Metacritic Aggregate: 2024 New Music: Country/Americana/Folk

Notes

For information on what lists are consulted, and what the various abbreviations and notes mean, click here.

For reissues and compilations, click here.

Sub-Lists

Some breakdowns by genre:

Ranking

  1. Kacey Musgraves: Deeper Well (MCA Nashville) {24}: Al:*, BB:+, Cos:+, CS:++, D:*, I:*, IT:*, MO:*, P:*, PM:*+, Sp:*, Spk:*, T:*, U:*, V:+; ysp:* -- A:77/23, MT:**, TH:A-
  2. Gillian Welch/David Rawlings: Woodland (Acony) {22}: IT:*, Mj:4*, O:*, P:*, Pf:*, PM:*, RC:*, RS:*, U:2*; am:*, xjdc:* -- A:82/11, TH:***
  3. Swamp Dogg: Blackgrass: From West Virginia to 125th St (Oh Boy) {20}: DW:+, Mj:*, PM:*, PO:+, U:*, XCI:*, XJS:+; am:*, ysp:* -- A:81/5, MT:***, RX:A-, TH:***
  4. Carly Pearce: Hummingbird (Big Machine) {19}: BB:+, XCL:**, XJS:+; am:*, xjdc:*, xsp:*, ysp:* -- A:80/1, MT:A-, RX:A, TH:***
  5. Johnny Blue Skies [aka Sturgill Simpson]: Passage Du Desir (High Top Mountain) {17}: BPM:*, Mj:57*, O:*, P:*, Pf:*, RS:*, Sl:*, Spk:*, U:17*; am:*, bv_c:+, scm:* -- A:85/10, TH:**
  6. Willie Nelson: The Border (Legacy) {17}: AD:*, BB:+, Mj:*, MO:*, SC:*, U:33*, XCI:**; xjdc:* -- A:79/6, RX:***, TH:A-
  7. Megan Moroney: Am I Okay? (Columbia Nashville) {15}: XCI:**, XJS:+; xjdc:* -- MT:A-, RX:A-, TH:***
  8. Chris Smither: All About the Bones (Signature Sounds) {13}: XCI:**, XJS:+; xjdc:*, ysp:* -- RX:A-, TH:A-
  9. Zach Bryan: The Great American Bar Scene (Belting Bronco/Warner) {11}: Ne:*, RS:*, XCI:**; bv_c:+, scm:* -- A:72/6, MT:B+, TH:**
  10. Willi Carlisle: Critterland (Signature Sounds) {11}: PM:*, Sg:+, Sl:*+, XCI:**; bv_c:+, xjdc:*, ysp:* -- A:82/3, TH:**
  11. Sierra Ferrell: Trail of Flowers (Rounder) {10}: S:*, V:+; am:*, bv_c:+, e:+, xco:+, ysp:* -- A:79/3, TH:***
  12. Miranda Lambert: Postcards From Texas (Republic Nashville) {10}: AD:*, NME:*, XCI:**, XJS:+; xjdc:* -- A:75/3, TH:A-
  13. John Moreland: Visitor (Old Omens/Thirty Tigers) {10}: AD:*, PM:*+, RC:*, U:*; bv_c:+, ysp:* -- A:85/4, TH:***
  14. Morgan Wade: Obsessed (Ladylike/RCA Nashville) {10}: XCI:*, XJS:+ -- RX:A-, TH:A-
  15. Adeem the Artist: Anniversary (Four Quarters) {9}: PO:+, SC:*+; am:*, bv_c:+, xjdc:*, ysp:* -- A:77/4, TH:**
  16. Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore: TexiCali (Yep Roc) {9}: Mj:*, SC:*, U:74*; xjdc:* -- A:78/4, TH:A-
  17. Katie Pruitt: Mantras (Rounder) {9}: HV:+, XCI:**; ysp:* -- MT:***, TH:**
  18. Charley Crockett: $10 Cowboy (Son of Davy) {7}: AS:*, RS:+, S:*, XCI:*; am:* -- A:83/4, TH:**
  19. Jeff Evans Porkestra: Willow Pillow (self-releaed -EP) {7}: -- RX:A-, TH:***
  20. Jake Xerxes Fussell: When I'm Called (Fat Possum) {7}: Mj:*, Pf:*, SC:*, U:28*; am:*, xjdc:+ -- A:81/6
  21. Willie Nelson: Last Leaf on the Tree (Legacy) {7}: AD:*, Mj:*, T:*, U:*; am:* -- A:83/6, TH:**
  22. Sarah Shook & the Disarmers: Revelations (Abeyance) {7}: AS:*, P:*+; am:*, xjdc:* -- A:79/4, TH:**
  23. Corb Lund: El Viejo (New West) {6}: PO:+, XCI:*; ysp:* -- TH:***
  24. Shaboozey: Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going (Republic/Empire) {6}: BB:+, RS:*+, Up:+, XCI:* -- A:79/2, TH:*
  25. Melissa Carper: Borned in Ya (Mae Music) {5}: scm:* -- TH:A-
  26. Kelsey Waldon: There's Always a Song (Oh Boy) {5}: PM:*+ -- A:80/1, TH:***
  27. Charley Crockett: $10 Cowboy Chapter II: Visions of Dallas (Son of Davy) {4}: scm:* -- TH:***
  28. Claudia Gibson: The Fields of Chazy (self-released) {4}: -- RX:**, TH:**
  29. The Gringo Pistoleros: The Rise and . . . Subsequent Fall of the Texas Alien (self-released) {4}: -- RX:**, TH:**
  30. Billy Strings: Highway Prayers (Reprise) {4}: Mj:*, RS:*, SC:*; am:* -- A:80/5
  31. Kelly Willis/Melissa Carper/Brennen Leigh: Wonder Women of Country (Brooklyn Basement -EP) {4}: XCI:*; ysp:* -- TH:**
  32. Lainey Wilson: Whirlwind (BBR) {4}: XCI:* -- TH:***
  33. Brown Horse: Reservoir (Loose Music) {3}: Mj:*, U:39* -- A:85/2
  34. The Castellows: A Little Goes a Long Way (Warner Music Nashville -EP) {3}: XCI:* -- TH:**
  35. George Dearborne: Lotta Honky Tonkin' Left in Me (Wingate) {3}: scm:* -- TH:**
  36. Lola Kirke: Country Curious (One Riot -EP) {3}: xjdc:*, ysp:* -- TH:*
  37. Merce Lemon: Watch Me Drive Them Dogs Wild (Darling) {3}: BPM:*, P:*, UR:* -- A:80/5
  38. Post Malone: F-1 Trillion (Mercury/Republic) {3}: I:*, XCI:*, T:* -- A:67/11
  39. Gurf Morlix: In Love at Zero Degrees (Rootball) {3}: xjdc:* -- TH:**
  40. Orville Peck: Stampede (Warner) {3}: FO:*, O:*, SC:* -- A:73/8
  41. Connie Smith: Love, Prison, Wisdom and Heartaches (Fat Possum) {3}: ysp:* -- TH:**
  42. Brittney Spencer: My Stupid Life (Elektra) {3}: RS:*+, SSt:+ -- A:75/2
  43. The Dead South: Chains & Stakes (Six Shooter/DevilDuck) {2}: AD:*, XSN:* -- A:80/3
  44. Jason Isbell: Live From the Ryman Vol. 2 (Southeastern) {2}: XCI:**
  45. Karen Jonas: The Rise and Fall of American Kitsch (self-released) {2}: scm:* -- TH:*
  46. The Mavericks: Moon & Stars () {2}: BB:+; am:* -- A:80/1
  47. Sam Outlaw: Terra Cotta (Black Hills) {2}: XCI:* -- TH:*
  48. 49 Winchester: Leavin' This Holler () {1}: scm:*
  49. American Aquarium: The Fear of Standing Still () {1}: scm:*
  50. Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams: All This Time (Royal Potato Family) {1}: ysp:*
  51. Matt Castillo: Pushing Borders () {1}: scm:*
  52. Jeff Crosby: Another Petal Falls Off of the Rose () {1}: scm:*
  53. Ernest: Nashville, Tennessee () {1}: BB:+
  54. Alejandro Escovedo: Echo Dancing (Yep Roc) {1}: ysp:*
  55. Jim Lauderdale: My Favorite Place (Sky Crunch) {1}: ysp:*
  56. Scotty McCreery: Rise & Fall (Triple Tigers) {1}: BB:+
  57. Red Clay Strays: Made by These Moments () {1}: scm:*
  58. Daniel Romano & Outfit: Too Hot to Sleep (You've Changed) {1}: ysp:*
  59. Leslie Stevens: Leslie Stevens (Lyricland) {1}: HV:+
  60. Alice Wallace: Here I Am () {1}: scm:*
  61. Jesse Welles: Hells Welles () {1}: scm:*