Underappreciated Artists

Currently in Country music, the top few artists of the genre (Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, and Zach Bryan) have captured all of the airplay/downloads and get most of the recognition and press. This leaves a much smaller area for lesser-known artists to be acknowledged and played. The worst part of this scenario is that these smaller artists genuinely stay true to the genre, are typically more creative, and have an appreciate for Country and its history unlike some of the larger artists. So, ITS TIME TO RECOGNIZE THEM ON MY TINY LITTLE PLATFORM NO ONE READS.

Ashley McBryde

Ashley McBryde is the one person on this list that I believe deserves the most amount of appreciation and credit. She is a complete badass. She knows exactly who she is, helps others along the way, and creates modern ACTUAL COUNTRY music. Her songs are crafted as stories that we can all relate to, and she speaks such truth without being “in your face” about it. This also reflects her personality because she never shies away from telling someone how it is, but she does it in a respectful and classy manner. She also has the ability to produce funny and joyful albums like her concept album titled “Lindeville”, while also giving us upbeat rockin’ songs and timeless ballads with “Made for This” and “Girl Going Nowhere”. If there is one thing that all of her music does, it makes you think about life. It makes you think about its meaning, your purpose, and the people you surround yourself with. Ashley McBryde is a true female Country artist.

Riley Green

Duckman. Riley Green is just a classic country boy…with great style. He is a simple guy that keeps it real, and I appreciate that. Again, he knows who he is, and he puts out actual Country music. There is nothing complicated to say about this guy, but sometimes you just need music that is simple and speaks the truth. “I wish even cars had truck beds….”

Lauren Alaina

Lauren Alaina has had a complicated career filled with a whole lot of EPs. She has a huge/fun personality and a voice to match. The best thing that truly makes her underappreciated is her song writing ability. She is able to convey such strong relatable messages in a poet way. Every single one of her songs is worth really analyzing to understand the message she is conveying. Nothing she writes ever sounds forced or overdone. Some of her best written songs in my opinion include “The Other Side”, “Painting Pillows”, “Three”, and “Like Her”. I do not understand how someone with such a strong voice and great song writing abilities hasn’t made it bigger in the industry (I actually can, but that’s not the point of this blog).

Justin Moore

Justin Moore had one of the best overall Country albums ever with “Light Nights and Longnecks”, but no one seemed to care. He is legitimately Country, and he has a unique strong voice. He has been around for a while, but he has really never gotten credit for his work at any award shows. He has, however, gotten a lot of radio play. I think a lot of people would actually know his songs such as “We Didn’t Have Much”, “If Heaven Wasn’t so Far Away”, “Till My Last Day”, and “Small Town USA”. I just think he needs credit for continuously putting out quality Country music and never folding to “the establishment”.

Kameron Marlowe

Kameron Marlowe is relatively newer to the genre, but I hope his career takes off because he deserves it. His latest album titled “We Were Cowboys” is a masterpiece. It is not a double album. It is purely Country. Every song does not sound the same. All of these things are rare for current guys in Country right now, but he showed its possible. He sings with passion, conviction, and soul which is frequently lacking in the top charting songs. He brings an array of songs to the table that are produced very well to showcase different sounds, melodies, and keys. So, give him credit for giving Country what it needed.

Midland

Midland is just cool. They make fun music that has its own vibe different from everything else in the genre. It’s pure Country music with a western flare. You want to sing along to every song that they put out because they each have their own unique melody and edgy twang. They’re just good at what they do.

Tyler Childers

Tyler Childers was cool before Zach Bryan was. He was a real pioneer in trying to mainstream the Appalachian/Americana sub-genre in Country music, so he deserves credit for this. His songs also sound significantly more composed to me than most other songs in this sub-genre, which I believe is beneficial to bringing it out of the shadows and into the mainstream. He has a cool voice, good songwriting skills, and an overall vibe that distinguishes himself from others. He has a polished yet rustic sound.

Muscadine Bloodline

Muscadine Bloodline is young, fun, and original. Its as if you combined an early 2000s Alternative boy band with a classic Country band. They bring a sound you didn’t even know you wanted until you heard it. Their newest album titled "Teenage Dixie" shows off their creativity and original sound exceptionally well.

#country #countrymusic #nashville #rileygreen #ashleymcbryde #justinmoore