Best New Country Songs

We're still recovering from a wonderful week at AmericanaFest, but country music isn't going to give us the week off. There's too much exciting new music to listen to. This week we've got big new songs from Chase Rice, HARDY and Chris Young. Plus loads more in our round up of all the biggest and best new songs from the world of country and Americana.

Listen along to all the songs in the playlist on Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music and YouTube.

This week's Best New Country cover star is Drake Milligan, with a song we first heard back in the Summer at The Long Road festival. He releases his brand-new song 'Tumbleweed,' a song that puts a melodramatic heartland rock spin on his signature sound. Written by Bobby Pinson, Cam Newby, and Ian Christian and produced by Trent Willmon, Milligan hand-picked this song as it resonates with his lifestyle as a “tumbleweed” being blown around the world playing over 300 shows over the past three years. The track gives a loving nod to those that keep him grounded through the business, being the “wind” that guides him.

The song arrives on the second night Milligan will be opening for Lainey Wilson on her Whirlwind World Tour at Dickies Arena in his hometown of Ft. Worth, TX. Fresh off a global headlining tour and opening for Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton, Milligan continues to prove why he’s one of country music’s most exciting rising stars. 'Tumbleweed' is the first taste of new music from Milligan following the success of his 2024 EP, Jukebox Songs.

"This one really hits home for me, so it felt right to kick off this next chapter with it," he says about the song.

Listen to 'Tumbleweed' below

Elsewhere in this week's Best New Country we've got new songs from Kameron Marlowe, Maddox Batson and Jason Scott & the High Heat. Plus, after all these years, HARDY treats us with a song beloved by fans at live shows, as he releases a studio version of 'Dog Years.' Taken from his forthcoming album COUNTRY! COUNTRY!, released next week, the song was written solely by HARDY as he puts pen to paper on the treasured relationship and days spent with man’s best friend - from the dog’s perspective.

Fresh off the Americana Awards red carpet, Elizabeth Nichols drops a cautionary bop for the gossips with her new track 'Little Birds.' The cheeky little ditty plays with the phrase “a little bird told me…” and comments on just how quickly word can get around a town, especially when everybody knows each other. The humorous tune was written by Nichols, Travis Heidelman (who produced the track) and Feli Ferraro.

“Since I moved from Tulsa to Nashville, every week my friends call me and update me about everything going on with exes and friends and what people were saying about me (good and bad)," laughed Elizabeth. “It was like I hadn't even left even though I was 800 miles away! It just goes to show, it doesn't matter where you are or how old you are, people love spilling tea and yapping about other people…but sometimes they forget, the grapevine is much shorter in a small town.”

Watch the video for 'Little Birds' below

Dasha reveals another track from her upcoming Anna EP, due out on 10 October, with 'Train,' a song that captures the strange magic of starting over, new streets, new faces, and the awkward in-between of feeling like a stranger until suddenly, it all feels like home.

“This is actually my first outside cut, which feels so special because Nashville is built on the songwriters and the stories they tell. When I first heard this one, it was like it had been written straight out of my own diary,” shares Dasha. “It instantly took me back to being 18, leaving home and moving to Nashville to study songwriting at Belmont, figuring out who I was and trying to get comfortable in a brand-new world. All those emotions are wrapped up in this song, and I’m so grateful I get to be the voice behind it.”

As always we've got some big collabs in this week's playlist. Shaboozey and Kevn Powers are trying to 'Move On' and Lauren Watkins and John Morgan are on a 'Slippery Slope,' while Corey Kent hooks up with his old buddy Max McNown on 'Measure' and Charley Crockett and English rock supergroup Bad Company for a version of their eponymous song from their debut self-titled 1974 album.

If it feels like the world is falling apart all around you this week and you're wondering how much more you can take, then we've got a song that'll feel like a reassuring arm around your shoulder telling you everything is going to be okay. Like an unlikely superhero flying down to scoop us all up in her arms, Courtney Marie Andrews is back with her first new music since 2022's Loose Future with 'Cons and Clowns,' a celebration of living authentically, and embracing our truest selves amidst the chaos of the current world.

The original song arrives today with an accompanying visual from director Jacq Justice shot during a picturesque road trip up the California coastline - which captures a wallflower’s empowering journey to spreading their wings.

“The song is an ode to all the artists, outsiders, and shy loved ones you want to see shine!,” says Andrews. “In this world of growing sameness I wanted to write a love letter of encouragement to anyone who was afraid to be their wildest and weirdest self, especially amid the dark landscape of now. With a desire to embody the unencumbered playfulness of youth, I played the flute on this track, an instrument I haven’t played since my childhood.”

Watch the video for 'Cons and Clowns' below

Lola Kirke releases 'Girl on Fire' as she gives her Trailblazer album the deluxe treatment and after spending the week in Nashville recording new music at some kind of castle, Emily Zeck releases her 6-track Loud Mouth Women EP.

"This project was inspired by badass women, masterful storytellers, and witty little ditties from my upbringing," she says. "I believe good strong messages are best served in between clever rhymes and cheeky melodies, and that’s exactly what this project is."

Vincent Mason has announced his highly anticipated debut major label album, There I Go, set to arrive in November, with 'Days Are Numbered,' a song that captures the relentless grind of chasing a passion. Written by Mason alongside Chase McDaniel, Jessie Jo Dillon, and Geoff Warburton, it's a deeply personal song for the young singer.

“I was always a kid who liked to be very still. My favorite question growing up was always 'When can we go home?' 'I've really been that way my whole life. Last year I put out a song called 'Hell is a Dance Floor' and since then I haven't really been home at all,” shares Mason. “The album There I Go is me learning how to live on the road. 'Days Are Numbered' captures the two sides of the album and the tension that lies in between. There's the kid in me that wants to stay home, and the side of me that can't get enough of being out on the road playing shows. I thank God every day that I have the life that I do, and I wouldn't trade it. There I Go is the through line that captures all the moments of my life since it changed last year.”

Elsewhere we've got mysterious new songs from Georgia Ku with the intriguingly titled 'IGFKY' and Kenny Feidler is the 'K.O.W' on his new song. You'll just have to listen to the playlist to find out what all that's about. Plus big new songs from Maddox Batson, Max Jackson, Effy Harvard, Baylee Lynn, Rocco Gorelik, Josh Stumpf and Nick Shoulders.

We've got songs from big new albums by Cole Chaney, Steady Habits and Josh Ross. While Evan Honer releases Everything I Wanted, The Pink Stones put out their new long player, Thank the Lord… it’s The Pink Stones and Chase Rice is in getting away from all the noise on ELDORA.

Stripped down to his basics, ELDORA does find the star leaving his past work behind. Working hand-in-hand with co-writer and producer Oscar Charles, Rice adopts the unfiltered, rough-hewn approach of an off-the-grid maverick for the album, prioritizing in-the-moment honesty – and building on a rediscovered love for songwriting legends like John Prine – simple, acoustic-guitar-based songs tell unflinching tales with vivid characters. Each track was captured in minimalist style, and then placed on the album in the order it was written.

“That’s what I feel like this record is,” Rice says. “For me, it was that absolute freedom I was looking for, that’s what took me out West. It’s been my life the last 10 years, and the biggest theme on this album is running towards freedom. I’ve found that almost always means running away from home.”

Written in a Colorado cabin and inspired by a hidden, mountainside town, the 12-songs on ELDORA represent the most raw, unguarded expression of Rice’s talent to date. Born in the afterglow of an epic show at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre, it finds a hit maker stepping back from spectacle, to put his lyricism firmly in the spotlight.

“I don’t know many people that have ever gone down the road I’m going down,” he admits. “And when you’re this mainstream artist who makes a big shift, it takes a lot to get people to believe. But I think it’s extremely believable… because it’s extremely real."

Any week is going to be a good week when anti-country troubadour Dylan Earl releases a new record and Level-Headed Even Smile is setting us up for an absolute belter. 10 songs of the very finest quality from traditional country's best kept secret.

Ashley Kutcher celebrates her move to Nashville this week with the 5-track EP Back To My Roots, which includes the brilliant 'Hey Girl' and Thelma & James are the gift that keeps on giving on their Starting Over EP, while Niko Moon makes Maxim's holiday a little sweeter giving his American Palm album a little makeover by adding two new songs.

Plus, one of our absolute highlights from AmericanaFest, Texas country folk rock band Briscoe release their new album, Heat of July. Written out on the road as they traveled across North America, playing everywhere from Canada to Cancun, it's a snapshot of the major shifts in Philip and Truett’s lives, as they both married their longtime partners in the wake of West Of It All's success.

If your spirits need a little lifting, then let Briscoe take you under their capable wings. We've got the wonderfully anthemic 'Saving Grace' from the album in our playlist today.

“It’s about that feeling that’s almost too good to be true - and doing everything you can to hold onto it,” says band co-founder Truett Heintzelman about the song. “With its anthemic, harmony-filled chorus, we hope everyone is lucky enough to have a similar experience of their own."

Watch the video for 'Saving Grace' below

Every week we like to shine our Holler spotlight on a song that has particularly caught our ears and this week we've got a truly beautiful song from one of our 10 Artists You Need to Know alumni, Maddie Lenhart.

'Make It Up to You' is her most vulnerable release yet. A heartfelt ballad written in memory of someone she lost six years ago, the song is a gentle reminder to let the ones you love know how much you love them every chance you get because you never know when they won't be around to tell them.

“Born out of grief but rooted in hope, it’s a promise that when I see her again, there will be no question how much I love her,” Maddie explains. “For anyone who’s lost someone too soon and thought there would always be more time, I pray this song reaches you and makes you feel less alone.”

Releasing during Suicide Prevention Month, the song carries an even greater weight, offering a place of comfort for those walking through loss, and a reminder of how vital it is to hold each other close while we can.

You can listen to 'Make It Up to You' along with everything else in our Best New Country playlist on Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music and YouTube.

Check out this week's new country and americana song releases and listen to the full playlist below:

1. 1.

   Tumbleweed

   Drake Milligan

2. 2.

   Train

   Dasha

3. 3.

   Scared of Getting Sober

   Josh Ross

4. 4.

   Little Birds

   Elizabeth Nichols

5. 5.

   Dog Years

   HARDY

6. 6.

   Days Are Numbered

   Vincent Mason

7. 7.

   ELDORA

   Chase Rice

8. 8.

   Hey Girl

   Ashley Kutcher

9. 9.

   Measure

   Corey Kent and Max McNown

10. 10.

    Cons and Clowns

    Courtney Marie Andrews

11. 11.

    Hot Dog

    Emily Zeck

12. 12.

    Slippery Slope (feat. John Morgan)

    Lauren Watkins

13. 13.

    Let the Lonely

    Kameron Marlowe

14. 14.

    Make It Up To You

    Maddie Lenhart

15. 15.

    Brake Lights

    Chris Young

16. 16.

    Parking Lot Prayers

    Thelma & James

17. 17.

    Broken Parts

    Dylan Earl

18. 18.

    IGFKY

    Georgia Ku

19. 19.

    Call You Back

    Evan Honer

20. 20.

    Saving Grace

    Briscoe

21. 21.

    Girl on Fire

    Lola Kirke

22. 22.

    Move On

    Kevin Powers and Shaboozey

23. 23.

    THE ONE

    Georgia Webster

24. 24.

    K.O.W.

    Kenny Feidler

25. 25.

    Answering Machine

    Effy Harvard

26. 26.

    1990 Somethin'

    Max Jackson

27. 27.

    Coincidence

    Maddox Batson

28. 28.

    The Shadow of the Mountain

    Cole Chaney

29. 29.

    John, Dear

    Baylee Lynn

30. 30.

    The Best Part

    Teigen Gayse

31. 31.

    Too Good, Too Bad

    Jason Scott & the High Heat

32. 32.

    Bad Company

    Bad Company and Charley Crockett

33. 33.

    Cold Eye of Leaving

    The Pink Stones

34. 34.

    Townies

    Wednesday

35. 35.

    Drink Champagne

    Runaway June

36. 36.

    Turn Me Loose

    Rocco Gorelik

37. 37.

    Nobody Roads

    Josh Stumpf

38. 38.

    Bored Fightin'

    Nick Shoulders

39. 39.

    Outsider

    Josh Meloy

40. 40.

    20 Bucks

    Colin Stough

41. 41.

    Kansas - Piano Version

    Luke Bryan

42. 42.

    BREATHE

    Niko Moon

43. 43.

    Fort Worth

    Kylie Frey and Randall King

44. 44.

    Tumbleweeds & Nicotine

    Eddie And The Getaway

45. 45.

    Die Trying

    Chase McDaniel

46. 46.

    REHAB

    Jon Langston

47. 47.

    Pray For Me

    Hueston

48. 48.

    Mama's Prayer

    Becca Bowen

49. 49.

    Wildfire

    Michael Martin Murphey and Cody Johnson

50. 50.

    Leave the Dirt

    Jay Webb

51. 51.

    Easier By Now

    Spencer Crandall

52. 52.

    Life Is Good

    Lil Man J

53. 53.

    Written In Stone

    Dylan Conrique

54. 54.

    Liar

    Roan Ash

55. 55.

    Dust Till Dawn

    Mac Hankins and The Moonlighters

56. 56.

    Baby Holding a Baby

    Payton Smith

57. 57.

    Wait For Me

    Zach Williams

58. 58.

    He Ain't

    Trey Lewis

59. 59.

    Settle Down Side

    Ryan Larkins

60. 60.

    TN HONEY

    Ryan Jesse

61. 61.

    Interrupted

    Kelsey Lamb

62. 62.

    Heaven Don't Want Me

    Creed Fisher

63. 63.

    Wastin' Time

    Alex Maher

64. 64.

    Hardwood Floor - string session

    Morgan Wade

65. 65.

    Going Somewhere

    Tim Hicks

66. 66.

    East Texas and You

    Solon Holt

67. 67.

    Goodbye

    Luke Rob

68. 68.

    She Wants To Be Wanted Again

    Ty Herndon and Chrissy Metz

69. 69.

    I'd Like to Have That One Back

    Will Banister

70. 70.

    Lie With You

    Jordan Fletcher

71. 71.

    Somethin' Bout a Honky Tonk

    Matt Lang

72. 72.

    Ever Do

    Grant Gilbert

73. 73.

    Try Baby

    Zac Hart

74. 74.

    Hell at This Point

    Will Terry

75. 75.

    Better or Worse

    Lane Smith

76. 76.

    Solitary Thinkin'

    Alex Hall

77. 77.

    Laced

    Morgan Myles

78. 78.

    One Trick Pony

    Caleb Lee Hutchinson

79. 79.

    Every Piece

    Hunter Hayes

80. 80.

    Head Spinning

    Coleman Jennings

81. 81.

    Ghost In My Head

    Callie Twisselman

82. 82.

    Sad Songs For Cowboys

    George Arbuckle

83. 83.

    I Don't Care

    Kelly Willis

84. 84.

    Chase It All Away

    The Steel Wheels

85. 85.

    Get Down

    Adam Warner and Josh Gallagher

86. 86.

    Life Ain't Always Beautiful

    Cyndi Thomson

87. 87.

    Something Wild

    Amelia Coburn

88. 88.

    Good Old Boys Girl

    Timothy Wayne

89. 89.

    Gypsy

    Ash Ruder

90. 90.

    Hat Man Blues

    Maygan & The Birdwatcher

91. 91.

    Edge of Changing

    Steady Habits

92. 92.

    Stay

    Telander

93. 93.

    Here in the High and Low

    Joan Shelley

94. 94.

    Raining in My Heart

    Joe Ely

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