First Listen: Ashley Cooke, ERNEST and the New Country Songs You Need to Hear This Week

As well as major albums from up-and-comers like Ty Myers and Flatland Cavalry, this week's New Music Friday saw eagerly awaited new drops from country heavyweights like Ashley Cooke, Cameron Whitcomb, Luke Bryan, ERNEST and more.

The Holler crew have been listening hard and analysing the latest batch of releases from country's top-tier, to help you determine what to hit play on and what to skip this week.

After listening to all of this week's new releases, the Holler staff have their say:

Not long after sharing her acoustic EP, ‘the ace sessions’, and rounding off that heartfelt project, Cooke has officially launched a new chapter with the release of the long-teased ‘xs’.

And... it’s fine. It’s a deliberately slow burn from the start of the first verse to the chorus, with the clever wordplay and flow piquing interest and culminating in the empowering punchline: ‘Don’t you know crossing lines makes Xs’.

Sonically, it’s typical Cooke. It might be a new era, but nothing has changed - and that’s OK. It’s a totally palatable amalgamation of guitars and drums with a hint of steel thrown in. But it's no 'Baby Blues'.

It does, however, feel like there was an element of taking the easy route with this one. It could have hit harder with more power behind it or event leant deeper into the ballad element. Is it Cooke's strongest release? Absolutely not.

4.8 / 10

~ Georgette Brookes

Day one ERNEST fans have long been clamouring for a return to the tropical country of his brilliant debut EP, Locals Only - and with Deep Blue, we're finally getting our wish.

With the arrival of the title-track, it's evident that this won't be a full-blown Kenny Chesney and Jimmy Buffett-esque island country homecoming.

ERNEST is staying true to the neo-traditional sound he's honed in recent years - it's just the setting has become a little sunnier. On ’Deep Blue’, he's still heartbroken and pining over some sumptuous steel. His vocals carry warmth and sincerity, while the guitar-driven, ‘70s-infused composition gives this a nostalgic, retro ambience.

The hook isn't quite as immediately infectious as ‘Lorelei’, and you can't help but long for some of the easygoing playfulness and laid-back wit that permeated Locals Only.

Of all the island-inspired singles Ern has released so far, ‘Deep Blue’ is certainly one of the more forgettable.

5.9 / 10

~ Maxim Mower

Ingrid Andress returns with her second single of 2026 following a well-deserved hiatus, after her unfortunate and unfairly publicized National Anthem performance misstep.

Fans and critics alike questioned whether she would return to the spotlight and, if so, whether her budding artistry might be affected. The tongue-in-cheek ‘Taillights’ proves that her knack for sharp, modern country songwriting remains fully intact. Here, Andress tackles a time-honored question: can you out-ho a ho? Her words, not mine.

With production elements that lean into a cosmic Fleetwood Mac meets Robert Plant space, Andress shows her former lover that their behavior was never much of a mystery. Based on her own previous behaviors in love, her heart remains all-knowing and emotionally resilient.

While the vocal performance, pacing, and specificity of the verses shine, the opening of the chorus feels slightly muddled and slow to build before arriving at its defiant, slam-dunk punchline: “You didn’t get away with nothing, I saw your taillights comin’.” Still, there is much to admire here, and the track builds real anticipation for this next chapter from a proven critical favorite.

6.3 / 10

~ Soda Canter

Keith might be one of the boldest new personalities in country music, and he’s mixing that identity into his music with continually surprising success.

‘Little Bit By Little Bit’ is bursting at the seams with confidence, not just leaning into the 90s sound but kicking the door down with a square-toe boot and swaggering into a dimly lit honky-tonk.

The “drink away your heartbreak” trope isn’t anything new on the scene, but with Keith’s almost too self-assured attitude, there’s an impressive freshness running through the track that keeps it far away from cliché.

Not revolutionary, but it’s fun as hell and makes those neon lights feel just a little brighter - that might just be the attitude we all need right now.

7.8 / 10

~ Daisy Innes

On his 2025 debut The Hard Way, Whitcomb presented a collection of songs drawn from formative experiences, confronting addiction and love lost along the difficult path to sobriety.

Both the production and lyrical approach worked in tandem to shape a sound deeply rooted in country traditions, with touches of melodic and alt-rock pop.

His new single ‘Kingdom of Fear’ refines and advances that signature sound, as Whitcomb vulnerably unpacks his inner dialogue. Singing, “You said that you want all of me, but I know you’re a liar / Every time I let you in, I start to hear the tires,” over a riotous beat, he gives voice to the familiar ache of searching for full acceptance in another.

What stands out most is his precisely controlled vocal performance, a clear sign of growth likely earned through time on the road. Where The Hard Way found him howling for survival, ‘Kingdom of Fear’ reveals an artist now singing with hard-earned strength.

8.4 / 10

~ Soda Canter

The secret to enjoying the Bro-Country wave that dominated the 2010s has always been not to take it too seriously. We know the lyrics are going to be superficial, with a checked list of tropes usually including trucks, beer and Daisy Dukes.

But we also know the hooks are going to be undeniably catchy. So we're trying to embrace Luke Bryan's departure from the wistful dad-country of his last two albums and a return to the more light-hearted spirit of his earlier material on ‘Country and She Knows It’.

While we could forgive the lyrics being surface-level (“Denim cut so high you can see the pockets / Flannel tied up, a Mossy Oak hat” feels like it's been stolen word-for-word from a 2012 FGL song), the hook unfortunately fails to make up for it.

Despite not being the unstoppable Country Radio force he once was, Bryan has been pretty reliably churning out a country heater here and there over the past few years. ‘Country and She Knows It’ isn't it.

4.0 / 10

~ Maxim Mower

For more on Ashley Cooke, see below: