The Kentucky prodigy nimbly utilises her childhood dream of becoming an astronaut as a metaphor for the way in which her faith has helped her reach astronomical heights through music.

The contemporary Christian and country genre-blender keeps her spirituality at the heart of the record, while incorporating a refreshingly broad range of stylistic influences.

As was the case with REBEL, Wilson’s secret weapon is her voice, with the ‘My Jesus’ singer-songwriter bringing the intimate, visceral narratives to life through her compelling delivery. The hidden gem is ‘Twenty Three’, a moving tribute to her late brother, Jacob, who passed away at the age Wilson now finds herself at, epitomising her ability to bring you to tears, before concluding on a note of resilient, uplifting hope.

- Maxim Mower

Vincent Mason - There I Go

Release Date: November 7th

They say you've got your whole life to make your debut album, but lucky for us, the wait for Vincent Mason's highly-anticipated debut record is all but over!

Only releasing his first song back in February 2022, the pop-leaning country crooner has become one of the fastest-rising newcomers in the genre, helping to lead the way for this next generation of country hitmakers.

Titled There I Go, the 14-track project includes a collection of already loved singles–such as his breakout single, 'Hell Is A Dancefloor,' as well as 'Damned If I Do,' 'Wish You Well' and more–as well as a smattering of songs that will serve as a fitting introduction to the Georgia singer-songwriter, starting with the vulnerable, road-worn track, 'Days Are Numbered.'

With writing credits across every track on the record but one, including a solo write on the final song, 'Good Run,' Mason weaves together a coming-of-age patchwork, threading together tales of love, loss, ups, trials and tribulations that make up both the human experience and his personal experience over the past year.

- LF

Carter Faith - Cherry Valley

Release Date: October 3rd

It feels like Carter Faith has been patiently setting the stage for her big moment ever since 'Greener Pasture' came out back in 2022, carefully refining her contemporary take on country music's Golden Age as she draws from everything from the swinging '60s country noir of Nancy Sinatra to the stoic countrypolitan of Tammy Wynette and the kooky melodrama of Lana Del Rey.

A boldly artistic record, Cherry Valley documents Faith's time in Nashville, working chronologically through her breakout success and the breakups that went along with it. The 15-track opus includes the singles 'Sex, Drugs and Country Music,' 'Bar Star' and 'Grudge,' along with a spread of soon to be fan favourites.

Named after an imaginary place–a road sign she once saw that has come to signify her creative home–Cherry Valley is a place where Carter Faith can finally exist in her own carefully constructed country bubble.

If you like this sort of thing you are going to love this sort of thing!

- Jof Owen

Luke Bell - The King Is Back

Release Date: November 7th

It’s been three years since the tragic passing of singer-songwriter Luke Bell. ‘The Bullfighter’ star, however, lives on in The King Is Back, a 28-song collection of unreleased material, penned solely by Bell, that would have comprised his sophomore album and the follow-up to his 2016 self-titled debut.

The compendium features recordings tracked between November 2013 and August 2016 and showcases an unparalleled talent, forever suspended in his prime. The King Is Back was curated with love, assembled by the artist’s mother Carol Bell and manager Brian Buchanan, alongside his sister Jane Bell and Tiffany Buchanan.

A first taste of the project arrived earlier this fall in the form of the title track. Of the single, Carol Bell shared in a statement: “‘The King is Back’ captures the feeling of being back on top after a low period. Luke's friend and bandmate Steve Daly said Luke hadn't mapped out any solos or spots for big hooks, he'd simply said that whatever they played needed to sound cocky, as if something was about to happen.

"Like ‘The Bullfighter,’ this song is about a state of mind and it's multilayered. We can all relate to the feelings of relief and excitement when we wake up feeling strong after a period of feeling poor and hungry. We can all relate to waking up ready to seize the day after a period of hopelessness.”

The song is a proud, brazen epic and ultimately the perfect number to kick off this celebration of art and life.

- AP

Lauren Watkins - In A Perfect World

Release Date: October 10th

We at Holler have been on the Lauren Watkins hype train for quite some time now, dating all the way back to January 2023.

We've seen her grow from posting acoustic covers of modern country titans like Morgan Wallen and ERNEST, to now perfecting her own neon-tinged, smokey neo-traditional sound just a few years later.

Releasing her follow-up to the her lauded debut, The Heartbroken Record, the new 2025 collection sees Watkins doubling down on her clever, tongue-in-cheek songwriting across 10 tunes that chronicles everything she's been up to the last few years.

“I am so beyond proud of this music,” Watkins shares of her sophomore record, In A Perfect World. “I've lived so much life in the past couple years, from playing shows all over the world and spending half of my time on the road, to building a sweet little life in a farmhouse with my husband. It's made me appreciate so many parts of all of it. I've started embracing the simple things just as much as the chaos."

With early infectious releases like 'Lose My Cool,' 'Marlboro Man' and 'Average Joe and Plain Jane,' we're willing to bet that this bite-sized full length will be soundtracking the remainder of our 2025.

- LF

Colby Acuff - Enjoy the Ride

Release Date: October 3rd

This fall, Colby Acuff is conquering the concept album.

Born from conversations with strangers while out on the road, Enjoy The Ride finds the no-frills singer-songwriter making music out of chance encounters.

“This record is comprised of songs that are intentionally made for the listener,” Acuff shared of the release. “So much so that I wrote most of the songs after interviewing 40 people on the street.”

The 11-track project features previously released tunes like ‘His Song (What’s A Man Supposed To Be)’ and ‘Her Song (Numb To Everything),’ two dueling but deeply exposing numbers about the journey of life. The release seems meant to welcome unencumbered thought and conversation around what it means to exist today.

Perhaps it’s an album we can all learn something from. Acuff certainly has, remarking: “I think this album taught me that everyone wants the same outcome, even if we don’t agree on the path. Life isn’t always perfect, but you only have one so enjoy the ride."

- AP

Zac Brown Band - Love & Fear

Release Date: December 5th

When your frontman keeps referring to the new project as his “masterpiece,” you’d be forgiven for feeling a little nervous that he was setting expectations too high. Thankfully, judging by singles Zac Brown Band have been released so far from their forthcoming record, Love & Fear, we have nothing to worry about.

‘I Ain’t Worried About It’ is a carefree ode that feels like a sibling to the now-iconic ‘No Hurry’, while ‘Let It Run’ sees the Georgia troubadours shedding light on how they’re able to remain so chill as they trade THC-fuelled verses with rap legend, Snoop Dogg. ‘Butterfly’ with Dolly Parton shows off their serious side, with Brown's signature, charismatic vocals combining wonderfully with Parton's intricate, ethereal delivery.

Timed to coincide with the opening night of their Sphere Las Vegas residency, Love & Fear finds the newly independent Zac Brown Band betting on themselves and reminding us of their versatility.

- MM

Joshua Ray Walker - Stuff

Release Date: October 17th

Only months after the unexpected release of his beach-country collection, Tropicana, Joshua Ray Walker is returning with Stuff, a concept album set to usher in some of his most experimental work yet.

The 10-track compendium finds the singer-songwriter and six-string whizz occupying inanimate objects, writing and performing from the perspective of items left behind at an estate sale.

The album’s ‘Telephone’ and the title track have already been released, with the artist sharing of the latter tune: “This song is a little bit of this, a little bit of that, and an introduction to my most ambitious concept record to date. I hope people will connect with it even though it’s just about ‘stuff.’”

Listeners, however, will soon find that the collection is about so much more than just “stuff,” as the artist meditates on life and our earthly possessions, exploring a more stripped-down Americana sound along the way.

- AP

Emily Ann Roberts - Memory Lane

Release Date: October 3rd

The former The Voice contestant returns with a keenly awaited seven-song EP, Memory Lane. As the name suggests, this concise collection is steeped in nostalgic vignettes and wistful, sepia-tinged snapshots.

‘Jack & Jill Daniels’ is a charming, playful interpretation of the whiskey brand’s origins, while ‘Easy Does It’ sees Roberts stripping it all back and showcasing her enchanting, honeyed vocals.

Memory Lane keeps the momentum strong ahead of the Tennessee native’s sophomore album.

- MM

Joshua Hedley - All Hat

Release Date: October 24th

A mainstay for years at the world-famous Robert's Western World and nicknamed "The Singin' Professor of Country & Western," Joshua Hedley returns with his latest lecture in the country classics.

In the three and a half years since his last album, Neon Blue, the country music mainstream has begun to openly embrace the nods to '90s country and the traditional honky tonk sound that Hedley was celebrating as artists like Zach Top, Braxton Keith and Jake Worthington make their way onto radio. Ever the country contrarian, though, Hedley takes a sidestep away from it all on this next album as he plants his feet firmly in the lively jazz-influenced Western Swing he grew up on.

Co-produced by Asleep at the Wheel's Ray Benson and Hedley, All Hat is the first album recorded at Benson’s new studio, The Bismeaux Barn in Austin, TX, and features members of Asleep at the Wheel, including veteran fiddle player Jason Roberts. It's another bold left turn in a career defined by them.

“This album is my pièce de resistance,” Hedley says. “It’s all been building up to this moment. I feel like I’m making music I love more than any other style.”

- JO

Nick Shoulders - Refugia Blues

Release Date: October 31st

An album Nick Shoulders has dubbed his Nebraska, in reference to the 1982 Bruce Springsteen masterpiece, his forthcoming Refugia Blues is poised to be a slight departure from the prog-country artist’s usual MO.

"Some people listen to Bruce for the E Street Band and the big radio hits, but I like the intimacy and rawness of Nebraska instead,” he shared of the comparison. “I’d like to think of Refugia Blues as a little window into the heart, as opposed to the drumbeat of a revolution."

As the follow-up to 2023’s All Bad, the album finds Shoulders stripping back the whistling whimsy of his usual barn-burning country-punk and jaunty yodel-folk, allowing the depth and urgency of the collection’s nine songs–such as the previously released ‘Apocalypse Never,’ ‘Bored Fightin’' and ‘Dixie Be Damned’–to ring out.

- AP

Priscilla Block - Things You Didn't See

Release Date: October 10th

After making a name for herself courtesy of her infectious, party-ready anthems such as ‘My Bar,’ Priscilla Block is getting candid with fans on her sophomore record, Things You Didn’t See.

‘Couldn’t Care Less’–a raw, vulnerable reflection on how social media comments about her appearance sometimes cut deeper than she lets on–embodies this new era for Block, and showcases the North Carolina crooner’s keenness to delve into new thematic territory on this project.

The fiery ‘Good On You,' meanwhile, is a vibrant reminder that just because she’s opening up to listeners, it doesn’t mean Block can’t still wrap her commanding vocals around a galvanising, "I-don’t-need-you" anthem.

Things You Didn’t See might just end up being one of the most enthralling reinventions of the year.

- MM

Jake Owen - Dreams To Dream

Release Date: November 7th

The title track to Jake Owen's new album, Dreams to Dream, tells the story of how the 'Barefoot Blue Jean Night' singer did a French exit on the party boy country of his youth as the fresh-faced kid that arrived in Nashville with a six string and a dream hit his forties and decamped to the West Coast to make a record that truly defines where he's at in his life.

"So I sent a prayer to Jesus, and He got back to me / Said, 'If it's burning up your soul, son, you best just set it free,'" he sings, channelling the old school country of Hank Williams Jr., Sturgill Simpson and Waylon Jennings. "So I flew into L.A. through a big ol' cloud of smoke / On a red-eye out of Nashville, a place I still call home / Yeah, all I'd lost along the way I came to find out here with Shooter and a five-piece band in the heart of Hollyweird.

"We ain't doing it for the money, ain't doing it for the fame," he sings. "I just think it's time to make a little change."

It's not really a "little" change he's made, though. On Dreams to Dreams, he doesn't just rediscover himself; he sounds like a completely different artist. Produced by Shooter Jennings and Owen, and recorded at Snake Mountain (Sunset Sound Studio 3) in Los Angeles, the album features Jamey Johnson on 'The Jukebox Knows' and Savannah Conley on 'Them Old Love Songs,' with writing credits that include Owen’s longtime friends and acclaimed songwriters Ben Chapman and Kendell Marvel.

It's shaping up to be one of the most surprising country albums of the year.

- JO