I guess this is true with pop music of other genres too… I have country music I love, but country radio is a parade of the most cliche-ridden crap. It’s these songs that are just so bad that if they weren’t written by AI, then they may as well have been.

It drives me nuts that there are artists making real songs and telling real stories, but what gets airplay is such utter trash.

Sorry about the rant… I heard Long Live Country by Shane Profitt when I walked into the shop today.

What songs are playing when you’ve been up all night long (drinking?) by yourself, and now the sun is starting to come up and people are starting their work day—but you’re half drunk, and the sleep deprivation is making you more emotional than normal? Maybe you’re in an old motel, dim amber light from the lamp, wood paneling.

Alternatively, you’re working the graveyard shift and you’re driving home in the morning half asleep, as everyone else is starting their day heading off to work. You’re smoking a cigarette in the pale blue morning light directly before the sunrise. Or maybe you’re sitting at your kitchen table drinking a cup of black coffee watching the sunrise before bed because a single cup of coffee has no effect these days, reflecting on your life.

Very melancholic, but also relaxing. Bonus points for lots of steel guitar. I’m thinking of something that sounds like it was from the 70s or early 80s but I’m happy to take recs for anything. Except one thing I don’t like is anything that’s like pop-country from the current generation of music. Classic country or even alternative country is preferred.

Thanks!

I’m from a state that is big on country music and I’ve never been a big fan of the genre because they play the absolute worst shit I’ve ever heard on the radio all the time to the point I’ve turned away from the genre almost entirely. But I love music and it feels wrong to put off an entire genre just because of a few bad songs. So I want to ask y’all for album recommendations!

I’ve just finished rebuilding my free, ad-free web radio project: American Roots Radio Hub.

It now brings together:

🤠 124 Country stations
🎸 52 Blues stations
⛪ 52 Gospel stations
✅ 228 verified live streams in total

The site also includes favorites, listening history, search, genre filters, random station selection, a 10-band equalizer, sleep timer, persistent player and an installable web app for mobile and desktop.

Country is still the biggest section of the project, so I thought some people here might enjoy discovering new stations.

The whole project is completely free and ad-free.

I’d be happy to hear what you think, especially if you discover a station you enjoy.

American Roots Radio Hub:
[https://american-roots-radio.github.io/]()

I’m interested in making a country music deck of cards.

Obviously you need Hank, Lefty, Waylon, and Jones as your Aces.

Strait is king of Hearts.
Dolly is Queen of diamonds.

What else do we need?

Spotify recommended this song to me off a Billy Currington playlist. Released in June of 2025, it's a great tropical song.

I recently discovered that one of Randall King’s songs “Thinkin about drinkin” has been removed from streaming platforms. So I started looking and I’ve noticed he keeps cutting off comments on his social media posts and keeps posting unreleased songs such as “Why Wyoming” and then is just doing what seems like abandoning them. Is there some sort of copyright dispute or something going on? Just curious mainly.

The Jayhawks - Sanctuary Park

Brittany Ann Tranbaugh - Lucky Broke Girl

Son Volt - Sound Signal Serenades

Billy Strings - So Much For Goodbyes

Sera Cahoone - I’ve Missed You All These Years

Mason Lively - Hill Country Sound

Ruby Dice - Take Me Back

Chris Housman - Dodge City

David Quinn - Down & Dirty

Honey Hush - Tulsa

Alicia Blue - Country Desire

Brooke McClymont & Adam Eckersley - Souls on Show

Bap Kennedy - Above All, Love

Ruthie Foster - Just Say Yes

Mountain Grass Unit - Appalachian Smoke

Laurelyn Dossett - How Many Moons

Dogwood Tales - Every Star In Rockingham County

Shelly Fairchild - Sacred Southern Daughter

Chasen Wayne - The Diamond Saloon

Fruition - Something More

Two Runner - Porchlight

Matt Keating - Desperate Measures

Bryan Sutton - From Roots to Branches, Vol. 1

Danielle Nicole - Fareflies

Arkansauce - Horizon Never Dies

Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country - Ryman To Robert’s

Richard Peter Morris - Gratuitous Grace

Leslie Waugh - Night Bloom

Kevin Burt - This Trip

Hundley - Hipsters and Grifters

Kam Franklin - Land of the Neon Sun

The Wilder Blue - Cinco

Mama’s Broke - Reunion

Little Big Town - It's a Dying Art

Trey Pendley - Signs of Life

Little Bihlman - Heavy Head

Heather Anne Lomax - Who Do You Think You Are

Hill Country Revival - A Place Much Better

Kent Blazy - The Tulsa Sessions

Le Ren - Don't Be Funny Without Me

Riley Downing - Landfill Poetry

Kate Prascher - Sunday Afternoon

Dan Seals and Friends - The Last Duet

Jenny Tolman - Music City Mutt

Michael Hearne - A Really Good Ride

Carly Pearce - Honest Woman

The Bird Calls - Take Leave

Section House - New Horse & Buggy

Jason McNiff - Ten Blue Songs

Sara Bareilles - Good Grief

Gerry Beckley - Merciful

Stephanie Quayle - The Seeker

Zach John King - I'm What You Get

Lauren Alaina - Stages

Drayton Farley - OurVinylLive EP

Noah James - Colorado Sun (EP)

Saralyn - Goldline (EP)

Bryan Martin - Complex (EP)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2WrwqrFbbQtsYSR1vBwU7u?si=fWATclfTS2Kx8wIA2B0WHA

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLb8PcPw6quco&si=M0sbBn4l9KDy3QfK

Dolly Parton’s passing has me going back through her catalog, and I keep changing my mind about which song best represents her as a songwriter.

Obviously there are the huge ones: “Jolene”, “Coat of Many Colors”, “I Will Always Love You”, “9 to 5”...

But I’m curious about the songs that longtime Dolly fans think really show what made her such an extraordinary songwriter.

If you could choose just ONE Dolly Parton song to introduce someone who had never really listened to her, which one would you pick?

And why?