Pandora's Country Picks
Pandora Names Its 2020 ‘Country Artists To Watch’
PANDORA has selected 15 acts representing a variety of sounds and styles for its 2020 “Country Artists To Watch” list. The group includes eight women and seven male acts, spanning both newly-singed artists and some already familiar faces ...
KUPL (98.7 The Bull)/Portland MD/Midday Host Danny Dwyer Inks Multi-Year Deal, Adds APD Stripes
ALPHA MEDIA Country KUPL (98.7 THE BULL)/PORTLAND MD/midday host DANNY DWYER has inked a multi-year contract that adds APD duties to his responsibilities. DWYER celebrated his 21st ...
New Country artist Nathan Sheridan is making his presence known with a reflective ballad that will grab your heart from the moment he sings the first line. The song, penned solely by Sheridan, entertains the idea of turning back time to re-live moments with loved ones "again." Sheridan wears his emotions on his sleeve as he pays tribute to the individuals who shaped him most in life, including his grandparents, wife, and late sister. The song has reached many through Sheridan's live performances on WSMV-TV's "Today In Nashville" and Chicago's WGN-TV. Sheridan has also seen a lot of love via print outlets, including features in HomeLife magazine, Life: Beautiful magazine and CCM Magazine. The gripping music video debuted on CMT in November, and will continue to run three times per day through the end of December as a part of the network's “Artist Discovery” platform. The tune comes at the perfect time as listeners and their loved ones reflect during the holiday season. What better way to be reminded of how precious time is with the ones we love than a beautifully crafted ballad? 
Here’s a song that sets just the right tone for the coming new year: a bubbly, catchy, tempo-driven tune about putting in the time and effort to find the right man, and being willing to wait for the kind of love her parents shared. Arts, who wrote the song with Alex Kline and Allison Veltz Cruz, sings, “I still remember mama walking down the living room stairs / And daddy saying with a smile, ‘That's my girl right there’ / They had their share of ups and downs / And I saw the best, and the worst, and the work, and the worth it.” The song has already spent two weeks atop the Radio Disney Top 50 Country Chart, is getting exposure on several key Spotify playlists, and will get additional traction when Arts performs it on the season premiere of ABC-TV’s “The Bachelor” on January 6th, marking her third appearance on the franchise. With clever lyrics about seeing “that Cinderella fairy tale go up in cigarette smoke,” it’s a perfect choice for the dating show. This single is the first track from the Saskatchewan native’s upcoming album, “Love, Heartbreak & Everything In Between,” due out January 10th.
Fans of Zac Brown Band’s more sensitive songs, like “Colder Weather” and “Highway 20 Ride,” are going to find plenty to love in this equally emotional single that looks back sadly at a failed relationship. Written by ZBB’s Zac Brown, Clay Cook, Coy Bowles and Jimmy De Martini, along with longtime Brandi Carlile collaborators Tim and Phil Hanseroth, the ballad’s lyrics are expressive, poignant and beautiful. Don’t be fooled by the corresponding music video, which defuses the serious tone in an unexpected way by featuring a series of adorable and hilarious animal videos. This song packs a punch. Brown sings in the chorus, “I believe, yes I do / That everything we lose will be a gift in time / But the hardest part is leaving love behind.” Then, in a final, wrenching verse, he sings, “The sun fades on me now and I miss you like words can't know / And I missed my shot at dying young a long time ago / It's just a lesson learned in love, it's not angry it's not sad / Sometime you have to lose somethin' to know what you have.” This is certain to be a stunning concert moment when the band resumes its “The Owl Tour” in late February, just be sure to bring along a tissue or two.
If you never believed there could be a Country Rap version of The Oak Ridge Boys’ 1981 signature song, “Elvira,” think again. Artist Buck 22, who describes himself on Twitter as “the new revolution of Country music mixed with Hip-Hop,” takes a fun swing at this Pop Country classic and succeeds, in part because he was clever enough to include the Oaks in both the song and its accompanying music video. That makes for some fun moments, like in the beginning of the song where Oaks bass vocalist Richard Sterban chides, “Buck, don’t Buck this song up!” This version of the Dallas Frazier-penned tune sounds familiar in parts, and completely unrecognizable in others, but at a tight two minutes and 36 seconds, it’s worth trying out some morning show spins to gauge listener reaction. The artist (real name Damon Elliott) is the son of R&B legend Dionne Warwick. The track was executive produced by none other than Billy Ray Cyrus, with whom Buck 22 previously teamed for an “Achy Breaky Heart” remix in 2014, and Cyrus says of their “Elvira” collaboration, “If this doesn’t make you smile or help you get your groove on, then you are possibly dead.”
Chris Janson is taking us from "Good Vibes" to "Christmas vibes" with his rendition of the Chuck Berry holiday favorite, "Run Run Rudolph." The energy-filled number is sure to get your holiday season started on the right note, and would even have the Grinch tapping his toe and decking the halls. With his recent appearances on the "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade" and CMA's "A Country Christmas" on ABC-TV, there is no doubt Janson is the perfect artist to fill your airwaves with Christmas cheer. If you need more convincing, we'll leave that to his outrageous harmonica solos. "I said, 'Man, I want to do mine like Chuck would do it,' so it's gonna be rock-and-roll. Loud, raucous guitars, and I'm putting my twist on it by bringing the harmonica," Janson told ABC Radio. "I've been hearing it ['Run Run Rudolph'] my whole life. You just never really know exactly what the lyrics are saying, particularly until you dive in. So I hope I can serve some justice to the songwriters and to the artist, Chuck Berry." We can confirm he did indeed do it justice, and gifting this song to your listeners will be a wonderful treat for the holidays.
Jackson Michelson is serving up a big gift to the Country airwaves this holiday season with his new single, "Stay Over." The relatable break-up tune, penned by Michelson, alongside Jeff Pardo and Molly Reed Grayson, features well-crafted lyrics that call out a split couple on their inability to keep their relationship status as "over" due to their desire to "stay over" with each other on a regular basis. “'Stay Over’ is about an on-again, off-again relationship filled with passion,” Michelson told Taste of Country. “Sometimes the relationship is meant to be, but the timing just isn’t right. I wanted to write a song from that vulnerable point of view.” Vulnerable is right. Michelson leaves no details to the imagination with a steamy chorus that goes: "I know you’re gonna show up at my door / Throw your heels on my floor / You’ll be saying maybe you should stay over / I know we’ll be kissing up the stairs / I’ll be messing up your hair / Fall asleep with your head on my shoulder / We can’t let it go / Even though we know / This ain’t gonna help us get closure / We’ll say the same goodbyes / Swear that it's the last time / But no matter how we try baby / We can never stay over." With a recent add on Spotify's "Hot Country" playlist, this song is already proving its strength to the Country music world, and you won't want to miss out.
Brantley Gilbert is keeping the momentum from his recent #1 rolling right into the next hopeful hit with "Fire't Up." The single, featured on his latest album, "Fire & Brimstone," lives up to the title and is sure to heat up your airwaves during these cold winter months. Written by Gilbert alongside Brandon Day and Justin Weaver, the song stays true to Gilbert's reckless side and will have listeners turning up the volume and ready to get rowdy. Driven by guitar, kick drum and, of course, Gilbert's unmistakable Georgia vocals, the chorus says, "We gon' tear the night up / Got 'shine in the masons / Good times in the making / Baby, crank it / Fire't up." It's clear this is just one big 'ol party, and you won't find us complaining! "Get you a little buzzed / Country queens do your thing / Y'all can get this small town lit / Let's fire't up," he sings in the chorus. Gilbert will bring the party to life in 2020 with the "Fire't up Tour," featuring special guests Chase Rice, Dylan Scott and Brandon Lay, and it'll be one you don't want to miss. Get ready to fire up that playlist with an add, you'll be glad you did.
Leading with a hooky banjo riff, Morgan Evans captures your attention immediately with his latest single, "Diamonds." The tune’s lyrical concept compares finding a significant other to finding a diamond, with the lyrics, "It's like I was down a mine / Lost and lookin' for the light / Then I found you like a treasure." Evans then sings in the chorus, "I love you like a diamond / And diamonds are forever." What girl wouldn't want to be compared to a precious gemstone? Not only are the lyrics clever, but the stripped down music highlights bluegrass instruments like the banjo and dobro. The Country crooner knows a thing or two about finding love, as he is married to fellow singer Kelsea Ballerini. In a recent press release, Evans shared more details about the song, saying, "I wrote ‘Diamonds’ for my wife, and I’m so stoked to release it as a single. It's a fun love song, but deeper than that it celebrates that journey from lost to found you feel when you meet that person and everything changes forever." Evans co-wrote the tune with hit songwriters Chris DeStefano and Evan Bogart. You can catch Evans performing "Diamonds" on the remaining dates of his 2019 headlining tour.
Fresh on the heels of her #1 hit with Brantley Gilbert, Ell has dropped her latest single, which is also the first from her upcoming album. Steeped in longing and regret, the ballad references things she used to share with a loved one — a bottle of wine, dinner at a favorite restaurant, movies and Stevie Wonder records — that she now avoids because they’re simply too painful to indulge in alone. The lyrics are relatable to anyone who’s experienced a breakup which, let’s face it, includes just about everyone. “I got so much free time / On my hands / ‘Cause I don’t do, the things we did / ‘Cause they’re not as good / Without someone to share ‘em with,” Ell croons. Her vocals soar on the chorus, where she tries desperately to convince herself and the listener that she’s really over it. Yet she belies her own message when she belts, “I don’t miss your kiss / The 'love you baby' from your lips / When the lonely closes in / I fight to convince myself / I don’t love you.” The Calgary native is spending the rest of November playing a string of dates in eight cities in Germany, and will return to the U.S. for two more shows in early December.
Chris Janson shows us his romantic side with new single, "Done." The mid-tempo track offers an immediate hook as Janson sings, "Done / The first time I saw you, done / Like the first dance was through, I was done / That one kiss, I knew / There was nothing I wouldn't do." The tune’s lyrics are accentuated by a musically pleasant chord progression. Written by Janson, Jamie Allen Paulin, Mitchell Edward Oglesby and Matthew Ryan Roy, Janson confirmed with 
Granger Smith is back with new music, and it's a breath of fresh air in this fast-paced world. In the midst of a life-changing year in which Smith lost his 2-year-old son, River, he shared with fans via Instagram that he's found a new perspective on life and plans to share that through his music and tours. "If you see me on tour, or hear new music, know this: it matters to me. Or makes me smile, or makes me think of my dad, or my little red-headed boy [River]. Or my wife, kids, momma, friends, struggles and triumphs," he wrote. "But ... wait ... isn’t that what Country music is supposed to be about?" In the same post, Smith introduced his new single, writing, "It’s about finding peace. Finding yourself. Finding God on a road that’s rough around the edges just like us. It’s about that rural sanctuary we all know so well behind a pair of headlights, a steering wheel and your heavy thoughts." The tune, written by Smith, Chris DeStefano, Jon Nite and Brad Rempel, starts with the heartbeat of a kickdrum that calls listeners to the freedom of the dirt road. Smith sings, "Midnight Milky Way through a cracked windshield / The highways never know how free this feels." As your shoulders drop and you're daydreaming of the open road, Smith proves the simplicity of a dirt road is often the only therapy we need, singing: "Talk to God on 'em, we get lost on 'em / Find our way to a rocky mountain top on 'em / We get stuck on 'em, fall in love on 'em / Rough around the edges just like us / That's why I love dirt roads." Feels good, doesn't it? Believe it or not, the lyrics aren't the only thing that paint a beautiful picture in this song. The single artwork brings Smith's lyrics to life with an illustration of a dirt road scene with a few personal touches, like his late son's image illuminating the mountains. The message Smith shares through all aspects of this single is a strong one, and we encourage you to share it by adding it to your playlist.
This British holiday hit suits the international group King Calaway perfectly. First released in 1971 (as “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)”) by its writers, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, it has since become a Christmas staple covered by a diverse array of artists, including Neil Diamond, Josh Groban, Sarah McLachlan, The Fray, and the pairing of Miley Cyrus and Mark Ronson. In their trademark style, the members of King Calaway take turns on lead vocals, then blend their voices into the background ooos after the first verse. They harmonize again on the song’s memorable background chant, “War is over / If you want it / War is over now.” Lush instrumentals add depth to the track. “We really tried to convey messages of hope and happiness in the album, ‘Rivers,’ we just released and wanted to continue that theme with the release of ‘Happy Christmas,’” said drummer Chris Deaton. “We also wanted to pay homage to the great John Lennon - an artist who has influenced us as a band tremendously. When recording the track, we stayed very true to the original, but were still able to instill what is quickly becoming that distinct King Calaway sound. We hope people love our take on this Christmas classic.”
Carrie Underwood has added some jazzy musical flavors onto her latest radio release, "Drinking Alone." The tune’s lyrical concept is slightly sensual, with the singer commiserating about a relationship gone wrong. Stylistically, it’s a departure from her previous songs. Matching the tone of the track, the production keeps Underwood front and center singing fast-paced lines like, "Let me make one thing clear / You can buy me a beer / But you ain't taking me home / No pickup lines / I came here tonight / To shed a few tears on my own." The sultriness continues with her restrained vocals until Underwood belts the chorus, "We should be drinking alone, together / Drowning the pain is better / With somebody else who got problems / We ain’t gonna solve 'em / But misery loves company / Tonight all I need is a stranger / Lips with a whiskey chaser / And a corner booth kiss." Written by Underwood, David Garcia and Brett James, it is the fourth single from her "Cry Pretty" album. Listeners will appreciate this more mature side from the powerhouse singer. Catch Underwood as she hosts and performs on the upcoming "53rd Annual CMA Awards" on Wednesday, November 13th on ABC-TV.
What could be more special and true-to-life than a song written for the artist’s own proposal, then played as the first dance at his recent wedding to reality TV personality Lauren Bushnell? The mid-tempo song, written by Lane, Jacob Durrett and Ernest K Smith, was already a fan favorite, which led to it being chosen as Lane’s next single. Bonus songwriting points to whoever came up with the lines that reference George Strait and his 1995 hit, “Check Yes Or No.” Lane’s song sweetly describes looking at the woman he loves during an everyday moment, while mentally mapping out a future with her that involves a diamond ring, “a little house out on some hand-me-down land,” and even a vacation with their future children. He then reveals, “She don't know I already bought a ring / Hid it in the bottom left drawer, right beside the sink / Shiny emerald diamond on a brand-new band / Asked her mama for permission and her daddy for her hand.” By the end of the song, the couple’s real-life proposal plays out in song as he drops to one knee and pops the question in her hometown. Lane will embark on his headlining “Big, Big Plans Tour” on October 31st, taking it to major cities nationwide through February. We’re taking bets now on just how many fan couples get engaged onstage or in the audience as Lane plays “Big, Big Plans” throughout the tour.
Luke Bryan takes a turn into the romantic lane once again with his latest single, "What She Wants Tonight." Backed by a rhythmic hook, the lyrics center around a beguiling female, with Bryan singing, "She walks up, velvet rope unhooks / She snaps her fingers and a drink comes / She locks you down with just one look / She's got this whole club undone." The chorus then brings the real heat as he continues, "Don't even know what she'll do when she does it / Palm of her hand, I'm hers in the blink of an eye / She don't take no and I love / She gets what she wants / And I get to be what she wants tonight." Written by Bryan, Ross Copperman, Hillary Lindsey and Jon Nite, the track is the second release from the singer's upcoming, still unnamed album. In a press release, Bryan described the writing process, saying, "We came up with some really infectious hooks for this song, and I think women listeners are going to like that the girl in the song controls the dynamic of the situation. I’ve been wanting to get a big, rocking tempo out for some time and this is certainly it." Bryan clearly knew what he was doing, since the song was most-added in its first week at Country radio. 
For those of us who have really missed this band, it’s a delight to not only see Hootie & The Blowfish return, but to find them now signed to a Nashville label and releasing music that reflects their classic, bluesy sound which — surprise — now fits in perfectly on today’s Country radio. What’s not to love about a song written by Chris Stapleton and Jim Beavers and produced by Frank Rogers, who collectively have been responsible for scores of Country hits already? It’s got tempo, it’s got lead singer Darius Rucker’s warm and distinctive vocals, and it’s got an uplifting message. That’s a win/win/win. After an opening verse noting that the “whole world’s going wrong,” the chorus spreads the feel-good vibes with the lyrics, “There ain’t nothing that a little love can’t get us through / We gotta hold on, when it feels like hope is gone / There is a remedy for you and me / We gotta hold on to each other.” There’s further encouragement later in the song to “keep reaching out with open arms.” The song is the first radio single from their new album, “Imperfect Circle,” which drops on November 1st. It’s the album’s only outside cut, but the band members say they knew right way that it was perfect for the set. Says Rucker, “When I heard it, I was like, ‘This is the song.’” Bassist Dean Felber was drawn in knowing “what it would mean in today’s world.” And drummer Jim “Soni” Sonefeld says, “I don’t think there was a song that summed up more of a vibe that we’ve had within our band, going back to the early ’90 and sort of lifting each other up and looking out for one another.” Yup, we’re gonna hold on to this one.
Runaway June, owners of the highest charting single from a female trio in 16 years ("Buy My Own Drinks"), are continuing their momentum with a new single, "Head Over Heels." The song, penned by the trio's Naomi Cooke, Hannah Mulholland and Jennifer Wayne, alongside Tommy Cecil and Jared Mullins, is sure to catch the ears of your female demographic with a relatable storyline, several references to shoes, and a whole lotta sass. "'Cause these ain't my late night, lace up, black leather shoes / These ain't my downtown, dance around, waitin' on you / These ain't my lonely cab ride, one night thrills / These ain't my 'You get drunk, call me up, and head over' heels," the lyrics cleverly state. You tell 'em, ladies. That guy doesn't stand a chance! The song is the first track on the trio's recent album, "Blue Roses," and is sure to be have your listeners falling even more "head over heels" for these change-makers. There's no doubt this single has what it takes for these women to "runaway" with a #1 this time around.
Newcomer Lainey Wilson makes an impressive debut with the sexy, mid-tempo “Dirty Looks,” the first radio single from her Jay Joyce-produced ”Redneck Hollywood” EP. The Louisiana native co-wrote the song with Smith Ahnquist and Brent Anderson, and they no doubt had some fun in the writing room as they worked out how to give the title two very different meanings. First, there’s the more obvious one about a couple getting dirty looks from strangers as a result of their PDA in a bar. The second is spelled out in the chorus, where Wilson sings about her blue collar beau, “Somethin' 'bout rough hands on a hard-workin' man / I just wanna get all over you / Like the dirt on your shirt and your jeans and your boots / If you ask me, dirty looks / Good on you, boy.” Wilson moved to Nashville in a bumper-pull camper trailer, where she lived for three years while establishing herself in the city’s songwriting community. She landed a publishing deal with Sony/ATV, then a record deal with Broken Bow after independently releasing a self-titled EP in 2018. She was also chosen as part of CMT’s Next Women of Country class of 2019, and spent the early part of this year opening dates on Morgan Wallen’s “If I Know Me” tour. She’s paid her dues and earned her place, so it’s unlikely her inevitable success will lead to any dirty looks!
Fully Loaded: God's Country
