This week’s batch of new music includes work from Thompson Square, Arlo McKinley and more.
First Country is a compilation of the best new country songs, videos & albums that dropped this week.
Country music’s female artists and duos lead the way this week, as Kelsea Ballerini releases the first track from her upcoming album, Miranda Lambert revels in freedom from expectations on a new release, and Carrie Underwood delivers ’80s pop vibes on her latest. Duo Kat & Alex continue broadening country music’s edges with their all-Spanish version of one of their previous releases, and Jillian Jaqueline teams with Brothers Osborne’s TJ Osborne for a moody duet.
Read about all these and more in our First Country roundup below.
Kelsea Ballerini, “Heartfirst”
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After earning her latest Billboard Country Airplay No. 1 hit with a heartfelt ode to her east Tennessee roots with “Half of My Hometown” (featuring Kenny Chesney), Ballerini returns with a poppy, boppy groove reminiscent of Faith Hill’s jubilant late ’90s hits.
She has a random encounter with someone at a bar and though neither knows where the chance meeting will ultimately lead, she’s fearless and willing to take a risk — because, as Ballerini puts it, “only the moon knows what’s in the stars.” Ballerini wrote this shimmering, sunny and very radio-friendly track with Alysa Vanderheym and Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild.
Miranda Lambert, “Actin’ Up”
The reigning ACM entertainer of the year teamed with longtime collaborators Luke Dick and Jon Randall (one of her The Marfa Tapes collaborators) in the writing room. Like its predecessor “If I Was a Cowboy,” “Actin’ Up” leans into themes of freedom, though this track trades languid country rhythms for greasy guitars and moments of spitfire lyrics. Along the way, she name checks Billy Bob’s Texas, Tiger Woods, Ricky Bobby and Elvis, before ultimately declaring that doing things her own way have reaped rewards.
“With my microphone money bought my own milk and honey/ I’ve got my own kind of country, kinda funky,” she sings — and at this point in her career, she’s more than proved it’s a winning style. “Actin’ Up” is from Lambert’s upcoming April 29 project Palomino.
Carrie Underwood, “Denim & Rhinestones”
The title track from Underwood’s upcoming June 10 release, this disco-inflected track drips with 1980s vibes. Dolly Parton gets a shoutout here, as does Underwood’s own 2012 hit “Two Black Cadillacs” — alongside a plethora of things that naturally pair well together, like sweet tea with lemon, quarters and jukeboxes, her relationship with her lover, and of course, denim and rhinestones. A swirling, delightful summer party soundtrack.
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