The weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are a great time for new releases. Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll see artists releasing projects they’ve been sitting on all year, sharing early singles from 2025 releases, and looking to end the year on a high note. As a result, we’ll get plenty of rock-sold country and Americana songs and albums over the next couple of weeks before everyone freezes their release schedule until after the New Year.
Videos by American Songwriter
This week, we’ve got new releases from across the country and Americana spectrum. We have new tracks from one of the genre’s biggest stars, a young and hungry up-and-comer, a cover from an independent favorite, and more.
Must-Hear Country and Americana Songs for This Week
“I Love Doing Drugs” by The Devil Makes Three 🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵
The Devil Makes Three hasn’t released a new album of original songs since their 2018 full-length Chains Are Broken. They’ll release their long-awaited follow-up Spirits next year. Already they’ve released two exemplary tracks from their forthcoming record. “Spirits” dropped, fittingly, on Halloween. “I Love Doing Drugs” dropped earlier this week.
This is one of the best songs about addiction that I’ve heard in a long time. On the surface, it sounds like a lot of fun. Upon a closer listen, though, you start to feel the underlying evils of substance abuse.
“Ain’t Enough Cowboy Songs” by Ashley McBryde 🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵
Ashley McBryde is no stranger to traditional-sounding country music. However, she rarely leans this hard into the classic sound. “Ain’t Enough Cowboy Songs” is packed with fiddle, peppered with steel guitar, and features lyrical themes relating to the “good old days” of country music.
While “Ain’t Enough Cowboy Songs” may not be the best country song of all time, it has me excited for new music from McBryde.
“On the Run” by J.R. Carroll 🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵
Country singer/songwriter J.R. Carroll released his debut album Dark Cloud today. Honestly, any of the 10 songs on his record could have made this list. They’re all well-written and Carroll has a great Red Dirt-adjacent sound that I could listen to all day long. However, the album opener “On the Run” might be my favorite cut.
If you’re looking for new country music with personal yet relatable lyrics and a traditional sound, this song is for you.
“That’s the Way Love Goes” by Cody Jinks 🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵
Cody Jinks Sings Lefty Frizzell, Jinks’ tribute to Frizzell, dropped today. It is packed with new takes on classic country songs. The 9-track collection includes covers of “I Never Go Around Mirrors,” “The Long Black Veil,” “If You’ve Got the Money I’ve Got the Time,” and more. My favorite from the collection is “That’s the Way Love Goes.” Jinks’ rendition of the classic penned by Frizzell and Sanger D. Shafer is nearly perfect.
Johnny Rodriguez recorded my favorite version of this song in 1973. Jinks’ version rivals that recording.
“Alabama Stone” by The Castellows 🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵
The Catellows, a trio of sisters from Georgia, is one of the most promising new country groups in the business and this song is a perfect example of why. The trio employs blood harmony like the Stanley Brothers and other sibling groups before them. More than that, they are a trio of top-notch songwriters.
“Alabama Stone” is a beautifully written and bittersweet song about a woman who lives and dies with deep roots in her old stomping grounds. If you want more like this, check out the group’s new EP Alabama Stone that hit streaming platforms today.
“Roses and Wolves” by Max McNown featuring Hailey Whitters 🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵
It’s interesting to watch the new generation of country and Americana artists bloom from the seeds planted by the likes of Tyler Childers and Zach Bryan. That is not to say that Max McNown is out there trying to ape the style of either Childers or Bryan. However, their styles are evident in the DNA of McNown’s music.
“Roses and Wolves,” the new song from the country up-and-comer is a great example of him wearing his influences on his sleeve. Written by McNown and Jamie Kenney, it’s a great heartbreak song. The addition of Hailey Whitters takes the song to another level. Their voices sound great together.
Featured Image by Jason Davis/Getty Images
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