Here we go.

For those who have not followed along in the past, this blogger individually rates songs in a spreadsheet, assigning a value of 1-10 to each song, then sorting each album by average song rating. In years past (aka, before I worked two jobs and also gambled heavily), I would then go through that sorted list, move albums around if I felt like I needed to and put out an official album rankings. These days, I present the list as is, sorted by average song rating. So, let’s get to it.

1. Tyler Childers–Rustin’ in the Rain

Rating: 7.0.

This is an excellent way to get into the rating system I use right off the bat. See, this album is only seven songs. In the past, I probably would have selected something with a similar rating with more tracks as my album of the year. Who has time for that these days.

I sort anything six tracks or less into a seperate EP list. Seven is my cutoff. It also demonstrates how a song on the extreme end of the scale can skew an average. Rustin’ only had four songs that made my Best of singles list (7 stars and above), but one of those In Your Love, a bona fide 10-star track. I don’t give 10 stars often. In Your Love was the song of the year, without having to think about it. A 10 star song is really going to skew a rating on a seven-track album, but here we are.

I was able to see Tyler live this year. I’ve seen him a few times before. He has gone to another level this year. Other wordly, even. In Your Love is a song that will make you cry. It will make you dance with your partner in the kitchen. It will make you stop working when it pops up on shuffle play. It perfectly demonstrates the song writing while encompassing the vocal growth of the former Kentucky wildman turned music god. Rustin’ is somehow a return to the old Tyler and a whole new Tyler at the same time. Old style with refined skill.

The title track, Percheron Mules and Space and Time (an SG Goodman cover) also made my Best of list. Yes, a song about buying a mule made the list. That is the Power of Tyler.

2. Sam Barber–Million Eyes

Rating: 6.75

About the three-quarter mark of the year, I noticed the top of my list devoid of new artists. It was mostly new projects from old favorites. I wondered where the debut albums were. Turns out, I was waiting on Sam Barber’s album and just didn’t know it. Barber is a young man from Southeast Missouri who has already started selling out many of the venues I like to catch up-and-coming acts at in the Midwest. I probably missed my chance to see him in those already. Barber has already had a couple of viral hits with Straight and Narrow and Dancing In The Sky. The first is a fun, rocking belt it live tune, while the second is a sad wailer that made my infamous Fetal Position list. The album opens with Million Eyes, which wound up being my favorite track. Six of the eight tracks on this EP made my best of list.

3. Turnpike Troubadours–A Cat In The Rain

Rating: 6.6.

One of the best days in music in the last couple of years was when a random update popped up on the Troubadours’ site. They’re back. For me, it was bigger than the Jordan fax letter. So maybe this album was rated through the lens of nostalgia. Oh well. Nostalgia is undefeated. I was fortunate to see their return to Billy Bob’s after the hiatus and I’m still living off that high. But, it was an album that also grew on me with each listen. Either way, it’s just good to have them back. At its best, it is easy to imagine this album as a love letter to a forgiving wife.

4. Drayton Farley–Twenty On High

Rating: 6.5.

Drayton has found himself near the top of previous lists for me. Dude can write songs. His previous work was all mostly “a man and a guitar” work. For this album, he added a full backing band. And not just any band, but The 400 Unit, of Jason Isbell fame. Fitting since Drayton has a few songs that when they come up in shuffle I have to remind myself they are not Isbell songs. That is high praise, in case you didn’t know. Example:

I’ve seen Drayton solo live. I know he can’t tour with this exact band, but I look forward to seeing him with his own band a full sound going forward.

5. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit–Weathervanes

Rating: 6.46

Speaking of that Isbell guy. I guess we give the Band of the Year award to the 400 Unit, right?

Weathervanes might be Isbell’s best work since Southeastern, or at least since The Nashville Sound. At this point in his career, if you are not familiar with Isbell’s work, you probably are reading this blog for the first time. First, welcome. Second, where dafuq you been? You know all those Mt. Rushmore lists people people together? Yeah, Isbell is on the modern songwriter one. Toss in some kickoff guitar chops, soring vocals and the aforementioned band, and yeah, Weathervanes is another Isbell classic.

6. Stephen Wilson Jr. –Son of Dad

Rating: 6.41

This debut album blew me away. Came across this one late in the year, and I think it was my final entry into the top 10. Son of Dad had more songs make my Best of list than any other album–12 tracks actually. The only reason it landed this low in the formula was it had 22 total tracks. The Seymour, Ind. native came out of the gate swinging. This was also the only album of the year I gave three tracks 8 points or more. Wilson Jr. catapulted to the top of my Need To See live list with this album. There is a mix of Sturgill and Hayes both in here. Barber’s album landed higher due to the shorter track number, but this is probably the debut album I would recommend the most to my friends. With the way I consume past year’s music (mostly my Best of lists), there is a solid chance this is the album I will hear the most of in future years.

7. Zach Bryan–Zach Bryan

Rating: 6.31

With a hat tip to Ryan Adams, just about no one has been more prolific over the last five years than Zach Bryan, who has ridden a red dirt rocket to the top of the business. Since releasing debut album DeAnn in 2019, this is Zach’s fourth full album, along with a live Red Rocks album, a slew of EPs and many more soundcloud/youtube exclusive singles. The preceding album, American Heartbreak, broke Zach out beyond the red dirt/country scene. This one did not match that album in regards to Zach Bryan Sing Along Anthems!(TM), but is still a solid entry into the discography. Number seven is about as low as a Zach album has appeared in this annual list, which is to say the kid doesn’t miss.

I still maintain that while songs like Orange and Revival, etc brought the fame and crowds, he is at his best when writing about worthiness and places in the world. My personal favorite was the first song (after a poem on track one).

If you came to Zach late and because of the stadium anthems, then Fear and Friday’s was probably your jam on this one.

8. Eddie Flint–2023

Rating: 6.29.

This is my first real cheat of the year for this list. If you went and searched for an album from Flint called 2023, you wouldn’t find anything. Hear me out. I’ve done this before. Flint doesn’t actually have an official album out. What he does have is a series of singles and EPs. I put them all in one list in my spreadsheet and just called it Eddie Flint–2023. The last guy I did that for? JR Carroll.

Flint is still very raw, but the potential is evident. In fact, the growth is already there. I recommend listening to his 2023 songs in reverse order of release if you are just sampling a new name. If you do search his name, it also will not take you long to find “He is just trying to be Zach Bryan” posts. And well, they aren’t wrong. When I stumble across him, I sent a couple videos on with the note “this reeks of trying to be Zach, but is is a pretty damn good try”. A mustached military man putting out youtube “man and a guitar” Kerouac country. Yeah, there is some influence here. But I’m old enough to remember Zach coming out to “he is just trying to be Tyler Childers” posts. I don’t have a problem with artists leaning into their inspirations. And I say that just assuming in this case, but it is also a pretty safe assumption.

Raw? Yes. Been done before? Yes. Still worth the listen? Yep. Looking forward to hearing Flint flesh out his sound.

9. Lucero–Should’ve Learned By Now

Rating: 6.2.

The Memphis rockers are back with one of the better albums in recent years. At this point, if you don’t know Lucero, you aren’t reading this blog. Nichols’ distinctive voice and writing style shines on throughout this one. This is the kind of music you pound a dozen Schlitz too and contemplate life decisions with.

10. Jake Stringer–Just Happy To Be Here

Rounding out the top 10 is another southern Missouri country rocker in Jake Stringer. This one has some honky tonk and anthems alike, starting with a song that is not quite an apology. Stringer released this album on the Death Before Pop Country label if you want an idea of what they are going for here. This is the kind of stuff you hear blasted at the marina in the Ozarks, or at least you would if you are doing it right. This one is for the Jamey Johnson/Kendall Marvel crowd.

The Other 106

11	Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors–Strangers No More	6.09
12	Gov’t Mule–Peace…Like A River	6.08
13	Nicholas Jamerson–Peace Mountain	6.08
14	The Dirty Guv’nahs–Roots	6
15	Marty Stuart–Altitude	6
16	Carter Sampson–Gold	6
17	Nas–Magic 2	6
18	Ryan Bingham–Watch Out For The Wolf	6
19	Ashley McBride–The Devil I Know	6
20	Wyatt Flores–Life Lessons	6
21	Logan Halstead–Dark Black Coal	6
22	Muscadine Bloodline–Teenage Dixie	5.93
23	Myron Elkins–Factories, Farms & Amphetamines	5.9
24	Brit Taylor–Kentucky Blue	5.9
25	Channing Wilson–Dead Man	5.9
26	Elle King–Come Get Your Wife	5.84
27	Ally Venable–Real Gone	5.83
28	Charles Wesley Godwin–Family Ties	5.82
29	Deer Tick–Emotional Contracts	5.8
30	The Panhandlers–Tough Country	5.79
31	Chika–Samson: The Album	5.76
32	The Revivalists–Pour It Out Into The Night	5.75
33	The Shootouts–Stampede	5.73
34	Wilder Woods–Fever / Sky	5.73
35	Chuck D–We Wreck Stadiums	5.73
36	Read Southall Band–Southall	5.73
37	Killer Mike–Michael	5.71
38	Devon Gilfillian–Love You Anyway	5.7
39	Rodney Crowell–The Chicago Sessions	5.7
40	Colter Wall–Little Songs	5.7
41	The Rolling Stones–Hackney Diamonds	5.67
42	Logic—College Park	5.65
43	Eddie 9V–Capricorn	5.64
44	Chris Stapleton–Higher	5.64
45	Jaime Wyatt–Feel Good	5.64
46	Kyle Nix and the 38’s–After The Flood, Vol. 1	5.62
47	Margo Price–Strays	5.6
48	The Wood Brothers–Heart is the Hero	5.6
49	The War & Treaty–Lover’s Game	5.6
50	Duane Betts–Wild & Precious Life	5.6
51	Brennen Leigh–Ain’t Through Honky Tonkin’ Yet	5.58
52	Levi Turner–Allergy Season	5.57
53	Black Thought–Glorious Game	5.55
54	John R. Miller–Heat Comes Down	5.55
55	Pony Bradshaw–North Georgia Rounder, Ch. 1-4	5.5
56	El Dorodo–Unicorporated	5.5
57	Slaid Cleaves–Together Through The Dark	5.5
58	Karen Jonas–The Restless	5.5
59	William Prince–Stand in the Joy	5.5
60	Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real–Sticks and Stones	5.5
61	Rattlesnake Milk–Chicken Fried Snake	5.44
62	The Steel Woods–On Your Time	5.4
63	Sunny War–Anarchist Gospel	5.36
64	Brandy Clark–Brandy Clark	5.36
65	Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley–Living In A Song	5.33
66	Grace Potter–Mother Road	5.33
67	Chickasaw Mudd Puppies–Fall Line	5.31
68	The Band of Heathens–Simple Things	5.3
69	Nas–Magic 3	5.27
70	Ruston Kelly–The Weakness	5.25
71	Joy Oladokun–Proof of Life	5.23
72	prdym shft–Enigma #143	5.2
73	Eilen Jewell–Get Behind The Wheel	5.18
74	Tommy Prine–This Far South	5.18
75	Tyler, The Creator: Call Me If You Get Lost: The Estate Sale	5.14
76	Uncle Lucius–Like It’s The Last One Left	5.11
77	Foo Fighters–But Here We Are	5.1
78	Doolin’–Darkest Way	5.09
79	Whitehorse–I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying	5.08
80	Nicki Minaj–Pink Friday 2	5.04
81	Jaimee Haris–Boomerang Town	5
82	The Tallest Man on Earth–Henry St.	5
83	Betty LaVette–LaVette!	5
84	JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown–Scaring The Hoes	4.93
85	The Teskey Brothers–The Winding Way	4.9
86	The Bad Ends–The Power and The Glory	4.88
87	Summer Dean–The Biggest Life	4.85
88	Corey Smith–Suburband Drawls	4.85
89	The Arcs–Electrophonic Chronic	4.83
90	Cordovas–The Rose Of Aces	4.83
91	Logan Ledger–Golden State	4.8
92	Iggy Pop–Loser	4.78
93	The National–First Two Pages of Frankenstein	4.73
94	Kesha–Gag Order	4.73
95	Jess Williamson–Time Ain’t Accidental	4.72
96	Rae Sremmurd–Scremm 4 Life	4.71
97	Parker Millsap–Wilderness Within You	4.69
98	Bahamas–Bootcut	4.6
99	Billy Woods & Kenny Segal–Maps	4.59
100	Miley Cyrus–Endless Summer Vacation	4.58
101	Iris DeMent–Workin’ On A World	4.54
102	Hiss Golden Messenger–Jump For Joy	4.54
103	Nick Shoulders–All Bad	4.5
104	Slakeye Slim–Scorched Earth, Black Heart	4.45
105	Black Pumas–Chronicles of a Diamond	4.4
106	Shakey Graves–Movie of the Week	4.4
107	H.C. McEntire–Every Acre	4.33
108	Shakey Graves–Movie of the Week	4.3
109	John Fizer–Treasure Man	4.25
110	Josh Ritter–Spectral Lines	4.1
111	Esther Rose–Safe To Run	4
112	Lil Yachty–Let’s Start Here	3.98
113	boygenius–the record	3.83
114	Fruit Bats–A River Running To Your Heart	3.67
115	Youngboy NBA–I Rest My Case	3.5
116	Cinder Well–Cadence	3.22

I’m already on to 2024. See you all again this time next year.